Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Anthony Karalius | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1943-09-19)19 September 1943 Widnes, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 29 November 2019(2019-11-29) (aged 76) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Hooker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Relatives | Vince Karalius (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Anthony Karalius (19 September 1943 – 29 November 2019)[3] was an English professionalrugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He played at representative level forGreat Britain, and at club level forWidnes,St Helens,Wigan,Fulham RLFC and theCardiff City Blue Dragons, as ahooker.[1]
Tony Karalius was born inWidnes,Lancashire,England. He was ofLithuanian background. His surname means King in Lithuanian.
Karalius joinedSt Helens fromWidnes in January 1967 for a fee of £1,500.[4]
Karalius was asubstitute inSt. Helens' 2–2 draw withWarrington in the1967 Lancashire Cup Final during the1967–68 season atStation Road, Swinton on Saturday 7 October 1967, but he did not play in the 13–10 victory in thereplayStation Road, Swinton on Saturday 2 December 1967. He playedhooker in the 4–7 defeat byLeigh in the1970 Lancashire Cup Final during the1970–71 season atStation Road, Swinton on Saturday 28 November 1970.
Karalius playedhooker inSt. Helens' 5–9 defeat byLeeds in the1970 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1970-71 season atHeadingley,Leeds on Tuesday 15 December 1970, playedhooker in the 8–2 victory overRochdale Hornets in the1971 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1971-72 season atHeadingley,Leeds on Tuesday 14 December 1971, playedhooker in the 22–2 victory overDewsbury in the1975 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1975-76 season atKnowsley Road,St. Helens on Tuesday 16 December 1975, and played right-second-row in the 11–26 defeat byHull Kingston Rovers in the1977 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final during the1977–78 season atHilton Park,Leigh on Tuesday 13 December 1977.
Karalius playedhooker inSt. Helens' 20-5 victory overWidnes in the1976 Challenge Cup Final during the1975–76 season atWembley Stadium,London on Saturday 8 May 1976.
Karalius playedhooker in St. Helens 2–25 defeat by the1975 NSWRFL season premiers,Eastern Suburbs Roosters in the unofficial1976 World Club Challenge atSydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday 29 June 1976.[5]
He was an unusedsubstitute in the 12-14 defeat byLeeds in the1978 Challenge Cup Final during the1977–78 season atWembley Stadium,London on Saturday 13 May 1978, in front of a crowd of a crowd of 96,000.
In October 1978, Karalius was signed byWigan for a fee of £2,500.[6] He announced his retirement from rugby league in February 1980,[7] but was persuaded to come out of retirement the following season to join newly formed clubFulham.[8]
Karalius woncaps forGreat Britain while at St. Helens in 1971 against New Zealand (3 matches), in 1972 against France, and in the1972 Rugby League World Cup against New Zealand.[1]
Tony Karalius was the younger brother of therugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s for St. Helens, andWarrington;Denis/Dennis Karalius[1], and the St. Helens, andWidnes rugby league legend;Vince Karalius.