Esikeli Tonga
Esikeli Tonga (born 5 February 1988) is a former Tonga international rugby league footballer who last previously played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League. A Tongan international representative three-quarter or second-rower, he is the younger brother of Parramatta Eels centre Willie Tonga.[2]
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| Full name | Esikeli Tonga | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 5 February 1988 Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 94 kg (14 st 11 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre, Wing, Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background
Tonga was born in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. He is of both Australian Aboriginal and Tongan descent.
In 2005 Tonga graduated from Marsden State High School in Logan City.[3]
Playing career
Tonga made his first grade debut for the Gold Coast against Cronulla-Sutherland in round 12 of the 2008 NRL season at Shark Park. In August 2008, Tonga was named in the Tonga training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[4] and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Tonga squad.[5]
In the 2009 NRL season, Tonga played 16 games as the Gold Coast reached the finals for the first time but Tonga missed out through injury. Tonga missed the entire 2010 NRL season but returned in 2011. Tonga played 12 games for the Gold Coast in 2011 as the club finished last and claimed the wooden spoon.[6]
In the 2012 NRL season, Tonga joined Parramatta. Tonga only managed to make three appearances for the club as they finished last on the table for the first time since 1972 and claimed the wooden spoon.[7]
In 2013, Tonga joined Manly-Warringah but only made one appearance for the club before being released.
References
- RLP
- Turgeon, Luke (31 May 2008). "Young Titan Tonga set to make debut". Gold Coast Bulletin. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
- Marshall, Matt (23 April 2009). "School days to class acts". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney.
- "Tug-of-war over Mason". Sky Sports. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
- "Anderson ruled out of World Cup". BBC Sport. 8 October 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
- "Parramatta Eels defeat the Gold Coast Titans to avoid wooden spoon for 2011". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney.
- "Season review: Parramatta Eels". National Rugby League.