{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Shaun Valentine |fullname = |image = |imagesize = |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|4|13}} |birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |height = {{convert|185|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|101|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|PR|SR}} |club1 = North Qld Cowboys |year1start = 1999 |year1end = 02 |appearances1 = 36 |tries1 = 2 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 8 |retired = Yes |source = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/shaun-valentine/summary.html |title=Shaun Valentine - Career Stats & Summary |publisher=Rugby League Project |date=1976-04-13 |access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref> |updated = 10 February 2020 }}
'''Shaun Valentine''' (born 13 April 1976) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League. He primarily played {{rlp|pr}} or {{rlp|sr}}.
==Playing career== A Brisbane Brothers junior, Valentine played for the Wests Panthers in the Queensland Cup from 1996 to 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cowboys.com.au/team/player/index.asp?player_id=175 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010619062219/http://www.cowboys.com.au/team/player/index.asp?player_id=175 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2001-06-19 |title=www.cowboys.com.au |date= |access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cowboys.com.au/playerdetail.asp?PlayerID=86 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020404122936/http://www.cowboys.com.au/playerdetail.asp?PlayerID=86 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2002-04-04 |title=CHR Cowboys |date= |access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Mike Higgison |url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2015/03/27/20-years-of-cup-1999/ |title=20 years of Cup: 1999 |publisher=QRL |date=2015-03-27 |access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref> In 1998, he started at centre in the Panthers' Grand Final loss to the Norths Devils. In 1999, due to a partnership between the Panthers and North Queensland Cowboys, Valentine joined the NRL club. That year he was selected to represent the Queensland Residents side.
In Round 14 of the 1999 NRL season, Valentine made his NRL debut in the Cowboys' 8–22 loss to the Cronulla Sharks at Dairy Farmers Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-1999/round-14/north-queensland-vs-cronulla/summary.html |title=NRL 1999 - Round 14 |publisher=Rugby League Project |date=1999-06-05 |access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref> In Round of 17 of the 1999 season, he scored his first NRL try in the Cowboys' 32–18 win over the Sydney City Roosters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-1999/round-17/sydney-city-vs-north-queensland/summary.html |title=NRL 1999 - Round 17 |publisher=Rugby League Project |date=1999-06-26 |access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref> Despite joining the club as a {{rlp|ce}}, Valentine transitioned into the forwards at the Cowboys, starting at {{rlp|sr}} and eventually moving to {{rlp|pr}}.
In 2000, Valentine played 18 NRL games, the most he would play in a season. Valentine suffered a number of concussions during his career, playing just 10 games over the next seasons. He was released by the Cowboys at the end of the 2002 season and subsequently retired.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/seven-hits-too-many-for-shaun-valentine/story-e6frf9if-1226040019605?sv=424ebe9e061532110d90c5bb4ffe86f |title=Category |publisher=Herald Sun |date= |access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref>
==Statistics== ===NRL=== : ''Statistics are correct to the end of the 2002 season''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/shaun-valentine/summary.html|title=Shaun Valentine - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org}}</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width:85%;" |- !width=2%|Season !width=8%|Team !width=2%|Matches !width=2%|T !width=2%|G !width=2%|GK % !width=2%|F/G !width=2%|Pts |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 1999 |style="text-align:center;"|{{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} North Queensland | 8|| 1|| 0|| —|| 0|| 4 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2000 |style="text-align:center;"|{{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} North Queensland | 18|| 1|| 0|| —|| 0|| 4 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2001 |style="text-align:center;"|{{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} North Queensland | 7|| 0|| 0|| —|| 0|| 0 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal"| 2002 |style="text-align:center;"|{{leagueicon|North Queensland|16}} North Queensland | 3|| 0|| 0|| —|| 0|| 0 |- class="sortbottom" ! colspan=2| Career totals ! 36 ! 2 ! 0 ! — ! 0 ! 8 |}
==Post-playing career== In 2011, Valentine, who suffered seven concussions in an 18-month period during his career, agreed to donate his brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation at Boston University after meeting with the foundation's co-founder Chris Nowinski.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/former-cowboy-shaun-valentine-to-donate-his-brain-to-study-of-concussion-in-footballers/story-e6frexnr-1226060680249?sv=a7937875e648d6fbf1a7b8a3a52b634e |title=We're for Sydney |publisher=Daily Telegraph |date= |access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/brain-issue-real-says-ex-nrl-player-shaun-valentine/news-story/b6f9c88a97959e7e97ca4b96b2e3b6fa |title=NoCookies |publisher=The Australian |date= |access-date=2020-02-20}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valentine, Shaun}} Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:North Queensland Cowboys players Category:Rugby league players from Brisbane Category:Rugby league props Category:Rugby league second-rows Category:Wests Panthers players