David Fa'alogo

David Fa'alogo
Fa'alogo playing for New Zealand in 2008
Personal information
Full name Daniel David Fa'alogo[1]
Nickname Dave[2]
Born 9 September 1980
Auckland, New Zealand
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 102 kg (16 st 1 lb)
Playing information
Position Second-row, Prop, Lock, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2003–09 South Sydney 142 24 0 0 96
2010–12 Huddersfield Giants 57 15 0 0 60
2013– Newcastle Knights 48 2 0 0 8
Total 247 41 0 0 164
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2006–09 New Zealand 12 1 0 0 4
2011–12 Exiles 2 0 0 0 0
2013–14 Samoa 8 1 0 0 4
Source: Rugby League Project

David Fa'alogo (born 9 September 1980) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League. He previously played for Huddersfield Giants and the South Sydney Rabbitohs and has represented the New Zealand Kiwis. He primarily plays second-row, prop and lock, but can also fill in at centre.

Background

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Fa'alogo is of Samoan descent. His brother, Sala, played for the Widnes Vikings in 2004 and 2005.

Fa'alogo played his junior football for the Mount Albert Lions in the Bartercard Cup and Papatoetoe Panthers before being signed by the South Sydney Rabbitohs.[3]

Professional playing career

South Sydney Rabbitohs

In Round 10 of 2003 NRL season Fa'alogo made his NRL debut for the Rabbitohs against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.[4] In 2006, Fa'alogo made his international debut for New Zealand against Australia in the ANZAC Test. He played in 4 more games at the end of the season. In 2006, he won the George Piggins Medal as South Sydney's best and fairest player of the season.[5]

Fa'alogo was selected to play for the New Zealand national team at lock forward in the 2007 ANZAC Test loss against Australia.[6] In Round 25 of the 2007 NRL season, Fa'alogo was sin binned against the Sydney Roosters after punching Roosters player Braith Anasta, which resulted in a 7-week suspension from the NRL judiciary.

In 2008, he was sent home from a club trip to Florida, United States and fined $10,000 after punching a member of the public at a taxi rank.[7] Fa'alogo was again selected for the ANZAC Test again in 2008. In August 2008, Fa'alogo was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[8] and in October 2008, he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.[9] Fa'alogo played in the New Zealand team that defeated Australia in the final of the 2008 World Cup to claim New Zealand's first title.[10]

In September 2009, he punched coach Jason Taylor during end of season celebrations, knocking him to the ground. He was reportedly provoked by Taylor's 'rough horseplay'[11] and had his contract terminated due to the incident.

Huddersfield Giants

In May 2009, Fa'alogo signed a 4-year contract with English Super League club Huddersfield Giants starting in 2010. In 2011, Fa'alogo was selected in the inaugural Exiles squad for the Rugby League International Origin Match against England at Headingley.[12] He was again selected to play for the Exiles in 2012.

Newcastle Knights

On 3 October 2012, Fa'alogo signed a 1-year contract with the Newcastle Knights starting in 2013.[13]

On 22 May 2013, Fa'alogo re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract.[14]

In October 2013, Fa'alogo was selected for Samoa in their 2013 Rugby League World Cup campaign. He featured in all four of the Samoans' games at the Tournament.

In May 2014, Fa'alogo captained Samoa in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International. He led his country to a 32–16 win and a place in the 2014 Four Nations.

On 8 September 2014, Fa'alogo was selected for the Samoa Four Nations train-on squad.[15] On 7 October 2014, Fa'alogo was selected in the Samoa national rugby league team final 24-man squad for the 2014 Four Nations series.[16][17]

On 31 October 2014, Fa'alogo re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract.[18]

References

  1. ↑ FA'ALOGO, DANIEL DAVID 2006 – 2009 – KIWI #726 nzleague.co.nz
  2. ↑ http://www.examiner.co.uk/huddersfield-giants/huddersfield-giants-news/2012/03/14/fit-again-david-fa-alogo-poised-to-make-huddersfield-giants-super-league-xvii-bow-86081-30527676/
  3. ↑ Coffey and Wood The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League ISBN 1-86971-090-8
  4. ↑ http://www.rleague.com//db/player/f/faalogo_david/index.php
  5. ↑ "Club records". rabbitohs.com.au. South Sydney Rabbitohs. 2007. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  6. ↑ "Anzac Test match 2007". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  7. ↑ http://www.theroar.com.au/2008/02/04/souths-fine-faalogo-for-florida-fight/
  8. ↑ "Kiwis select Sonny Bill". Sky Sports. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  9. ↑ "Kiwis to wait on Webb and Matai". BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  10. ↑ "Australia 20–34 New Zealand". news.bbc.co.uk (BBC Sport). 22 November 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  11. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26045810-5018866,00.html
  12. ↑ "Warrington dominate Exiles picks for Origin fixture". bbc.co.uk. 4 May 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  13. ↑ http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news-display/Knights%20sign%20David%20Fa%E2%80%99alogo/64776
  14. ↑ http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news-display/David-Faalogo-resigns-for-2014/75287
  15. ↑ http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/samao-train-on-squad-announced-14837/
  16. ↑ http://www.nrl.com/toa-samoa-name-four-nations-squad/tabid/10874/newsid/82434/default.aspx
  17. ↑ http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/toa-samoa-name-four-nations-squad-15250/
  18. ↑ http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2014/10/31/knights_sign_trio.html

External links