28 Jan 2025

Ready Eddie: How Ilias inspired rookie Greece playmaker

“The comeback is always bigger than the setback”.

That was the message from Greek World Cup halfback Lachlan Ilias to Eddie Markopoulos as the Wests Tigers junior battled to overcome a season ending shoulder injury.

Now Markopoulos, who drew inspiration from Ilias’s video message, is set to take over the playmaking duties from the St George Illawarra recruit in Greece’s two-match series against USA in Vegas next month.

“Lachlan Ilias is someone I look up to. He started at Leichhardt Wanderers, the same club I played for,” Markopoulos said.

“When I injured my shoulder, Lachlan Ilias actually sent a video to me with a get well message. It meant a lot what he said in the video.

“He said to just keep working hard and I always remember his quote – he said, ‘the comeback is always bigger than the setback’. That is something I stuck by and remembered. It was very good advice.”

Markopoulos, who has Greek heritage through three of his grandparents, represented Greece for the first time in last year’s NSWRL Harmony Nines and won player of the tournament.

Greek coach Steve Georgallis was impressed and has chosen the rookie playmaker in a 24-man squad, which includes up to six players from the domestic competition in Greece, to travel to Vegas to play the USA on February 26 and 28.

The matches are part of a festival of rugby league headlined by the March 1 quadruple header at Allegiant Stadium, which includes a women’s international between Australia and England, the Wigan-Warrington Super League clash and two NRL fixtures – Canberra Raiders v New Zealand Warriors and Penrith Panthers v Cronulla Sharks.

A46T5561Eddie Markopoulos was player of the tournament in Greece's win at 2024 Harmony Nines. Photo: NRL Photos
“It means everything to me to represent the Greek team,” Markopoulos said. “Even in the Harmony Nines it meant a lot to me to put on the Greek jersey for the first time, so it is going to be special in Vegas to put it on again in a Test match against the USA.

“I was watching Greece play at the World Cup (in 2022) on TV and now I am part of the team. My parents are coming over so I am excited for them, and I am glad I could make them happy as well.”

After creating history by qualifying for the last World Cup, Greece are ineligible for the 2026 World Cup in Australia and Papua New Guinea as the men’s tournament is open only to full IRL member nations.

However, Georgallis said there were plans to introduce an U19s competition in Greece to help achieve full member status.

“We haven’t got full membership, so we aren’t able to qualify for the World Cup but we are now aiming for the following World Cup (in 2030),” Georgallis said.

“We are looking at the next generation of Greek-Australian players and will be taking a young squad to Vegas. There will also be about six domestic players flying from Athens.

“As many games as we can play it is good for the game back in Greece.”

With Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis sponsoring Greece, the team will have an opposed session ahead of the first clash with the USA against the LA Roosters, who are backed by the NRL club.

“We got to play in one World Cup which was awesome,” Georgallis said. “It was a 20-year dream, and the World Cup has had a definite flow on effect. We have got eight domestic teams now in Greece and a women’s competition as well.

“It is good for the Greek domestic players to know that they have an option to play for their country in Test matches and the opportunity to qualify for the World Cup.

“We have got a lot of really good people in Greece who are committed to getting the game played over there and trying to attract players.

“We are now in the process of trying to get an under 19s competition going in Greece, which is hard. We are looking at the possibility of going into colleges or universities and trying to get traction that way.”