View source for Mal Meninga

{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer (born 1960)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name               = Mal Meninga<br>{{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}}
|fullname           = Malcolm Norman Meninga
|image              = Mal Meninga 2017.jpg.jpg
|image_size         = 
|position           = {{rlp|CE}}
|birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1960|7|8}}
|birth_place        = [[Bundaberg, Queensland]], Australia
|retired            = yes
|height             = {{convert|184|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight             = {{convert|107|kg|lb stlb|abbr=on}}
|club1              = [[Souths Logan Magpies|Southern Suburbs]]
|year1start         = 1979
|year1end           = 85
|appearances1       = 109
|tries1             = 78<!-- Includes 46 three point tries. -->
|goals1             = 314
|fieldgoals1        = 0
|points1            = 894
|club2              = [[St Helens R.F.C.|St Helens]]
|year2start         = 1984
|year2end           = 85
|appearances2       = 31
|tries2             = 28
|goals2             = 8
|fieldgoals2        = 0
|points2            = 128
|club3              = [[Canberra Raiders]]
|year3start         = 1986
|year3end           = 94
|appearances3       = 166
|tries3             = 74
|goals3             = 283
|fieldgoals3        = 2
|points3            = 864
|teamA              = [[Brisbane rugby league team|Brisbane]]
|yearAstart         = 1979
|yearAend           = 85
|appearancesA       = 23
|triesA             = 8<!-- Includes 6 three point tries. -->
|goalsA             = 52
|fieldgoalsA        = 0
|pointsA            = 130
|teamB              = South Queensland
|yearBstart         = 1981
|yearBend           = 
|appearancesB       = 1
|triesB             = 5
|goalsB             = 9
|fieldgoalsB        = 0
|pointsB            = 33
|teamC              = [[Queensland Maroons|Queensland]]
|yearCstart         = 1979
|yearCend           = 94
|appearancesC       = 32
|triesC             = 6<!-- Includes 1 three point try. -->
|goalsC             = 69
|fieldgoalsC        = 0
|pointsC            = 161
|teamD              = [[Australian Kangaroos|Australia]]
|yearDstart         = 1982
|yearDend           = 94
|appearancesD       = 46
|triesD             = 21
|goalsD             = 96
|fieldgoalsD        = 0
|pointsD            = 272
|teamE              = [[Prime Minister's XIII|President's XIII]]
|yearEstart         = 1988
|yearEend           = 
|appearancesE       = 1
|triesE             = 1
|goalsE             = 2
|fieldgoalsE        = 0
|pointsE            = 8
|coachteam1         = [[Canberra Raiders]]
|coachyear1start    = 1997
|coachyear1end      = 01
|coachgames1        = 125
|coachwins1         = 66
|coachdraws1        = 2
|coachlosses1       = 57
|coachteam2         = [[Perth Bears]]
|coachyear2start    = 2027
|coachyear2end      = present
|coachgames2        = 0
|coachwins2         = 0
|coachdraws2        = 0
|coachlosses2       = 0
|coachteamA         = [[Prime Minister's XIII]]
|coachyearAstart    = 2005
|coachyearAend      = 12
|coachgamesA        = 8
|coachwinsA         = 7
|coachdrawsA        = 1
|coachlossesA       = 0
|coachteamB         = [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]]
|coachyearBstart    = 2006
|coachyearBend      = 15
|coachgamesB        = 30
|coachwinsB         = 20
|coachdrawsB        = 0
|coachlossesB       = 10
|coachteamC         = {{nowrap|[[Papua New Guinea national rugby league team|Papua New Guinea]]}}
|coachyearCstart    = 2014
|coachyearCend      = 15
|coachgamesC        = 2
|coachwinsC         = 1
|coachdrawsC        = 0
|coachlossesC       = 1
|coachteamD         = [[PNG Prime Minister's XIII|PNG PM's XIII]]
|coachyearDstart    = 2015
|coachyearDend      = 
|coachgamesD        = 1
|coachwinsD         = 0
|coachdrawsD        = 0
|coachlossesD       = 1
|coachteamE         = [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]]
|coachyearEstart    = 2016
|coachyearEend      = 24
|coachgamesE        = 28
|coachwinsE         = 25
|coachdrawsE        = 0
|coachlossesE       = 3
|coachteamF         = [[Prime Minister's XIII]]
|coachyearFstart    = 2016
|coachyearFend      = 23
|coachgamesF        = 6
|coachwinsF         = 6
|coachdrawsF        = 0
|coachlossesF       = 0
|coachteamG         = [[World All Stars]]
|coachyearGstart    = 2017
|coachyearGend      = 
|coachgamesG        = 1
|coachwinsG         = 0
|coachdrawsG        = 0
|coachlossesG       = 1
|source             = <ref>[http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=5715 NRL Stats]{{dead link|date=November 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saints.org.uk/saints.org.uk/home/viewpage.php?page_id=10&num=15983|title=Saints Heritage Society|website=www.saints.org.uk|access-date=26 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Mal_Meninga.html|title=Mal Meninga – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project|first1=Shawn|last1=Dollin|first2=Andrew|last2=Ferguson|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.com|access-date=26 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qrl.com.au/news/2015/12/03/cheers_mal_you_champ.html|title=Cheers Mal you champion!|first=NRL Digital|last=Media|date=2 December 2015|access-date=26 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Mal-Meninga_5715.aspx|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903183627/http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Mal-Meninga_5715.aspx| title=Player Profile - Mal Meninga|archivedate=3 September 2012|website=www.yesterdayshero.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/mal-meninga/summary.html|title=Mal Meninga - Coaching Career - RLP}}</ref>
|updated            = 10 November 2024
}}

'''Malcolm Norman Meninga''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|n|ɪ|ŋ|ɡ|ə}}; born 8 July 1960) is an Australian professional rugby league coach and a former professional [[rugby league]] footballer. Meninga is widely regarded as one of the finest players in the game's history. He enjoyed a long career in both Australia and England, playing mainly as a goal-kicking {{rlp|ce}}. After retiring, Meninga has enjoyed success as a coach, and is currently the head coach of [[Australian national rugby league team|Australian national team]].<ref name="Australia-coach"/>

Meninga broke numerous rugby league records during his playing career. He retired with the most appearances in the history of the Australian national team, and became the top-point scorer ever in [[State of Origin series|State of Origin]] football. He has since been honoured as a Member of the [[Order of Australia]], has been inducted into the [[Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame]] and has also been named in both [[Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century|Queensland]]'s and [[Australian Rugby League's Team of the Century|Australia]]'s teams of the century.

Meninga is the only player in history to be selected for four [[Kangaroo Tour]]s. He toured with the Kangaroos in [[1982 Kangaroo tour|1982]], [[1986 Kangaroo tour|1986]], [[1990 Kangaroo tour|1990]] and [[1994 Kangaroo tour|1994]], appearing in every test match against [[Great Britain Lions|Great Britain]] and [[France national rugby league team|France]] on all four tours. He is also the only player to captain two Kangaroo Tours, in 1990 and 1994. Additionally he is one of five players, along with [[Wally Lewis]], [[Peter Sterling (rugby league commentator)|Peter Sterling]], [[Brett Kenny]] and [[Gene Miles]], who were members of the undefeated 1982 and 1986 tours, known as 'the Invincibles' and 'the Unbeatables' respectively. .

As a coach, he began with the [[Canberra Raiders]], before coaching [[Queensland Maroons|Queensland]] to nine State of Origin titles between 2006 and 2015. He became coach of Australia in 2016 and led the Kangaroos to win the [[2017 Rugby League World Cup|2017 World Cup]] and the [[2021 Rugby League World Cup|2021 World Cup]]. Meninga was inducted as the 13th [[The Immortals (rugby league)|Immortal]] in 2018.

