David Furner is a former Australian professional rugby league footballer and coach of the Canberra Raiders. Furner left the Canberra Raiders as the greatest point-scoring forward in Australian rugby league history before enjoying a successful career in England.
Son of former Canberra Raiders and Australian Kangaroos coach, Don Furner, David attended St. Edmund’s College Canberra. Before embarking on a successful career in rugby league, David was a Queanbeyan Whites rugby union junior and a member of the Australian U/17 and U/21 rugby union team.
David switched to rugby league in 1991 when he joined the Canberra Raiders. He made his first-grade debut in round 2 of 1992 against Manly-Warringah.
David was part of the 1994 Raiders premiership team, winning the Clive Churchill Medal for Man of the Match. David’s strong performance led to his selection for the 1994 Kangaroo squad. David’s father, Don, chairman of selectors, abstained from voting.
When David left Canberra at the end of the 2000 season, he had surpassed Bernie Purcell’s record as the highest point-scoring forward in the game with 1218 points. Also in 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia’s international standing in rugby league.
After leaving Canberra, David moved to the English Super League where he played for the Wigan Warriors from 2001 – 2002 scoring 110 points for the season, then in 2003 – 2004 David moved to the Leeds Rhinos scoring 78 points. When David retired from playing competitive football he had a career points tally of 1406. Also whilst in England David became the third member of an elite group of players to win three Grand finals in different competitions in Australia and England. The 1994 Australian Grand final for the Raiders, 2002 English Grand Final for Wigan Warriors and the 2004 English Super League for Leeds Rhinos.
On his return to Australia from England, David took on a role as assistant-coach at the Canberra Raiders in 2006. David was promoted to Canberra’s head coach for 2009.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Born: 6 February 1970
Inducted: 2009
Full Member