Marika Koroibete

Marika Koroibete (born 26 July 1992) is a dual-code international rugby league and rugby union footballer. He plays for the Australia national rugby union team, and plays as a winger for the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby.

Marika Koroibete
Personal information
Full nameRatu Marika Koroibete
Born (1992-07-26) 26 July 1992
Naraiyawa, Fiji
Height181 cm (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Weight96 kg (15 st 2 lb)[1]
Playing information
Rugby league
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2012–14 Wests Tigers 16 12 0 0 48
2014–16 Melbourne Storm 58 34 0 0 136
Total 74 46 0 0 184
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2013–15 Fiji 7 2 0 0 8
Rugby union
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2017–21 Rebels 69 23 0 0 115
2017 Melbourne Rising 1 2 0 0 10
2021– Panasonic Wild Knights 30 15 0 0 75
Total 100 40 0 0 200
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2016 Australia XV 1 0 0 0 0
2017– Australia 59 20 0 0 100
Source: [2]
As of 6 October 2023

Koroibete previously played rugby league for the Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers in the NRL, and was a member of the Fiji national rugby league team.[3]

Early years

Born in Naraiyawa, Fiji, Koroibete grew up on a remote family farm.[4] Koroibete started his career playing for Nasinu Secondary School in rugby union in Fiji.

After a short stint in junior rugby league , Koroibete signed a 3-year contract with the Wests Tigers to play in Australia, initially in the Toyota Cup national under-20 competition. He was signed after being spotted playing for the Fiji Under 19s in a match against Australian-born Fijian players.[4] Koroibete had also been considering pursuing a career in sprinting, having run 100 metres in 10.75 seconds.

He played for the Tigers' Toyota Cup team in 2011 and 2012, scoring 22 tries in 26 games.[5] He scored two tries as the team won the 2012 Grand Final.[6] 2012 Toyota Cup coach Todd Payten said, "The most exciting part with Marika is that we're only really scratching the surface. He's got a couple of little issues and once we iron them out, he's certainly going to be a crowd pleaser."[4]

Club career

Wests Tigers

In Round 21 of 2012, Koroibete made his NRL debut on the wing for the Wests Tigers against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Tigers 32-6 loss.[7] In just his second game in Round 22, Koroibete scored 4 tries for the Tigers against the 51-26 win Parramatta Eels at Campbelltown Stadium, equaling the club record for most tries in a match set by Kevin McGuinness ten years earlier.[8] Koroibete then followed up with 2 tries against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs a fortnight later.[9]

Coach Tim Sheens described him as having, "lots of issues still but he's got raw pace and ability." Koroibete finished his debut year in the NRL playing in 6 matches and scored 7 tries. On 21 August 2012, Koroibete was named at wing in the 2012 Toyota Cup Team of the Year.[10] Koroibete was also named the joint Rookie of the Year for the Wests Tigers,[11] and one of the top ten upcoming youngsters in the NRL in Lifestyle Uncut Magazine.[12]

A number of injuries, including a fractured eye-socket and a dislocated elbow, saw Koroibete play in just 9 games in 2013. However, he scored 5 tries and was averaging over three tackle breaks and 100 metres with the ball per game.[13]

In February, Koroibete was included in the Wests Tigers inaugural 2014 Auckland Nines squad, despite having a problem with his visa to gain entry into New Zealand.[14]

Melbourne Storm

Koroibete joined the Melbourne Storm mid-season on a 2+1⁄2-year contract effective from 23 June 2014.[15][16] In Round 18 against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Koroibete made his debut for the Melbourne Storm replacing Sisa Waqa on the wing in the Storm's 6–4 loss.[17] In the next match in Round 19 against the Canberra Raiders at AAMI Park, Koroibete scored his first club try in the 28–14 win.[18] Koroibete played in 10 matches and scored 6 tries for the Storm in 2014 after his mid-year transfer to the club.

He finished the 2015 season as the Storms' highest try-scorer with 16 tries in 23 matches.[19] Koroibete also played for the Storm at the NRL Auckland Nines in 2015,[20] and 2016.[21] In May 2016, it was confirmed that he would switch codes to play rugby union at the end of the 2016 NRL season.[22]

Melbourne Rebels

Koriobete accepted a contract offer to join Super Rugby side the Melbourne Rebels for the 2017 season. The offer allowed him to play for the Rebels as well as for the Australian national team the Wallabies for which he had already qualified under the 4-year residency rule.[22]

