Manu Maʻu

Manu Maʻu
Personal information
Born (1988-08-24) 24 August 1988
Auckland, New Zealand
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 105 kg (16 st 7 lb)
Playing information
Position Second-row, Centre

Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2014– Parramatta Eels 77 9 0 0 36
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2015 Tonga 2 0 0 0 0
2016 New Zealand 6 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]

Manu Maʻu (born 24 August 1988) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League. A New Zealand and Tongan international representative, he plays at second-row.

Early years

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Ma'u is of Tongan descent. Ma'u attended rugby league nursery St Paul's College, Auckland and played his junior football for the Richmond Rovers and Marist Saints.

Ma'u was an original member of Auckland's Roskill South-based "JDK", one of the many street gangs in New Zealand.[2] In 2007, a younger member of the gang was stabbed during an altercation. In an alcohol-fuelled quest for vengeance, the gang gatecrashed a 21st birthday party, found the alleged perpetrators and "unleashed hell".[2]

Two months later the police showed up at Ma'u's residence with a search warrant. Maʻu was arrested along with his brother, Semisi, and subsequently sentenced to three years in prison for his part in the brawl. He was released in 2009 to work and continue his rugby league career.[2]

Ma'u joined the Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup, but his hopes for an NRL career were stunted as the Australian immigration department decided to deny him a visa to play away games in Australia because of his criminal history.[2] In 2013, Ma'u was allowed to move to Australia to play for the Wentworthville Magpies in the New South Wales Cup, the feeder team to National Rugby League team Parramatta Eels.

A reformed man with a young family of his own, Ma'u was eager to put his past behind him and make the most of his opportunity with the Eels. Ma'u said "I want to repay Parramatta for their faith," "I want to build a future. I want my partner Alisi and my kids [Melino and Levi] to be proud of me and I want my family to realise I'm not that naughty boy that caused them pain."[3]

Playing career

2014

In February 2014, Ma'u was included in the Eels inaugural 2014 Auckland Nines squad.[4] In Round 1 of the 2014 NRL season, Ma'u made his NRL debut for the Parramatta Eels against the New Zealand Warriors at second-row. Ma’u won the Man of the Match award on debut in the Eels 36-16 win at Parramatta Stadium.[5][6] In Round 4 against the Penrith Panthers, Ma’u scored his first NRL career try in the 32-16 win at Parramatta Stadium.[7] On 5 June 2014, Ma’u extended his contract with the Eels for a further three years to the end of the 2017 season.[8] In Round 14 against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium, Ma’u debut year in the NRL was over after suffering a fractured forearm in the Eels 22-12 win.[9] Ma’u finished off his debut year in the NRL with him playing in 13 matches and scoring a try for the Eels in the 2014 NRL season.

2015

On 31 January and 1 February, Ma'u played for the Eels in the 2015 NRL Auckland Nines.[10] On 2 May, Ma'u represented Tonga in their 2015 Polynesian Cup test-match against Pacific rivals Samoa, playing at second-row in Tonga's 18-16 loss at Cbus Super Stadium.[11] He finished off the 2015 season having played in 22 matches and scoring 5 tries for Eels.[12] On 8 September, he was named in the New Zealand train-on squad,[13] however didn't make the final squad so played for Tonga in their Asia-Pacific Qualifier match against the Cook Islands for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, playing at second-row in Tonga's 28-8 win at Campbelltown Stadium.[14]

2016

On 1 February 2016, Ma'u was named in the Eels' 2016 NRL Auckland Nines squad.[15] On 6 May 2016, Ma'u made his debut for New Zealand against Australia in the 2016 Anzac Test, starting at second-row in the 16-0 loss at Hunter Stadium.[16][17] On 15 September 2016 at the Eels presentation night, Ma’u was awarded with the Ken Thornett Medal as being the club’s Players’ Player of the year.[18][19] Ma’u finished the 2016 NRL season with him playing in 22 matches and scoring 2 tries for the Eels. On 25 September 2016, Ma’u was rewarded for his solid season with the club by getting his contract extended to the end of the 2019 season.[20] On 4 October 2016, Ma’u was selected in the New Zealand Kiwis 24-man squad for the 2016 Four Nations.[21] Ma’u played in all 5 matches of the tournament including starting at second-row in the Kiwis 34-8 Four Nations Final loss against Australia at Anfield.[22][23]

References

  1. ↑ "Manu Ma'u - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Parramatta Eels recruit Manu Ma'u rises from big house to the big time". smh.com.au. Retrieved 2014-03-09.
  3. ↑ "Rising Eels star Manu Ma'u's free fairytale | Stuff.co.nz". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  4. ↑ "Squads For Auckland Nines". Rugby League Week. 2014-02-14. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  5. ↑ "Eels vs Warriors Late Mail - Eels". parraeels.com.au. Retrieved 2014-03-09.
  6. ↑ "Eels thrilled with Ma'u debut". NRL.com. 2014-03-09. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  7. ↑ Adrian Proszenko (2014-03-29). "Parramatta Eels beat Penrith Panthers 32-16". Theage.com.au. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  8. ↑ "Parramatta Eels Safeguard Future After Re-Signing Manu Mau, Kenny Edwards and Vai Toutai". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 2014-03-29. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  9. ↑ "Parramatta Eels Overcome Jarryd Hayne Absence With Classy Victory Over Canterbury Bulldogs". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 2014-03-29. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  10. ↑ "EELS NAME 2015 NINES SQUAD". Rugby League Week. 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  11. ↑ "Sam Kasiano Try Saving Tackle on Jorge Taufua Secures Pacific Test Win for Samoa Against Tonga". Foxsports.com.au. 2014-03-29. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  12. ↑ "Custom Match List". Rugby League Project. 2015-11-01. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  13. ↑ "League: Kiwis to manage Mannering's workload on England tour". The New Zealand Herald.
  14. ↑ "Tonga qualify for 2017 World Cup". NRL.com. 2015-10-17. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  15. ↑ "Eels name 2016 Nines squad". Rugby League Week. Retrieved 2016-02-01.
  16. ↑ "UPDATED: Representative Round team lists". NRL.com. 2016-02-28. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  17. ↑ "From watching the Kiwis in prison to making NZ debut for Manu Ma'u". Stuff.co.nz. 2014-01-23. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  18. ↑ http://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2016/09/15/manu_ma_u_claims_ken.af_news.html
  19. ↑ http://www.nrl.com/your-clubs-2016-player-of-the-year/tabid/10874/newsid/102002/default.aspx
  20. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/private-ryan-dragons-luciano-leiluas-deciding-factor-bad-boy-kirisome-auvaa-gets-help/news-story/d7f3def1d7ecf9f1134006fad561a644
  21. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/four-nations/four-nations-new-zealand-kiwis-coach-david-kidwell-names-his-squad-for-end-of-season-uk-tour/news-story/071d098ece166747c24c06befde4aee9
  22. ↑ http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/86610155/fast-start-the-key-for-kiwis-in-four-nations-final-says-manu-mau
  23. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/four-nations/live-four-nations-final-australian-kangaroos-v-new-zealand-kiwis-scores-blog-updates/news-story/6c7b883d27ab040752cab13db9a6045b
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