{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Wade McKinnon |image = Wade McKinnon Tigers.jpg |caption = |country = |position = {{rlp|FB|WG|CE}} |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|02|12}} |birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |height = {{convert|183|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|90|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |club1 = South Sydney |year1start = 2002 |year1end = 03 |appearances1 = 26 |tries1 = 9 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 36 |club2 = Parramatta Eels |year2start = 2004 |year2end = 06 |appearances2 = 51 |tries2 = 15 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 60 |club3 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}} |year3start = 2007 |year3end = 10 |appearances3 = 54 |tries3 = 16 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 64 |club4 = Wests Tigers |year4start = 2010 |year4end = 11 |appearances4 = 22 |tries4 = 4 |goals4 = 0 |fieldgoals4 = 0 |points4 = 16 |club5 = Hull F.C. |year5start = 2012 |year5end = |appearances5 = 10 |tries5 = 4 |goals5 = 0 |fieldgoals5 = 0 |points5 = 16 |teamA = NSW City |yearAstart = 2009 |yearAend = |appearancesA = 1 |triesA = 1 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 4 |retired = yes |source = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/wade-mckinnon/summary.html|title=Wade McKinnon - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project|website=Rugbyleagueproject.org}}</ref> |updated = 31 January 2019 }}
'''Wade McKinnon''' (born 12 February 1981) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. His position of preference was as a fullback.
==Playing career== ===Early years=== Educated at St Dominic's College, Penrith, Terra Sancta College and Westfields Sports High School McKinnon played rugby league from a young age. A St Clair Comets junior, McKinnon made his first grade début with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2002 following their re-admittance into the competition.
===Parramatta Eels=== After two years at South Sydney, McKinnon moved to Parramatta. In 2004, during his first season with the Eels, he won the Jack Gibson Award and the Ron Lynch Media Award in the same season. In 2005, McKinnon was part of the Parramatta side which won the minor premiership but fell short of a grand final appearance losing 29–0 to North Queensland in the preliminary final.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/eels/nathan-hindmarsh-on-parramattas-last-table-topping-team-where-his-former-teammates-are-now/news-story/fea0ebc7740f2dbbf8884bae9db77210 | title=Nathan Hindmarsh on Parramatta's last table topping team, where his former teammates are now | date=13 March 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parraeels.com.au/about/official-player-numbers/|title=Official Player Numbers|website=Parramatta Eels}}</ref>
===New Zealand Warriors=== With the Eels making it clear that they preferred Luke Burt ahead of the off-contract McKinnon, McKinnon often found it tough to make the first-grade team when the Eels were at full-strength. Consequently, he signed a three-year deal with the Warriors in 2007, filling in the void that was to be left by the departing Brent Webb. McKinnon cited the Warriors' style of play as being conducive to the game.
Mckinnon became the 132nd first grade player for the Warriors when he made his début against the Eels, his former club, at Mt Smart Stadium in Round 1, 2007. McKinnon scored 9 tries in his first season with the club.
During his time at the Warriors McKinnon was involved in several incidents. In a Round 19 match in 2007, McKinnon was sent off by referee Paul Simpkins in the final minute of play for allegedly kneeing Taniela Tuiaki. The replay, however, suggested there was no contact or intent, and consequently he was not cited after the match.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/mckinnon-in-the-clear/2007/07/23/1185043004892.html|title=McKinnon in the clear|publisher=Fairfax Digital|date=23 July 2007|access-date=24 July 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927012331/http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/mckinnon-in-the-clear/2007/07/23/1185043004892.html|archive-date=27 September 2007 }}</ref> thumb|220px|left|McKinnon playing for the New Zealand Warriors in 2009 McKinnon's individual try against the Penrith Panthers in Round Fifteen 2007 was voted as the greatest of the year by NRL.com.
McKinnon was ruled out of most of the 2008 NRL Season after an injury in the Warriors first trial game against the Newcastle Knights left him requiring a knee reconstruction.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/1318360/1591111| title=McKinnon set to miss 2008 season|publisher=ONE Sport|date=20 February 2008|access-date=22 February 2008}}</ref> However McKinnon recovered relatively quickly and he made his return against the Brisbane Broncos in Round 22. He celebrated this game by scoring a try in a 16-12 Warriors win.
In Round 25, 2008, McKinnon was suspended for three matches after allegedly spitting at touch-judge Brett Suttor. Suttor said that the spit landed 30 centimetres away from him, but the judiciary said that as McKinnon was at least six metres away from him, it was not possible for his spit to travel that far. He was selected for City in the City vs Country match on 8 May 2009.<ref>{{cite news|work=Fox Sports|title=Blues halfback duel in two as Mitchell Pearce misses selection|first=Todd|last=Balym|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25422326-5016947,00.html|date=3 May 2009|access-date=3 May 2009}}</ref>
===Wests Tigers=== After struggling to break into the Warriors 2010 team as he failed to regain his speed from his knee injury, McKinnon signed for the Wests Tigers on 26 May 2010. McKinnon had been contracted to the Warriors until the end of 2011 but was granted an immediate release by the Warriors.<ref>[http://www.warriors.co.nz/news/609/McKinnon-granted-release-from-contract McKinnon granted release from contract] ''Warriors.co.nz'', 26 May 2010</ref> McKinnon played his first game for the Tigers in round 15, but was limited to 6 games for the season due to a hamstring injury.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|title=McKinnon the Tigers' only injury worry|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/mckinnon-the-tigers-only-injury-worry-20100910-153yq.html|access-date=19 October 2010|date=10 September 2010}}</ref>
McKinnon began the 2011 season as the starting fullback for the Wests Tigers, but hampered by injuries, lost his position to Tim Moltzen.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|title=Moltzen's move to No.1 gives Tigers cause to roar|author=Glenn Jackson|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/moltzens-move-to-no1-gives-tigers-cause-to-roar-20110831-1jm3k.html|access-date=3 October 2011|date=1 September 2011}}</ref> He was released from the final year of his contract so he could join Hull F.C. for a three-year deal starting in 2012.<ref name="Stuff.co.nz_5069253">{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby-league/5069253/McKinnon-gets-Hull-of-a-deal-to-leave-Tigers|title=McKinnon gets Hull of a deal to leave Tigers|author=Jackson, Glenn|date=28 May 2011|agency=The Sydney Morning Herald|work=The Press|access-date=30 November 2011}}</ref> After six months in England he was granted a release for personal reasons.
==References== <!--<nowiki> See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref> and </ref> tags, and the template below. </nowiki>--> {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McKinnon, Wade}} Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:Auckland rugby league team players Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers players Category:Hull F.C. players Category:New South Wales City Origin rugby league team players Category:New Zealand Warriors players Category:Parramatta Eels players Category:Rugby league fullbacks Category:South Sydney Rabbitohs players Category:Wests Tigers players Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen