Adam Muir

Former Newcastle forward first represented NSW during the troubled 1995 season. A mobile runner with the ball, Muir made his Test debut as a reserve in the opening match of the Trans Tasman series that year. A late withdrawal from the Second Test line-up because of illness, Muir was later selected in Australia’s World Cup squad at the end of year in which Super League rebels were not considered for selection. In England he played in one Test, against South Africa, with his only other Test appearance was the farcical match against Fiji in 1996 at the height of the Super League war. Muir was in good form that year, scoring the winning try for Country Origin, but after being selected as lock in the opening State of Origin match he suffered a punctured lung after a shoulder charge on Billy Moore went wrong. In 1997, in a move that may have been a little premature, Muir announced his intention to play with Norths. Season’s end saw Muir play a stirring role in Newcastle’s grand final success, the 22-16 win over Manly in the Optus Cup, and the big forward no doubt found it hard to leave a winning team on such a high. Muir struggled with ankle and knee injuries in his two seasons with the Bears and after being fined for misbehaviour after a pre-season match in Wagga in early 1999, he threatened to leave the club after clashing with coach Peter Louis. Muir was a major signing of the merged N’Eagles in 2000 and made his return to the successful NSW State of Origin team. After two seasons in which the N’Eagles merger was wracked by internal strife and poor team performances, he signed on as captain of the reborn Souths club in 2002. Although he signed for two seasons injury forced him into premature retirement in 2003.