Joel Luani
 | ||||||
| Luani playing for the Tigers in 2013. | ||||||
| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Haveatama Sioelipulu Halafungani [1] | |||||
| Born | 16 February 1992 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | |||||
| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | |||||
| Weight | 92 kg (14 st 7 lb) | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Hooker, Second-row, Halfback | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2013– | Wests Tigers | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2013 | United States | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | Tonga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| As of 21 October 2014 | ||||||
| Source: Rugby League Project | ||||||
Joel Luani (born 16 February 1992) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League. He primarily plays hooker, but can also fill in at second-row and halfback.
Playing career
Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Luani was educated at his father's alma mater Newington College (2008–2010) and he played in the rugby union 1st XV for three years. In his final year of school he was a member of Newington's GPS Championship-winning rugby side and played for the Australian Schoolboys rugby union team. He also played junior football for Five Dock before being signed by the Wests Tigers.
Luani played for the Tigers' NYC team in 2011 and 2012,[2] playing second row in the 2012 premiership-winning team.[3] Coach Todd Payten said, "Joel played in the back row, which was not his preferred position and not once did he complain. He just went out and did the job each week."[4]
On 29 July 2013, Luani re-signed with the Tigers on a 2-year contract.[5]
After being 18th man a number of times in the 2013 NRL season, Luani made his NRL debut for the Tigers against the Parramatta Eels in round 22.[6] He played 3 games in a period when Robbie Farah was unavailable due to injury, scoring one try.
At the end of the season, Luani was chosen to be a member of the United States 2013 World Cup squad. He made his international debut playing at hooker in the side that defeated the Cook Islands 32-20, in the country's first ever World Cup match.[7]
References
- ↑ http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/tyro-tiger-joel-luani-uses-family-as-inspiration-to-make-his-mark-on-nrl-20140418-zqwbe.html
- ↑ "Joel Luani player results, scores, news and statistics". Rleague.com. 1992-02-16. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
- ↑ Wayne Cousins (30 September 2013). "Wests Tigers win NYC Premiership". weststigers.com.au. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ↑ Nick Walshaw (9 August 2013). "Wests Tigers hooker Joel Luani is proof that even the dud clashes matter". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ↑ "Major player news for Wests Tigers". Weststigers.com.au. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
- ↑ "LATE change to Wests Tigers NRL side". Weststigers.com.au. 2012-01-07. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
- ↑ "Rugby League World Cup: USA 32-20 Cook Islands". BBC. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.