Koroibete playing for Fiji at the RL 2013 World Cup

Super Rugby statistics
As of 12 June 2021[23]
SeasonTeam Games Starts Sub Min T C PG DG Pts YC RC
2017Rebels 13130104060003000
2018Rebels 1312192440002000
2019Rebels 15132101760003000
2020Rebels 66048020001010
2020 AURebels 99068530001500
2021 AURebels 8806280000010
2021 TTRebels 55040020001000
Total 6966351742300011520

International career

Rugby league: Fiji

Koroibete made his international debut for Fiji at the 2013 World Cup,[24] as Fiji defeated Ireland 32-14. He played in all five of Fiji's games. In the match against Samoa, he made seven tackle breaks and ran over 220 metres with the ball.[25]

The following year Koroibete was selected to play for Fiji in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International against Samoa. He played on the wing in the 32–16 loss at Penrith Stadium.[26]

On 2 May 2015, he played for Fiji against Papua New Guinea in the 2015 Melanesian Cup, playing on the wing. He scored 2 tries in a Man of the Match performance in Fiji's 22-10 victory at Cbus Super Stadium.[27][28]

Rugby union: Australia

In October 2016, just weeks after playing in the 2016 NRL Grand Final, Koroibete was named in the Wallabies squad for their end-of-year tour to Europe.[29][30] He did not play in the test matches but gained his first appearance playing for the Australia XV side against the French Barbarians team in Bordeaux.[31]

Koroibete made his test debut for Australia against Argentina at Canberra on 16 September 2017.[32]

Koroibete would make history by becoming the first winger to win the John Eales Medal in 2019, scoring a Wallabies-high seven tries this year and producing standout performances at the Rugby World Cup. He polled 200 votes from his Wallabies teammates, 50 clear of centre Samu Kerevi.

He was named in World Rugby's Men's 15 Dream Team of the Year in 2022 after yet another standout year.

Koroibete won his second John Eales Medal in 2022, holding off Len Ikitau and Allan Alaalatoa.

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 April 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Rugby League Project
  3. "Player Profile : Marika Koroibete". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  4. Michael Chammas (8 August 2012). "From farm to fortune: quiet Koroibete is flying fast". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  5. "Grandstand Forums". rleague.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  6. Wayne Cousins (30 September 2013). "Wests Tigers win NYC Premiership". weststigers.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  7. "South Sydney Rabbitohs Turn on the Style as They Rout West Tigers 32-6". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  8. "Wests Tigers Rally to beat Parramatta Eels in High Scxoring Clash at Campbelltown Stadium". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  9. "Bulldogs score 23-22 Golden Point Victory Over West Tigers After Inu Drop Goal". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  10. "Toyota Cup Team of the Year". NRL.com. 21 August 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  11. Wayne Cousins (28 September 2012). "Aaron Woods named Player of the Year". weststigers.com.au. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  12. Chris Taylor (23 September 2012). "The Top 10 Youngsters From The NRL You'd Like To See In Super League". Lifestyleuncut.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  13. Brock Corfe (25 August 2013). "Young guns - Marika Koroibete". weststigers.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  14. "Financial Review - News Store". Newsstore.fairfax.com.au. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  15. Roy Ward (23 June 2014). "Melbourne Storm adds flying Fijian Marika Koroibete". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  16. "Marika Koroibete Could Be Just What Melbourne Storm Need in a Season Defining Month". Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  17. Ash Gray (12 July 2014). "Live: Melbourne Storm v Canterbury Bulldogs". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  18. "Storm Have Beaten Raiders 28-14". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  19. "Custom Match List". Rugby League Project. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  20. "STORM UNVEIL 2015 NINES SQUAD". Rugby League Week. 23 January 2015. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  21. "Storm name youthful Nines squad". NRL.com. February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  22. "Rebels to sign Koroibete". Stuff. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  23. "Player Statistics". It's Rugby.
  24. "Civoniceva, Wes Naiqama to lead Fiji Bati". Fijilive.com. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  25. Dan Walsh (1 May 2014). "Fiji v Samoa preview". nrl.com. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  26. "Gutsy Samoa Secures Place in Four Nations Tournament Following Win Over Fiji". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  27. "Fiji Bati Named To Face Png". Rugby League Week. 26 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  28. "Koroibete delights in Fiji win over PNG". NRL.com. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  29. "Australia pick rugby league convert Marika Koroibete for autumn Tests". BBC Sport. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  30. Barry Toohey (10 March 2013). "Akuila Uate eyes new Fijian thriller Marika Koroibete". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  31. "Wallaby XV stumble against French Barbarians". www.rugby.com.au. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  32. "SANZAR - Wallabies secure bonus-point victory over Argentina". www.sanzarrugby.com. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
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