Mario Fenech
Encyclopedia
Mario Fenech is a Maltese-Australian rugby league
personality. He is a former player of the game for New South Wales
, and is a regular guest on The Footy Show
. His favoured position was as Hooker, where he represented NSW. In his later career he became a Prop-forward. He captained the Rabbitohs from 1986 to 1990.
tournament.
Since retiring from football Fenech has been involved in the entertainment industry. In 2001 his book What's Doing? was published. He has been a regular contributor on The Footy Show
, appeared on numerous other TV shows, including Pizza
, and made a brief cameo in the rugby league-based film Footy Legends
. With his stint on The Footy Show, footage has been replayed of him being hit on the head with a football. Thus he has had the dubious honour of having contact made between the football and the head on the full named "The Falcon"
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
personality. He is a former player of the game for New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, and is a regular guest on The Footy Show
The NRL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award-winning Australian sports variety television programme, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates. Following the success of the AFL program of the same name, the Nine Network quickly developed a version for the rugby league market. The rugby league version has...
. His favoured position was as Hooker, where he represented NSW. In his later career he became a Prop-forward. He captained the Rabbitohs from 1986 to 1990.
Rugby league career
Fenech's career spanned 1981 to 1995. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 1981 to 1990. He was a strong runner from dummy half and given his style and size, almost always attracted a number of defenders intent on stopping his progress. From 1986 to 1990, he captained the Rabbitohs. In 1991, after failing to secure an adequate contract with South Sydney, he moved to the North Sydney Bears and played for them until 1994. His departure caused significant controversy within the club with many ordinary members of the club extremely disappointed with the decision to release him. In 1995, he ended his career with the South Queensland Crushers. Since retiring Mario has also represented Malta in a rugby league sevensRugby league sevens
Rugby league sevens is a seven-a-side derivative of rugby league football, which is usually a thirteen-a-side sport. The game is substantially the same as full rugby league, with some rule changes and shorter games...
tournament.
Post-rugby league career
The NRL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award-winning Australian sports variety television programme, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates. Following the success of the AFL program of the same name, the Nine Network quickly developed a version for the rugby league market. The rugby league version has...
, appeared on numerous other TV shows, including Pizza
Pizza (TV series)
Pizza is an Australian black comedy television series on the Australian television network, SBS. It has also spun off a feature length movie in 2003, and in 2004 released a highlights video/DVD which also included previously unshown footage and a schoolies exposé theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza"...
, and made a brief cameo in the rugby league-based film Footy Legends
Footy Legends
Footy Legends is a 2006 Australian film, directed, written and produced by Khoa Do, starring his older brother Anh Do, Angus Sampson, Emma Lung and Claudia Karvan. It was filmed in and around Sydney, Australia, mostly in the western suburbs...
. With his stint on The Footy Show, footage has been replayed of him being hit on the head with a football. Thus he has had the dubious honour of having contact made between the football and the head on the full named "The Falcon"