Gozo Rugby League, under the name of Club Rugby Club, last week announced Malta international Clifford Debattista as its 2012/13 Player of the Year at a gathering of players, supporters and sponsors at its Nadur training venue.Joseph Cefai of Cefai Formalwear - a sponsor of Gozo RC, and Malta national coach Anthony Micallef on behalf of the MRL also attended to present the opening awards of the evening.
A foundation club of the Malta Rugby League (MRL), Gozo RL also announced its forward of the year, back of the year, most improved player and coach’s player of the year awards.
The reigning two-time Ray Morris Medal winner for Maltese Rugby League Player of the Year, Debattista (pictured below) thanked the club and told everybody he wishes to continue to see the Gozo rugby family grow both in players, administrators and sponsors alike as the team continues to create history as a Gozitan team that makes progress and success in a new sport for the island.
Debattista echoed Anthony Micallef’s comments that an exercise for the team would be that everybody involved with the club invite one other person to join the club, which would see the club double its membership overnight.
Malta national coach Micallef commented, “The Gozo club continues to achieve off the field and with the hours going in off the pitch, the results will continue to show on the pitch also”
“From day one it has always been refreshing to see new and involved faces at the club, the growth at the club is a good part of the impetus to attract touring teams such as the two that visited in 2013 and will continue to help foster the growth of rugby in Gozo for the future”
“Our next steps are for Gozo RL to host domestic championship fixtures – giving them real home games and as always, to help up the recruitment drive hence welcoming new players and volunteers to the club”
Gozo are currently placed fourth of four teams in the 2013 MRL Dove Men+Care Championship with two rounds of normal competition to play.
With Mark Forster as master of ceremonies, the 2012/13 award winners were announced as follows;
Player of the Year: Clifford Debattista
Coach's Player of the Year: Mark Portelli
Most Improved: Mario Mercieca and Luke Saliba
Forward of the Year: Glenn Camilleri
Back of the Year: Gary Hili
In the 2012/13 season, Gozo RL had four players called up to the Maltese representative rugby league squad, those players being Gozo captain/coach and Malta vice-captain Clifford Debattista, Gary Hili, Mario Mercieca and Mark Portelli.
The awards were held only five days after the departure of an almost 100 strong contingent from the British Army, 1 MERCIAN RL - who toured the Maltese Islands and used Gozo as a base, playing against the Gozo team in its opening match before taking on the Malta XIII three days later.
The scoreline didn't flatter the Gozitans, however the British army regiment made clear its thanks to the Gozo Rugby League for its sterling hospitaly and assistance in completing the tour and was the second English team to tour Gozo this year after Calderdale College toured for the second consecutive season in February.
The match itself however was an event for Gozo, with over 100 spectators enjoying an end to end match on a warm Friday night on the Maltese sister island. The British Army won 50-4.