Michael Lichaa

Michael Lichaa
Lichaa playing for the Sharks in 2014.
Personal information
Born (1993-07-18) 18 July 1993
Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 90 kg (14 st 2 lb)
Playing information
Position Hooker

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2014 Cronulla Sharks 15 0 0 0 0
2015– Canterbury Bulldogs 85 9 0 0 36
Total 100 9 0 0 36
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2014 NSW City 1 0 0 0 0
2017 Lebanon 4 0 0 0 0
As of 28 January 2018
Source: [1]

Michael Lichaa (born 18 July 1993) is a Lebanese international Australian rugby league footballer who plays for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League. A New South Wales City representative, he plays as a hooker and previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Background

Lichaa playing for the New South Wales under-20s in 2013

Lichaa was born in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.

Lichaa is of Lebanese descent[2] and played his junior football for the Cronulla-Caringbah Junior Rugby League Football Club and Yarrawarrah Tigers, before being signed by the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Playing career

Early career

From 2011 to 2013, Lichaa played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks' NYC team[3][4] On 21 April 2012, he played for the New South Wales under-20s team against Queensland.[5] He was named at hooker in the 2012 NYC Team of the Year.[6] On 13 October 2012, he played for the Junior Kangaroos against the Junior Kiwis.[7][8]

On 20 April 2013, he again played for the New South Wales under-20s team against the Queensland under-20s team.[9][10] He was again named at hooker in the 2013 NYC Team of the Year.[11] On 13 October 2013, he again played for the Junior Kangaroos against the Junior Kiwis.[12][13] In 2014, he moved on to the Sharks' New South Wales Cup team.[14] In February 2014, he played for the Sharks in the inaugural Auckland Nines tournament.[15]

2014

In Round 2 of the 2014 NRL season, Lichaa made his NRL debut for the Sharks against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs off the interchange bench in the Sharks' 42-4 loss at ANZ Stadium.[16][17] Soon after, he signed a 3-year contract with the Bulldogs starting in 2015. Two days after the signing was made public, he was dropped from the first-grade team by coach Peter Sharp for a "lack of loyalty".[18] Lichaa was brought back into the team in Round 7, playing off the interchange bench.[19] On 4 May, after only playing three NRL games, he played for New South Wales City against New South Wales Country in the 2014 City vs Country Origin match at Apex Oval in Dubbo, playing off the interchange bench in the 26-26 draw.[20][21] He finished off his debut year in the NRL having played in 15 matches for the Sharks.[22]

2015

Lichaa made his first pre-season appearance for the Bulldogs in the 2015 NRL Auckland Nines.[23] In Round 1 of the 2015 NRL season, he made his Bulldogs debut against the Penrith Panthers, playing at hooker in the Bulldogs' 24-18 loss at Penrith Stadium.[24][25] In Round 4 against the Wests Tigers, he scored his first NRL career try in the Bulldogs' 25-24 golden-point extra time win at ANZ Stadium.[26][27] In Round 23 against the Gold Coast Titans, he suffered a season ending lower leg injury.[28] He scored 3 tries from 21 matches in his first year with the Bulldogs.[29] He was named in the Lebanon 48-man train-on squad ahead of two 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifiers against South Africa, however he didn't take part in either match.[30]

2016

Lichaa finished the 2016 NRL season with him playing in 22 matches and scoring 3 tries for the Bulldogs.

2017

In February 2017, Lichaa was selected in the Bulldogs 2017 NRL Auckland Nines squad.[31]. Towards the end of the season, Lichaa was struggling with form and was told by Des Hasler he was unwanted for next season until Hasler was terminated as Canterbury coach shortly thereafter. Lichaa said to Fox Sports “I got farewelled with three games to go and something clicked in my head and I went out and played my own game, “I think I finished the year showing the type of player that I am, and hopefully come round one, through to round 26 and the finals that’s the player I am, I was lucky enough Deano came on board and I had a relationship with him before. I’m really grateful to still be at the club"[32].

