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| Born | (1991-09-07)7 September 1991 (age 34) Bega, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 102 kg (16 st 1 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Lock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dale Finucane (born 7 September 1991) is a former Australian professionalrugby league footballer who played as alock forward for theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks in theNational Rugby League (NRL). Finucane is a dual premiership winner2017 and2020 with theMelbourne Storm.
Finucane previously played for theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs andMelbourne Storm in the NRL. He has played for theCountry Origin andNew South Wales sides.
Finucane was born inBega, New South Wales, and is of Irish descent.[citation needed]
Finucane played his junior football for theBega Roosters and studied atBega High School.
In 2009, he signed with theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. When signed at Canterbury-Bankstown, he was educated atBass High School.[citation needed]
In 2009, Finucane played for theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs'S. G. Ball Cup team, winning the S. G. Ball Cup Player of the Year award[3] and playing for theNew South Wales Under 18s team.[4] Later that same year, he moved straight into the Bulldogs'NRL Under-20s team. He played in that competition for the Bulldogs from 2009 to 2011, playing over 60 games.[5] On 31 August 2010, Finucane was named on theinterchange bench in the2010 NRL Under-20s Team of the Year.[6] On 30 August 2011, Finucane was named atprop in the2011 NRL Under-20s Team of the Year.[7] On 16 October 2011, Finucane played for theJunior Kangaroos against theJunior Kiwis, where he played at lock in the 28-16 loss.[8][9] In 2012, Finucane moved on to the Bulldogs'New South Wales Cup team.
In round 13 of the2012 NRL season, Finucane made hisNRL debut for theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs against theSouth Sydney Rabbitohs, playing off the interchange bench in the 23–18 win atANZ Stadium.[10][11] On 30 September 2012, in the Bulldogs2012 NRL Grand Final against theMelbourne Storm, Finucane played off the interchange bench in the 14-4 defeat.[12][13] Finucane finished his debut NRL year with him playing in 14 matches for the Canterbury-Bankstown club in the2012 NRL season.
In round 20 against theParramatta Eels, Finucane scored his first NRL career try in Canterbury-Bankstown's 40-12 win atANZ Stadium.[14] On 11 August 2013, Finucane extended his contract with Canterbury from the end of 2014 to the end of 2016.[15] Finucane finished the2013 NRL season with him playing all of Canterbury's 25 matches and scoring one try.
In February 2014, Finucane was selected in Canterbury's2014 NRL Auckland Nines squad.[16] On 4 May 2014, Finucane played forCountry Origin againstCity Origin where he played off the interchange bench in the 26-26 all draw inDubbo.[17] On 5 October 2014, in Canterbury's2014 NRL Grand Final against theSouth Sydney Rabbitohs, Finucane played off the interchange bench in the 32-6 defeat.[18][19] Finucane finished the2014 NRL season with him playing in 27 matches and scored 1 try for Canterbury. On 18 December 2014, after gaining a release from his Canterbury contract, Finucane signed a three-year contract with the Melbourne Storm starting in 2015.[20]
In round 1 of the2015 NRL season, Finucane made his club debut for theMelbourne Storm against theSt. George Illawarra Dragons, starting at lock in the 12-4 win atJubilee Oval.[21] On 3 May 2017, Finucane played for Country Origin against City Origin where he started at prop in the 34-22 win inWagga Wagga.[22] In round 9 against theParramatta Eels, Finucane scored his first club try for Melbourne in the 28–10 win atParramatta Stadium.[23] Finucane finished the2015 NRL season with playing in 23 matches and scoring two tries in his first year with theMelbourne Storm.
In February 2016, Finucane was selected in the Storm’s2016 NRL Auckland Nines squad.[24] On 8 May 2016, Finucane played for Country Origin against City Origin where he started at lock in the 44-30 loss inTamworth.[25] On 2 October 2016, in the Storm’s2016 NRL Grand Final against theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Finucane played in his thirdgrand final, starting at lock and sadly losing another premiership in the 14-12 defeat.[26][27] Finucane finished the2016 NRL season with him playing in all of Melbourne's 27 matches and scoring two tries.
