Chris Close

Christopher "Choppy" Close (born 5 February 1959) is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. A robust three-quarter back, he represented Australia internationally and Queensland in State of Origin, and played club football in Queensland and New South Wales. Close has the distinction of being one of a handful of players to be named man-of-the-match in State of Origin more than once. In fact the first two State of Origin man-of-the-match awards went to him.

Hailing from Cunnamulla, Queensland, where he started playing football in the 1970s, Close scored 52 tries during the 1978 season. Chris played his first A Grade game for the Beaudesert Kingfishers before joining Brisbane Rugby League premiership club, Valleys. A forward-sized centre who also excelled on the wing in his early career, Close represented Combined Brisbane in the 1979 Amco Cup competition and made his debut for Queensland the same year. He also played for Fortitude Valley at centre in their 1979 Brisbane Rugby League grand final victory over Souths.

In 1980, while playing for Redcliffe, Close was chosen on the Australian tour of New Zealand but it was his consecutive man-of-the-match performances in the first two State of Origin matches in 1980 and 1981 that turned heads. He was a fierce competitor, as his back-hander to the face of opposing winger Eric Grothe in 1981's State of Origin match testifies.