2018

On 2 May 2018, Lichaa was dropped by new Canterbury coach Dean Pay after struggling for form. On May 6 2018, Lichaa spoke to the media about being dropped saying “You find out who your really good mates are in these tough times, you look at your phone and you see 30 or 40 messages from people, and you know the guys that are there for you at the end of the day, no matter what, and through thick and thin", “You learn a lot about yourself and who your true friends and family are" [33] [34].

References

  1. ↑ "Michael Lichaa - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. 1993-07-18. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
  2. ↑ "Lebanon Name Train-On Squad For World Cup Qualifiers". Rugby League Week. 2015-10-03. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
  3. ↑ "L". Nycdatabase.org. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  4. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20150629142200/http://rleague.com/players/Michael-Lichaa_3373/Stats/. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ "Toyota U/20's Origin squads named". NRL.com. 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  6. ↑ "Toyota Cup Team of the Year". NRL.com. 2012-08-21. Retrieved 2015-04-05.
  7. ↑ "Junior Kangaroos side announced". NRL.com. 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  8. ↑ "Junior Kangaroos packed with NRL talent". News.com.au. 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  9. ↑ "Under 20's Origin squads named". NRL.com. Retrieved 2015-03-11.
  10. ↑ "Holden U/20's State of Origin: Queensland U/20's v NSW U/20's - NRL Game Development - South East Queensland". Foxsportspulse.com. 2013-04-17. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  11. ↑ "2013 Holden Cup Team of the Year". NRL.com. 2013-08-27. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  12. ↑ "Junior Kangaroos team named". NRL.com. 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  13. ↑ "Junior Kangaroos train-on squad - NRL Game Development - South East Queensland". Foxsportspulse.com. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  14. ↑ "Vb Nsw Cup Team Lists - Round One". NSWRL.com.au. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  15. ↑ "Squads For Auckland Nines". Rugbyleagueweek.com.au. 14 February 2014. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Late Mail - Sharks v Bulldogs". Sharks.com. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  17. ↑ "Canterbury Bulldogs Maul Sombre Cronulla Sharks". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  18. ↑ "Cronulla Sharks Rookie Michael Lichaa Axed After Signing With Bulldogs". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  19. ↑ "Sydney Roosters Snap Their Three Game Losing Streak". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  20. ↑ Michael Carayannis (2014-05-01). "Michael Lichaa star-struck by Brad Fittler for City-Country Origin clash". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  21. ↑ "Hulking Centre Jamal Idris Stars in thrilling City-Country Draw". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  22. ↑ "Custom Match List". Rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  23. ↑ "BULLDOGS NAME 2015 NINES SQUAD". Rugby League Week. 2015-01-23. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  24. ↑ "NRL 2015 - Round 1". Rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
  25. ↑ "Penrith Panthers hold on for victory despite a late comeback from Canterbury Bulldogs". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  26. ↑ "NRL 2015 - Round 4". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  27. ↑ "Bulldogs beat Wests Tigers in golden point". NRL.com. 2015-03-27. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  28. ↑ Matt Encarnacion (2015-08-17). "Canterbury Bulldogs hooker Michael Lichaa ruled out for the season". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  29. ↑ "Custom Match List". Rugby League Project. 2015-10-22. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  30. ↑ "Lebanon Name Train-On Squad For World Cup Qualifiers". Rugby League Week. 2015-10-03. Retrieved 2015-11-26.
  31. ↑ "2017 Downer NRL Auckland Nines squads".
  32. ↑ https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/bulldogs/how-michael-lichaa-was-farewelled-from-bulldogs-then-resigned-three-games-later/news-story/3130c9a82d27f5d8c8d17e38e7395012
  33. ↑ https://www.sbs.com.au/news/pay-drops-nrl-axe-on-bulldogs-no-9-lichaa
  34. ↑ http://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/you-learn-who-your-true-friends-and-family-are-michael-lic/10j7dntwsc3mk1eyncypsvpmfd
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