On 22 March 2017, Finucane extended his contract with the Melbourne club to the end of the 2021 season.[28] On 7 May 2017, Finucane played for Country Origin against City Origin where he started at prop in the 20-10 loss inMudgee.[29] On 1 October 2017, in the Storm’s2017 NRL Grand Final against the North Queensland Cowboys, Finucane appeared in his 4th grand final, starting at lock and scoring a try in the breaking of the hoodoo match with a 34–6 victory.[30][31] Finucane finished the2017 NRL season on a high with him playing in 26 matches, scoring four tries and kicking one goal for the Melbourne club.
To start the season, Finucane was part of the successful2018 World Club Challenge team.In round 12 of the2018 NRL season against theNorth Queensland Cowboys, Finucane play his 150th NRL games in the Storms' 7–6 win at1300SMILES Stadium. September, Finucane played in his fifth grand final and took part in the2018 NRL Grand Final.
Finucane was called up byNew South Wales Blues for the second game of the2019 State of Origin series. It was his first appearance in the interstate series.[32] He came off the bench as inter-change No. 14. However a late change by coach Brad Fitler saw Finucane start the match at lock in place of Paul Vaughan who dropped to the bench and Jake Trbojevic came into the front row.
At club level, Finucane played 26 games as Melbourne won the minor premiership and were amongst the favourites to take out the title. Finucane played in Melbourne's preliminary final loss to theSydney Roosters at theSydney Cricket Ground.[33]
Finucane is a member of Melbourne's2020 NRL Grand Final team, his second NRL premiership with the club, in his sixth grand final appearance. On 19 February, Finucane andJesse Bromwich are announced as co-captains of Melbourne, succeedingCameron Smith.[34] Finucane was namedNew South Wales Blues vice-captain for2021 Origin game 3, despite missing the first two games of the 2021 series.[35]
On 25 July, Finucane announced he would joinCronulla-Sutherland Sharks from the 2022 season on a four-year contract.[36] Finucane played 17 games for Melbourne in the2021 NRL season as the club won 19 matches in a row and claimed theMinor Premiership. Finucane's final match for Melbourne was their upset 10–6 defeat against thePenrith Panthers atSuncorp Stadium in the preliminary final.[37]
In round 1 of the2022 NRL season, Finucane made his club debut for Cronulla-Sutherland in their 24-19 loss against theCanberra Raiders.[38]In round 10, Finucane was taken from the field during Cronulla's loss to Canberra. Finucane was later ruled out from playing for six weeks with a medial ligament sprain.[39]On 26 July, Finucane was suspended for two matches after using a dangerous high tackle during Cronulla's round 19 loss to thePenrith Panthers.[40]Finucane played a total of 17 games for Cronulla in the2022 NRL season as the club finished second on the table. Finucane played in both of Cronulla's finals matches as they were eliminated in straight sets.[41]On 25 July 2023, it was announced that Finucane would miss the remainder of the2023 NRL season with a bicep injury.[42]
In round 3 of the2024 NRL season, Finucane was taken from the field during Cronulla's upset loss to the Wests Tigers. It was later announced that Finucane would miss up to a month with a fractured eye socket.[43]
On 23 April 2024, Finucane announced his immediate retirement from rugby league on medical advice, due to repeated head knocks.[44][45]
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 |  Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 25 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 | |
| 2014 | 27 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 | |
| 2015 |  Melbourne Storm | 23 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 |
| 2016 | 27 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2017 | 26 | 4 | 1/1 | 100.00% | 0 | 18 | |
| 2018 | 18 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 26 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2020 | 15 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2021 | 17 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 8 | |
| 2022 |  Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 17 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 13 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Career totals | 251 | 17 | 1/1 | 100.00% | 0 | 70 | |
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 |  NSW Country | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | NSW Country | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | NSW Country | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | NSW Country | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career totals | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Season | Team | Matches | T | G | GK % | F/G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |  New South Wales | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | New South Wales | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | New South Wales | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career totals | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |