29:
609:
After recovering from his serious knee injury during the majority of the 2003 season, Franze made his return to the Sharks' first grade side midway through the 2004 season. However, he was never able to regain his old form and spent the majority of his time in reserve grade before being released from
664:
on 14 April; He was named on the bench, eventually coming off to make his début late in the match. Franze went on to make another two appearances for the struggling Tigers before dramatically deciding to opt out of the remaining time on his contract, citing fatigue as this was the beginning of "his
652:
at the beginning of the 2006 season playing for the club at centre. He made the adjustment of switching codes quickly impressing fans and pundits alike with strong performances in several games including a superb try which many labelled the try of the season against Agen.
601:
The 2003 season was potentially shaping up to be an impressive one for Franze after a solid début season in first grade at the Sharks. However, early on during the Sharks' new season campaign, he sustained a season-ending knee injury, requiring him to have a
564:
as a junior while still in his teens. His raw talent was also seen with his selection in the Junior
Kangaroos Australian rugby league side. He went on to play in the lower grades but was never able to make his way into first grade until he was signed by the
656:
After making several appearances for his new club, Franze put in a request to his new club asking for his contract to be terminated so that he could return to rugby league. The request was granted by the London Irish rugby director Brian Smith.
560:
Franze began playing rugby league in his home city of
Newcastle for his local club, Raymond Terrace, while still at a young age. His talent was quickly spotted and he was signed by local NRL side the
629:
Franze represented the
Federazione Italiana Rugby League (FIRL) against the Greece Rugby League at Marconi Stadium - Sydney. This was Franze's first game for the Azzurri and scored 3 tries on debut.
892:
967:
897:
626:, making his début in round one of the season in an eventual loss to his former club, the Sharks. Franze finished the season with eleven tries from twenty-one appearances.
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on 19 April. Franze maintained his first grade spot for the remainder of the 2002 season, scoring eight tries including a double in the finals series against the
843:
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After signing on to play rugby league again with the
Castleford Tigers, Franze made his début for the club in their round nine clash against the
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After terminating his contract with the
Castleford team, Franze decided "to take a break from the game" for the time being.
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and worked his way into the first grade side at
Cronulla making his début in round six against the Newcastle Knights at
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rugby league club for the beginning of the 2002 season, though he quickly impressed his coach
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at the beginning of the 2005 season and placed into the
Panthers first grade team by coach
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8:
603:
688:
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661:
561:
516:
504:
250:
200:
606:, and a lengthy recovery process meant he could take no further part in the season.
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520:
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175:
70:
876:
637:
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At the end of the 2005 season with Franze being off contract, many
English
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at the end of the 2009 Season following the club entering administration.
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in the French Rugby League at the end of 2007. He has now signed with the
680:
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teams took an interest in him and he eventually decided to sign with the
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532:
524:
488:
225:
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Franze signed a two-year deal with the
Newcastle Knights in July 2006.
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74:
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Franze made his début for the London Irish rugby union club in the
28:
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466:
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third straight season of rugby" without an off-season.
893:
Australian expatriate rugby league players in
England
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469:
460:
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Rugby league players from Newcastle, New South Wales
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Australian expatriate rugby league players in France
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973:
Rugby union players from Newcastle, New South Wales
16:Former Italy international rugby league footballer
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824:"London Irish win race to sign NRL star Franze"
483:) (born 3 March 1982) is a former professional
543:. In both codes, Franze primarily played as a
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694:
27:
943:Italy national rugby league team players
933:Central Charlestown Butcher Boys players
577:Franze began in the lower grades at the
875:
844:"Paul Franze returns to Rugby League"
903:Australian people of Italian descent
610:the club at the end of the season.
