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Marcelo Montoya

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For Argentine football goalkeeper, see Germán Montoya.

Marcelo Montoya
Personal information
Full nameMarcelo Eduardo Montoya Jr[1]
Born (1996-02-17) 17 February 1996 (age 28)
Lautoka, Fiji
Height189 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight96 kg (15 st 2 lb)
Playing information
PositionWing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2017–20 Canterbury Bulldogs 54 19 0 0 76
2021–24 New Zealand Warriors 82 30 0 0 120
2025– Canterbury Bulldogs 0 0 0 0 0
Total 136 49 0 0 196
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2016– Fiji 9 4 0 0 16
Source: [2]
As of 31 August 2024

Marcelo Eduardo Montoya Jr (born 17 February 1996) is a Fijian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or centre for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Fiji at international level.

He previously played for the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL.

Background

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Montoya was born in Lautoka, Fiji to a Chilean father and Fijian mother, and moved to Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia at the age of three.[1]

He played his junior rugby league for the Bankstown Bulls,[3][4] and attended both Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield[5] and Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown.[6]

Playing career

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Early career

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Montoya was signed by the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and played in their Harold Matthews Cup team.[1] He progressed through Canterbury's youth system, and played in their NYC team between 2014 and 2016, scoring 36 tries in 46 matches.[7] The captain of the NYC team in 2016, he also played seven games in Canterbury's New South Wales Cup team that year, scoring six tries.[8] On 8 October 2016, Montoya made his international debut for Fiji in an international against Samoa in Apia, playing on the wing and scoring a try in Fiji's 20–18 win.[9][10]

2017

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In February 2017, Montoya was named in Canterbury's 2017 NRL Auckland Nines squad.[11] In round 3 of the 2017 NRL season, Montoya made his NRL debut for the Bulldogs against the New Zealand Warriors where he played on the wing and scored a try in the 24–12 win at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand.[12] He is the first player of Chilean and South American descent to play in the NRL.[13] He scored his first career double against the Newcastle Knights on the 7th April 2017 in a 22 points to 12 win.

On 6 June, Montoya re-signed with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs for a further three seasons until the end of 2020.[14]

After a successful opening season in Montoya's career, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs named him the NRL Rookie of the year.[15]

2018

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In 2018, Montoya made 15 appearances for Canterbury and scored two tries. In September 2018, Montoya and other Canterbury players celebrated Mad Monday at The Harbour View Hotel in Sydney's CBD. Later in the night, photographs provided by the media showed Canterbury players heavily intoxicated, stripping naked and vomiting in the street. Montoya was pictured on the street asleep by photographers after vomiting earlier. Montoya was handed a fine of $10,000 ($5000 suspended) by the club for his involvement.[16][17][18]

2019

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Montoya played the first two games of the 2019 season at centre as Canterbury suffered back to back heavy defeats against the New Zealand Warriors and the Parramatta Eels. Montoya was subsequently one of five players demoted to reserve grade by coach Dean Pay.[19]

After spending 7 weeks in reserve grade, Montoya was recalled to the Canterbury side for their Round 9 match against the Newcastle Knights which Canterbury lost 22–10 at Suncorp Stadium.[20]

In Round 18 against Brisbane, Montoya was taken from the field during the club's 28–6 loss with an apparent leg injury. Scans later revealed that Montoya would be ruled out for the rest of the season after it was shown he had tears to his posterior cruciate ligament, lateral ligament and medial meniscal ligament.[21]

2020

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Montoya made his return for Canterbury in round 8 of the 2020 NRL season, scoring a try in a 26–10 loss against Souths. In round 10 against St. George and with the scores locked at 22-22, Canterbury spread the ball left and a routine pass was thrown to Montoya who in turn dropped the ball. Saints player Corey Norman picked up the loose ball and raced away to score the match winning try on the full-time siren.[22]

On 22 September, it was revealed that Montoya would be released by Canterbury at the end of the 2020 NRL season. Montoya was one of eight players who were released as the club looked to rebuild for the 2021 season.[23]

2021

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In round 4 of the 2021 NRL season, Montoya made his club debut against the Sydney Roosters. In round 11 of the 2021 NRL season, Montoya scored two tries in a 30–26 victory over the Wests Tigers.[24]

2022

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In round 5 of the 2022 NRL season, Montoya used a homophobic slur against North Queensland winger Kyle Feldt in a match between their sides. The comment was picked up by in-game audio. Montoya was referred to the NRL judiciary and entered an early guilty plea. He was suspended for four matches.[25] In round 10, Montoya scored two tries for New Zealand in their 32–30 loss against South Sydney.[26] Montoya made a total of 18 appearances for the New Zealand club as they finished 15th on the table.[27]

