{{short description|Samoa international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Christian Crichton |fullname = |image = Christian Crichton.jpg |imagesize = 290 |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1996|7|12}} |birth_place = Apia, Samoa |height = {{convert|182|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|100|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|WG}} |club1 = Penrith Panthers |year1start = 2018 |year1end = |appearances1 = 20 |tries1 = 4 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 16 |club2 = Canterbury Bulldogs |year2start = 2019 |year2end = 21 |appearances2 = 13 |tries2 = 3 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 12 |club3 = Penrith Panthers |year3start = 2022 |year3end = |appearances3 = 1 |tries3 = 0 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 0 |teamA = Samoa |yearAstart = 2018 |yearAend = |appearancesA = 1 |triesA = 0 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 0 |retired = |source = <ref>{{cite web|title=Christian Crichton|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/christian-crichton/summary.html|publisher=Rugby League Project}}</ref> |updated = 19 March 2021 | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = | mother = | spouse = | education = | alma_mater = | relatives = Stephen Crichton (brother) }} }}
'''Christian Crichton''' (born 12 July 1996) is a Samoan professional rugby league footballer who plays on the {{rlp|wg}} for St Mary's Saints in the Ron Massey Cup and for Samoa at international level.
He previously played for the Penrith Panthers and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League.
==Background== Crichton was born in Apia, Samoa, and moved to Australia during his teenage years.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Newton|first1=Alicia|last2=Kennedy|first2=Chris|date=22 March 2018|title=Panthers rookie Crichton settled ahead of NRL debut|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/03/22/rookie-panthers-winger-christian-crichton-settled-ahead-of-nrl-debut/|publisher=NRL.com|access-date=23 March 2018}}</ref> He is the older brother of Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs player Stephen Crichton.
He played his junior rugby league for St Marys Saints in Penrith, New South Wales before being signed by the Penrith Panthers.
==Playing career== ===Early years=== From 2014 to 2016, Crichton played for the Penrith Panthers' NYC team,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nycdatabase.org/players/c/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616154602/http://nycdatabase.org/players/c/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=16 June 2015|title=C|date=27 December 2012|publisher=|access-date=23 March 2018}}</ref> before graduating to their Intrust Super Premiership NSW team in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://leagueunlimited.com/news/leagueunlimited-isp-nsw-teams-2017-grand-final/|title=2017 NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership Grand Final » League Unlimited|website=League Unlimited|access-date=23 March 2018}}</ref>
===2018=== Following an injury to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Crichton made his NRL debut in round 3 of the 2018 NRL season against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2018/03/23/late-mail-round-3/|title=Late Mail: Round 3|date=23 March 2018|publisher=|access-date=23 March 2018}}</ref> In round 6, Crichton scored his first NRL try in the Panthers' 35–12 victory over the Gold Coast Titans at Penrith Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/draw/nrl-premiership/2018/round-6/panthers-vs-titans/|title=Panthers vs Titans|website=National Rugby League|access-date=15 April 2018}}</ref> In May, he signed a 3-year contract with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs starting in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zerotackle.com/bulldogs-sign-penrith-winger-33194/|title=Bulldogs sign Penrith winger - Zero Tackle|date=18 May 2018|publisher=|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>
===2019=== Crichton made his debut for Canterbury-Bankstown against the New Zealand Warriors in Round 1 scoring a try in a 40–6 loss. The following week, Canterbury were defeated by arch rivals Parramatta 36–16. As a result, Crichton was demoted to reserve grade by coach Dean Pay for the following week.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-teams-round-3-bulldogs-coach-pay-wields-axe-20190326-p517rp.html/|title=NRL teams, Round 3: Bulldogs coach Pay wields axe|website=www.smh.com.au}}</ref>
On 6 May, Crichton was selected for the Canterbury Cup NSW residents side to play against the Queensland residents representative team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2019/05/06/nswrl-names-canterbury-cup-nsw-residents-team/|title=NSWRL names Canterbury Cup NSW Residents team|website=www.nswrl.com.au}}</ref>
===2020=== Crichton was placed on report in the opening round of the 2020 NRL season against arch rivals Parramatta after hitting Maika Sivo with a late high tackle. Canterbury would go on to lose the match 8–2.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/live-nrl-bulldogs-new-halves-combination-put-to-the-test/news-story/bfe1ea0540810e5b7098016b9d150682 |title=Live NRL: After 65 minutes we FINALLY have a try — Eels rookie breaks deadlock |work=Fox Sports |date=12 March 2020}}</ref>
===2021=== Crichton was ruled out of the entire 2021 NRL season after suffering a knee injury in pre-season training.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2021-alex-johnston-hamstring-injury-rabbitohs-javid-bowen-acl-cowboys-injuries-return-dates/news-story/916b1e947a0957af21a0454c0de44cd2/|title=Big Bunnies blow as try-scoring machine faces a month on sidelines: Casualty Ward|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}</ref>
===2022=== Crichton only made one appearance for the Penrith first grade side in 2022. Crichton spent the majority of the year playing for the clubs NSW Cup side. Crichton played for Penrith in their 2022 NSW Cup Grand Final victory over Canterbury.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/draw/nsw-cup/2022/grand-final/game-1/|title=NSW Cup Grand Final 2022|website=www.nswrl.com|access-date=4 October 2022|archive-date=29 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929164236/https://www.nswrl.com.au/draw/nsw-cup/2022/grand-final/game-1/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===2025=== On 13 September, Crichton played in St Mary's Ron Massey Cup Grand Final victory over Wentworthville.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2025/09/13/st-marys-cap-off-wonderful-season-with-grand-final-success/|title=St Marys cap off wonderful season with Grand Final success|website=www.nswrl.com.au}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[https://www.bulldogs.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/canterbury-bankstown-bulldogs/christian-crichton/ Canterbury Bulldogs profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20180323220036/https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/penrith-panthers/christian-crichton/ Penrith Panthers profile]
{{Penrith Panthers squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crichton, Christian}} Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players Category:Penrith Panthers players Category:Rugby league players from Apia Category:Rugby league wingers Category:Samoa national rugby league team players Category:Samoan emigrants to Australia Category:Samoan rugby league players