Flatley
Elton Flatley is a retired Australian rugby union player, who spent his full professional career with Queensland Reds.
Elton Flatley
Elton Flatley is one of the few one-club greats in the sport of rugby union. Famed for his brilliant instincts as a player, he spent his entire professional career with Queensland Reds, playing at either fly-half or as a centre. He also represented his native Australia at international level.
Born in Tamworth, New South Wales in May 1977, Elton Flatley played his rugby as a youth during his education at St. Joseph’s Nudgee College in Brisbane, before he was then scouted and signed to Queensland Reds following his graduation.
Elton Flatley made his debut aged 18 in 1996 - making him at the time the youngest ever debutant – in the first season of what was the Super 12 (now Super Rugby) against Kiwi side Highlanders. He went on to have an illustrious playing career with the Reds and in 2004 broke another record becoming the youngest player to reach 100 appearances for the side. In total he played 114 times for Queensland Reds, amassing over 600 points and in the process became a club legend.
On the world stage, Elton Flatley was a prominent figure. His debut for the Wallabies came shortly after his professional debut in 1997 where he played against England aged 20. For the next few years following this he was a fringe player for the side until 2001 where he put in a number of solid performances against the British & Irish Lions in their tour of Australia.
His other notable moment in his international career was a bittersweet one during the 2003 World Cup. He was named vice-captain, finished as Australia’s top points scorer and was instrumental in getting the Wallabies to the final – where they eventually lost out to England.
In March 2006, Elton Flatley’s rugby career came to a premature end on medical grounds. Doctors advised that his continuing blurred vision – stemming from several concussions – was a significant risk to his health.
Following his retirement, Elton Flatley appeared as a contestant in 2006 on reality TV show ‘Australian Celebrity Survivor: Vanuatu’, finishing seventh. He is now working as a promotional speaker for the finance sector and also had a stint as a consultant for Rugby Australia.