== Early life ==
Meninga, whose father is of [[South Sea Islanders|South Sea Island]] heritage and mother is a white Australian,<ref>{{cite web|date=22 July 2023|title=Rugby league legend Mal Meninga on his journey to find his South Sea Islander heritage|url=https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/mal-meninga-journey-to-find-his-pacific-identity/102630854|work=ABC|access-date=5 August 2024}}</ref> was born in [[Bundaberg]], [[Queensland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/a-love-of-footy-became-the-making-of-mal-meninga/story-e6frep5x-1226411516771|title=The making of Mal|access-date=26 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sentupstairs.wordpress.com/2015/12/14/icon-of-rugby-league-mal-meninga/|title=Icon of Rugby League: Mal Meninga|date=14 December 2015|access-date=26 July 2017}}</ref> His father, Norman Meninga, also played rugby league.<ref name="toughjob">{{cite news|title=Why coaching State of Origin is not the toughest job Mal Meninga will have this week|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/why-coaching-state-of-origin-is-not-the-toughest-job-mal-meninga-will-have-this-week/news-story/666d5c5fb7295c766c73bac242aff81e|newspaper=[[The Courier-Mail]]|first=Robert|last=Craddock|date=23 May 2014}}</ref> He has a brother, Geoffrey Meninga.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-03-02 |title=Mal Meninga digital story and oral history. Oh, and another brother Cameron Meninga. |url=https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/11l3i0/alma99291033402061 |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=State Library of Queensland}}</ref>

As detailed on ''[[Who Do You Think You Are? (Australian TV series)|Who Do You Think You Are?]]'' in 2016, Meninga's great-grandfather Edward Meninga was from [[Tanna (island)|Tanna]], [[Vanuatu]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Heming|first=Wayne|date=3 October 2016|title=Meninga tackles his family's past|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/sport/meninga-tackles-his-familys-past/news-story/5570a64b131fa6f739d76c90d1ff5dd8|work=Courier Mail|access-date=5 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Webeck|first=Tony|date=4 October 2016|title=Meninga: 'It's a difficult story to tell'|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2016/10/04/meninga-its-a-difficult-story-to-tell/|work=NRL.com|access-date=5 August 2024}}</ref> Meninga has often been misidentified as an [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal Australian]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Hagan|first=Stephen|date=8 December 2005|title=Who me … an Aborigine?|url=https://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3916|website=On Line Opinion|access-date=5 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=14 February 2020|title=Meninga, Inglis And The Greatest Team Selection Story Never Told|url=https://www.titans.com.au/news/2020/02/14/meninga-inglis-and-the-greatest--team-selection-story-never-told/|website=titans.com.au|access-date=5 August 2024}}</ref>

Meninga attended [[Maroochydore State High School]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://maroochyshs.eq.edu.au/Ourschool/History/Pages/History.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227045113/https://maroochyshs.eq.edu.au/Ourschool/History/Pages/History.aspx |archive-date=27 February 2015 |title=History}}</ref> graduating with a Junior Certificate in 1975. He completed his Senior Certificate at the Queensland Police Academy, citing his love for TV police dramas as a key reason for joining the force,<ref name="toughjob"/> and served as an officer in the [[Queensland Police Service]] until 1985. It was during his time in the police force that Meninga met [[Wayne Bennett (rugby league)|Wayne Bennett]], who was serving as a constable at the time and would become one of Meninga's key mentors.<ref name="toughjob"/> Meninga was actually a senior constable and 2IC PE instructor under Sergeant Wayne Bennett at the Queensland Police Academy during the early 80s.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

== Playing career ==
Meninga captained [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]] for 23 [[Test match (rugby league)|Test matches]] between 1990 and 1994,<ref>{{cite book
|last = Hagan
|first = Stephen
|author-link=Stephen Hagan (author)
|title = Australia's Blackest Sporting Moments: The Top 100
|publisher = Ngalga Warralu Publishing Pty Ltd
|year = 2006
|pages = 288
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=hfKmwE5HGI4C
|isbn = 9781921212000}}</ref> and captained the Queensland State of Origin team for three years from 1992 to 1994. He remains the only player to captain two Kangaroo tours, in 1990 and [[1994 Kangaroo Tour|1994]].

''I'd watch in awe as Mal pulverised the opposing defensive line with his bone-crunching runs. From the safety of my spot six or seven metres away from the action, I felt grateful that I didn't have to tackle him because his giant thighs were lethal weapons.''
:[[Bill Harrigan]]<ref>{{cite book|last=[[Bill Harrigan]] with Daniel Lane|title=Harrigan: the referee in a league of his own|date=2003|publisher=Hachette|location=Australia|isbn=9780733627743|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJeJKEu5GyEC}}</ref>

=== Brisbane ===
[[File:Mal Meninga Statue at Lang Park, Brisbane.jpg|thumb|right|Mal Meninga's statue at [[Lang Park]]]]
Meninga made his first grade début in the [[Brisbane Rugby League premiership]] at the age of 18 with [[Souths Logan Magpies|Southern Suburbs]]. He was selected to play for [[Brisbane rugby league team|Brisbane]] in the [[1979 Amco Cup]], kicking a goal in their 5–22 final loss to [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]]. Meninga also made his first appearance at centre for [[Queensland Maroons|Queensland]] in 1979,<ref>{{cite book
|author1=Toby Creswell|author2=Samantha Trenoweth
|name-list-style=amp|title = 1001 Australians You Should Know
|publisher = Pluto Press
|year = 2006
|location = Australia
|pages = 690
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QqtinbjO0oEC&q=rugby
|isbn = 9781864033618}}
</ref> and the following year helped his state to win the [[1980 State of Origin game|first interstate match]] under [[State of Origin]] selection rules against [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] at [[Lang Park]], kicking seven goals from seven attempts. Meninga was one of the last players to use the toe-poke kicking style rather than the more accurate around-the-corner style that was starting to take hold. That Origin game was on 8 July 1980, Meninga's 20th birthday. Later that year, he played for Souths in the [[1980 Brisbane Rugby League season#Grand Final|BRL grand final]], scoring a try and kicking 3 goals as the Magpies went down to [[Norths Devils|Northern Suburbs]] 17–15. Meninga finished the 1980 season as the BRL's top points scorer, with 245 points.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} A year later however Meninga reached the [[1981 Brisbane Rugby League season]] grand final with Souths, who defeated the [[Redcliffe Dolphins]] 13–9.

In 1982, he was named man-of-the-match in Game 1 of [[1982 State of Origin series]] against New South Wales at Lang Park, and was later selected to make his test début for [[Australian Kangaroos|Australia]] in a test against [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]] at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]], being the 540th player selected for Australia.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Meninga had an unhappy game though, dislocating his elbow in the 28th minute{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} after a crunching blindside tackle from Kiwi winger [[Dane O'Hara]], while at the same time attempting to break a tackle from Kiwi fullback [[Gary Kemble]]. He soon recovered and played in the centres for Souths in their 17–3 loss to the [[Wynnum Manly Seagulls]] in the BRL Grand Final at Lang Park.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Post season he toured Europe with the undefeated [[1982 Kangaroo tour|1982 Kangaroos]], playing in all six tests on tour against [[Papua New Guinea Kumuls|Papua New Guinea]], [[Great Britain Lions|Great Britain]] and [[France national rugby league team|France]]. Meninga was the Kangaroos top point scorer on tour, scoring 166 from 10 tries (worth 3 points) and 68 goals, including a personal haul of 19 points (1 try, 8 goals) in the first [[The Ashes (rugby league)|Ashes series]] test against Great Britain at [[Boothferry Park]] in [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]]. He then backed that up with 15 points (1 try, 6 goals) in the second test at [[Wigan]]'s [[Central Park (Wigan)|Central Park]], before adding a further 14 points (7 goals) to his Ashes tally in the third test at [[Headingley Rugby Stadium|Headingley]] in [[Leeds]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Kangaroos players register|url=http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/kangaroos/register.php|work=australianrugbyleague.com.au|publisher=[[Australian Rugby League]]|access-date=16 October 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317113820/http://www.australianrugbyleague.com.au/kangaroos/register.php|archive-date=17 March 2012 }}</ref> The 1982 Kangaroos, the first touring team to go through Great Britain and France undefeated, earned the [[Frank Stanton (rugby league)|Frank Stanton]] coached team the nickname "The Invincibles".

