Gregory Marzhew ( Lelesiuao, born 4 April 1997) is a Samoa international rugby league player from New Zealand who plays as a winger for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.

Greg Marzhew
Personal information
Full nameGregory Marzhew
BornGregory Leleisiuao
(1997-04-04) 4 April 1997 (age 27)
Auckland, New Zealand
Height177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight104 kg (16 st 5 lb)
Playing information
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2021–22 Gold Coast Titans 25 15 0 0 60
2023– Newcastle Knights 44 29 0 0 116
Total 69 44 0 0 176
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2023 Samoa 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]
As of 14 September 2024

He previously played for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL.

Background

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Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Marzhew is of Samoan descent.[2] He played his junior rugby league for the Mangere East Hawks.[3]

In 2011, Marzhew moved to Melbourne, where he played for the North West Wolves in the Melbourne Rugby League.[4]

In 2013, he moved to Logan City, Queensland, where he attended Woodridge State High School before being signed by the Gold Coast Titans.[5][6]

In 2020, he changed his surname from Leleisiuao to Marzhew in honour of his maternal grandfather Ta’ilevao Marzhew.[7]

Playing career

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Early career

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In 2014, Marzhew played for the Souths Logan Magpies in the Mal Meninga Cup.[8]

In 2015, he played for Gold Coast Green in the Mal Meninga Cup, before moving up to the Gold Coast Titans under-20s side.[9][10]

In 2016, he represented the Junior Kiwis in their 34–20 loss to the Junior Kangaroos.[11]

In 2017, he joined the Parramatta Eels, playing for their under-20 side.[12] In May 2017, he again represented the Junior Kiwis.[13] On 4 September 2017, he was named in the Holden Cup Team of the Year.[14] On 1 October 2017, he scored a try in the Eels' Holden Cup Grand Final loss to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.[15]

In 2018 and 2019, Marzhew was a member of Parramatta's NRL squad but did not play a game for the club, instead playing for the Wentworthville Magpies, their NSW Cup feeder side.[16][17]

On 30 September 2019, he was named in the NSW Cup Team of the Year.[18]

In 2020, Marzhew returned to the Gold Coast, signing a two-year contract with the club.[19]

2021

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Marzhew began the 2021 NRL season playing for the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup.[20] In Round 13 of the 2021 NRL season, Marzhew made his NRL debut against Melbourne.[21] In round 15, Marzhew scored two tries for the Gold Coast in a 56-24 loss against Manly-Warringah.[22]

2022

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Marzhew played a total of 17 games for the Gold Coast in the 2022 NRL season and scored nine tries as the club finished 13th on the table.[23]

In November, Marzhew was released from his Gold Coast contract and signed a new three-year contact with the Newcastle Knights starting in 2023, in a player swap with Chris Randall.[24][25]

2023

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In round 4 of the 2023 NRL season, Marzhew made his club debut and scored two tries for Newcastle as they defeated Canberra 24-14.[26] In round 6, Marzhew scored two tries for Newcastle in their 34-24 victory over the New Zealand Warriors.[27] In round 13, Marzhew scored a hat-trick in Newcastle's 28-18 victory over Manly.[28] On 13 June, it was announced that Marzhew had been demoted from the first team squad after failing to meet club standards. Newcastle issued a statement which read “Greg missed the team bus early on Sunday morning, which is a clear breach of team standards and as a result he will not play this weekend".[29] In round 25, Marzhew scored a hat-trick in the club's 29-10 victory over South Sydney.[30] Marzhew made 22 appearances for Newcastle in the 2023 NRL season and scored 22 tries as the club finished 5th on the table. Marzhew played in both finals games as Newcastle were eliminated in the second week of the finals by the New Zealand Warriors.[31]

2024

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Marzhew played 22 games for Newcastle in the 2024 NRL season as the club finished 8th and qualified for the finals. He played in their elimination finals loss against North Queensland.[32]

Statistics

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Year Team Games Tries Pts
2021   Gold Coast Titans 8 6 24
2022 17 9 36
2023   Newcastle Knights 22 22 88
2024 13 5 20
Totals 60 42 168

source; [33]

References

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  1. ^ "Greg Marzhew - Career Stats & Summary". www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
  2. ^ "Where we're from: Our cultural heritage" – via www.newcastleknights.com.au.
  3. ^ "Four Kiwis make NYC Team of the Year". Kiwi League Central. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Wolves on the prowl, and winning". Hume Weekly. 6 November 2012. p. 15. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Former Woodridge schoolboy earns comparisons to Greg Inglis as he aims to crack Titans' NRL side". Courier Mail. 23 November 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Gold Coast Titans' next big thing is a former hip hop dancer Greg Leleisiuao". Gold Coast Bulletin. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  7. ^ "King of the Gym: Titans strongman Greg Marzhew changed his name to honour grandfather". Gold Coast Bulletin. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Rd 5 CC & MM scores". QRL. 29 March 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Scores from around the grounds". QRL. 8 March 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  10. ^ "RD 23 NYC Team Announcement". Gold Coast Titans. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  11. ^ "2016". 18th Man. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Eels NYC v Gold Coast Titans". Parramatta Eels. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Eels duo named in Junior Kiwis side". Parramatta Eels. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  14. ^ "2017 Holden Cup Team of the Year announced". NRL. 4 September 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  15. ^ "Heartbreaking last minute defeat in Holden Cup Grand Final". Parramatta Eels. 1 October 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Parramatta Eels welcome four new recruits to 2018 squad". Parramatta Eels. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  17. ^ "Parramatta Eels 2019 squad list". Parramatta Eels. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Mannah, Leleisiuao and Davies named in Canterbury Cup NSW Team of the Year". Parramatta Eels. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Erin Clark and Greg Leleisiuao Rewarded for Effort with NRL Contracts". Gold Coast Titans. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Titans skipper Jamal Fogarty enjoying Burleigh's return to form". Gold Coast Bulletin. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  21. ^ "Preston Campbell's emotional tribute to son Jayden before his Titans debut". Gold Coast Titans. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Manly Sea Eagles thrash Gold Coast Titans 56-24, Parramatta Eels beat Canterbury Bulldogs 36-10". www.abc.net.au.
  23. ^ "Titans' million-dollar man goes missing as Holbrook rues costly mistake: Brutal Review". www.foxsports.com.au.
  24. ^ "Knights confirm Randall-Marzhew swap deal". Newcastle Knights. 30 November 2022.
  25. ^ "Titans snare Broncos gun as former Rooster makes Super League switch: Transfer Centre". www.foxsports.com.au.
  26. ^ "Cronulla thrashes St George Illawarra 40-8 as Newcastle, Warriors enjoy NRL victories". www.abc.net.au.
  27. ^ "Knights send $5m statements as brutal axing sparks stunning surge: 3 Big Hits". www.foxsports.com.au.
  28. ^ "Ponga puts 'foot on the pedal' after THREE head knocks as hat-trick hero downs Manly". www.foxsports.com.au.
  29. ^ "Knights gun axed after 'clear breach'; Arthur's left-field halves solution: Teams Analysis". www.foxsports.com.au.
  30. ^ "Huge Ponga question raised; Latrell's 'frustration' as Souths' season 'slipping away': Big Hits". www.foxsports.com.au.
  31. ^ "NRL 2023: Newcastle Knights season review". www.sportingnews.com.
  32. ^ "Brutal reality Newcastle must accept before solving confidence-killing 'riddle'". www.nine.com.au.
  33. ^ "Greg Marzhew". Newcastle Knights. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
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