David Fa'alogo

David Fa'alogo (born 9 September 1980) is a former professional rugby league footballer played as a prop, second-row and lock in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Newcastle Knights in the NRL, the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League and the Ipswich Jets in the Queensland Cup. He represented both New Zealand and Samoa at international level.^[2]

David Fa'alogo

Personal information
Full name	Daniel David Fa'alogo^[1]
Born	(1980-09-09) 9 September 1980 (age 43) Auckland, New Zealand
Playing information
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	102 kg (16 st 1 lb)
Position	Second-row, Prop, Lock
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2003–09 South Sydney 142 24 0 0 96 2010–12 Huddersfield Giants 57 15 0 0 60 2013–15 Newcastle Knights 56 3 0 0 12 Total 255 42 0 0 168 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2006–09 New Zealand 12 1 0 0 4 2011–12 Exiles 2 0 0 0 0 2013–14 Samoa 8 1 0 0 4
Source: ^[2]^[3]

Background

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Fa'alogo is of Samoan descent. He is the younger brother of the rugby league footballer; Sala Fa'alogo.

Fa'alogo played his junior football for the Mount Albert Lions in the Bartercard Cup, and Papatoetoe Panthers before being signed by the South Sydney Rabbitohs.^[6]

Professional playing career

South Sydney Rabbitohs

In Round 10 of 2003 NRL season Fa'alogo made his NRL début for the Rabbitohs against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.^[7] In 2006, Fa'alogo made his international début for New Zealand against Australia in the ANZAC Test. He played in 4 more games at the end of the season. In 2006, he won the George Piggins Medal as South Sydney's best and fairest player of the season.^[8]

Fa'alogo was selected to play for the New Zealand national team at lock forward in the 2007 ANZAC Test loss against Australia.^[9] In Round 25 of the 2007 NRL season, Fa'alogo was sin binned against the Sydney Roosters after punching Roosters player Braith Anasta, which resulted in a 7-week suspension from the NRL Judiciary.

In 2008, he was sent home from a club trip to Florida, United States, and fined $10,000 after punching a member of the public at a taxi rank.^[10]

 

Fa'alogo playing for New Zealand in 2008

Fa'alogo was again selected for the ANZAC Test again in 2008. In August 2008, Fa'alogo was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,^[11] and in October 2008, he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.^[12] Fa'alogo played in the New Zealand team that defeated Australia in the final of the 2008 World Cup to claim New Zealand's first title.^[13]

In September 2009, he punched coach Jason Taylor during end of season celebrations, knocking him to the ground. He was reportedly provoked by Taylor's 'rough horseplay'^[14] and had his contract terminated due to the incident.

Huddersfield Giants

In May 2009, Fa'alogo signed a 4-year contract with Super League club Huddersfield Giants starting in 2010. In 2011, Fa'alogo was selected in the inaugural Exiles squad for the Rugby League International Origin Match against England at Headingley.^[15] He was again selected to play for the Exiles in 2012.

Newcastle Knights

On 3 October 2012, Fa'alogo signed a 1-year contract with the Newcastle Knights starting in 2013.^[16]

On 22 May 2013, Fa'alogo re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract.^[17]

In October 2013, Fa'alogo was selected for Samoa in their 2013 Rugby League World Cup campaign. He featured in all four of the Samoans' games at the Tournament.

In May 2014, Fa'alogo captained Samoa in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International. He led New Zealand to a 32–16 win and a place in the 2014 Four Nations.

On 8 September 2014, Fa'alogo was selected for the Samoa Four Nations train-on squad.^[18] On 7 October 2014, Fa'alogo was selected in the Samoa national rugby league team Final 24-man squad for the 2014 Four Nations series.^[19][20]

On 31 October 2014, Fa'alogo re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract.^[21]

On 8 August 2015, Fa'alogo announced his immediate retirement from rugby league due to a neck injury. He finished having played 198 games in the NRL.^[22] However, in 2016, he extended his career by joining the Ipswich Jets in the Queensland Cup.^[23]

References

1. FA'ALOGO, DANIEL DAVID 2006 – 2009 – KIWI #726 23 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine nzleague.co.nz
2. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
3. loverugbyleague
4. NRL. "Korbin shoulders leadership role – Knights". Newcastleknights.com.au. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
5. Roberts, Chris. "Fit-again David Fa'alogo poised to make Huddersfield Giants Super League XVII bow – Huddersfield Examiner". Examiner.co.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
6. Coffey and Wood The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League ISBN 1-86971-090-8
7. . Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
8. . rabbitohs.com.au. South Sydney Rabbitohs. 2007. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
9. "Anzac Test match 2007". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
10. "Souths fine Fa'alogo for Florida fight". The Roar. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
11. "Kiwis select Sonny Bill". Sky Sports. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
12. "Kiwis to wait on Webb and Matai". BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
13. "Australia 20–34 New Zealand". news.bbc.co.uk (BBC Sport). 22 November 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
14. "Home | Live Scores & Latest News". Fox Sports. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
15. "Warrington dominate Exiles picks for Origin fixture". bbc.co.uk. 4 May 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
16. . Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
17. . Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
18. Zero Tackle (8 September 2014). . Zero Tackle. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
19. "Toa Samoa name Four Nations squad". NRL.com. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
20. Zero Tackle (7 October 2014). . Zero Tackle. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
21. NRL. "Knights sign trio – Knights". Newcastleknights.com.au. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
22. NRL. "Fa'alogo announces NRL retirement – Knights". Newcastleknights.com.au. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
23. "Fa'alogo to lift Islander youth in Ipswich | Queensland Times". Qt.com.au. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016.

External links

• NRL profile