Meninga continued his good form in 1983, even though Souths missed the BRL Grand Final. He played in Queensland's second straight [[1983 State of Origin series|Origin series]] win over NSW, while also starring for Australia in the two test series against New Zealand in mid-season.

In 1984, Meninga played a major role in an Oceania team's 54–4 victory over an Anglo-French selection in an exhibition match Paris, before returning to Brisbane after the match to continue playing for Souths.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sport digest|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&id=QTdWAAAAIBAJ&pg=2866|access-date=3 September 2013|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=19 April 1984}}</ref> After again playing a leading role for Queensland in their third straight [[1984 State of Origin series|Origin series]] win over NSW, Meninga missed the first Ashes test against the touring Great Britain side, but was recalled to the team for the second and third tests of the series which Australia again won 3–0. Meninga was the BRL's top tryscorer and points scorer in the 1984 season, with 18 tries and 154 points.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Meninga continued his good form for Souths in 1985, playing in their 10–8 Grand Final win over [[Wynnum-Manly Seagulls|Wynnum-Manly]]. 1985 also saw [[New South Wales rugby league team|NSW]] win the [[1985 State of Origin series|Origin series]] for the first time, though Mal was selected for the mid-season [[1985 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand|Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand]]. Australia won the test series 2–1 against the Kiwis with Meninga in the centres for each test, but on a tour that had seen the NSW vs Qld rivalry come into play in an Australian team, New Zealand won the [[dead rubber]] 3rd test at [[Carlaw Park]] in [[Auckland]] 18–0.

=== St Helens ===
After his displays on the 1982 Kangaroo tour, Meninga was in high demand with English club sides. For the [[1984–85 Rugby Football League season]] he signed to play for [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]], who had paid around [[Pound sterling|£]]30,000 for his services to play in the Australian off-season<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saints.org.uk/saints.org.uk/home/viewpage.php?page_id=10&num=15983|title=Meninga Saints Heritage Society|access-date=13 June 2007}}</ref> and he helped the club to victory in the [[Rugby League Premiership|Premiership]]. He was bought by BBC commentator and former Saints forward [[Ray French]] while he was in Australia covering the 1984 Great Britain Lions tour.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

St Helens' rivals [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]] were also after him and had papers ready for him to sign. French had accidentally left the St Helens contract in his hotel room so asked Wigan chairman [[Maurice Lindsay (rugby league)|Maurice Lindsay]] if he could borrow his; unbelievably, the normally astute Lindsay agreed and handed over the papers. French crossed out any reference to Wigan and changed it to "St Helens" instead, stealing the star from under their noses. Mal Meninga played at {{rlp|ce}} and scored 2-[[Try (rugby)|tries]] in [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] 28–16 victory over Wigan in the [[1984 Lancashire Cup]] Final during the [[1984–85 Rugby Football League season|1984–85 season]] at [[Central Park (Wigan)|Central Park]], [[Wigan]] on Sunday 28 October 1984. On 11 May 1985 Meninga added further silverware, scoring two memorable long-range tries as St Helens defeated [[Hull Kingston Rovers]] 36–16 in the [[1984–85 Rugby League Premiership|Premiership]] Final.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/11200052.flashback-to-the-1985-premiership-final-nine-local-lads-and-the-wizard-of-aus/|title = Flashback to the 1985 Premiership Final – Nine local lads and the Wizard of aus| date=8 May 2014 }}</ref> Meninga didn't manage to serve a second spell at [[Knowsley Road]], for a variety of reasons, not least being a succession of injuries (three broken arms suffered in 1987 and 1988 respectively) that also punctuated his career in Australia.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/weekend-interview-legend-mal-meninga-continues-his-love-affair-with-england-1-8247448|newspaper=[[Yorkshire Post]]|first=Dave|last=Craven|date=19 November 2016|title=Weekend Interview: Legend Mal Meninga continues his 'love affair' with England}}</ref> Yet he remains a legendary figure in international rugby league, and his season at St Helens has been described as the most significant of any overseas import in Britain.<ref name="Man mountain">{{cite news|last1=Hadfield|first1=Dave|title=Man mountain of Oz: Mal Meninga|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/profile-man-mountain-of-oz-mal-meninga-dave-hadfield-assesses-the-recordbreaking-career-of-an-australian-rugby-league-legend-1450892.html|access-date=2 July 2014|work=independent.co.uk|publisher=[[The Independent]]|date=25 September 1994}}</ref>

===Canberra===
[[File:Mal Meninga AM, (2009) by Cathy Weiszmann at Canberra Stadium.jpg|thumb|right|Mal Meninga's statue at Canberra Stadium]]
In 1986, Meninga and teammate [[Gary Belcher]] left Southern Suburbs to play for the [[Canberra Raiders]] in the [[New South Wales Rugby League premiership|New South Wales Rugby League]]. Souths coach [[Wayne Bennett (rugby league)|Wayne Bennett]] would join them at the club in [[1987 NSWRL season|1987]] as co-coach alongside Australian national coach [[Don Furner]]. Despite suffering a broken arm in a sickening collision with the goal posts in the Raider's Round 10 match with [[Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles|Manly-Warringah]] at the Raiders then home ground [[Seiffert Oval]] and subsequently missing 10 weeks (including Queensland's successful [[1987 State of Origin series]] and the one-off test loss against New Zealand), Meninga returned to play in Canberra's 18–8 loss to Manly in that year's Grand Final at the SCG, the last ever Grand Final to be held at the ground. On an unseasonably warm day, Meninga's lack of match fitness since his return told (he had only played 60 minutes of the Preliminary final win over [[Sydney Roosters|Eastern Suburbs]] the week before) and he was finally replaced by Raiders reserve back [[Kevin Walters]] midway through the second half. He scored the Raiders first points in their maiden Grand Final appearance with a penalty goal early in the second half to reduce the deficit to 6–2 after eventual [[Clive Churchill Medal]] winner [[Cliff Lyons]] had scored for the Sea Eagles before half time allowing them to take a 6–0 lead into the break.

A second broken arm before the start of the [[1988 NSWRL season]] saw Meninga missing until Round 15. After just 4 games back for the Raiders, Meninga played for Australia in their record 70–8 win over Papua New Guinea at [[Wagga Wagga]] in country NSW, scoring two tries.<ref>{{cite news|title=O'Connor helps set Test records|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r3BVAAAAIBAJ&pg=3512,275171|access-date=18 October 2013|newspaper=[[The Age]]|date=21 July 1988}}</ref> Unfortunately for Meninga, after one more game for Canberra he then broke his arm for a third time in Australia's 22–10 over a Rest of the World team at the [[Sydney Football Stadium (1988)|Sydney Football Stadium]], putting him out for the rest of the [[1988 NSWRL season]]. Meninga's broken arms saw him play only 17 games for the Raiders in 1987 and 1988. {{citation needed|date=January 2018}} His third also saw him miss a place in Australia's 25–12 win over New Zealand in the [[1988 Rugby League World Cup final|World Cup final]] at [[Eden Park]] in Auckland at the end of the 1988 season.

