Anthony Minichiello (born 24 May 1980) is a former professional rugby league footballer who captained the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League, and retired having set records for most games and most tries in the club's history. An Australia and Italy international as well as a New South Wales State of Origin representative wing turned fullback, he played his entire career with the Roosters, with whom he won the 2002 and 2013 NRL Premierships, before retiring at the conclusion of the club's 2014 campaign. Minichiello also won the Golden Boot Award for international player of the year in 2005, and is the brother of fellow Italian international, Mark Minichiello.
Minichiello was born in Liverpool in South Western Sydney, Australia.
Minichiello grew up on a five-acre property near Liverpool, Southwest Sydney, with Italian heritage. His family maintained a lifestyle that included growing their own vegetables and raising chickens. His main sport as a youth was gymnastics, which he participated in from age six to eleven, competing at the state level in tumbling. He also competed in long-distance running at the state level.
Minichiello began playing rugby league for East Valley United. Minichiello attended All Saints Catholic Senior College. At a young age, he was spotted by then Roosters recruitment officer, rugby league Immortal Arthur Beetson, who signed him up to the foundation club. In 1999 he played for Italy in the inaugural Mediterranean Cup. On 4 August 2014 he announced his retirement at the end of the season.
Minichiello was signed by the Sydney Roosters at age 16 following a trial game where he played right centre, an event facilitated by Arthur Beetson. As a condition for pursuing his football career, his father required him to either finish his schooling or learn a trade. Minichiello chose the latter and undertook a cabinet-making apprenticeship with Dominic Chimera at West End Kitchens in Austral, balancing work, TAFE, and Roosters training commitments.
After a stint in the lower grades, Minichiello made his NRL debut at the age of 20 in the Roosters' Round 4 clash on 25 February 2000 at the Sydney Football Stadium against the Bulldogs. This made him the 994th first grader to play for the Roosters. He tasted the bitterness of defeat at the end of his debut year in the Roosters' loss to the Brisbane Broncos in the 2000 NRL Grand Final. By midway through his second season, he had proven himself worthy of representative football when he was selected to play for City Origin in the 2001 City vs Country Origin match against Country Origin.
After scoring 16 tries during the 2002 NRL season, Minichiello played on the wing for the Roosters in their 2002 NRL Grand Final win over the New Zealand Warriors. He was also part of the successful Roosters team that took out the 2003 World Club Challenge against 2002 Super League champions, St. Helens. With Mini playing fullback, the Roosters easily accounted for Saints 38–0 at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton, England in front of 19,807 fans. For the first three seasons of his career Mini played on the wing for the Roosters, but the retirement of Luke Phillips following the 2002 NRL Grand Final prompted then-Roosters coach Ricky Stuart to move Minichiello to fullback. His move to fullback coincided with some of the Roosters' best football for the early part of the new millennium. It also saw him become an almost automatic selection for both NSW and Australia for the next few seasons. With the help of the recently New Zealand former Warriors fullback and newly appointed Roosters Premier League coach Ivan Cleary, Mini would become a vital part of the Roosters attack. His great performance in his new position soon paid off with selection for City in the 2003 City vs Country Origin match and for New South Wales in the 2003 State of Origin series, and went on to play in his 100th NRL game for the Roosters in the first Preliminary Final of the 2003 NRL Finals Series. He was declared Man of the Match in the Roosters 28–18 victory over the Bulldogs. The Roosters subsequently lost the 2003 NRL Grand Final to the Penrith Panthers, in which Minichiello played at fullback. Minichiello ran 4,571 metres with the ball in 2003, more than any other player in the competition. After that he was selected to go on the successful 2003 Kangaroo tour in which Australia defeated their oldest rivals Great Britain 3–0 to retain The Ashes. Mini played on the wing for the Kangaroos in all three tests due to the presence of Brisbane Broncos fullback Darren Lockyer, who was also the captain of the Kangaroos.
In 2004, Minichiello was again selected to play for New South Wales but just five days out from Game I he was sacked for taking a mobile telephone out contrary to team instructions during a wild bonding session. However he fought his way back into the squad and help steered New South Wales to its second series victory. He was named the Dally M Fullback of the Year in the 2004 NRL season, where he scored a career best 18 tries for the season. He also won the Harry Sunderland Medal as the player's player of the year. Mini went on to play at fullback for the Roosters in their 16–13 loss to the Bulldogs in the 2004 NRL Grand Final. It was the Roosters third Grand Final loss in four games since 2000. Minichiello was selected in the Australian team to go and compete in the end of season 2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament. In the final against Great Britain he played at fullback and scored two tries in the Kangaroos' 44–4 victory. Another great season followed in 2005, where Minichiello's performances at fullback for NSW resulted in him winning the Wally Lewis Medal for player of the 2005 State of Origin series. The year was capped off with him winning the Harry Sunderland Medal again as the man of the 2005 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament, despite New Zealand causing a boil over by defeating Australia 24–0 in the Final at Elland Road in Leeds (it was the first time since 1972 that Australia had not won an international series or tournament in which they played). The game would also prove to be Anthony Minichiello's 18th and final test for Australia. He would go on to win the 2005 Golden Boot Award as the international player of the year.
One of the longest injury/suspension free period of any player in the modern era came to end in Round 6, 2006. A back injury, first sustained in Roosters' Round 3 clash on 26 March 2006 against the Canberra Raiders, that eventually required surgery ruled Minichiello out for the remainder of season. His back injury allowed several younger fullbacks to stake claims for the Australian jersey, particularly Brisbane Broncos fullback Karmichael Hunt. Minichiello's downfall from injury also coincided with the Roosters' decline in form, with the team finishing second from last at the end of the 2006 season.
Between 2006 and 2009, Minichiello experienced a series of severe injuries that threatened his career. In 2006, he had a ruptured L5/S1 disc requiring surgery. This was followed in 2007 by a ruptured L4/5 disc, necessitating a second back operation. In 2008, he suffered a significant C5/C6 disc bulge in his neck, which was reportedly 1mm from his spinal cord, and scans revealed his spinal discs were generally dehydrated. These injuries led him to explore functional movement training with Aaron McKenzie of Origin of Energy and adopt a specific nutritional approach focusing on whole foods, slow cooking methods, reducing processed foods, and intermittent fasting, which he credits for managing inflammation and extending his career.
As part of the Roosters' 100th season celebration, a "Team 100 – The Centurions" was announced at the 2007 season launch. Minichiello was named as fullback. He kicked his first field goal in his career when the Roosters defeated the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in golden point, in Round 11, 2007. Minichiello was recalled as NSW fullback for Game 1 of the 2007 State of Origin series. He played an impressive first game (won 25–18 by Queensland), but unfortunately was ruled out of the second game and the third game too as his back injury was troubling him. He was replaced as the Blues custodian by Manly Sea Eagles flyer Brett Stewart. Unfortunately Mini's back injury put him on the sideline for the remainder of the 2007 season.