2023

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In round 3 of the 2023 NRL season, Montoya scored two tries for New Zealand in a 26–12 victory over North Queensland.[28] In round 19, Montoya scored two tries for New Zealand in their 46-10 victory over Parramatta Eels.[29] Montoya played 27 games for the New Zealand Warriors in the 2023 NRL season and scored eleven tries as the club finished 4th on the table and qualified for the finals. Montoya played in all three finals games as the club reached the preliminary final before being defeated by Brisbane.[30]

2024

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Montoya played 19 games for the New Zealand Warriors in the 2024 NRL season and scored eight tries which saw the club finish 13th on the table.[31] On 11 October 2024, the Warriors announced that Montoya had been released from his contract to return to Australia.[32] The same day Montoya had re-joined the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in a two year deal.[33]

Statistics

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Season Team Matches Tries Pts
2017 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 19 12 48
2018 15 2 8
2019 11 2 8
2020 9 3 12
2021 New Zealand Warriors 18 5 20
2022 18 6 24
2023 27 11 44
2024 19 6 24
Totals 134 47 188

*denotes season competing

Personal life

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As of May 2015, Montoya is working as a teacher's aide at Casula Public School.[6] He has been an ambassador for Latin Heat Rugby League.[1][34]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Red Hot Chile Stepper". Player's Voice. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Marcelo Montoya - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project.
  3. ^ "Subscribe to The Daily Telegraph".
  4. ^ "'Home grown' Bulldog Montoya bred in Parramatta". www.smh.com.au. 10 May 2018.
  5. ^ Nicolussi, Christian (10 May 2018). "'Home grown' Bulldog Montoya bred in Parramatta". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b Thomas, Stacy (8 May 2015). "Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldog loves his time in Casula Public School". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  7. ^ "M". NYC Database. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  8. ^ Brunsdon, Simon (30 January 2017). "The 20-year-old Canterbury Bulldogs player on teammates' lips — Marcelo Montoya". Fox Sports. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  9. ^ Mudunavonu, Peni (9 October 2016). "Bati wins first game in Apia". Fiji Times. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  10. ^ Ben Glover (8 October 2016). "Samoa v Fiji rugby league Test live: kick off time, TV time, live scores, live updates". Fox Sports. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  11. ^ "2017 Downer NRL Auckland Nines squads". NRL.com. 3 February 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  12. ^ Walshaw, Nick (17 March 2017). "The Canterbury Bulldogs have beaten the Warriors 24-12 in New Zealand". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  13. ^ "Bulldogs Winger Marcelo Montoya is One of the NRL's Most Unusual Debutants". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  14. ^ Danks, Chris (6 June 2017). "Bulldogs re-sign Marcelo Montoya". Sporting News. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Montoya walks away with the Steve Mortimer Rookie of the Year award". Fiji Village. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  16. ^ "NSW Police charge Dogs for 'obscene exposure'".
  17. ^ "Custom Match List - Rugby League Project".
  18. ^ "Bulldogs' $500k Mad Monday whack". News.com.au. 7 September 2018.
  19. ^ "NRL teams, Round 3: Bulldogs coach Pay wields axe". www.smh.com.au. 26 March 2019.
  20. ^ "Newcastle Knights make it three straight with a 22-10 victory over Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium". Newcastle Herald. 11 May 2019.
  21. ^ "NRL Casualty Ward: Every injury and every club's full list plus return dates". Fox Sports. 19 August 2019.
  22. ^ "Sea Eagles Stun Eels Dogs Blow It Late". ABC News. 18 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Dogs confirm EIGHT-man clean-out in first glimpse of Barrett era". www.foxsports.com.au. 22 September 2020.
  24. ^ "Sharks beat Dragons 13-12 in NRL golden point, Warriors defeat Wests Tigers 30-26". ABC News. 21 May 2021.
  25. ^ "Cowboys disappointed by 'homophobic slur'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Rabbitohs survive big scare to beat Warriors in thriller". www.nrl.com.
  27. ^ "Warriors farewell 15 players after return to New Zealand". www.foxsports.com.au.
  28. ^ "Unbeaten Broncos set up blockbuster Brisbane NRL derby against Dolphins as Warriors, Gold Coast score upset wins". www.abc.net.au.
  29. ^ "Ruthless Warriors demolish Eels 46-10 to mark Shaun Johnson's milestone 200th game in style". www.stuff.co.nz.
  30. ^ "NRL 2023: New Zealand Warriors season review". www.sportingnews.com.
  31. ^ "The Mole's end-of-season review: The 'harsh' Shaun Johnson truth that plagued highly-fancied Warriors". www.nine.com.au.
  32. ^ Staff Writer (10 October 2024). "Montoya to leave Warriors". Warriors. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  33. ^ "Coming Home: Montoya Returns to Bulldogs". Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  34. ^ Burgin, Robert (29 September 2017). "Marcelo Montoya appearance honours Latin American heritage". Latin Heat. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
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