After being given the Raiders' captaincy, Meninga led Canberra to their first premiership in [[1989 NSWRL season|1989]] after overcoming the [[Balmain Tigers]] 19–14 in extra time in the Grand Final, the Raiders becoming not only the first non-Sydney team to win the premiership, but also the first team to win after finishing the minor round in 4th place. In the post season Meninga travelled with the Raiders to England and captained the team in their 30–18 loss to a [[Martin Offiah]] inspired [[Widnes Vikings|Widnes]] in the [[1989 World Club Challenge]] at [[Old Trafford]]. Meninga successfully returned to top level representative football in 1989, playing for Queensland in their [[1989 State of Origin series|State of Origin series]] whitewash of NSW (though he did suffer an eye socket injury in the second game in Sydney which kept him out of the third), before being selected to the [[1989 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand|mid-season tour of New Zealand]]. After playing in the centres for the first two test wins over the Kiwis, Meninga was moved to the second-row for the third test in Auckland with great effect as he scored a try and kicked one goal to add to his 5 goals in the first test and 2 in the second.

At the end of the [[1990 NSWRL season]] Meninga led the Raiders to another Grand final victory against the [[Penrith Panthers]]. He was also the year's top try-scorer (crossing for five in the Round 5 match against [[Sydney Roosters|Eastern Suburbs]] at the Raiders new home ground, [[Canberra Stadium|Bruce Stadium]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrl-1990/round-5/canberra-vs-eastern-suburbs/summary.html|title=NSWRL 1990 – Round 5 – Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org|access-date=26 July 2017}}</ref>) and top-point scorer, and was named as ''[[Rugby League Week]]'s'' player of the year. After gaining the test captaincy that year in the absence of an injured [[Wally Lewis]] (also because of a broken arm) for the one-off test against France in [[Parkes, New South Wales|Parkes]] and the test against New Zealand in [[Wellington]], Meninga was duly named captain of the [[1990 Kangaroo tour|1990 Kangaroos]].<ref name="Man mountain"/> It was his third [[Kangaroo Tour]] after being a member of 1982's "Invincibles", as well as being a member of the undefeated [[1986 Kangaroo tour|1986 Kangaroos]] who became known as "The Unbeatables". Meninga would score the opening try of the Kangaroo Tour in the first game against his old club St Helens at Knowsley Road. After the Kangaroos' shock 19–12 loss in the first Ashes test against Great Britain at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], Australia won the next two tests at Old Trafford and [[Elland Road]] to wrap up the series. In the second test at Old Trafford, Meninga scored one of the most famous {{citation needed|date=January 2018}} tries in test history. With only a couple of minutes remaining and the scores locked at 10 all, his Raiders teammate [[Ricky Stuart]] raced through a gap in the tired Lions defence and sprinted 70 metres upfield. With Lions players converging, Meninga loomed in support and after legally shouldering Lions centre [[Carl Gibson]] out of the way, received the pass from Stuart and touched down for a dramatic 14–10 win that silenced most of the 46,615 strong crowd. Mal then went on to score another try in the third and deciding test as Australia won 14–0 and retained The Ashes they had held since 1974. As he also had scored a try at Wembley, Meninga joined legendary Australian winger [[Ken Irvine]] (1963), and unlikely try scorer, Queensland and Canberra {{rlp|PR}} [[Sam Backo]] ([[1988 Great Britain Lions tour|1988]]) as the only Australian's to score a try in each test of an Ashes series. Also in 1990, Meninga's deeds in leading the successful Kangaroo tour saw him named as Britain's [[BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year]], the first rugby league player to win it. {{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

Meninga's good form continued in [[1991 NSWRL season|1991]], helping Queensland to win the [[1991 State of Origin series|Origin series]] (Wally Lewis retained the Qld captaincy) before leading Australia to a 2–1 series win over New Zealand in the [[1991 Trans-Tasman Test series|mid-season tests]]. During the 44–12 third test win at Lang Park, Meninga broke [[Michael Cronin (rugby league)|Michael Cronin]]'s Kangaroos point scoring record. At the end of the 1991 season after the Raiders had lost 19–12 to Penrith in the Grand Final, Meninga captained the Australians for their tour of [[Papua New Guinea]] which included a 2–0 test series win over the [[Papua New Guinea Kumuls|Kumuls]].

After Canberra's salary cap problems at the end of 1991 which saw them lose a number of fringe players as well as some veterans (though most, including Meninga, agreed to actually take a pay cut in order to keep the side together), the Raiders missed the finals for the first time since [[1986 NSWRL season|1986]] when they finished 12th in [[1992 NSWRL season|1992]]. 
[[File:Mal Meninga 2001.jpg|thumb|upright|Meninga in 2001]]
[[File:Mal Meninga meeting school students in Vanuatu. ausAID supports sports for development programs to encourage a healthy lifestyle. Vanuatu 2005. Photo- AusAID (10697843695).jpg|thumb|right|333px|Mal Meninga meeting school students in Papua New Guinea in 2005]]
[[File:PM’s 13 Coaching Clinic (10713652916).jpg|thumb|right|Meninga (right) with [[Adrian Lam]] during his tenure as coach of the Prime Minister's XIII in 2012]]
Meninga's form continued though, captaining Queensland in the [[1992 State of Origin series]] (NSW won 2–1) as well as Australia's successful Ashes defence against the touring [[1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia|Great Britain Lions]]. He was in great form in the first test at the Sydney Football Stadium, scoring 2 tries as Australia won 22–6. The Lions produced a shock in the second test in [[Melbourne]] with a big 33–10 win, but the Kangaroos, led by Meninga's 12 points (1 try, 4 goals) won the deciding test at Lang Park 16–10. By starting in the 3rd test at Lang Park, Meninga played his 37th test, breaking the record of 36 held by [[Reg Gasnier]] since 1967. Gasnier was on hand to congratulate Meninga on his achievement. At the end of the 1992 season, Meninga captained Australia to their 10–6 win over Great Britain in the [[1992 Rugby League World Cup final|World Cup final]] in front of a record international test crowd of 73,631 at Wembley Stadium in [[London]].

The Raiders came back strongly in [[1993 NSWRL season|1993]], with their international stars Meninga, Ricky Stuart, [[Laurie Daley]], [[Bradley Clyde]] and [[Steve Walters]], as well as try scoring [[Fijians|Fijian]] [[Noa Nadruku]] (22 tries for the season) leading the way. Canberra finished third after the minor round, and were premiership favourites until their fateful Round 21 match with the hapless [[Parramatta Eels]] at [[Canberra Stadium|Bruce Stadium]]. Halfback Ricky Stuart badly broke and dislocated his right ankle in the second half and despite a club record 68–0 win, without their halfback and chief play maker, the Raiders fell apart. They lost their last minor round game to [[Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs|Canterbury-Bankstown]] 32–8, before meekly going out in straight sets in the finals with losses to eventual Grand Finalists [[St George Dragons|St George]] and premiers [[Brisbane Broncos|Brisbane]]. 1993 wasn't all bad though. Although Queensland lost their second straight [[1993 State of Origin series|State of Origin series]] under Menginga's captaincy, he did lead Australia to a [[1993 Trans-Tasman Test series|Trans-Tasman Test series]] win over New Zealand in mid-season. Meninga though was forced to miss the first test at the [[Mount Smart Stadium]] in [[Auckland]] as he had been suspended for 2 weeks for the use of an elbow to Manly-Warringah's [[Wales national rugby league team|Welsh]] import centre [[John Devereux (rugby)|John Devereux]] in the Raiders Round 10 match with the Sea Eagles at [[Brookvale Oval]]. After the Australians got away with a lucky 14-All draw in the first test, Meninga returned to the team (which was captained by [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] captain Laurie Daley in Auckland) for the second test win at [[Arena Manawatu|Palmerston North]] on an extremely wet and cold night, as well the third test win at Lang Park.

