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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Samuel Tagataese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1986-12-08)8 December 1986 (age 38) Wellington, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 108 kg (17 st 0 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop, Second-row, Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:[1] As of 14 March 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sam Tagataese pronounced (/teɪɡətiːzi/) (born 8 December 1986) is aSamoa internationalrugby league footballer who last played as aprop forward for theBrisbane Broncos in theNRL.
He played for theMelbourne Storm,Gold Coast Titans and theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks in theNational Rugby League. Tagataese was part of the Cronulla team that won their maiden premiership title in the 2016 season.
Born inWellington, New Zealand. Tagataese attendedSt. Bernard's College, Lower Hutt, playing first fifteen Rugby, and received Sportsman of the year in 2003.
He leftWellington to play withMelbourne Storm feederBrisbane Norths. He was educated atWavell State High School was selected for the Queensland under 19's and2004 Junior Kiwis squad.
Tagataese made hisNRL debut for theMelbourne Storm on 7 April 2007, against theNewcastle Knights atEnergy Australia Stadium. He made 11 appearances for Melbourne in his debut year. In the2008 NRL season, Tagatese played 6 games for Melbourne before he joined theGold Coast. Tagatese played in the Gold Coast's first ever finals campaign in the2009 NRL season.
On 11 June 2011, Tagataese announced he was leaving theGold Coast Titans immediately to join theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks on a three-year contract. Tagataese managed eight appearances for the Gold Coast in the2011 NRL season as the club finished last and claimed the wooden spoon.[2][3]
In the2014 NRL season, Tagataese played 18 games as Cronulla-Sutherland endured a horror year on and off the field with the club finishing last on the table due to a high injury toll and theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks supplements saga.[4]
In the2015 NRL season, Cronulla turned their form around on the field to reach the finals. Tagataese played in the club's 39–0 defeat byNorth Queensland in the elimination final.
In 2016, Tagataese was part of the Cronulla side which won their first ever premiership defeating Melbourne 14–12 in the2016 NRL Grand Final atANZ Stadium.[5]
On 13 December 2017,Brisbane Broncos announced they had signed Tagataese on a one-year deal.[6]"For me it is about tapping into something I don't think I have tapped into before- and that is getting the best out of myself," he said. "I am going to give it my all and I hope to make it into the 17 during the year."[7]
In 2019, he announced his retirement, playing his final game for theSouths Logan Magpies of theQueensland Cup. He scored ten tries for the Magpies during his stint in the Queensland Cup.
Tagataese is ofSamoan heritage,[8] and was named in theSamoa training squad for the2008 Rugby League World Cup.[9]
In 2009 he was named as part of theSamoan side for thePacific Cup.[10]
In 2013, Sam made his international début, he played for Samoa in thePacific Rugby League International against fierce pacific rivalsTonga.
In May 2014, Sam again played forSamoa in the Pacific Rugby League International. Tagataese made headlines in the match after being sent off for a head-butt on Fijian playerKane Evans.
On 8 September 2014, Tagataese was selected for theSamoa Four Nations train-on squad.[11] On 7 October 2014, Tagataese was selected in theSamoa national rugby league team final 24 man squad for the 2014 Four Nations series.[12][13]
On 7 May 2016, Tagataese traveled down from Hull to Sydney to captainSamoa in the 2016Polynesian Cup againstTonga, playing off the interchange bench in the 18–6 win atParramatta Stadium.[14]
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 |  Melbourne Storm | 12 | 1 | 4 |
| 2008 | 6 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2009 |  Gold Coast Titans | 9 | 1 | 4 |
| 2010 | 16 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2011 | 8 | 1 | 4 | |
 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 12 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2012 | 13 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2013 | 21 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2014 | 18 | 3 | 12 | |
| 2015 | 20 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2016 | 21 | |||
| 2017 | 12 | |||
| 2018 |  Brisbane Broncos | 4 | ||
| Totals | 174 | 15 | 60 |
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Goals | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |  Souths Logan Magpies | 22 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| 2018 |  Norths Devils | 18 | 7 | 28 | |
| 2017 |  Newtown Jets | 11 | 4 | 16 | |
| 2016 | 4 | ||||
| Totals | 55 | 14 | 1 | 58 |
source:[15]