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320:
135:
13:
938:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players
834:" New signing Franze quits Tigers"
14:
989:
805:
703:
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913:Australian rugby league players
908:Sportspeople of Italian descent
923:Baroudeurs de Pia XIII players
918:Australian rugby union players
491:footballer. He played for the
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1:
978:Footballers who switched code
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7:
591:St George Illawarra Dragons
10:
994:
722:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
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662:Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
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579:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
567:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
556:Childhood and early career
493:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
953:Newcastle Thunder players
928:Castleford Tigers players
695:Career playing statistics
618:Franze was signed by the
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958:Penrith Panthers players
850:, retrieved 23 June 2006
840:, retrieved 23 June 2006
830:, retrieved 23 June 2006
817:
531:as well as a stint as a
812:Paul Franze NRL Profile
679:Franze signed with the
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613:
587:EnergyAustralia Stadium
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529:Elite One Championship
444:As of 26 January 2021
963:Rugby league centres
948:London Irish players
650:Guinness Premiership
541:Guinness Premiership
440:Rugby League Project
37:Personal information
604:knee reconstruction
82:Playing information
23:
21:
848:News London Irish
798:
797:
777:Gateshead Thunder
755:Castleford Tigers
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689:Gateshead Thunder
685:Gateshead Thunder
562:Newcastle Knights
517:Gateshead Thunder
505:Castleford Tigers
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448:
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251:Gateshead Thunder
201:Castleford Tigers
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869:
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733:Penrith Panthers
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620:Penrith Panthers
497:Penrith Panthers
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176:Penrith Panthers
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855:"Greece Awaits"
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535:player for the
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294:Representative
151:Cronulla Sharks
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71:New South Wales
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806:External links
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704:Matches played
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696:
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687:. Franze left
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583:Chris Anderson
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509:Heritage № 856
503:, and for the
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43:Full name
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888:Living people
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63:(age 42)
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862:. Retrieved
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744:London Irish
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638:London Irish
631:
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537:London Irish
521:Championship
513:Super League
485:rugby league
451:
450:
414:London Irish
89:Rugby league
61:3 March 1982
18:
883:1982 births
864:5 September
766:Pia Donkeys
681:Pia Donkeys
634:rugby union
533:rugby union
525:Pia Donkeys
489:rugby union
452:Paul Franze
362:Rugby union
226:Pia Donkeys
46:Paul Franze
22:Paul Franze
877:Categories
801:References
794:2002–2009
772:2007–2009
728:2002–2004
57:1982-03-03
859:Angelfire
838:BBC Sport
624:John Lang
551:Biography
511:) in the
75:Australia
67:Newcastle
495:and the
438:Source:
222:2007–09
147:2002–04
95:Position
714:Matches
675:2007-09
597:2003-04
539:in the
527:in the
519:in the
499:in the
788:Total
717:Years
545:centre
377:Years
299:Years
274:Total
114:Years
99:Centre
818:Notes
783:2009
761:2006
750:2006
739:2005
410:2006
380:Team
372:Club
336:Italy
332:2004
302:Team
247:2009
197:2006
172:2005
117:Team
109:Club
866:2016
791:123
711:Team
644:2006
614:2005
573:2002
523:and
487:and
277:116
51:Born
828:RFU
640:..
501:NRL
384:Pld
352:14
306:Pld
289:88
283:25
280:88
258:12
255:15
236:25
233:54
230:48
192:44
183:11
180:21
167:44
158:11
155:29
121:Pld
879::
857:.
846:,
836:,
826:,
780:15
769:48
736:21
725:29
593:.
569:.
547:.
515:,
476:eɪ
424:2
421:3
418:7
399:FG
349:0
346:1
343:3
340:1
321:FG
286:0
267:0
264:0
261:0
242:0
239:0
217:0
214:0
211:0
208:0
205:3
189:0
186:0
164:0
161:0
136:FG
73:,
69:,
59:)
868:.
758:3
747:7
507:(
479:/
473:z
470:n
467:æ
464:r
461:f
458:/
454:(
404:P
394:G
389:T
326:P
316:G
311:T
141:P
131:G
126:T
55:(
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