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Tesi Niu

Tesi Niu
Niu in 2015
Personal information
Full nameFanitesi Niu
Born11 August 2001 (2001-08-11) (age 23)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Height177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight94 kg (14 st 11 lb)
Playing information
PositionFullback, Wing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2020–22 Brisbane Broncos 32 11 0 0 44
2023–24 Dolphins 24 9 0 0 36
2025– Leigh Leopards 0 0 0 0 0
Total 56 20 0 0 80
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2019 Tonga 9s 3 1 0 0 4
2019–22 Tonga 3 4 0 0 16
Source: [1]
As of 2 August 2024

Fanitesi Niu (born 11 August 2001) is an Australian rugby league footballer. He plays as a winger or centre for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League. He previously played for the Brisbane Broncos and Dolphins in the NRL as a fullback and for Tonga.

Background

Niu was born on 11 August 2001 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.[2] He was educated at Marsden State High School and played his junior rugby league for the Forest Lake Magpies.[3] He is a first cousin of David Fifita.[4]

Niu also represented the 2018 Australian Schoolboys.

Playing career

2019

Niu represented Tonga in 2019 Great Britain Lions tour making his international debut. He then played for Tonga 9s in the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s.[5]

Brisbane Broncos (2020–2022)

On 4 June 2020, Niu made his NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos, coming off the interchange bench in a record 59–0 home defeat against the Sydney Roosters. On 27 June 2020, he made his starting debut at fullback against the Gold Coast Titans.

Niu made a total of six appearances for Brisbane in the 2020 NRL season after suffering a season-ending wrist injury in round 10, as the club finished last on the table and claimed its first-ever wooden spoon.[6]

In round 16 of the 2021 NRL season, Niu scored two tries in a 26–18 victory over Cronulla-Sutherland.[7]

Niu played a total of ten games for Brisbane in the 2022 NRL season scoring three tries as the club finished 9th on the table and missed out on the finals.[8] In the third group game at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, Niu scored a hat-trick for Tonga in their 92–10 victory over the Cook Islands at the Riverside Stadium.[9]

Dolphins (2023–24)

Niu (left) and Connelly Lemuelu in 2024

Niu joined the newly-licensed Dolphins after he was granted an early release by Brisbane.[10][11][12] In round 1 of the 2023 NRL season, Niu made his club debut for the Dolphins in their inaugural game in the national competition, defeating the Sydney Roosters 28–18 at Suncorp Stadium. In round 3 of the 2023 NRL season, he became the first player in the Dolphins NRL history to score a hat-trick when they defeated the Newcastle Knights 36–20.[13] In total, Niu played seventeen games and scored five tries for the Dolphins in 2023. His contract was extended until the end of 2024.[14]

2024

In round 7 of the 2024 NRL season, Niu scored two tries in the Dolphins 44–16 victory over Parramatta.[15] Following the end of the 2024 NRL season Niu turned out for feeder club Norths Devils and won the Queensland Cup with a 34-20 grand final victory over the Redcliffe Dolphins. Niu scored a double in the decider to earn the Duncan Hall medal for man of the match.[16] Two weeks later he also helped the Devils win the NRL State Championship against NSW Cup premiers the Newtown Jets.[17] Niu confirmed that he would move to the Leigh Leopards at the start of the 2025 season.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ Rugby League Project
  2. ^ "Tesi Niu". The Dolphins. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  3. ^ Dawson, Andrew (12 October 2018). "Tesi Niu – Thrilling Young Talent". South Logan Magpies. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  4. ^ Ray, Jamie-Lee (31 May 2019). "Tesi Niu draws Origin inspiration from Fifita". QRL. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Thrills, spills and huge upsets: Every World Nines score and report". Fox Sports. 19 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Brisbane get wooden spoon as North Queensland finish on a high". www.nrl.com. 24 September 2020.
  7. ^ "South Sydney defeats Wests Tigers 38-22, Brisbane Broncos score 26-18 victory over Cronulla". www.abc.net.au. 4 July 2021.
  8. ^ "NRL 2022: Brisbane Broncos season review". www.sportingnews.com. 14 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Tonga 92-10 Cook Islands: Tonga close Rugby League World Cup group in style". BBC Sport. 30 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Tesi Niu granted early release from Broncos, joins Dolphins for 2023". www.sportingnews.com. 5 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Niu departs Broncos". Brisbane Broncos. 4 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Niu kid on the block for Dolphins NRL debut". The Dolphins. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Sydney Roosters triumph over Rabbitohs 20-18 in tense NRL battle, Dolphins stay unbeaten with 36-20 win over Newcastle Knights". ABC News. 17 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Niu earns contract extension". 30 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Dolphins stun with nine-try onslaught to leave Eels shell-shocked in 'demoralising loss'". www.foxsports.com.au.
  16. ^ https://www.qrl.com.au/draw/qrl-premiership/2024/grand-final/game-1/
  17. ^ "Jets v Devils". National Rugby League. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  18. ^ Chalk, Ethan Lee (7 October 2024). "Dolphins centre confirms new club". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
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