NFL 2019: Heidelberg captain Michael Brunelli appears on TV series Married At First Sight

A suburban football star has became an overnight sensation on Married At First Sight, tying the knot while, in Heidelberg, his footy club cheered him on.

A suburban football star has become an overnight sensation on last night’s episode of reality television program Married At First Sight.

The Heidelberg Football Club was packed on Monday night as supporters watched premiership captain and Northern Football League gun midfielder Michael Brunelli make his debut on the show.

“We had over 70 people in our social rooms watching it so it has brought us together and everyone has been watching the show,” Heidelberg coach Frank Raso said.

Michael Brunelli, right, celebrates the 2016 premiership with Charles Gaylord.

“It’s good for a few jokes before training and after training but he came to me in November to say this is what’s going to happen.”

Brunelli tied for the Division 1 Frank Rosbrook Medal last year as the NFL’s best and fairest player and captained the Tigers to their 2016 premiership.

Married At First Sight fans may have noticed a familiar face during last night's episode #MAFS pic.twitter.com/GhufqgVbPv

— Northern FNL (@northernfnl) February 4, 2019

.@HeidelbergFC getting a good run on #MAFS with the skipper making getting sure the Tigers emblem gets on the show.

— Aaron Hurle (@hurler75) February 4, 2019

Those accolades have won him plenty of acclaim in the northern suburbs, but he has turned to MAFS for love.

The program matches two strangers together, meeting for the first time at the alter on their wedding day.

He was paired up with Martha Kalifatidis, a 30-year-old makeup artist from NSW with a big Greek family.

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The pair tied the knot on Monday night.

Kalifatidis has been compared to reality star Queen Kim Kardashian.

Raso said his star player had missed some pre-season training sessions before Christmas but had resumed training in the new year.

Brunelli’s new‘wife’ Martha Kalifatidis.

“Hopefully it doesn’t affect us with whatever might come from the show, we don’t know,” he said.

The Tigers have a history of delivering players to reality TV — in 2016 premiership player Jordan Treloar featured on football show The Recruit.

Two-time Thomastown premiership coach Dean Sinclair also appeared on TV series First Dates in 2016.

Raso said Heidelberg was behind Brunelli.

“Obviously the show is about him opening up so it has created a lot of discussion but it has been really positive and everyone is behind him,” he said.

“Everyone is encouraging what he’s doing, no one has gone against him not being at training most of pre-Christmas.”

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