On [[Australia Day]] 1994, Meninga was made a [[Member of the Order of Australia]] "for service to rugby league football". Later that year he played his last game for the Canberra Raiders in the [[1994 NSWRL season|1994 Grand Final]] where he led his team to victory over [[Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs|Canterbury-Bankstown]] to their third premiership in six years. Fittingly, Mal scored the last try of the match after taking an intercept and outpacing Bulldogs centre [[Jarrod McCracken]] to score beside the posts (amazingly, despite being a noted goal kicker throughout his career, Meninga declined to take what would have been an easy shot at goal and left it to the team's regular kicker [[David Furner]]).

During 1994, Meninga played his final test on Australian soil when he led the Kangaroos to a record 58–0 win over France in a [[1994 French rugby league Oceania tour|one-off test]] at Sydney's [[Parramatta Stadium]] in front of an almost packed house of 27,318. He scored a try and kicked 5 goals in his final test for Australia in Australia. Unfortunately for Meninga, in his last [[1994 State of Origin series|State of Origin series]] for Queensland as both captain and as a player, New South Wales, led by Raiders teammate Laurie Daley, won the series 2–1. The State of Origin series is the only trophy Mal Meninga would not win as a team captain. Meninga captained the Raiders to the Grand final for a record fifth time in 1994.<ref name="Man mountain"/> At the end of the 1994 season, Meninga was selected for his record fourth Kangaroo Tour and his record second as captain when he went on the [[1994 Kangaroo tour]]. Meninga became the only player selected to four Kangaroo tours and the only player to twice be named tour captain. Australia again lost the first test against Great Britain at Wembley Stadium, but changes made to the team by coach [[Bob Fulton]] saw the Kangaroos bounce back with a vengeance in the second test at Old Trafford with a 38–8 win. With the scores locked at 4–4 after two penalty goals each, Meninga intercepted a [[Bobbie Goulding]] pass only 20 metres from his own line and raced 70 metres downfield, with flying Lions winger Martin Offiah bearing down on him. Just as Offiah tackled him, Meninga gave a perfectly timed pass to winger [[Andrew Ettingshausen]] who scored the first of Australia's seven tries that day. After a poor first test, the second saw a welcome return to form for Meninga. The Kangaroos then scored a hard-fought 23–4 win in the third test at Elland Road to once again retain The Ashes and keep alive their streak of not having lost a test series in England since the [[1959-60 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France|1959–60 Kangaroo tour]]. On 4 December 1994, at the [[Stade de la Méditerranée]] in [[Béziers]], France, Mal Meninga captained Australia to a record 74–0 victory over a very weak French team, scoring the final try of the game, and of his career. In a test career of 46 games for Australia, Mal Meninga scored a total of 278 points (21 tries, 99 goals). Australia won 40 and only lost 6 of the tests Meninga played and did not lose a test series during his time in the green and gold. He played in the centres on 40 occasions for Australia, with one game on the wing, two in the second-row, and three from the bench. On his four Kangaroo Tours as a player, Meninga holds the distinction in playing in every test for Australia on tour, playing all six tests in both 1982 and 1986, all five in 1990, and all four in 1994. Former teammate and coach of the [[London Broncos]], [[Gary Grienke]] was hopeful of bringing Meninga to his club for a swansong season,<ref name="Man mountain"/> but this did not eventuate.

== Coaching career ==
[[File:Meninga collecting medal 2016 Four Nations Final.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Meninga (left) waiting to collect his medal after the 2016 Four Nations Final]]
Following his retirement Mal Meninga openly supported the [[Super League (Australia)|Super League]] concept during the [[Super League war]] of the mid-1990s.<ref>{{cite web
 |last=Headon 
 |first=David 
 |title=Up From the Ashes: The Phoenix of a Rugby League Literature 
 |work=Football Studies Volume 2, Issue 2 
 |publisher=Football Studies Group 
 |date=October 1999 
 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/FootballStudies/1999/FS0202i.pdf
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100810033028/http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/FootballStudies/1999/FS0202i.pdf
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-date=2010-08-10
 |access-date=7 July 2009 
}}</ref> His popularity and playing record as a domestic and international captain were valuable in raising the profile of the rebel competition. In 1995, Meninga's book ''Mal Meninga: My Life in Football'' was published.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} He was appointed head coach of his old club, the Canberra Raiders in Australia's Super League season in 1997.

=== Canberra Raiders ===
Meninga was appointed coach of the Raiders in 1997, succeeding three-time winner [[Tim Sheens]], but achieved only moderate success. In 2000, Meninga was awarded the [[Australian Sports Medal]] for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league. The following year, he received the [[Centenary Medal]] "for service as a role model and inspiration as a [[rugby league]] footballer of the highest standard". After Canberra failed to make the finals of the [[2001 NRL season]], finishing fourth-last (11th out of 14 teams), Meninga was replaced by [[Matthew Elliott (rugby league)|Matthew Elliott]] as Raiders coach.

In late 2002, Meninga expressed interest in the [[Queensland State of Origin team]] coaching job.<ref>{{cite news
|last = AAP Sports News
|title = Meninga keen for Australian or Queensland coaching job
|place =Australia
|date = 17 October 2002
|url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-68793896.html
|access-date = 27 December 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

During the [[2003 Rugby Union World Cup]], Wales' assistant coach Scott Johnson got Meninga to assist with pre-match preparation by speaking to the players and presenting them with their jerseys.<ref>{{cite book|last=McBryde|first=Robin|title=Staying Strong|date=2007|publisher=Y Lolfa|location=Wales|page=154|isbn=9780862439927|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V5dObUfT2jYC}}</ref>

In late 2005, he was announced as the new Queensland State of Origin coach, to replace [[Michael Hagan]].

=== Prime Minister's XIII ===
From 2005 to 2012, Meninga served as coach of the Australian [[Prime Minister's XIII]]. During his tenure, Meninga coached the PM's XIII in 8 matches, winning 7 and drawing 1. He was succeeded as coach of the PM's XIII by [[New South Wales rugby league team|New South Wales]] coach [[Laurie Daley]].

=== Queensland ===
Meninga made a successful début as the Maroons coach in the [[2006 State of Origin series]], guiding Queensland to a 2–1 series victory, its first outright series victory since 2001 (this despite the fact Queensland lost the first match). Also in 2006, he coached the [[Prime Minister's XIII]] side to victory over the [[Papua New Guinea national rugby league team]]. Meninga attended the [[2007 Challenge Cup Final]], in which his old club St Helens was playing, at [[Wembley Stadium]] as a guest of honour.<ref name="Big Mal welcomes the squad">{{cite web|url=http://www.saintsrlfc.com/news/537|title=Big Mal welcomes the squad|publisher=Saints|date=23 August 2007|access-date=25 August 2007}}</ref> On 13 October 2006, Meninga was reappointed as coach of the Maroons for the [[2007 State of Origin series]] and [[2008 State of Origin series]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200610/s1764540.htm|title=Meninga stays with the Maroons|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=13 October 2006}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> both of which Queensland won, taking his record with the Maroons to three wins from three series. When Meninga was given a new contract after the 2008 series, he was quoted as saying: "I want to win six [State of Origin series] in a row".<ref name="brisbanetimes.com.au">{{Cite web | url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/state-of-origin/nsw-need-look-no-further-than-queensland-plan-20100618-ymqj.html | title=NSW need look no further than Queensland plan | newspaper=Brisbane Times}}</ref> In the [[2009 State of Origin series|2009 series]], Queensland won the first two games giving them a record fourth consecutive series win with captain [[Darren Lockyer]] saying Meninga now stands among the legends in State of Origin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/25/2607983.htm|title=Meninga's Origin culture created history: Lockyer|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=25 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626014721/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/25/2607983.htm|archive-date=26 June 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> In December 2009, Meninga was named coach of the year at the Queensland Sports Awards.<ref>{{cite news
|last = deKroo
|first = Karl
|title = Wally Lewis says Maroons okay without Darren Lockyer
|work = The Courier Mail
|place =Australia
|publisher = Queensland Newspapers
|date = 4 December 2009
|url = http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,26440752-5003409,00.html
|access-date = 5 December 2009}}</ref>

In 2010, Meninga coached Queensland to a fifth straight series win, and is now regarded as the greatest and most successful Origin coach in history. He also coached them to their first "clean sweep" since 2000.

