The match was no spectacle but Malta Origin did enough to see off Stompers and secure the first silverware of the rugby league season, the MRL Super Cup.

Last year’s champions faced the cup winners in what is quickly becoming a grudge match in the local rugby league championship, with Stompers also the last team to win the MRL title before Malta Origin last season.

But it was down to towering prop Daniel Groves to make the difference, the Englishman crossing for four tries and working hard in defence just as his pack team-mates did.

Pete Debono and Branton Bonello deserve special mentions for the eventual 38-34 winners and their opposite number Dragan Cerketa and Malcolm Attard were at their dynamic best.

The two sides simply couldn’t manage the basics of catch, pass and tackle and kept pegging one try a piece at each other. Inside the opposition’s 20 with 15 minutes left on the clock, Stompers lost their strike player and Malta dual international Malcolm Attard when he went down with an elbow injury.

Then a misdemeanour by Stompers’ Alessandro Frizzi saw the Italian put on report by the referee for striking an opposition player with his leg.

At 30-all with seven minutes to go, an infringement saw Sam Keep nail the penalty from 35 metres out to give Malta Origin the mental advantage.

Another Malta Origin try put the game beyond Stompers.

A consolation four-pointer for Stompers at the final whistle wasn’t enough and Malta Origin, in their Penrith Panthers donated NRL kit, got their season off to the perfect start, lifting the MRL Super Cup.

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