Marika Koroibete

Marika Koroibete
Koroibete playing for Fiji at the 2013 RLWC.
Personal information
Born 26 July 1992
Navaiyawa, Fiji
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 93 kg (14 st 9 lb)
Playing information
Position Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2012–14 Wests Tigers 16 12 0 0 48
2014– Melbourne Storm 18 12 0 0 48
Total 34 24 0 0 96
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2013–14 Fiji 6 0 0 0 0
Source: [1][2]

Marika Koroibete (born 26 July 1992) is a Fijian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League. Koroibete primarily plays wing. Some pundits consider him the fastest player in the NRL.[3]

Early years

Born in Navaiyawa, Fiji, Koroibete grew upon a family farm from which he walked twenty kilometres to travel to and from school.[4] Koroibete played rugby union for his school in Fiji before switching to rugby league. After a short stint in junior rugby league Koroibete signed a 3-year contract with the Wests Tigers. Koroibete was signed after being spotted playing for the Fiji Under 19s in a match against Australian-born Fijian players.[4] At around the same time he was considered a possibility for a career in sprinting, having run 100 metres in 10.75 seconds.

Koroibete played for the Tigers' Toyota Cup team in 2011 and 2012, scoring 22 tries in 26 games.[5] He scored two tries as the team won the 2012 Grand Final.[6] 2012 Toyota Cup coach Todd Payten said, "The most exciting part with Marika is that we're only really scratching the surface. He's got a couple of little issues and once we iron them out, he's certainly going to be a crowd pleaser."[4]

Playing career

2012

In Round 21 of 2012, Koroibete made his NRL debut on the wing for the Wests Tigers against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Tigers 32-6 loss.[7] In just his second game in Round 22, Koroibete scored 4 tries against the Tigers 51-26 win Parramatta Eels at Campbelltown Stadium, equaling the club record for most tries in a match set by Kevin McGuinness ten years earlier.[8] Koroibete then followed up with 2 tries against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs a fortnight later.[9] Coach Tim Sheens described him as having, "lots of issues still but he's got raw pace and ability." Koroibete finished his debut year in the NRL playing in 6 matches and scored 7 tries. On 21 August 2012, Koroibete was named at wing in the 2012 Toyota Cup Team of the Year.[10] Koroibete was also named the joint Rookie of the Year for the Wests Tigers,[11] and one of the top ten upcoming youngsters in the NRL in Lifestyle Uncut Magazine.[12]

2013

A number of injuries, including a fractured eye-socket and a dislocated elbow, saw Koroibete play in just 9 games in 2013. However, he scored 5 tries and was averaging over three tackle breaks and 100 metres with the ball per game.[13]

Koroibete made his international debut for Fiji in the 2013 World Cup,[14] as Fiji defeated Ireland 32-14. He played in all five of Fiji's games. In the game against Samoa, he made seven tackle breaks and ran over 220 metres with the ball.[15]

2014

In February 2014, Koroibete was included in the Wests Tigers inaugural 2014 Auckland Nines squad, depsite having issues with his visa to gain entry into New Zealand.[16] After playing in 1 match after Round 8, Koroibete was selected to play for Fiji in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International against Samoa. He played on the wing in the 32-16 loss at Penrith Stadium.[17]

On 23 June 2014, Koroibete joined the Melbourne Storm mid-season on a 2 1⁄2-year contract effective immediately.[18][19] On Round 18 of the 2014 NRL season against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Koroibete made his club debut for the Melbourne Storm replacing Sisa Waqa on the wing in the Storms 6-4 loss.[20] In the next match in Round 19 against the Canberra Raiders at AAMI Park, Koroibete scored his first club try in the 28-14 win.[21] Koroibete finished the year with him playing in 10 matches and scoring 6 tries after his mid-year transfer to the Storm.

2015

In 23 January 2015, Koroibete was named in the Storm's 2015 Auckland Nines squad.[22]

References

  1. ↑ RLP
  2. ↑ League Central
  3. ↑ Barry Toohey (10 March 2013). "Akuila Uate eyes new Fijian thriller Marika Koroibete". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Michael Chammas (8 August 2012). "From farm to fortune: quiet Koroibete is flying fast". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  5. ↑ "Grandstand Forums". rleague.com. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  6. ↑ Wayne Cousins (30 September 2013). "Wests Tigers win NYC Premiership". weststigers.com.au. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  7. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/south-sydney-rabbitohs-turn-on-the-style-as-they-rout-wests-tigers-32-6-at-anz-stadium/story-fn2mcuj6-1226437956042
  8. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/wests-tigers-rally-to-beat-parramatta-eels-in-high-scoring-clash-at-campbelltown-stadium/story-fn2mcuj6-1226444222192
  9. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/canterbury-bankstown-bulldogs-score-23-22-golden-point-win-over-wests-tigers-after-inu-drop-goal/story-fn2mcuj6-1226452917128
  10. ↑   (21 August 2012). "Toyota Cup Team of the Year". NRL.com. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  11. ↑ Wayne Cousins (28 September 2012). "Aaron Woods named Player of the Year". weststigers.com.au. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  12. ↑ Chris Taylor (23 September 2012). "The Top 10 Youngsters From The NRL You'd Like To See In Super League". Lifestyleuncut.com. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  13. ↑ Brock Corfe (25 August 2013). "Young guns - Marika Koroibete". weststigers.com.au. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  14. ↑ http://fijilive.com/sports/news/2013/09/civoniceva-wes-naiqama-to-lead-fiji-bati/32752.Fijilive
  15. ↑ Dan Walsh (1 May 2014). "Fiji v Samoa preview". nrl.com. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  16. ↑ http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac;jsessionid=6BAFBAC89C869C2D0869A6841949B658?sy=afr&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=1month&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=brs&cls=18478&clsPage=1&docID=SMH1402149I4T2V51594
  17. ↑ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/gutsy-samoa-secures-place-in-four-nations-tournament-following-win-over-fiji/story-fni3fbgz-1226904268873
  18. ↑ http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/melbourne-storm-adds-flying-fijian-marika-koroibete-20140623-zsivz.html
  19. ↑ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/speedster-marika-koroibete-could-be-just-what-melbourne-storm-need-in-a-seasondefining-month/story-fni3gpfh-1226995220906
  20. ↑ http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/rugby-league-match-centre/live-melbourne-storm-v-canterbury-bulldogs-20140712-3brxb.html
  21. ↑ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/the-melbourne-storm-have-beaten-the-canberra-raiders-2814-at-aami-park/story-fni3gpfh-1226994725271
  22. ↑ http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/storm-unveil-2015-nines-squad/

External links