Willie Tonga

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Willie Tonga
Personal information
Full name Willie Tonga
Date of birth 8 August 1983 (1983-08-08) (age 24)
Place of birth Canberra, ACT, Australia
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 98 kg (15 st 6 lb)
Nickname(s) Tong, Little Willie
Relatives Esi Tonga
Club information
Position(s) Centre
Current club Bulldogs
Number 4
Senior clubs*
Years Club Apps (points)
2002–2003
2004–		 Parramatta Eels
Bulldogs		 8 (16)
74 (136)
Representative teams
2004–2007
2004–2005		 Queensland
Australia		 2 (4)
6 (16)

* Professional club appearances and points
counted for domestic first grade only.

Willie Tonga (born 8 August 1983 in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory) is an Australian rugby league player for the Bulldogs in the National Rugby League competition. He has also appeared for both Queensland in the annual State of Origin on two occasions to date in his career and for Australia on seven. His position of choice is usually at centre.

Tonga made his debut with the Parramatta Eels in 2002. He signed with the Bulldogs in 2004 and his contract ends at the end of 2008.

Born in the former Woden Valley Hospital on the 8th of August 1983, Willie Tonga, born Viliami Sione Tonga (translated William) was the first child of Tongan immigrant John (Sione) Tonga and Wiradjuri woman, Maria Naden.

Showing a talent for all sports at a young age while living in Peak Hill NSW, Tonga soon adopted Rugby League and played for the Cootamundra side while his parents attended the Bimbadeen Bible College. After leaving Cootamundra, Tonga's parents and their five children moved to La Perouse in Sydney, and Tonga played Rugby Union for the Matraville Sports High School First XV. His parents continued to move around working for the Aboriginal Inland Missionaries and the family finally settled in Cherbourg, an Aboriginal community in Queensland.

Scouted by the rugby league great, Artie Beetson, Tonga moved into the Parramatta camp. Making small but sure career moves, his best known achievements were yet to be acknowledged when he moved on to the Canterbury Bulldogs on 2004. His career catapulted in that one year, winning the hearts of State of Origin selectors, which earned him the 145th person to be chosen for the Queensland side.

Winning the NRL Grand Final with the Bulldogs in 2004, and the Dally M Centre of the Year award, Tonga was also picked for the Australian side for the Tri-Nations series, making his first year in the NRL his most successful to date.

On 1 April 2008, it was announced that Tonga had signed a four year deal with the North Queensland Cowboys, commencing in 2009.[citation needed]

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