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| Full name | Mahe Pikokivaha Fonua[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1992-12-24)24 December 1992 (age 32) Melbourne, Victoria,Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 16 st 7 lb (105 kg)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre, Wing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 24 Sept 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mahe Fonua (born 24 December 1992) is aTonga international[6]rugby league footballer who plays as acentre orwinger forMackay Cutters in theQueensland Cup.
He has previously played for theMelbourne Storm and theWests Tigers in theNRL andHull FC in two separate spells in theSuper League.
In 2012 he became the first Victorian born and bred player to play for the Melbourne Storm at NRL level.[7]
Fonua was born inMelbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was educated atWellington Secondary College before moving to Canberra and attending Erindale College in the years of 2008 & 2009 and completing year 12. At the end of 2009 Fonua returned to Victoria where he attendedHallam Secondary College In the following year repeating year 12 to play for the Hallam School rugby league team.
He played his junior football for theSouth Eastern Titans in theMelbourne Rugby League, before being signed by theCanberra Raiders.[8]
In 2006 and 2007, Fonua represented theVictoria Under 15s team, he also represented theVictoria Under 18s team.
In 2008 and 2009, he represented the Australian Capital Territory Under 18s team. He played for the Raiders'SG Ball team as the Storm did not have an SG Ball team at that time, before returning toMelbourne after being signed by theMelbourne Storm.
Fonua played for Melbourne'sNYC team from 2010 to 2012, scoring 32 tries in 45 games.[9] At the end of the 2011 season, Fonua was named atcentre in the 2011NYC Team of the Year.
In Round 23 of the2012 NRL season, Fonua made hisNRL debut for Melbourne against theGold Coast Titans on the wing in Melbourne's 24–16 win atAAMI Park,[10] becoming the first Victorian born and bred player to represent the Storm in first-grade.[11] In Fonua's third game for Melbourne in the Finals 1 week match against theSouth Sydney Rabbitohs, Fonua scored his first NRL try in the 24–10 win at AAMI Park, after previously being denied tries on four occasions by thevideo referee, once in his debut, twice in his second game, and once prior to his try in his third game.[12] Fonua finished off his debut year with 4 matches and one a try. On 2 October, Fonua was named atwing in theJunior Kangaroos team to face theJunior Kiwis.[13]
Fonua played in Melbourne's2013 World Club Challenge victory overLeeds. He was selected to play for his parents' country of originTonga on 20 April againstSamoa in thePacific Rugby League International atPenrith Stadium. He scored 2 tries in the 36–4 victory. On 10 June, Fonua extended his contract with Melbourne, keeping at the club till the end of the 2015 season.[14][15] In Round 21 against Canberra atCanberra Stadium, Fonua scored a hat-trick of tries in the 68–4 win[16] including a spectacular set up forWill Chambers after the ball seemed almost certain to go dead, with some commentators comparing it to the famous set up byGreg Inglis during the centenary test.[17] Fonua was selected in theTonga 24 man2013 Rugby League World Cup squad, playing in 2 of their 3 matches.[18]
Fonua was selected in Melbourne's inaugural2014 NRL Auckland Nines squad.[19] He finished Melbourne's2014 NRL season with him playing in 20 matches and scoring 10 tries.
On 2 May, Fonua played on the wing forTonga 16–18 loss in thePolynesian Cup.[20][21] He finished his last season with the Melbourne Storm with 13 matches and 4 tries. On 17 October, he represented Tonga again, this time in theirAsia-Pacific Qualifier match against theCook Islands for the2017 Rugby League World Cup.
On 1 August, he signed a three-year contract withSuper League teamHull F.C. starting in 2016.[22] Fonua had an outstanding first season with the club and quickly established himself as a fan favourite. He helped Hull F.C. reach theChallenge Cup Final where they would go on to beat theWarrington Wolves by a narrow score of 12–10.[23] Fonua scored the first of Hull FC's two tries atWembley Stadium.[24][25]
In his first season in theSuper League, he scored 15 tries which contributed to him being selected for theSuper League Dream Team along with 5 other Hull teammates.
On 9 June 2017, it was confirmed that Fonua would return to the NRL, to join theWests Tigers, starting in the 2018 season.[26]
On 26 August 2017, Fonua would go on to win theChallenge Cup for a second year in a row, contributing massively to the 18–14 win over theWigan Warriors by scoring two of Hull's three tries atWembley Stadium.[27]
Fonua finished the year with making the 2017 Super League Dream Team for a second year in a row, but this time as a winger.
At the start of the2018 NRL season, Fonua spent the first few weeks playing forWestern Suburbs in theIntrust Super Premiership NSW. After a number of good performances, Fonua was called up to play for theWests Tigers. Fonua made his debut for the club in their 22–20 defeatParramatta. He played two games on the wing before being switched to centre. On 15 May, Fonua was demoted to reserve grade for showing up late to training, days after a Man of the Match performance.[28][29] Weeks later, he was sidelined after breaking his arm,[30] but made a return later in the year.
Despite only scoring one try from his ten appearances, Fonua lead the club and was fifth in the NRL for post-contact metres.[31] He also gained attention for hismullet haircut.[32]
In the2019 NRL season, Fonua suffered a season ending injury. Fonua later announced his return to Super League sideHull FC.
Fonua played 17 games forHull FC in the2020 Super League season including the club's semi-final loss againstWigan.[33]
In round 9 of the2021 Super League season, Fonua scored two tries for Hull F.C. in a 30–12 victory overCastleford. On 8 October it was announced that Fonua had been released by Hull FC with a year left on his contract. On 13 October 2021, Castleford Tigers confirmed the signing of Fonua on an initial one-year deal with the option of a further two years.[34]
Fonua was assigned squad number 17 for the2022 season.[35] He made hisCastleford debut on 11 February against theSalford Red Devils in the opening round of Super League.[36] He scored his first try for the club on 12 March against theHuddersfield Giants.[37]
On 4 Aug 2023 it was announced that he, along withBureta Faraimo would joinDoncaster RLFC for the remainder of the 2023 season, following the pair's release fromCastleford Tigers.[38]