{{Short description|Former Australia international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Ben Ikin |fullname = Benjamin Ikin |image = |caption = |position = {{rlp|CE|FE}} |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|02|21|df=yes}} |birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia<ref>https://www.qrl.com.au/maroons-history/former-origin-greats/ben-ikin/</ref> |height = {{convert|185|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|90|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |retired = yes |club1 = Gold Coast Seagulls |year1start = 1995 |year1end = |appearances1 = 8 |tries1 = 0 |goals1 = 1 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 2 |club2 = North Sydney Bears |year2start = 1996 |year2end = 99 |appearances2 = 87 |tries2 = 35 |goals2 = 4 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 148 |club3 = Brisbane Broncos |year3start = 2000 |year3end = 04 |appearances3 = 55 |tries3 = 18 |goals3 = 2 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 76 |teamA = Queensland |yearAstart = 1995 |yearAend = 03 |appearancesA = 17 |triesA = 3 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 12 |teamB = Australia |yearBstart = 1998 |yearBend = |appearancesB = 2 |triesB = 0 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 0 |source = [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Ben_Ikin.html RLP], [https://web.archive.org/web/20080724035546/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Ben-Ikin_11.aspx Yesterday's Hero] }}
'''Benjamin Ikin''' (born 21 February 1977) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, and the CEO of the Queensland Rugby League from 22 May 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2023/05/08/ben-ikin-named-new-queensland-rugby-league-ceo/ | title=Ben Ikin named new Queensland Rugby League CEO | date=7 May 2023 }}</ref> He previously worked in football operations roles for the Brisbane Broncos from June 2021 until May 2023, and had been the host of talk show NRL 360 on Fox League as well as a commentator for the Nine Network and Fox Sports.
An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative centre turned five-eighth, Ikin played club football for the Gold Coast Seagulls, the North Sydney Bears and the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 2000 premiership, before being forced into early retirement in 2004 by injury.
==Playing career== As a Gold Coast junior and promising {{rlp|ce}} and {{rlp|fe}}, Ikin became the youngest player in State of Origin history when he was chosen as a replacement back for the Maroons during the troubled 1995 season at age 18.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Colman|first1=Mike|title=Super League: The Inside Story|date=1996|publisher=Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd.|location=Sydney|isbn=0-330-35863-4|pages=211–216 Tomorrow The World}}</ref>
Ikin's debut season ended prematurely when he was injured. However, he signed with the North 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 to St. George.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2015/09/24/top-10-preliminary-final-heartbreaks/|title=Top 10 preliminary final heartbreaks|website=www.nrl.com|date=23 September 2015 }}</ref>
In the 1997 ARL season, Ikin made twenty-two appearances as Norths again reached another preliminary final but were defeated 17-12 at the Sydney Football Stadium by the Newcastle Knights.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/arl-1997/prelim-final/newcastle-vs-north-sydney/summary.html/|title=ARL 1997|website=Rugby League Project}}</ref>
In the 1998 NRL season, Ikin made twenty-five appearances for Norths as they reached another finals campaign but were eliminated in the minor semi-final against the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 23-2 at North Sydney Oval. At the end of 1998, Ikin was chosen as a reserve in the final two Tests against New Zealand in September, making him the last international to be selected from the North Sydney club.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}
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 the Willows Sports Complex. North Sydney won 28-18.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-1999/round-26/north-queensland-vs-north-sydney/summary.html/|title=NRL 1999|website=Rugby League Project|access-date=23 August 2019|archive-date=23 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823085108/https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-1999/round-26/north-queensland-vs-north-sydney/summary.html/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2000, Ikin finally got the chance to link with Brisbane when North Sydney was forced into a joint venture with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He finished his first season with the Broncos playing five-eighth in the club's 2000 NRL grand final win over the Sydney 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|date=May 2023}} In 2000, Ikin was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league. Ikin also considered playing for Wales in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup due to his Welsh heritage through his grandfather<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rugby-league/wales-lose-out-after-johns-opts-for-break-700433.html The Independent]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
