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Tue Sep 13, 11:57pm (NSW)
Written by:
Anthony Micallef (English) & Andrew Zammit
Manduca(Maltese)
Malta and Greece will meet in a rugby league international friendly at the
Fairfax Community Stadium (Seven Hills) in Sydney’s west, on October 8.
Wests Tigers’ John Skandalis for Greece and Parramatta Eels’ Michael Vella
for Malta are probables for the match that is expected to draw a strong
legion of followers from the respective communities of Sydney.
Malta will use the match to experiment with the use of four Premier League
players amongst ex NRL stars in the lead up to the Malta vs England
‘historic first game of rugby league in Malta’ match at Marsa in Malta two
weeks later.
Greece could call on such NRL stars as Sharks’ Jason Stevens and Bulldogs’
Braith Anasta, but are expected to call up players who will continue to form
the nucleus of the Greece national team, which will take the game of rugby
league to Greece in the imminent future.
Greece have already named former Sydney Roosters and current English Super
League star Michael Korkidas (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats) and ex-NRL stars
Jim Serdaris and George Gatis in a twenty-eight-man squad.
The match will provide Malta head coach Joe Grima with a good opportunity to
trial positions for his squad with the tour to Malta in mind.
“our direction will be first-rate with Luke (Branighan) and Ben (Sammut) in
the halves. Both are ex NRL players and know how to handle this level of
rugby league” says Grima.
“The forwards will boast improved size and skill from our match against Fiji
A last October…”
“as it was in the Sevens’ earlier this year, our back line will possess
plenty of speed on the edges”
With Greece following on with past Mediterranean experiences in matches
against Italy in past years, the match against Malta is being billed as a
‘battle for the Mediterranean’.
The Maltese faithful are encouraged to be in full voice for the evening, to
farewell the Maltese pioneers before they take the first step in introducing
rugby league to the Maltese Islands.
The Knights, as Malta are known will attract their fare share of celebrity
supporters to the Fairfax Community Stadium, including rugby league legend
Mario Fenech, iron woman Candice Falzon and even NRL stars that will be
unavailable to play in the main fixture on the night itself.
Pre-sale tickets are available from the following locations:
Demons Sports Club; Reception- Seven Hills
League & Legends- Blacktown Store
La Vallette Social Centre- Blacktown
Vic’s Produce-Orchard Hills
Sewing Machine Warehouse-Penrith
Gato’s Pastizzi-Carramar
Hamrun Club- Marsden Park
Breakaway Travel (Formerly Wonderland Travel)- Blacktown
Rugby League
International Friendly
MALTA vs GREECE
Saturday October 8
Kick Off: 6pm
Gates Open 4pm
Fairfax Community Stadium
Quinn Avenue, Seven Hills, Sydney-Australia
Related websites:
www.malteserugbyleague.com
www.greekrugbyleague.com
www.demonssports.com.au
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