Enari Tuala

Enari Tuala (born 19 October 1998) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or centre for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.

Enari Tuala
Personal information
Born (1998-10-19) 19 October 1998
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight96 kg (15 st 2 lb)
Playing information
PositionWing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2017–19 North Qld Cowboys 18 2 0 0 8
2020– Newcastle Knights 72 35 0 0 140
Total 90 37 0 0 148
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2018 Prime Minister's XIII 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]
As of 2 September 2023

He previously played for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League, and has represented the Prime Minister's XIII.

Background

Tuala was born in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, and is of Samoan descent.[2]

He played his junior rugby league for the Edmonton Storm, before being signed by the North Queensland Cowboys.[3]

Playing career

Early career

After being signed by the North Queensland Cowboys, Tuala moved to Townsville, where he attended Kirwan State High School and played for the Townsville Stingers' Cyril Connell and Mal Meninga Cup sides. In 2014, Tuala represented the Queensland under-16 team.[4] In 2015, Tuala scored a hat trick in the Stingers' Mal Meninga Cup Grand Final victory and was selected for the Queensland under-18 team.[5] Later that year, he scored twice in Kirwan's ARL Schoolboy Cup final victory over Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown.[6] In 2016, Tuala played for North Queensland's NYC side, scoring 12 tries in 15 games. He was again selected for the Queensland under-18 side but was later ruled out through injury.[7][8][9]

2017

In early 2017, Tuala trained during the pre-season with North Queensland's first grade squad.[10] He played in their first NRL trial against the Sydney Roosters, scoring a try in the 11-10 win.[11]

In May, Tuala played for the Junior Kangaroos against the Junior Kiwis,[12] before re-signing with the North Queensland club on a two-year contract until the end of 2019.[13] In round 24 of the 2017 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for the Cowboys against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.[14][15]

2018

In Round 13 of the 2018 NRL season against Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Tuala scored his first NRL try in North Queensland's 26-12 win at Brookvale Oval.[16]

On October 6, Tuala made his senior representative debut for the Prime Minister's XIII, coming off the bench and assisting a try in the side's 34–18 win over the PNG Prime Minister's XIII.[17][18] A week later, on 13 October, he scored a double in the Junior Kangaroos 40–24 win over the Junior Kiwis.[19]

2019

Tuala played just seven NRL games for North Queensland in 2019. He spent the majority of the season playing for the Northern Pride in the Queensland Cup.[20]

On 13 September, it was announced that he would not be re-signed by the North Queensland club.[21]

2020

Tuala joined the Newcastle Knights on a one-year contract ahead of the 2020 season.[22]

Tuala played 20 games for Newcastle in the 2020 NRL season and scored 11 tries. He played in Newcastle's first finals game since 2013 which was a 46-20 loss against South Sydney in the elimination final.[23]

2021

In round 20 of the 2021 NRL season, Tuala scored a hat-trick for Newcastle in a 34-24 victory over Canberra.[24]

In round 22, he scored two tries for Newcastle in a 16-14 victory over Cronulla-Sutherland.[25]

In week one of the 2021 Finals Series, Tuala scored a hat-trick for Newcastle in their 20-28 loss against Parramatta in the elimination final.[26]

2022

In round 21 of the 2022 NRL season, Tuala scored two tries for Newcastle in a 14-10 victory over fellow cellar dwellers the Wests Tigers.[27]

On 16 August, it was announced that Tuala had been stood down from the Newcastle club for not meeting team standards. Tuala had played in the club's loss against Brisbane in round 22 but failed to make the team bus which was heading to the airport the next morning.[28]

2023

Tuala was limited to only six matches for Newcastle in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished 7th on the table.[29]

Statistics

NRL
Statistics are correct to the end of round 20 2023 [30][31]
*denotes season still competing
Season Team Matches T G GK % F/G Pts
2017 North Queensland 100—00
2018 1020—08
2019 700—00
2020 Newcastle Knights 20 11 44
2021 25 13 52
2022 21 8 32
2023 4 4 4
Career totals 88 35 0 — 0 140

References
  1. Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew. "Enari Tuala - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  2. "Talented Tuala making the most of his new opportunity". Queensland Rugby League. 20 August 2020.
  3. "Edmonton Storm Juniors Success - Edmonton Storm Rugby League Club Inc - SportsTG". SportsTG. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  4. "Queensland wins Under-16s Origin". 28 May 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  5. Media, NRL Digital (2 June 2015). "Queensland Under 18 team". Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  6. "Kirwan SHS crowned champions". Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  7. Media, NRL Digital (8 June 2016). "Qld Under 18 team". Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  8. "T". 27 December 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  9. "Holden Cup Under 20's - 2017 Round 1 SQUADS » League Unlimited". League Unlimited. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  10. "Hard road to success for Cowboys sensation". www.cairnspost.com.au. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  11. "North Queensland Cowboys hold on for narrow NRL trial victory over Sydney Roosters". 11 February 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017 – via The Sydney Morning Herald.
  12. "Junior Kangaroos team named". NRL.com. 1 May 2017. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  13. "Cowboys re-sign teenager Enari Tuala - Zero Tackle". 17 May 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  14. "Updated team lists: Cowboys v Sharks". 19 August 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  15. Media, NRL Digital. "Final team: Cowboys v Sharks". Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  16. "Jason Taumalolo powers North Queensland Cowboys to victory over Manly Sea Eagles". 31 May 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  17. "PM's XIII Announcement". National Rugby League. 26 September 2018.
  18. "After pitch invasion, PM's XIII prevail". National Rugby League. 6 October 2018.
  19. "Junior Roos defeat Junior Kiwis despite incredible try". National Rugby League. 13 October 2018.
  20. "What Tuala will bring the Cowboys when he charges into the Storm". www.cairnspost.com.au.
  21. "Cowboys to farewell eight departing players". North Queensland Cowboys. 13 September 2019.
  22. "Knights sign exciting centre Enari Tuala". Newcastle Knights. 12 November 2019.
  23. "2020 season by the numbers". www.nrl.com. 28 November 2020.
  24. "Melbourne Storm beat Penrith Panthers 37-10, Newcastle Knights edge Canberra Raiders 34-24". ABC News. August 2021.
  25. "Knights keep finals dream alive as 'brilliant' Best stars in gun combo: Big Hits". www.foxsports.com.au. 15 August 2021.
  26. "Parramatta Eels defeat Newcastle Knights 28-20 in NRL elimination final". ABC News. 12 September 2021.
  27. "Knights survive second half scare to beat Wests Tigers". www.nrl.com.
  28. "Bradman Best, Enari Tuala stood down by Knights after missing team bus". www.sportingnews.com.
  29. "NRL 2023: Newcastle Knights season review". www.sportingnews.com.
  30. https://www.nrl.com/players/nrl-premiership/knights/enari-tuala/
  31. Ferguson, Shawn Dollin and Andrew. "Enari Tuala - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
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