A mainstay of the Queensland 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|date=April 2023}} 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 the Toowoomba 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|date=April 2023}}
Ikin's last NRL game was the 2004 elimination final against North Queensland which Brisbane lost 10-0 at the Willows Sports Complex.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/13/north-queensland-end-brisbane-nrl-season/|title=North Queensland Cowboys end Brisbane Broncos' season|website= The Guardian|date=13 September 2014 }}</ref>
==Post playing== Ikin was a rugby league commentator for the Nine Network and regularly appeared on ''The Sunday Footy Show''. On 3 June 2009, he resigned from the Nine Network, due to ''A Current Affair'' running a story about his father's ill-fated storage business on the Gold Coast.<ref name="biw">{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/ben-ikin-walks-from-channel-nine/story-e6frexv9-1225720542494|title=Ben Ikin walks from Channel Nine|author=Phil Rothfield & Marcus Casey|access-date=14 November 2011|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref>
Until June 2021, Ikin was host of ''NRL 360'' on Fox Sports alongside journalist Paul Kent. He started as Football and Performance Director for the Brisbane Broncos on 28 June 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2021/06/28/broncos-update-ben-ikin-football-department-changes/ | title=Broncos Update: Ben Ikin & Football Dept changes | date=28 June 2021 }}</ref> In March 2023, that role changed to Head of Football Operations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.broncos.com.au/about/CompanyInformation/ | title=Company Information }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/broncos/ben-ikin-stands-down-from-broncos-recruitment-role/news-story/4b59e4ef8945b76ddca6b85d914918cb | title=Ben Ikin stands down from Broncos recruitment role | date=9 March 2023 }}</ref> In May, the Broncos confirmed that Ikin had completely ceased working at the club.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/news-2023-ben-ikin-quits-brisbane-broncos-to-join-queensland-rugby-league/a513ecd9-68e9-4e88-8cb4-965e171c1ef4 | title=Ex-Broncos footy boss locks in new high-profile job }}</ref> Soon after, Ikin reportedly accepted the role of CEO for the Queensland Rugby League "midway through (the Broncos) season".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-brisbane-broncos-kevin-walters-relationship-with-ben-ikin-why-is-he-leaving-queensland-rugby-league-chief-executive/news-story/a16b1f5712969fcb2cedc796c8dfe83f | title=Walters opens up on Ikin rift claim — and how Broncos 'helped' him land QRL gig | date=10 May 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2023/05/08/ben-ikin-named-new-queensland-rugby-league-ceo/ | title=Ben Ikin named new Queensland Rugby League CEO | date=7 May 2023 }}</ref>
==Personal life== Ikin is married to Elizabeth (Beth) Bennett, the daughter of Wayne Bennett, who had coached Ikin at the Brisbane Broncos and in the Queensland State of Origin and Australian Test teams.
Ikin's middle brother, Sean,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://thepublicapology.net/2011/08/18/sensitive-new-age-ikins/ | title=Sensitive new-age Ikins – the Public Apology | date=18 August 2011 }}</ref> was a recording artist with Universal Records from 1999 to 2002. He recorded an independent album in London UK in 2005 called ''Gallery of Murmurs''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/gallery-of-murmurs/1464589964 | title=Gallery of Murmurs by Sean Ikin }}</ref>
Ikin's youngest brother, Anthony, is a public speaker and life coach,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ikinachieve.com/about/ | title=Introducing Anthony Ikin | Australian Celebrity Keynote Speaker & Coach }}</ref> as well as a five-time Australian aerobics champion and a top-twenty contestant in ''So You Think You Can Dance Australia (season 1)''.
== References == {{reflist|2}}
==Sources== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080727014932/http://www.nrlstats.com/archive/players.cfm?PlayerID=401 Ben Ikin at ''NRL Stats'']
{{Brisbane Broncos squad 2000 NRL premiership}} {{Fox League}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ikin, Ben}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Australia national rugby league team players Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Brisbane Broncos players Category:Fox Sports (Australian TV network) people Category:Gold Coast Chargers players Category:Nine's Wide World of Sports Category:North Sydney Bears players Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen Category:Queensland Rugby League State of Origin players Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal Category:Rugby league centres Category:Rugby league five-eighths Category:Rugby league hookers Category:Rugby league players from Tweed Heads Category:Toowoomba Clydesdales players Category:Veivers family