{{short description|Australian rugby league footballer (born 1989)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Clay Priest |fullname = |image = claypriest.jpg |imagesize = 230px |caption = Priest playing for the Mount Pritchard Mounties in 2014. |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1989|2|5}} |birth_place = Penrith, New South Wales, Australia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mounties.com.au/site_files/s1001/files/2013/squads/Clay_Priest.pdf|title=Archived copy|accessdate=2016-04-23|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130427094631/http://www.mounties.com.au/site_files/s1001/files/2013/squads/Clay_Priest.pdf|archivedate=27 April 2013|df=dmy }}</ref> |height = {{convert|183|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|97|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|PR|LK}} |club1 = Canberra Raiders |year1start = 2016 |year1end = 17 |appearances1 = 31 |tries1 = 0 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 0 |club2 = Canterbury Bulldogs |year2start = 2018 |year2end = |appearances2 = 8 |tries2 = 0 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 0 |retired = |source = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/clay-priest/summary.html|title=Clay Priest - Career Stats & Summary|publisher=Rugby League Project|date=|accessdate=2016-04-28}}</ref> |updated = 4 March 2018 }}
'''Clay Priest''' (born 5 February 1989) is an Australian rugby league footballer who last played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League. He plays as a {{rlp|lk}} and {{rlp|pr}}. He has previously played for the Canberra Raiders. He currently plays for the Mudgee Dragons in the Western Premiership
==Background== Born in Penrith, New South Wales, Priest played his junior rugby league for Brothers Penrith, before being signed by the Mount Pritchard Mounties.
==Playing career==
===Early career=== In 2014, Priest joined the Mount Pritchard Mounties in the New South Wales Cup, while training with NRL side Canberra Raiders during the pre-season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfieldchampion.com.au/story/1933189/mounties-kick-off-preseason-training/|title=Mounties kick off preseason training | Fairfield City Champion|publisher=Fairfieldchampion.com.au|date=2013-11-26|accessdate=2016-04-23}}</ref>
===2016=== After impressing for the Mounties, Priest was handed a second-tier contract with the Raiders<ref>{{cite web|author=Jon Tuxworth|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-could-changes-be-afoot-for-the-canberra-raiders-20160421-gobksv.html|title=NRL: Raiders hand Clay Priest a debut as Stuart shakes up out of form side|publisher=Smh.com.au|date=23 April 2016|accessdate=2016-04-23}}</ref> and made his NRL debut for them against the Wests Tigers in round 8 of the 2016 NRL season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/updated-team-lists-raiders-v-tigers/tabid/10874/newsid/95168/default.aspx|title=Updated team lists: Raiders v Tigers|publisher=NRL.com|date=2016-02-28|accessdate=2016-04-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=NRL|url=http://www.raiders.com.au/news/2016/04/23/nrl_late_mail_raider.af_news.html|title=NRL Late Mail: Raiders v Tigers|publisher=Raiders|date=|accessdate=2016-04-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161017002647/http://www.raiders.com.au/news/2016/04/23/nrl_late_mail_raider.af_news.html|archive-date=17 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 18 August, he re-signed with the Raiders on a 2-year contract until the end of 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/priest-re-signs-with-the-raiders-23318/#f0d5DrWowjXlvY00.97|title=Priest re-signs with the Raiders|publisher=Zero Tackle|date=17 August 2016|accessdate=2016-08-18}}</ref> He finished his debut season with 14 NRL matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/Mi0xNjc3LTQtLS0tLS0yMjcyNS0tLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0=|title=Custom Match List - Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org|accessdate=23 November 2017}}</ref>
===2017=== Priest played 17 NRL matches for the Raiders during the 2017 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/Mi0xNjk2LTQtLS0tLS0yMjcyNS0tLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0=|title=Custom Match List - Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org|accessdate=23 November 2017}}</ref> In November, he signed a contract with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs for the 2018 season, in a swap deal with Bulldogs player Brad Abbey joining the Raiders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2017/11/10/bulldogs_become_sala.html|title=Bulldogs become Salary Cap compliant for 2018|first=NRL Digital|last=Media|publisher=|accessdate=23 November 2017|date=10 November 2017}}</ref>
===2018=== On 27 August, Priest was one of the players announced by Canterbury to be leaving at the end of the season after his contract was not renewed by the club.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2018/08/27/join-us-on-sunday-to-say-farewell-to-our-departing-players/ |title = Join us on Sunday to say farewell to our departing players|date = 27 August 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20180228162716/https://www.bulldogs.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/canterbury-bankstown-bulldogs/clay-priest/ Canterbury Bulldogs profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160503173826/http://www.raiders.com.au/team/profiles/clay_priest.html Canberra Raiders profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Priest, Clay}} Category:1989 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Canberra Raiders players Category:Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players Category:Mount Pritchard Mounties players Category:Rugby league locks Category:Rugby league props Category:Rugby league players from Penrith, New South Wales Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen