Peter Jackson (rugby league)

Peter Jackson (19 May 1964 – 5 November 1997) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative back, he played club football in both Queensland and New South Wales as well as a season in England. Jackson worked in the media following his retirement in 1993 and died as the result of a drug overdose suicide in 1997.

In 1980, Peter Jackson played rugby union in the under-17s Australian schoolboys representative side before playing in the under-18s Australian schoolboys rugby league side the following year. He went on to play in the Brisbane Rugby League premiership for Souths Brisbane and prove himself as an attacking player at Centre and Five-eighth under the coaching of Wayne Bennett. At Souths, Jackson was teammate to heavyweight centre Mal Meninga and fullback Gary Belcher. In 1986, Jackson made his State of Origin début for Queensland, and the following year he followed Wayne Bennett to play for the Raiders in the NSWRL premiership, where again he linked with Meninga and Belcher who had moved there at the end of 1985.

Jackson signed for the English rugby league club Leeds. He played there for the 1987–88 English season along with fellow Australian imports Peter Tunks, Steve Morris and Marty Gurr. Jackson played left-centre, and scored a try in Leeds' 14-15 defeat by St. Helens in the 1987–88 John Player Special Trophy Final during the 1987–88 season at Central Park, Wigan on 9 January 1988.