what years did he play for the sharks? what standard was he?
I found this on the maltese rl site.
Old Shark Bids Good Knight
</STRONG>16 Jan 2007
Possessing a throng of rugby league knowledge combined with weary old legs slowing you down across the park, Maltese skipper Ben Sammut has vowed that Coffs Harbour will play host to his last games of rugby league in Australia.
Coffs has definitely been good to me says Sammut.
Bearing 88 games in the NRL for the Cronulla Sharks and another 64 duels in the English Super League, the back-to-back Orara Valley Sevens Player of the Tournament will bring down the curtain to his international playing career in Australia when Malta take on Japan at the BCU International Stadium.
Merging onto the wrong side of thirty, Sammut says the quality of young Maltese rugby league players coming through the ranks is the key to our (Maltas) future and I dont want to feel like I am holding them back.
The decision was a tough one.
Ive spoken with Joe Grima about this issue and we have decided that this will be my last game (v. Japan, January 25) in Australia and I will finish off my playing career in Malta in October
The old legs are unfortunately near the end he admits.
Im not as quick as I once was, and even though you make up for this with the experience, I am finding it incredibly frustrating at not being able to contribute the way I should
But it doesnt mean the sterling five-eighth wont be back in Maltese colours.
I want to help the younger generation of Maltese Knights in some other way off the field and continue to build the fantastic team spirit and mateship we have created in such a short space of time
After skippering the Maltese outfit in four of their international outings since their emergence on the international rugby league scene, Ben goes into the battle against the Japanese Samurais with a wealth of experience compared to even his youthful chargers beside him let alone the Japanese opposition.
Ben knows better than to judge a team on such merits as its number twenty-eight ranking by the Rugby League International Federation.
Japan have always provided entertainment whether it is in the full version of the game or in sevens football
You cant read into the rankings argues Sammut.
The Maltese are keen to erase memories of their October loss to Lebanon prior to their Rugby League World Cup Qualifying commitments; however Captain Malta strongly feels another likely meeting in Coffs Harbour will permit a differing result.
Lebanon was a disappointing game for us
We unfortunately just let ourselves down in some key areas the team knows we could have come away with victory
As a team we feel that our next meeting will provide a different outcome he maintains.
Arriving in Coffs Harbour in a morsel over seven days, the Maltese squad that the skipper has to work with is one of the strongest since their inception.
Our entire squad is made up of some unbelievable attacking players says Ben as he rattles of a list of names to look out for including Jarrod Sammut, Ryan Borg and Johnny and Simon Micallef.
But with a sturdy base of flying outside backs comes with keeping an eye on the unsung heroes of the team.
Rugged forward Brad Clews and the skilful Willie Grech, Sammut says are two of the many players to look out for in a list that is fundamentally endless.
The international friendly against Japan opens the doors to four debutants.
These younger guys are the key to our future and I dont want to feel like I am holding them back
Modesty is one of Sammuts playing attributes but the player voted as the best on field at both previous editions of the Orara Valley Sevens is adamant the Maltese can go further in open-handedly giving the Sevens prize money a shake.
And the precariousness of Sevens rugby league doesnt faze Sammut.
We clearly feel we can win the tournament as Im sure all sides do
Sevens is so unpredictable if we can improve on our third place from last year, I think well all be happy
Malta played in the first rugby league match on Maltese soil sixteen months ago where ex Penrith Panther Anthony Xuereb called it a day at the Marsa Stadium and Sammut who played against Xuereb in the mid nineties, eyes a similar farewell.
A grand finale in his ancestral homeland will be the culmination but not before his final return to Australias east coast city for the Sevens tournament that he could call his own bar no team silverware to yet show for it.
The Player of the Tournament award embarrasses me a little. Rugby League is still a team game and Im so lucky to be playing with such an outstanding group of men
The quality of our players and the brand of football we play draws attention to our organisation
Picture shows Ben Sammut in his Hull days.
I found this on the maltese rl site.
</STRONG>16 Jan 2007
Possessing a throng of rugby league knowledge combined with weary old legs slowing you down across the park, Maltese skipper Ben Sammut has vowed that Coffs Harbour will play host to his last games of rugby league in Australia.
Coffs has definitely been good to me says Sammut.
Bearing 88 games in the NRL for the Cronulla Sharks and another 64 duels in the English Super League, the back-to-back Orara Valley Sevens Player of the Tournament will bring down the curtain to his international playing career in Australia when Malta take on Japan at the BCU International Stadium.
Merging onto the wrong side of thirty, Sammut says the quality of young Maltese rugby league players coming through the ranks is the key to our (Maltas) future and I dont want to feel like I am holding them back.
The decision was a tough one.
Ive spoken with Joe Grima about this issue and we have decided that this will be my last game (v. Japan, January 25) in Australia and I will finish off my playing career in Malta in October
The old legs are unfortunately near the end he admits.
Im not as quick as I once was, and even though you make up for this with the experience, I am finding it incredibly frustrating at not being able to contribute the way I should
But it doesnt mean the sterling five-eighth wont be back in Maltese colours.
I want to help the younger generation of Maltese Knights in some other way off the field and continue to build the fantastic team spirit and mateship we have created in such a short space of time
After skippering the Maltese outfit in four of their international outings since their emergence on the international rugby league scene, Ben goes into the battle against the Japanese Samurais with a wealth of experience compared to even his youthful chargers beside him let alone the Japanese opposition.
Ben knows better than to judge a team on such merits as its number twenty-eight ranking by the Rugby League International Federation.
Japan have always provided entertainment whether it is in the full version of the game or in sevens football
You cant read into the rankings argues Sammut.
The Maltese are keen to erase memories of their October loss to Lebanon prior to their Rugby League World Cup Qualifying commitments; however Captain Malta strongly feels another likely meeting in Coffs Harbour will permit a differing result.
Lebanon was a disappointing game for us
We unfortunately just let ourselves down in some key areas the team knows we could have come away with victory
As a team we feel that our next meeting will provide a different outcome he maintains.
Arriving in Coffs Harbour in a morsel over seven days, the Maltese squad that the skipper has to work with is one of the strongest since their inception.
Our entire squad is made up of some unbelievable attacking players says Ben as he rattles of a list of names to look out for including Jarrod Sammut, Ryan Borg and Johnny and Simon Micallef.
But with a sturdy base of flying outside backs comes with keeping an eye on the unsung heroes of the team.
Rugged forward Brad Clews and the skilful Willie Grech, Sammut says are two of the many players to look out for in a list that is fundamentally endless.
The international friendly against Japan opens the doors to four debutants.
These younger guys are the key to our future and I dont want to feel like I am holding them back
Modesty is one of Sammuts playing attributes but the player voted as the best on field at both previous editions of the Orara Valley Sevens is adamant the Maltese can go further in open-handedly giving the Sevens prize money a shake.
And the precariousness of Sevens rugby league doesnt faze Sammut.
We clearly feel we can win the tournament as Im sure all sides do
Sevens is so unpredictable if we can improve on our third place from last year, I think well all be happy
Malta played in the first rugby league match on Maltese soil sixteen months ago where ex Penrith Panther Anthony Xuereb called it a day at the Marsa Stadium and Sammut who played against Xuereb in the mid nineties, eyes a similar farewell.
A grand finale in his ancestral homeland will be the culmination but not before his final return to Australias east coast city for the Sevens tournament that he could call his own bar no team silverware to yet show for it.
The Player of the Tournament award embarrasses me a little. Rugby League is still a team game and Im so lucky to be playing with such an outstanding group of men
The quality of our players and the brand of football we play draws attention to our organisation
Picture shows Ben Sammut in his Hull days.
