Michael Vella
.jpg) Vella in 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Michael Vella | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 19 February 1978 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 191 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 106 kg (16 st 10 lb)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Michael Vella is an Australian former professional
Playing career
Vella made his first grade debut for Parramatta against North Queensland in Round 11 1998 at Willows Sports Complex.
Vella was selected to play from the interchange bench for New South Wales in Game II of the 1999 State of Origin series.
At club level, Vella was selected as the Dally M rookie of the year in 1999 and played 24 games for Parramatta as the club reached the preliminary final against Melbourne. Parramatta went into the break leading 16-0 but lost the match 18–16 at full time. At the end of the season he helped the
Vella played for the
In 2005, the rugby league world was shocked to learn Vella was fighting thyroid cancer.[5] Vella returned to the field midway through the 2005 season and was part of the Parramatta side which won the minor premiership that year. Parramatta went into the 2005 finals series as one of the favourites to take out the premiership but suffered a shock 29–0 loss against North Queensland in the preliminary final. Vella played in the match from the bench.
After time out of the game, he returned to the field for the Eels in 2006. Vella's final game for Parramatta was the 12-6 qualifying final loss against Melbourne. Vella then headed to England to play in the Super League for English club Hull Kingston Rovers where he was voted Players' Player of the Year in 2007. He also captained the club in his final year, 2011.[6][7][8]
Post playing
Since his retirement, Vella has returned to Australia where he has owned a fitness business,
References
- ^ "Hull KR The Official Site of the Robins". web page. Hull Kingston Rovers RLFC. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
- ^ loverugbyleague
- ^ Rugby League Project
- ^ 2001 Ashes profile at news.bbc.co.uk
- ^ "Cancer won't hold me back: Vella". 25 February 2005.
- ^ "Official Player Numbers". Parramatta Eels.
- ^ "Nathan Hindmarsh on Parramatta's last table topping team, where his former teammates are now". Fox Sports. 13 March 2017.
- ^ "Eels on a mission against homelessness". National Rugby League. 6 June 2015.
- ^ "Hills shire times | Hills Shire Times | Daily Telegraph".
- ^ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-vella-43bb4932 [self-published source]
- ^ McCallum, Jake (12 February 2016). "Vella takes local club through sessions that made him a legend of the game". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney.
External links
- (archived by web.archive.org) Hull Kingston Rovers ~ Captains