Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Benjamin Ikin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1977-02-21)21 February 1977 (age 48) Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 90 kg (14 st 2 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre, Five-eighth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:RLP,Yesterday's Hero | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Benjamin Ikin (born 21 February 1977) is an Australian former professionalrugby league footballer, and theCEO of theQueensland Rugby League from 22 May 2023.[1] He previously worked in football operations roles for theBrisbane Broncos from June 2021 until May 2023, and had been the host of talk showNRL 360 onFox League as well as a commentator for theNine Network andFox Sports.
An Australian international andQueensland State of Origin representative centre turned five-eighth, Ikin played club football for theGold Coast Seagulls, theNorth Sydney Bears and theBrisbane Broncos, with whom he won the2000 premiership, before being forced into early retirement in 2004 by injury.
As aGold Coast junior and promisingcentre andfive-eighth, Ikin became the youngest player inState of Origin history when he was chosen as a replacement back for the Maroons during the troubled1995 season at age 18.[2]
Ikin's debut season ended prematurely when he was injured. However, he signed with theNorth Sydney Bears in 1996. Ikin made his debut for Norths in Round 1 1996 against his former club, the Gold Coast Seagulls, who had been Re-named Gold Coast Chargers, scoring a try in a 42-26 victory. Ikin finished the 1996 season as North Sydney's top try scorer. Ikin played in the club's shock preliminary final loss toSt. George.[3]
In the1997 ARL season, Ikin made twenty-two appearances as Norths again reached another preliminary final but were defeated 17-12 at theSydney Football Stadium by theNewcastle Knights.[4]
In the1998 NRL season, Ikin made twenty-five appearances for Norths as they reached another finals campaign but were eliminated in the minor semi-final against theCanterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 23-2 atNorth Sydney Oval. At the end of 1998, Ikin was chosen as a reserve in the final two Tests againstNew Zealand in September, making him the last international to be selected from the North Sydney club.[citation needed]
He then tried to gain a release from his contract to play with premiers the Brisbane Broncos in 1999, but his request was refused. Reluctantly playing with Norths, he suffered a broken jaw in an off-field incident that kept him sidelined for eight weeks. Ikin played in North Sydney's final game in the top grade which was against North Queensland in Round 26 at theWillows Sports Complex. North Sydney won 28-18.[5]
In 2000, Ikin finally got the chance to link with Brisbane when North Sydney was forced into a joint venture with theManly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He finished his first season with the Broncos playing five-eighth in the club's2000 NRL grand final win over theSydney Roosters. It was later revealed that he played the latter part of the season with a shoulder injury that required surgery during the 2000 off-season.[citation needed] In 2000, Ikin was awarded theAustralian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league. Ikin also considered playing forWales in the2000 Rugby League World Cup due to his Welsh heritage through his grandfather[6]
A mainstay of theQueensland State of Origin team, a further knee injury limited Ikin to just six matches in 2001 and ruined any chance of extending his Test record.[citation needed] Ikin made a successful comeback from his injury, even returning to State of Origin duty, but he had lost a lot of his speed and stood down from the Broncos' elite squad at the end of 2003. Playing for Broncos' feeder club theToowoomba Clydesdales, Ikin was recalled into the Brisbane team during the 2004 representative season and played in eleven games in the latter half of the year.[citation needed]
Ikin's last NRL game was the 2004 elimination final against North Queensland which Brisbane lost 10-0 at theWillows Sports Complex.[7]
Ikin was a rugby league commentator for theNine Network and regularly appeared onThe Sunday Footy Show. On 3 June 2009, he resigned from theNine Network, due toA Current Affair running a story about his father's ill-fated storage business on theGold Coast.[8]
Until June 2021, Ikin was host ofNRL 360 onFox Sports alongside journalistPaul Kent. He started as Football and Performance Director for theBrisbane Broncos on 28 June 2021.[9] In March 2023, that role changed to Head of Football Operations.[10][11] In May, the Broncos confirmed that Ikin had completely ceased working at the club.[12] Soon after, Ikin reportedly accepted the role of CEO for the Queensland Rugby League "midway through (the Broncos) season".[13][14]
Ikin is married to Elizabeth (Beth) Bennett, the daughter ofWayne Bennett, who had coached Ikin at theBrisbane Broncos and in the Queensland State of Origin and Australian Test teams.
Ikin's middle brother, Sean,[15] was a recording artist with Universal Records from 1999 to 2002. He recorded an independent album in London UK in 2005 calledGallery of Murmurs.[16]
Ikin's youngest brother, Anthony, is a public speaker and life coach,[17] as well as a five-time Australianaerobics champion and a top-twenty contestant inSo You Think You Can Dance Australia (season 1).