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Full name | Martin Masella[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | ʻEua, Tonga | 4 November 1969||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 98 kg (15 st 6 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Prop, Second-row, Lock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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]
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
- ^ "Martin Masella". Companies House. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
- ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "The Teams: Tonga". BBC. 1 January 2000. Archived from the original on 10 November 2000. Retrieved 26 March 2008.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Kent, Paul. "NRL dismissal rule must keep pace with the evolution of the game". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ "Leeds' double signing". The Independent. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ Daly, Phil. "Ever popular prop Masella catches up with Gary in Australia". Leeds Rhinos. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ Whalley, John (5 October 2000). "Wakefield are saved after creditors reach agreement". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ "Goodway calls for aid package". BBC. 24 April 2001. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
- ^ "Ex-Rhino Masella takes on the Cumbrians at 36". News and Star with the Cumberland News. 25 October 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
External links
- (archived by web.archive.org) World Cup 1995 details
- (archived by web.archive.org) Profile at leedsrugby