Mahe Fonua

Mahe Fonua (born 24 December 1992) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League. He primarily plays centre and wing. He is also notable for being the first Melbourne "born and bred" player for the Storm.

Early life

Born in Melbourne, Victoria Fonua attended school at Hallam Senior College Sports Academy. Fonua played his junior football for the South East Titans, Melbourne in the Victoria Rugby League, before being signed by the Canberra Raiders.^[1] In 2006 and 2007, Fonua represented the Victoria Under 15s team, he also represented the Victoria Under 18s team. In 2008 and 2009, he represented the Australian Capital Territory Under 18s team. He played for the Raiders' SG Ball team as the Storm did not have an SG Ball team at that time, before returning to Melbourne after being signed by the Melbourne Storm.

NRL career

Fonua played for the Storm's NYC team from 2010 to 2012, scoring 32 tries in 45 games.^[2] At the end of the 2011 season, Fonua was named at centre in the 2011 NYC Team of the Year.

2012

In Round 23 of the 2012 NRL season, Fonua made his NRL debut for the Storm against the Gold Coast Titans on the wing in the Storms 24-16 win at AAMI Park.^[3] Fonua became the first Victorian born and bred player to represent the Storm (or any Rugby League team) in first-grade.^[4] In Fonua's third game for the Storm in the Finals 1 week match against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Fonua scored his first NRL career try in the Storms 24-10 win at AAMI Park, after previously being denied tries on four occasions by the video referee, once in his debut, twice in his second game, and once prior to his try in his third game.^[5] Fonua finished off his debut year in the NRL with him playing in 4 matches and scoring 1 try (4p) in the 2012 NRL season. On 2 October 2012, Fonua was named at wing in the Junior Kangaroos team to face the Junior Kiwis.^[6]

2013

Fonua played in Storm's 2013 World Club Challenge victory over Leeds Rhinos. Fonua was selected to play for his parents' country of origin Tonga on 20 April 2013 against Samoa in the Pacific Rugby League International at Penrith Stadium. He scored 2 tries in the Tongan 36-4 victory. On 10 June 2013, Fonua extended his contract with the Storm for a further two seasons, keeping at the club till the end of the 2015 season.^[7][8] In Round 21 against Canberra Raiders at Canberra Stadium, Fonua scored a hat-trick of tries in the Storms 68-4 win^[9] including a spectacular set up for Will Chambers after the ball seemed almost certain to go dead, with some commentators comparing it to the famous set up by Greg Inglis during the centenary test.^[10] In 8 October 2013, Fonua was selected in the Tonga 24 man 2013 Rugby League World Cup squad, playing in 2 of Tonga's 3 matches.^[11]

2014

In 14 February 2014, Fonua was selected in the Storms' inaugural 2014 NRL Auckland Nines squad.^[12] Fonua finished the Storms' 2014 NRL season with him playing in 20 matches and scoring 10 tries (40p).

References

External links

• 2012 Melbourne Storm profile