In 2011, Meninga achieved his sixth straight series as coach of Queensland honoring a promise he made in 2008.<ref name="brisbanetimes.com.au"/> The weekend after Queensland won its sixth straight series, Mal Meninga penned a column in Brisbane's ''The Sunday Mail'' attacking the NSW media and match review panel, and labelling them "rats and filth"<ref>[http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2011/07/10/meninga-s-fury-at-nsw-rats-and-filth/ Meninga's fury at NSW 'rats and filth' – Sports News First] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327162426/http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2011/07/10/meninga-s-fury-at-nsw-rats-and-filth/|date=27 March 2012 }}</ref> after he believed that they [the NSW media] had tried to sabotage his side's attempts at winning their sixth successive series by charging [[Johnathan Thurston]] and [[David Taylor (rugby league)|David Taylor]] with on-field incidents (only the latter was suspended) and also attacking NSW coach [[Ricky Stuart]] over his decision not to reveal the Blues line-up up to one hour before kick-off (which is when the official team lists must be released prior to a match). He was set to face legal action from the NRL's match review panel over his now controversial column, but after negotiations with them on 1 August 2011, the matter was resolved. Meninga still maintains what he has written. For the [[2013 State of Origin series]] New South Wales appointed [[Laurie Daley]] to coach against Meninga. This was the third consecutive opponent of Meninga in State of Origin coaching to have been a teammate of the [[1990 Winfield Cup]] Grand Final-winning Canberra side. In 2013, Meninga achieved his eighth consecutive series win with the Queensland State of Origin team.
[[File:Australian ambassador with Cameron Smith and Mal Meninga.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Meninga (right) on duty as the Head Coach of Australia]]
Meninga's record-breaking winning streak ended with the Blues' win in the [[2014 State of Origin series]]. The Maroons, however, still scored more points than the Blues across all three matches.<ref>[http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/07/14/feeling-blue-or-blue-skies-ahead-putting-the-nsw-win-in-perspective/#comment-2819012 Feeling Blue or Blue skies ahead? Putting the NSW win in perspective], ''The Roar'', 14 July 2014</ref>

In the 2015 State of Origin Series he coached Queensland to their ninth series win in ten years, with the decider played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 8 July 2015 and Queensland recording both the largest score and biggest victory margin with a 52–6 victory.

===Australia===
On 2 December 2015, Meninga was appointed as the head coach of the [[Australian national rugby league team]], succeeding [[Tim Sheens]]. This, however, meant that he had to resign from his post as Queensland Origin coach (following events during the [[1985 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand]], the Australian Rugby League had decided that the Australian coach could not be a current State of Origin coach), thus ending the most successful Origin coaching stint in NRL history.<ref name="Australia-coach">{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/state-of-origin/mal-meninga-to-be-appointed-new-kangaroos-coach/news-story/895a3722c3d9e0569406e2a7916d2bb2|title=Mal Meninga to be appointed new Kangaroos coach|newspaper=The Courier Mail|first1=Peter|last1=Badel|first2=Travis|last2=Meyn|date=2 December 2015|access-date=2 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/sport/nrl/news/2015/12/qld-report-mal-meninga-is-no-longer-maroons-coach/|title=Mal Meninga Won't Coach QLD Next Year|publisher=Triple M Football|date=2 December 2015|access-date=2 December 2015}}</ref> Before his appointment Mal announced his ambitions that he wanted the International game to become the pinnacle of rugby league like it was in his playing days.<ref>{{cite news 
|title = League: Mal Meninga wants international football restored as pinnacle of the game
|newspaper = The Telegraph
|date = 20 November 2015
|url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11548650
|access-date = 5 August 2016}}</ref>

In late 2017, Meninga coached the Australian team to win the [[2017 Rugby League World Cup]].

In October 2022 he named his [[2021 Men's Rugby League World Cup squads#Australia|Australia squad]] for the [[2021 Rugby League World Cup – Men's tournament|2021 Rugby League World Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/rugby-league-world-cup-2021-squad-lists|title=Full list of every squad at the Rugby League World Cup 2021|first=Drew|last=Darbyshire|date=4 October 2022|website=Love Rugby League}}</ref>
[[File:Malcolm Meninga.jpg|thumb|upright|Meninga coaching Australia in 2022]]
Meninga coached Australia in their 2021 Rugby League World Cup final victory over Samoa.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2022/nov/19/australia-v-samoa-rugby-league-world-cup-final-live/|title=Australia 30–10 Samoa: Rugby League World Cup final – as it happened|newspaper=The Guardian|date=19 November 2022 |last1=McLaughlin |first1=Luke }}</ref>
[[File:Mal Meninga 2021 RLWC Final.jpg|thumb|right|Meninga after winning the 2021 RLWC Final]]

===Perth Bears===
On 6 June 2025, it was announced that Meninga would return as an NRL coach. The rugby league Immortal was unveiled as the inaugural coach of the [[Perth Bears]], revealing he was fully aware of the gravity of being the man charged with leading the NRL's 18th team from 2027.<ref>https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/mal-meninga-set-to-be-named-the-perth-bears-foundation-coach-will-resign-as-kangaroos-coach/news-story/7af7442352dc7b2c4928971932857e8c{{Dead link | date=October 2025 | fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Meninga has agreed to take the reins for at least the 2027 and 2028 seasons, but with the more immediate focus of building the club, and the roster, from the ground up. His return to NRL coaching after a 25-year hiatus would result in him resigning as head coach of the national team, with the ARLC appointing Kevin Walters the new Test coach for Australia.

