Martin Bella

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Martin Bella
Personal information
Full name Martin Bella
Place of birth , Australia
Youth clubs
Years Club
Mackay
Youth representative teams
Queensland
Australia
Senior clubs*
Years Club Apps (points)
19?? - 19??
19?? - 19??
1986 - 1989
1990 - 1992
1993 - 1994
1995
1996 - 1997		 Easts Tigers
Halifax RLFC
North Sydney Bears
Manly Sea Eagles
Canterbury Bulldogs
North Queensland
Gold Coast Chargers		  ? (?)
 ? (?)
82 (4)
57 (8)
46 (8)
14 (0)
35 (8)
Representative teams**
1987 - 1994
1988 - 1992		 Queensland
Australia		 21 (0)
9 (0)

* Professional club appearances and points
counted for domestic first grade only and
correct as of 7th June 2008.
** Representative team caps and points correct
as of 7th June 2008.

Martin Bella is an Australian former Rugby league player of Italian descent. Martin Bella's career started out in the Foley Shield. His Mackay Under 18 side defeated Herbert River in the final after representing Queensland and Australia the previous two seasons. Bella left North Queensland to play with Easts Tigers in Brisbane Rugby League premiership. After three seasons in Brisbane and two off-seasons playing for Halifax RLFC in England, Bella moved to North Sydney Bears in 1986.

Contents

[edit] North Sydney Bears

During his time at the Bears, Bella was picked in the Kangaroo touring team, playing in most games on the tour, but not the Tests. In 1987 he played State of Origin and in 1988 made his first Test appearance in the third Test against the touring Great Britain side.

Also in 1988 he put on his boots for Queensland and made a clean sweep of the interstate series with Sam Backo providing a memorable rampaging display of front row power. Bella and Backo, both North Queenslanders, lined up for a repeat performance again against the Blues in 1989 with another awesome display up front, Bella was named man-of-the-match in the series opener as the Maroons again whitewashed the Blues. Bella again toured with the Kangaroos in 1990 and played a total of nine Tests for Australia, and a record twenty State of Origin games, at the time a feat unequalled by any forward from either State.

[edit] Manly Sea Eagles

Bella played with the Manly Sea Eagles from 1990 to 1992, appearing in 57 matches and scoring two tries. In the third and deciding match of the 1991 State of Origin series he was once again named man-of-the-match.

[edit] Canterbury Bulldogs

His career continued with the Canterbury Bulldogs club, which he joined for the 1993 and 1994 seasons, until his return to North Queensland to play with the newly formed North Queensland Cowboys in the expanded twenty team Australian Rugby League competition.

[edit] North Queensland Cowboys

The burly Mackay forward had a long rep career but his signing at the Cowboys was sadly for them on the backend of his eventful career. There was nothing flashy about Bella's style of play - simple forward moving football. However, he was one of the strongest selections for the Cowboys first year in competition. Full of leadership qualities over the younger personnel at the club, Bella had vast experience behind him from those Kangaroo Tours and Queensland Maroons experience. Considered by many a Queenslander as a great forward with great passion. However he was cut from the club at the back end of the 1995 season because of behavioural problems leaving him looking down the barrel of retirement.

Cowboys Statistics

Year G T Gls FGls Pts
1995 14 0 0 0 0
Totals 14 0 0 0 0

Legend: Gms = Games, Trs = Tries, Gls = Goals, FGls = Field Goals, Pts = Points.

[edit] Gold Coast Chargers

Bella again managed to attract attention, this time around for another Queensland club, when he was lured out of possible retirement to play with the Gold Coast Chargers in 1996-97. At the time, the Gold Coast club were dwindling away under debts and poor form and in need of some strong support. Bella produced numerous worthy performances and led the Gold Coast team to its first ever finals playoffs of its rollercoaster eight-year existence during the year of the Super League split in 1997.

In 2000 Bella was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league.

[edit] External links