{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer (born 1973)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Jeff Wittenberg |retired = yes |position = {{rlp|PR|SR}} |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|03|19|df=y}} |birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |club1 = St. George Dragons |year1start = 1993 |appearances1 = 1 |tries1 = 0 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 0 |club2 = South Qld Crushers |year2start = 1995 |year2end = 96 |appearances2 = 19 |tries2 = 1 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 4 |club3 = Bradford Bulls |year3start = 1997 |year3end = 98 |appearances3 = 18 |tries3 = 4 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 16 |club4 = Huddersfield Giants |year4start = 1998 |year4end = 99 |appearances4 = 20 |tries4 = 1 |goals4 = 0 |fieldgoals4 = 0 |points4 = 4 |club5 = Sheffield Eagles |year5start = 2000 |appearances5 = 19 |tries5 = 1 |goals5 = 0 |fieldgoals5 = 0 |points5 = 4 |club6 = Batley Bulldogs |year6start = 2001 |appearances6 = 28 |tries6 = 4 |goals6 = 0 |fieldgoals6 = 0 |points6 = 16 |club7 = Huddersfield Giants |year7start = 2002 |year7end = 03 |appearances7 = 35 |tries7 = 3 |goals7 = 0 |fieldgoals7 = 0 |points7 = 12 |updated = 10 November 2023 |source = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Jeff-Wittenberg/summary.html RLP]</ref> |new = yes | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = John Wittenberg | mother = | spouse = | education = | alma_mater = | relatives = }} }}
'''Jeff Wittenberg''' (born 19 March 1973) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in England and Australia. His father John was an Australian international.
==Playing career== Wittenberg began his career playing for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, a club who his father had also represented.<ref>[http://www.history.wynnumseagulls.com.au/ Club History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204083838/http://www.history.wynnumseagulls.com.au/ |date=4 December 2011 }} ''wynnumseagulls.com.au''</ref> In 1993, he signed with the St. George Dragons, another of his father's former clubs. Wittenberg only made one appearance for the club and left at the end of the season.<ref name=dragons>[http://www.leagueunlimited.com/dragons/history/history_players_wxyz.php Players W-X-Y-Z] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012080430/http://www.leagueunlimited.com/dragons/history/history_players_wxyz.php |date=12 October 2011 }} ''leagueunlimited.com''</ref>
In 1995, Wittenberg joined the new South Queensland Crushers franchise and played in their inaugural match on 11 March 1995. He spent two seasons at the club. Chosen for his size , at 196 cm he was the biggest man in the Crushers engine room. In 1997, despite interest from Castleford, Wittenberg signed with the Bradford Bulls for 1997's Super League II.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Rugby+League%3A+Harris+hits+back.-a061142410 Harris hits back] ''Sunday Mirror'', 23 March 1997</ref> He only remained one season with the Bulls, joining the Huddersfield Giants in 1998.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-super-powers-of-league-guide-to-the-top-divisions-12-teams-from-the-bulls-to-the-warriors-1153996.html Guide to the top division's 12 teams from the Bulls to the Warriors] ''The Independent'', 2 April 1998</ref> At the end of the 1998 season Wittenberg was released.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-league-teambyteam-guide-to-super-league-1078496.html Team-by-Team Guide to Super League] ''The Independent'', 5 March 1999</ref>
Wittenberg spent several years in the lower grades, playing for the Sheffield Eagles and then the Batley Bulldogs.<ref name=dragons/><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/1096472.stm Dragons lack fire] ''bbc.co.uk'', 1 January 2001</ref> Wittenberg then returned to Huddersfield, playing for the club in the 2002 and 2003 seasons.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/2430307/Hayes-scores-two-tries-as-Huddersfield-cruise.html Hayes scores two tries as Huddersfield cruise] ''The Telegraph'', 17 February 2002</ref><ref>[http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/squads/ 2003 Super League squads] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109165835/http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/squads/ |date=9 January 2009 }} ''sportinglife.com''</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|40em}}
==External links== *[http://www.huddersfieldrlheritage.co.uk/Photo_Library/Players/SL/photos/Jeff-Wittenberg.jpg Huddersfield RL Heritage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305033756/http://www.huddersfieldrlheritage.co.uk/Photo_Library/Players/SL/photos/Jeff-Wittenberg.jpg |date=5 March 2017 }}
{{1995 Crushers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wittenberg, Jeff}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Batley Bulldogs players Category:Bradford Bulls players Category:Huddersfield Giants players Category:Rugby league players from Brisbane Category:Rugby league props Category:Rugby league second-rows Category:Sheffield Eagles players Category:South Queensland Crushers players Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen Category:St. George Dragons players Category:Wynnum Manly Seagulls players