Colin Best
A durable and powerful outside back whose long NRL journey saw him become a fan favorite at four different clubs.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Australian rugby league footballer·Birthday: November 22·Generation X
Biography
Colin Best's career is a map of the National Rugby League in the 2000s. A product of the Illawarra Steelers system, he debuted as a teenager and then embarked on a classic rugby league pilgrimage. He wasn't a flashy superstar, but a reliable, hard-running winger and centre with a keen eye for the try line and deceptive strength. His value was in his consistency and professionalism, traits that made him a sought-after commodity. He found a home and his best football at the Canberra Raiders, where his combination of size and finishing ability made him a potent attacking weapon during their 2008 finals run. Later, he brought veteran savvy to South Sydney, helping to lay a foundation for their future success. With a final stint in England's Super League, Best's 17-season professional tenure stands as a testament to the resilience and adaptability required to thrive in the sport's top tier.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Colin was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Colin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Colin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played over 250 first-grade games in the NRL across four clubs: Sharks, Dragons, Raiders, and Rabbitohs.
- Scored 110 tries in his NRL career, a notable tally for a winger/centre across multiple teams.
- Represented the Prime Minister's XIII and was selected in the 2004 Australian train-on squad.
- Played in the Super League for Hull FC, extending his professional career into his late 30s.
Did You Know?
He made his NRL debut for the Illawarra Steelers in 1998, the club's final season before merging to form the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
He is an accomplished golfer and has competed in celebrity tournaments.
After retirement, he moved into a role as a player welfare and education officer with the NRL.
“You have to be ready for the hard carries and do your job for the team.”
