Chris Melling

Chris Melling
Personal information
Full name Christopher Melling
Born (1984-09-21) 21 September 1984
Ashton-in-Makerfield, England
Playing information
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight 14 st 7 lb (92 kg) [1]
Position Fullback, Wing, Centre, Stand-off, Second-row, Loose forward

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2004–06 Wigan Warriors 13 3 17 0 46
2007–13 Harlequins RL 162 41 9 0 180
Total 175 44 26 0 226
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2007 Great Britain 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [2][3][4][3]

Christopher "Mello" Melling (born 21 September 1984) is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for England (Under-16s, and Under-18s), and as a fullback for Great Britain, and at club level for Ashton Bears ARLFC (Under-15), Hindley ARLFC (16+), and in the European Super League for the Wigan Warriors, and Harlequins RL (renamed as the London Broncos in 2012), as a fullback, wing, centre, stand-off/five-eighth, second-row, or loose forward/lock, consequently he was considered a utility player.[3][4]

Early career

Melling was born in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Greater Manchester, he was a pupil at Byrchall High School, and played junior rugby league for the Ashton and Hindley junior clubs.[5] Melling is a youth level international for England, touring Australia and New Zealand with England Under 16s in 2001 and also representing England's U18 Academy.[5][6]

Wigan Warriors

Melling is a former Wigan Senior Academy captain who made several appearance for the Wigan first team.

In 2004's Super League IX it had seemed that Melling's career was in doubt following a serious knee injury suffered playing for Wigan against Leeds at Headingley.[7] Melling had been seen as a future star before having his season ended by a cruciate ligament injury.[8]

Upon his return to first team action in 2005's Super League X Chris made a further 10 first-grade appearances for the Wigan Warriors before picking up another knee injury requiring further surgery.[9]

Melling returned to full fitness in 2006, but found first team opportunities limited, due to the emergence of Chris Ashton at the club.[10] Chris Melling moved to hooker in Wigan's academy, impressing enough to be voted as the Under-21s Academy 'Player of the Year' for 2006.[11]

He left Wigan to pursue regular first team rugby league.

Melling in action for Harlequins RL

Harlequins RL

Melling was initially signed as a back-up hooker to Chad Randall,[12] however the Great Britain international made the fullback position his own. He has been compared to Wade McKinnon with the youngster being defensively solid and dependable, with an eye for a gap bringing the ball out in attack.[13] His move to Harlequins was to have seen the youngster undergo a positional change with a move to hooker.[14] He had been previously employed throughout the backline, with most of his first team appearances coming as an outside back.

Melling impressed in 2007,[15] starting games at fullback and throughout the backline and scoring four tries. In May 2007 Melling agreed to a new two-year deal with Harlequins Rugby League, midway through his first season at the Twickenham Stoop.[16] This will keep Melling in the capital until 2009.[17] He is seen as the emerging star at the Harlequins, with Harlequins RL investing in young British talent.[18]

Representative football

In June 2007 Melling was called up to the Great Britain squad,[4][19][20][21] and was fullback in the Test match against France.[22] He was joined in the Great Britain Test side by Harlequins teammate Paul Sykes.[23] Melling made his Great Britain début in the 42-14 victory over the French on 22 June 2007, despite carrying an injury.[24][25][26]

Away from football

Melling is a qualified Physiotherapist after studying at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston,[27] graduating in June 2006.[28] Melling hopes to set up his own physiotherapy practise in the future.[28]

References

  1. ↑ "Harlequins Rugby League". web page. Harlequins Rugby League. 2011. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  2. ↑ "Chris Melling at twitter.com". twitter.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Chris Melling". Quins. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
  6. ↑ "Langley Leads GB to Victory". Bradford. 9 December 2002. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
  7. ↑ "Leeds 36-24 Wigan". BBC. 2004-03-19. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
  8. ↑ "Wigan duo agree fresh deals". BBC. 2004-08-25. Retrieved 2007-07-13.
  9. ↑ "Chris Melling". Quins. 22 July 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-22.
  10. ↑ Hadfield, Dave (8 June 2007). "Melling ready to make Wigan pay again for mistake". London: Independent. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
  11. ↑ "League Playing squad 2006/2007". Quins. 22 July 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
  12. ↑ "Harlequins swoop for British trio". BBC. 2006-09-21. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  13. ↑ "Sykes and Melling make the GB squad". Quins. 2007-06-20. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
  14. ↑ "Quins land young British trio". Quins RL. 21 September 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 13 June 2007.
  15. ↑ Gordos, Phil (2007-06-15). "Melling call-up a sign of the times". BBC. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
  16. ↑ "New deal for Melling". Quins.co.uk. 2007-05-29. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
  17. ↑ Lester, Joanna: "Joanna Lester chats to two stars who are particularly familiar with today's opposition…", game on!, Harlequins RL v Wigan Warriors, p41, 2 June 2007
  18. ↑ "Club-by-club guide: Harlequins". Sportinglife. 2007-07-22. Retrieved 2007-07-22.
  19. ↑ "Eight new faces in Lions squad". BBC. 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2007-06-12.
  20. ↑ "Melling and Sykes named in GB squad". Quins RL. 13 June 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  21. ↑ "What our GB player has to say". Quins RL. 2007-06-13. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
  22. ↑ "New-look GB select five new caps". BBC. 2007-06-20. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
  23. ↑ "Melling and Sykes to play at Headingley". Quins. 20 June 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-20.
  24. ↑ "Great Britain 42-14 France". BBC. 2007-06-22. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  25. ↑ "Hungry Lions Please Smith". SportingLife. 22 June 2007. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
  26. ↑ Wilson, Andy (2007-06-23). "Morley finally gets on scoresheet as Smith's new-look turn up trumps". London: Guardian. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  27. ↑ "Wigan Player Profile". Wigan. 22 July 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-22.
  28. 1 2 Lester, Joanna: "Joanna Lester chats to full back and budding physiotherapist Chris Melling", game on!, Harlequins RL v Wakefield, p41, 14 April 2007
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