Martin Masella

Last updated

Martin Masella
Personal information
Full nameMartin Masella [1]
Born (1969-11-04) 4 November 1969 (age 55)
ʻEua, Tonga
Playing information
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight98 kg (15 st 6 lb)
Position Prop, Second-row, Lock
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1991–94 Balmain Tigers 7130012
1995 Illawarra Steelers 102008
1996 South Sydney 170000
1998–99 Leeds Rhinos 7740016
2000 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 2440016
2001 Warrington Wolves 2750020
Total226180072
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1995–00 Tonga 51004
Source: [2]

Martin Masella (born 4 November 1969) is a Tongan former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He was a Tonga international and played at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. [2] Masella played for the Leeds Rhinos as a prop in their 1998 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Wigan Warriors. Masella captained Tonga in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. [3]

Contents

Background

Masella was born to factory workers. [4]

Playing career

Masella played in Australia for Balmain Tigers, [5] Illawarra Steelers and South Sydney before moving to England to play in the Super League for the Leeds Rhinos. [6] He was later awarded Leeds Rhinos heritage player number 1291. [7] After leaving the Rhinos, Masella played for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and Warrington Wolves. [8]

In September 2000, at the height of a financial crisis at the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, the contracts of all players aged over 24 were terminated. The players affected were; Andy Fisher, Bobbie Goulding, Warren Jowitt, Tony Kemp (player-coach), Steve McNamara, Francis Maloney, Martin Masella, Steve Prescott, Bright Sodje, Francis Stephenson and Glen Tomlinson. Masella was one of a group of players who were awarded compensation from an industrial tribunal as a result of the dismissal. [9]

Masella came out of retirement to play for Tonga against Cumbria at the age of 36. [10]

References

  1. "Martin Masella". Companies House. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "The Teams: Tonga". BBC. 1 January 2000. Archived from the original on 10 November 2000. Retrieved 26 March 2008.
  4. Jackson, Glenn (24 June 2010). "A league of their own: islanders provide NRL family with ample opportunity to cross the cultural divide". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  5. Kent, Paul. "NRL dismissal rule must keep pace with the evolution of the game". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  6. "Leeds' double signing". The Independent. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  7. Daly, Phil. "Ever popular prop Masella catches up with Gary in Australia". Leeds Rhinos. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  8. Whalley, John (5 October 2000). "Wakefield are saved after creditors reach agreement". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  9. "Goodway calls for aid package". BBC. 24 April 2001. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
  10. "Ex-Rhino Masella takes on the Cumbrians at 36". News and Star with the Cumberland News. 25 October 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2019.