NRL star opens up about being unable to play in the country his parents were born in because footy was ILLEGAL there

An NRL star has opened up on his dream of playing in Greece despite rugby league previously being banned in the country.

Rabbitohs hooker Peter Mamouzelos has been capped by the Greek national side on 10 occasions but due to regulations on playing the sport in the country, the footy star has never actually played in Greece.

The Hellenic Federation of Rugby League (HFRL) had previously governed the sportin Greece but the organisation had been suspended in 2016 from the Rugby League European Federation (RLEF), following an alleged financial scandal, according to SBS News.

In 2017, a breakaway new body was formed, called the Greek Rugby League Federation (GRLF) and the organisation was later given association status by the Rugby League European Federation in 2018. 

Despite that, the HFRL was still recognised by the Greek government as the country’s governing body for the sport – meaning that games played on Greek soil under the GRLA were prohibited.

That changed in August 2022, when the Greek government finally recognised the GRLA as the official governing body for the sport in Greece.

NRL star Peter Mamouzelos (centre bottom) has opened up on how he dreams of playing rugby league in his partents’ home country of Greece 

The 24-year-old has won 10 caps for Greece but has been unable to play rugby league in the country due to a ban imposed on the sport 

The Hellenic Federation of Rugby League (HFRL) had governed the sport’s activities in the country but the body had been suspended from the Rugby League European Federation (RLEF)

‘Our “home” games actually had to be played overseas, and we played in London against Norway [in an RLWC qualifier] because it was illegal to play in Greece,’ Mamouzelos told NRL.com.

The 24-year-old added that the governing body had also attempted to host a game in Greece but police had been called to shut it down.

‘As the years have gone on, and obviously Greece has seen us represent Greece at the World Cup, things have changed, so hopefully we have their support and backing to play more home games there,’ the Rabbitohs hooker said.

Mamouzelos was born in Sydney in 2001 but qualifies to play for the Greek national side through his mother Denise, who hails from the Aegean island of Zakynthos and his father Theo, who hails from Kalymnos.

‘I want to put Greece on the rugby league map, so any opportunity to represent my Greek heritage I just try to make the most of it, and it’s something that I am very proud of,’ he said.

‘Obviously, I haven’t had the chance to play in Greece yet, so hopefully in the next World Cup qualifiers we get to play at home.’

‘The game is definitely growing over there so we’d get a bit of backing and get a crowd behind us, which would be cool so hopefully we get that opportunity soon.’

In 2019, Greece was unable to host their 2022 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying matches at home, so instead was forced to play against Scotland at the New River Stadium in North London.

Greece would go on to finish second in the group, losing to Scotland but thumping Serbia 82-6 to gain a berth in the Rugby League World Cup.

His father Theo (pictured right) and his mother Denise both hail from the European country

Mamouzelos is buoyed by the growth that Rugby League has experienced in Greece in recent years after the team qualified for the Rugby League World Cup

‘Now that rugby league is growing in Greece too – we have a domestic competition so there is definitely more interest around rugby league over there – we will hopefully see more Greek players in the NRL,’ the Rabbitohs hooker added.

Mamouzelos, meanwhile, has enjoyed an excellent start to the 2025 season, with this being his fifth year with the Bunnies.

He is already well on his way to producing career-best numbers for the Souths, having already amassed 184 tackles and 120 running metres this season. He also picked up a try against St George in Round 2.

The Souths are 3-1 for their opening four games of the season, and barring their defeat by the Sharks, they are showing promising signs they could be a red-hot contender for finals this season under returning boss Wayne Bennett, after finishing 16th on the ladder in 2024.

Having grown up in Sydney, Mamouzelos, knows that there is a lot riding on this weekend’s derby between the Rabbitos and rivals, the Sydney Roosters.

‘It’s a special week,’ he said. 

‘The fans get around it and obviously, both clubs have a proud history over the years so it’s always a game that you circle,’ he said.

He even recounted a rather bizarre anecdote on Reggie the Rabbit – the South’s mascot, who recently found himself in hot water after appearing to allegedly push a young Sharks fan two weeks ago.

Having grown up in Sydney, Mamouzelos, knows that there is a lot riding on this weekend’s derby between the Rabbitos and rivals, the Sydney Roosters

The Rabbitohs mascot, Charlie Gallico, 81, has since apologised over the incident.

‘We had Reggie the Rabbit come in before our game against the Roosters and he gave us a little speech,’ he said speaking on turning out in the Harold Matthews New South Wales Cup as a junior player.

‘He brought in a raw chicken, and he said: “This morning, I went out and I caught myself a chicken” and he started pulling out this raw chicken.

‘All of us boys, we were 15 years old, were looking at each other like: “What’s going on here?” Everyone ran out ready to run through a brick wall and we won.’

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