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Head Coach - Anthony Micallef Anthony Micallef took over as caretaker coach of the Malta national team in 2009. His caretaker role later extended to head coach largely thanks to logistics proving a difficult exercise for previous coaches Joe Grima (and his assistant Tony Farr) to look after the national team from Australia. Micallef is a RLEF Level 2 coach and RLEF Level 1 Tutor, accredited at London's Brunel University also has experience in coaching the Serbia U16's national team in Belgrade in 2011 when applying for his level 1 tutors certificate. He is an RLEF Match Officials Educator and has also delivered such courses at Spain's Institut Nacional d’Educació de Catalunya. Based in Malta, the Australian-Maltese rugby league administrator has led the national team to win the 2010 RLEF European Bowl, joint first place (second on points differential) of the 2011 RLEF European Shield against Germany and Norway; and rates the second half performance of Malta against Norway in 2011 as the greatest half of football one of his teams has been involved in - when the Maltese scored 40 points to nil against their Scandinavian opposition. In 2012, he led Malta to win the Dove Men+Care International Series with a 2-0 home and away series whitewash over Denmark. In his first years in coaching, Micallef experienced much success coaching at junior level in the Penrith District Junior Rugby League in Australia with the St Marys club before his move to Malta in 2008. With the Maltese team, Micallef regularly praises the assistance of key senior players including national team captain Chris Parker and Bradford Bulls star Jarrod Sammut for their leadership and mentor roles they fulfill throughout visits to Malta in representing the national team. Locally, Micallef has been well served his his co-coaches on and off the field in Clifford Debattista and Roderick Attard.
Micallef has a coaching record of 5 and 2 at the helm of the Malta national team which was as highly ranked as 20 in the RLIF international rankings in 2012.
D.O.B: 30 March 1982
Place of Birth: Fairfield, Australia
Nickname: Choc
Favourite Food: Fenkata
Favourite Music: Top 40
Favourite Place in Malta: Gnejna Bay
Favourite Travel Destination: Paris, Morocco and Serbia
Favourite Rugby League Team: Penrith Panthers
Best Rugby League Player in the World: Andrew Johns when he played with Newcastle Knights
Special Moment: A Challenge Cup Final at London's Wembley Stadium
Interests away from Rugby League: Travelling, Family, Event Management, Meeting new People Australia-based Coaches: Joe Grima and Tony Farr
The Australia-based duo of Joe Grima and Tony Farr led Maltese Rugby League throughout its early fixtures in Australia from 2004 to 2008 with Grima taking charge of Malta's international in Malta in 2005 and Farr holding the caretaker role in 2008 against the British Defence Forces. Today, Grima is an integral part of the St George-Illawarra Dragons setup where he is the Assistant Coach to the NRL team. An ARL Level 3 High Performance Coach, Joe Grima was a founding director of the Malta Rugby League (MRL) in 2004. Grima, or Joey as he is affectionately known, was awarded life membership at the Parramatta Eels. Joe's playing saw him play through Harold Matthews, SG Ball Cup, Jersey Flegg and Presidents Cup at the Parramatta Eels before moving to Western Suburbs. He also reprsented NSW Combined Catholic Colleges in the Australian Championships. Together with assistant coach Tony Farr, the coaches enjoyed success with the MRL including Malta's last minute victory over Greece in Sydney and a smashing performance against Portugal in 2008. Malta National Team Medical Trainer (Australia)
Mr Joe Clews
Malta National Team Trainers (Australia)
Mr Peter Cassar
Mr Peter Curmi
Mr Ryan Cosgrove
Ms Ashley Clews
Malta National Team Doctor (Australia)
Dr Louis Shidiak Malta National Team Medical Trainer/Physiotherapist (Malta)
Mr Steven Cilia Malta National Team Trainers (Malta)
Mr Roy Newbould
Mr Roderick Attard MRL Coaching Department (Malta)
Mr Roderick Attard (RLEF Level 2 Coach)
Mr Clifford Debattista (RLEF Level 2 Coach)
Mr Anthony Micallef (RLEF Level 2 Coach) MRL Match Officials Department (Malta)
Ms Nadia Gosney (RLEF Match Officials Tutor)
Mr Anthony Micallef (RLEF Match Officials Tutor) Malta Wheelchair Rugby League Head Coach
Mr Anthony Micallef (RLEF Level 2 Coach) Malta Ladies Rugby League Head Coach
Mr Joss Howland ***********************************************************
Maltese Championship Club Coaching Appointments Gozo RL Head Coach
Mr Clifford Debattista Kavallieri RL Head Coach
Mr Roderick Attard Malta Origin Head Coach
Mr Anthony Micallef Sliema Stompers Head Coach
Mr Malcolm Attard Note: The appointments of head coach for the Malta Wheelchair and Malta Womens rugby league teams are made by the MRL and as fixtures are sporadic in nature, the head coach will appoint assisting staff he/she sees fit for the respective fixtures. |
Ben Sammut played professional rugby league for the Sharks in Australia and the Gateshead Thunder and Hull FC in England's Super League. Sammut captained Malta in their first ever rugby league international on Maltese soil in 2005 and is the longest serving (2004 to 2008) captain of the Malta Knights.
Daniel Grima (D.O.B. 31-8-1974), from St Paul's Bay, was the first ever Maltese based captain of the Malta national rugby league team, debuting as skipper in 2009 and leading the Malta Knights into official European competition against Norway in 2010.
Chris Parker (D.O.B. 5-12-1982), was appointed captain of the Malta national rugby league team ahead of the 2011 European Shield clash against Germany in Hochspeyer. Previously, Parker had served as vice-captain for three matches.
