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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

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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

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2019

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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)

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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)

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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

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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

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References

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  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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