== Political career ==
Meninga briefly campaigned as an [[Independent (politician)|Independent]] for the seat of [[Molonglo electorate|Molonglo]]<ref>{{cite news |url          = http://www.abc.net.au/news/politics/2001/09/item20010923091147_1.htm |title        = Mal Meninga expected to run as Molonglo Independent |work         = ABC News online |publisher    = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date         = 24 September 2001 |access-date   = 3 September 2010 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20030501024955/http://www.abc.net.au/news/politics/2001/09/item20010923091147_1.htm |archive-date = 1 May 2003 |url-status     = dead |df           = dmy-all}}</ref>  in the [[Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly]] during the [[2001 Australian Capital Territory election|Territory's 2001 general election]], informally aligned with the [[socially conservative]], [[Opposition to the legalization of abortion|pro-life]] grouping of [[Paul Osborne]], [[Member of the Legislative Assembly|MLA]] for [[Brindabella electorate|Brindabella]].<ref name="PRSA">{{Cite web|url       = http://www.prsa.org.au/qn/2001d.html|work      = Quota Notes, Newsletter of the [[Proportional Representation Society of Australia]]|title     = December 2001, QN2001D|publisher = [[Proportional Representation Society of Australia]]|year      = 2001|access-date= 13 June 2012}}</ref><ref name="CrispinHull20010909">{{Cite web|url       = http://www.crispinhull.com.au/2001/09/09/2001_09_september_leader25sep-meninga|work      = Quota Notes, Newsletter of the [[Proportional Representation Society of Australia]]|title     = December 2001, QN2001D|publisher = www.crispinhull.com.au|date      = 9 September 2001|author    = Crispin Hull|access-date= 2012-06-13}}</ref> On Monday 24 September 2001, after being asked why he was standing, he [[List of on-air resignations|pulled out mid-sentence]], stating, "And the thing about that is, I guess, I was a public figure and I was put on the podium where I was just a person out there ... I'm buggered, I'm sorry, I have to resign."<ref>{{cite news|url        = http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s374271.htm|title      = Meninga sidesteps politics|work       = [[The World Today (Australian radio program)|The World Today]]|publisher  = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date       = 24 September 2001|access-date = 3 September 2010}}</ref> He later explained in 2017 that in the six weeks of preparation he had done leading up to the interview, he had never once been asked "why should people vote for you?".<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 March 2017 |title=Why Mal Meninga was left speechless the day he quit politics |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/why-mal-meninga-was-left-speechless-the-day-he-quit-politics/news-story/49d607e37d5ca2af4bf13f33c9ff84d3 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202203337/https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/why-mal-meninga-was-left-speechless-the-day-he-quit-politics/news-story/49d607e37d5ca2af4bf13f33c9ff84d3 |archive-date=2 February 2022 |access-date=21 November 2022 |website=News.com.au |publisher=[[News Corp Australia]]}}</ref>

Subsequently, this incident led to the [[satire|satirical]] [[The Chaser|Chaser]] team instituting the 'Mal Award' for their [[The Chaser Decides|election television shows]], presented to politicians "for the greatest act of political suicide during an election campaign".<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.abc.net.au/tv/chaser/decides/malaward.htm |title        = The Mal Award |work         = [[The Chaser Decides]] |publisher    = [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |year         = 2001 |access-date   = 3 September 2010
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100705135025/http://www.abc.net.au/tv/chaser/decides/malaward.htm |archive-date = 5 July 2010 |url-status     = dead |df  = dmy-all}}</ref> In an episode, which aired on 28 November 2007, Meninga satirised himself when he was brought in to present the award but "gave up" mid-speech.{{citation needed|date=November 2011}} Additionally, his career has been described as the 'shortest political career on record' with less than a minute between the beginning of the interview and his 'resignation'.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} Something being 'shorter than Mal Meninga's political career' is sometimes used as an expression in [[Australian English]] for a very brief thing, especially in comparison to other political careers.<ref>{{cite web |title=UK Prime Minister Liz Truss Pulls A Mal Meninga |url=https://www.betootaadvocate.com/headlines/uk-prime-minister-liz-truss-pulls-a-mal-meninga/ |website=The Betoota Advocate |date=20 October 2022 |access-date=21 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gleason |first=Tim |date=15 April 2016 |title=More Bad News For Malcom Turnpoll |page=36 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |publisher=[[News Corp Australia]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lowe |first=David |date=27 April 2021 |title=Game belongs to the fans |page=31 |work=[[Newcastle Herald]] |publisher=[[Australian Community Media]] |url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7226438/the-lowedown-football-belongs-to-the-fans/ |access-date=21 November 2022}}</ref> A 'Mal Meninga moment' is another phrase stemming from this event, referring to [[Political gaffe|gaffes]] where a speaker is unable to answer an obvious question.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abraham |first=Matthew |date=19 April 2020 |title=A pointed message for all the covidiots |page=52 |work=The Advertiser |publisher=[[News Corp Australia]]}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Meninga has been married twice. His first marriage produced two children, Tamika and Josh. His second marriage, to Amanda, produced three children, two boys and a girl. Meninga also fathered an English daughter during the 1982 Kangaroo tour, meeting her for the first time in 1994.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Clarkson |first1=Alan |title=Meninga: My Life in Football |date=1995 |publisher=Harper Sports |location=Australia |isbn=0732251893 |page=24 |url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/2220204 |access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref>

Mal Meninga's brother Bevan served 21 years in jail for the 1991 murder of Sunshine Coast teenager Cheree Richardson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-11/mal-meningas-brother-granted-conditional-parole/5253130|website=ABC Online|date=11 February 2014|title=Mal Meninga's brother Bevan granted conditional parole after 21 years in jail for murder|first=Lisa|last=Carter}}</ref>

== Records ==
* Only player to make four [[Kangaroo Tour]]s as a player ([[1982 Kangaroo tour|1982]], [[1986 Kangaroo Tour|1986]], [[1990 Kangaroo Tour|1990]] and [[1994 Kangaroo Tour|1994]])
* Only player to twice captain a Kangaroo Tour (1990 and 1994).
* Most points scored in Test matches for Australia (272 – 21 tries, 96 goals) – since surpassed by [[Johnathan Thurston]]
* Most goals kicked in Test matches for Australia (96) – since surpassed by Johnathan Thurston
* Most goals kicked in a State of Origin match for Queensland (7 in Game 1 1980) – since surpassed by Johnathan Thurston
* Most State of Origins won as coach in a row. 2006–2013 (8 series)

== Honours ==
Meninga is regarded as an official spokesperson for the South Sea Islander community.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/apps/assi/history/sporting.htm|title=Islanders' sporting prowess|access-date=4 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901113255/http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/apps/assi/history/sporting.htm|archive-date=1 September 2007|url-status=dead }}</ref>

The main grandstand at [[Canberra Stadium]] is named the "Mal Meninga Stand" in his honour. The Canberra Raiders' player of the year receives the [[Mal Meninga Medal]] in his honour since 2008 and a statue of him has been placed behind the Mal Meninga grandstand next to the one of [[Laurie Daley]].<ref>{{cite web|work=[[The Canberra Times]] |title=Mighty Mal makes monumental mark |author=Peter Fitzgerald |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/mighty-mal-makes-monumental-mark/1269404.aspx |date=11 September 2008 |access-date=11 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914021551/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/mighty-mal-makes-monumental-mark/1269404.aspx |archive-date=14 September 2008 }}</ref>

He was inducted into the [[Sport Australia Hall of Fame]] in 1994 and the [[Australian Rugby League]] Hall of Fame in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/mal-meninga/|title=Mal Meninga|publisher=Sport Australia Hall of Fame|access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rl1908.com/Hoffame/index.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518042953/http://rl1908.com/Hoffame/index.htm| title=Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame|archivedate=18 May 2008}}</ref>

In February 2008, Meninga was named in the list of Australia's [[List of Australian rugby league's 100 greatest players|''100 Greatest Players'']] (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the [[National Rugby League|NRL]] and [[Australian Rugby League|ARL]] to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.<ref>{{cite news|author=Peter Cassidy|publisher=Macquarie National News|title=Controversy reigns as NRL releases top 100 players|url=http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players|access-date=23 February 2008|date=23 February 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225164807/http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/02/22/Controversy_reigns_as_NRL_releases_top_100_players|archive-date=25 February 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=[[National Rugby League|NRL]] & [[Australian Rugby League|ARL]]|title=Centenary of Rugby League – The Players|url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true|access-date=23 February 2008|date=23 February 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080226180521/http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/the-players.aspx?cat=3&list=true|archive-date=26 February 2008 }}</ref> Meninga went on to be named as one of the centres, along with [[Reg Gasnier]], in Australian rugby league's ''[[Australian Rugby League's Team of the Century|Team of the Century]]''. Announced on 17 April 2008, the team is the panels' majority choice for each of the thirteen starting positions and four interchange players.<ref>{{cite news|author=Todd Balym|publisher=Fox Sports Australia|title=Johns, Meninga among Immortals|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23557351-23214,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907035412/http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23557351-23214,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 September 2012|access-date=17 April 2008|date=17 April 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=[[National Rugby League|NRL]] & [[Australian Rugby League|ARL]] |title=Team of the Century Announced |url=http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/news--reviews/media-releases/team-of-the-century-announced.aspx |access-date=17 April 2008 |date=17 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521122127/http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/news--reviews/media-releases/team-of-the-century-announced.aspx |archive-date=21 May 2010  }}</ref>

