Tesi Niu

Fanitesi Niu (born 11 August 2001) is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who plays as a wing, centre or fullback for Dolphins in the National Rugby League.

Tesi Niu
Personal information
Full nameFanitesi Niu
Born11 August 2001 (2001-08-11) (age 21)[1]
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Height177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight94 kg (14 st 11 lb)
Playing information
PositionFullback, Centre, Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2020–22 Brisbane Broncos 32 11 0 0 44
2023– Dolphins 4 3 0 0 12
Total 36 14 0 0 56
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: [2]
As of 17 March 2023

He previously played for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL.

Background

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

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.[4]

2020

On 4 June 2020, he 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.

He 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.[5]

2021

In round 16 of the 2021 NRL season, Niu scored two tries in a 26-18 victory over Cronulla-Sutherland.[6]

2022

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.[7] 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.[8]

2023

On 5 January, Niu signed a one-year deal to join the newly admitted Dolphins team ahead of the 2023 NRL season after he was granted an early release by Brisbane.[9][10][11] In round 3 of the 2023 NRL season, Niu became the first player in the Dolphins NRL history to score a hat-trick as they beat an injury depleted Newcastle side 36-20.[12]

References
  1. Ray, Jamie-Lee (31 May 2019). "Tesi Niu draws Origin inspiration from Fifita". QRL. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  2. Rugby League Project
  3. "TESI NIU – THRILLING YOUNG TALENT – Souths".
  4. "Thrills, spills and huge upsets: Every World Nines score and report". Fox Sports. 19 October 2019.
  5. "Brisbane get wooden spoon as North Queensland finish on a high". www.nrl.com. 24 September 2020.
  6. "South Sydney defeats Wests Tigers 38-22, Brisbane Broncos score 26-18 victory over Cronulla". www.abc.net.au. 4 July 2021.
  7. "NRL 2022: Brisbane Broncos season review". www.sportingnews.com.
  8. "Tonga 92-10 Cook Islands: Tonga close Rugby League World Cup group in style". www.bbc.co.uk.
  9. "Tesi Niu granted early release from Broncos, joins Dolphins for 2023". www.sportingnews.com.
  10. "Niu departs Broncos". Brisbane Broncos. 4 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  11. "Niu kid on the block for Dolphins NRL debut". The Dolphins. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  12. "Sydney Roosters triumph over Rabbitohs 20-18 in tense NRL battle, Dolphins stay unbeaten with 36-20 win over Newcastle Knights". www.abc.net.au.
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