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Full name | Christopher Melling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Ashton-in-Makerfield, England | 21 September 1984||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 14 st 7 lb (92 kg) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Wing, Fullback, Second-row, Loose forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Christopher Melling (born 21 September 1984) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for England (Under-16s, and Under-18s), and as a fullback for Great Britain, and at club level for Ashton Bears ARLFC (Under-15), Hindley ARLFC (16+), and in the Super League for the Wigan Warriors and Harlequins RL (renamed as the London Broncos in 2012), as a fullback , wing , second-row or loose forward, consequently he was considered a utility player.
Melling was born in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Greater Manchester, England. He was a pupil at Byrchall High School.
Melling was a youth level international for England, touring Australia and New Zealand with England Under 16s in 2001 and also representing England's U18 Academy. [4] [5]
Melling is a former Wigan Senior Academy captain who made several appearance for the Wigan first team.
In 2004's Super League IX it had seemed that Melling's career was in doubt following a serious knee injury suffered playing for Wigan against Leeds at Headingley. [6] Melling had been seen as a future star before having his season ended by a cruciate ligament injury. [7]
Upon his return to first team action in 2005's Super League X Chris made a further 10 first-grade appearances for the Wigan Warriors before picking up another knee injury requiring further surgery. [8]
Melling returned to full fitness in 2006, but found first team opportunities limited, due to the emergence of Chris Ashton at the club. [9] Chris Melling moved to hooker in Wigan's academy, impressing enough to be voted as the Under-21s Academy 'Player of the Year' for 2006. [10]
He left Wigan to pursue regular first team rugby league.
Melling was initially signed as a back-up hooker to Chad Randall, [11] however the Great Britain international made the fullback position his own. He has been compared to Wade McKinnon with the youngster being defensively solid and dependable, with an eye for a gap bringing the ball out in attack. [12] His move to Harlequins was to have seen the youngster undergo a positional change with a move to hooker. [13] He had been previously employed throughout the backline, with most of his first team appearances coming as an outside back.
Melling impressed in 2007, [14] starting games at fullback and throughout the backline and scoring four tries. In May 2007 Melling agreed to a new two-year deal with Harlequins Rugby League, midway through his first season at the Twickenham Stoop. [15] This will keep Melling in the capital until 2009. [16] He is seen as the emerging star at the Harlequins, with Harlequins RL investing in young British talent. [17]
In June 2007 Melling was called up to the Great Britain squad, [3] [18] [19] [20] and was fullback in the Test match against France. [21] He was joined in the Great Britain Test side by Harlequins teammate Paul Sykes. [22] Melling made his Great Britain début in the 42-14 victory over the French on 22 June 2007, despite carrying an injury. [23] [24] [25]
Melling became a qualified physiotherapist after studying at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, [26] graduating in June 2006. [27] He hoped to set up his own physiotherapy practise in the future. [27]
After retiring as a player in 2013, Melling joined Warrington Wolves as a rehab specialist and academy physiotherapist, [28] and later worked as a physio at Oldham and Halifax. [29] [30] Melling became head physio at Leigh Leopards in December 2022.