In June 2008, he was chosen in the [[Queensland Rugby League's Team of the Century]] at centre.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23843448-10389,00.html|newspaper=[[The Courier-Mail]]|date=10 June 2008|title=Locky named No.1 but Wal's still King|access-date=20 May 2009|first=Steve|last=Ricketts|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702003008/http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23843448-10389,00.html|archive-date=2 July 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2009 as part of the [[Q150]] celebrations, Mal Meninga was announced as one of the [[Q150 Icons]] of Queensland for his role as a "sports legend".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|title=PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND'S 150 ICONS|last=Bligh|first=Anna|author-link=Anna Bligh|date=10 June 2009|publisher=[[Queensland Government]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524033717/http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|archive-date=24 May 2017|access-date=24 May 2017}}</ref>

In 2016, Meninga was a recipient of the [[Queensland Greats Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/qld-greats-awards/2016-recipients/|title=2016 Queensland Greats recipients|publisher=[[Queensland Government]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531022412/https://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/qld-greats-awards/2016-recipients/|archive-date=31 May 2017|url-status=live|access-date=31 May 2017}}</ref>

On 1 August 2018, Meninga was announced as one of [[The Immortals (rugby league)|The Immortals]], along with [[Norm Provan]], [[Frank Burge]], [[Dave Brown (rugby league, born 1913)|Dave Brown]] and [[Dally Messenger]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-01/five-new-rugby-league-immortals-named/10063218?section=sport |title=Five rugby league greats named as Immortals, including three pre-WWII players |date=1 August 2018 |work=[[ABC News (Australia)]] |access-date=1 August 2018}}</ref>

==Playing statistics==

===Club===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|†
|Denotes seasons in which Meninga won a Premiership in the [[Brisbane Rugby League premiership|BRL]] or [[New South Wales Rugby League premiership|NSWRL]]
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width:80%;"
! width="2%" |Season
! width="8%" |Team
! width="2%" |Matches
! width="2%" |T
! width="2%" |G
! width="2%" |F/G
! width="2%" |Pts
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1979
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} [[Souths Logan Magpies|Southern Suburbs]]
|19
|9
|76
|0
|179
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1980
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} [[Souths Logan Magpies|Southern Suburbs]]
|22
|17
|97
|0
|245
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal; background:#afe6ba;" |1981†
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} [[Souths Logan Magpies|Southern Suburbs]]
|20
|14
|46
|0
|134
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1982
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} [[Souths Logan Magpies|Southern Suburbs]]
|11
|6
|26
|0
|70
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1983
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} [[Souths Logan Magpies|Southern Suburbs]]
|10
|8
|28
|0
|88
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1984
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} [[Souths Logan Magpies|Southern Suburbs]]
|19
|18
|41
|0
|154
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1984–85
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|St Helens|16}} [[St Helens R.F.C.|St Helens]]
|31
|28
|8
|0
|128
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal; background:#afe6ba;" |1985†
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Western Suburbs|16}} [[Souths Logan Magpies|Southern Suburbs]]
|8
|6
|0
|0
|24
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1986
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[Canberra Raiders|Canberra]]
|20
|3
|65
|1
|143
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1987
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[Canberra Raiders|Canberra]]
|12
|6
|34
|1
|93
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1988
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[Canberra Raiders|Canberra]]
|5
|3
|7
|0
|26
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal; background:#afe6ba;" |1989†
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[Canberra Raiders|Canberra]]
|16
|2
|19
|0
|46
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal; background:#afe6ba;" |1990†
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[Canberra Raiders|Canberra]]
|24
|17
|72
|0
|212
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1991
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[Canberra Raiders|Canberra]]
|22
|13
|57
|0
|166
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1992
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[Canberra Raiders|Canberra]]
|21
|6
|17
|0
|58
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" |1993
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[Canberra Raiders|Canberra]]
|20
|11
|4
|0
|52
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal; background:#afe6ba;" |1994†
| style="text-align:center;" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} [[Canberra Raiders|Canberra]]
|26
|13
|8
|0
|68
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan="2" |Career totals
!306
!180
!605
!2
!1886{{efn|Tries were only worth three points until 1983.}}
|}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book
|last = [[David Campese]], [[Peter Jenkins (sportswriter)|Peter Jenkins]], Mal Meninga, [[Peter Frilingos]]
|title = My game, your game
|publisher = Ironbark
|year = 1994
|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qannPQAACAAJ
|isbn = 9780330356169}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061113210520/http://www.eraofthebiff.com/p112a.html Mal Meninga at eraofthebiff.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100207060117/http://greenmachine.8m.com/meninga/mal-01.html Mal Meninga Biography]
* [http://www.saints.org.uk/saints.org.uk/home/viewpage.php?page_id=10&num=15983 Saints Heritage Society profile]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140114111429/http://nz.leagueunlimited.com/news.php?newsid=16380 ''Queensland Team of the Century named'' – article at nz.leagueunlimited.com]
* [https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/61SLQ_INST/11l3i0/alma99291033402061 Mal Meninga Digital Story and Oral History], [[State Library of Queensland]]. The interview was conducted between Mal Meninga and his brother, Geoffrey Meninga

{{S-start}}
{{S-sports}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Dean Lance]]
| after  = [[Ricky Stuart]]
| title  = [[Canberra Raiders#Captains|Captain]]<br>[[Canberra Raiders]]
| years  = 1989–1994
}}
{{succession box
| title  = [[Australian national rugby league team#Captains|Captain]]<br>{{flagicon|Australia}}<br>[[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]]
| before = [[Wally Lewis]]
| after  = [[Laurie Daley]]
| years  = 1990–1994
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Souths Magpies squad - 1981 BRL premiers}}
{{Combined Brisbane - 1984 Panasonic Cup winners}}
{{Souths Magpies squad - 1985 BRL premiers}}
{{Canberra Raiders squad 1989 NSWRL premiership}}
{{Canberra Raiders squad 1990 NSWRL premiership}}
{{Canberra Raiders squad 1994 NSWRL premiership}}
{{Canberra Raiders coaches}}
{{Papua New Guinea national rugby league team coaches}}
{{Queensland State of Origin coaches}}
{{Queensland Maroons - Inaugural State of Origin team}}
{{The Queensland Rugby League Team of the Century}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Australia squads
| bg=#005100
| fg=#FFCC33
| bordercolor=#FFCC33
|list1=
{{The Invincibles (rugby league)}}
{{1985 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand squad}}
{{1986 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{Australia squad – 1988 World Cup final winners}}
{{1989 Kangaroo Tour of New Zealand squad}}
{{1990 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{1991 Kangaroo Tour of Papua New Guinea squad}}
{{Australia 1992 Rugby League World Cup final squad}}
{{1994 Kangaroo Tour squad}}
{{Australia squad - 2016 Rugby League Four Nations}}
{{Australia 2017 Rugby League World Cup squad}} 
{{Australia 2021 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame - 2003 Inductees}}
{{Australian national rugby league team coaches}}
{{The Australian Rugby League Team of the Century}}
{{The Immortals (rugby league)}}
}}
{{Rugby League Golden Boot Award Winners}}
{{National Rugby League top try scorers}}
{{NRL Scored 5 Tries}}
{{National Rugby League top points scorers}}
{{Souths Logan Magpies Team of the Century}}
{{Fox League}}
{{BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meninga, Mal}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
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