{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Gavin Whittaker |fullname = Gavin Whittaker |image = |caption = |country = |position = {{rlp|PR}} |currentclub = Retired |birth_date = {{Birth date|1970|01|13|df=yes}} |birth_place = Pittsworth, Queensland, Australia |death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|01|06|1970|01|13|df=yes}} |death_place = Parkwood, Queensland, Australia |height = |weight = |club1 = {{nowrap|Canterbury-Bankstown}} |year1start = 1993 |year1end = 95 |appearances1 = 7 |tries1 = 0 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 0 |club2 = Gold Coast |year2start = 1996 |year2end = 97 |appearances2 = 30 |tries2 = 3 |goals2 = 2 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 16 |updated = |source = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/gavin-whittaker/summary.html|title=Gavin Whittaker - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project|website=Rugbyleagueproject.org}}</ref> |new = yes }}

'''Gavin Whittaker''' (13 January 1970 &ndash; 6 January 2017) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played for Canterbury-Bankstown and the Gold Coast.

==Background== Whittaker was born on 13 January 1970 in Pittsworth town in Queensland district of Australia.

==Playing career== Whittaker made his first grade debut for Canterbury in Round 16, 1993 against Balmain. Whittaker played with the club up until the end of 1995 but was not included in the premiership winning side that defeated Manly.

Whittaker joined the Gold Coast to play 31 games from 1996 to 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thebulldogs.com.au/sportal.php?page=player&id=590|title=BULLDOGS RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB - OFFICIAL WEBSITE|website=thebulldogs.com.au}}</ref>

His son, Shai Whittaker later played for representative teams from 2007 to 2013; such as the Gold Coast Titans U18's and Queensland U17's.

Whittaker died from stomach cancer on 6 January 2017 at his home in Parkwood, Queensland, a week before his 47th birthday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/local-sport/gold-coast-fans-mourning-the-death-of-former-chargers-forward-gavin-whittaker/news-story/00396f2adb60c846c8f03dd0fd42485f|title=Gold Coast fans mourning the death of former Chargers forward Gavin Whittaker|work=Gold Coast Bulletin|date=12 January 2017|accessdate=12 January 2017}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080730062019/http://bulldogs.com.au/main.php?page=player&id=590 Bulldogs profile]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whittaker, Gavin}} Category:1970 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players Category:Gold Coast Chargers players Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen Category:Rugby league props Category:Rugby league players from Queensland Category:Deaths from stomach cancer in Queensland Category:People from Pittsworth, Queensland

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