Semi Tadulala

Semi Tadulala (born 3 March 1978) is a Fijian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a winger for Australian Queensland Cup club Northern Pride. A Fiji international representative at rugby league and rugby union, he previously played in the National Rugby League for Australia's Melbourne Storm club, in the Super League for England's the Bradford Bulls and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (Heritage No. 1216), and in the Co-operative Championship for the Keighley Cougars. He has also played for Gloucester Rugby and Leeds Carnegie at rugby union.

Semi Tadulala
Tadulala representing Fiji at the 2008 RLWC
Personal information
Born (1978-03-03) 3 March 1978
Suva, Fiji
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight14 st 10 lb (96 kg)
Playing information
Rugby league
PositionWing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2001–03 Melbourne Storm 16 6 0 0 24
2004–07 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 89 38 0 0 148
2008–09 Bradford Bulls 52 37 0 0 128
2011 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 7 1 0 0 4
2012 Keighley Cougars 15 13 0 0 0
2013–15 Northern Pride
Total 179 95 0 0 304
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2000–08 Fiji 6 3 0 0 8
Rugby union
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2009–10 Gloucester Rugby 2 0 0 0 0
2010 Leeds Carnegie 14 4 0 0 0
Total 16 4 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2009 Fiji 1 2 0 0 5
Source: [1][2]
As of 16 November 2012

Playing career

Tadulala played for Fiji in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup while playing for the Western Suburbs Panthers in the Queensland Cup.[3] His first National Rugby League club was the Melbourne Storm whom he played with until 2003.

He then moved to the UK, joining the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. Gloucester Rugby Union Club tried to sign him but the deal fell through and he returned to Wakefield, although he missed much of the 2006/2007 season with an arm injury. In August 2007, it was announced that he would leave Wakefield.

He was named in the Fiji training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[4][5][6]

Bradford Bulls
Tadulala in action for Bradford in 2008

Tadulala signed for the Bradford Bulls in September 2007. He scored eight tries, including two hat-tricks, for the Bulls in his first eight games. He ended his first season with Bulls as the club's leading tryscorer for the 2008 campaign. He signed a new one-year deal for the 2009 season.[7]

Playing for Fiji in the 2008 World Cup

Tadulala played four games for Fiji in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, including the 52-0 semi-final loss against Australia.[8] He scored two tries during the competition.

Moving to rugby union with Gloucester

On 25 January 2010, following the conclusion of Fiji's European tour, Gloucester Rugby announced the signing of Tadulala on a short-term contract.[9] However, in early May 2010, head coach Bryan Redpath announced on BBC Radio Gloucestershire that Tadulala was to be released at the end of the 2009/10 season. He played just two games for the club.

Leeds Carnegie

On 1 June 2010, it was announced that Tadulala had signed a two-year-deal with Leeds Carnegie.[10]

Return to rugby league

On 1 July 2011, Tadulala re-signed for his old club Wakefield Trinity Wildcats until the end of the season.[11]

On 17 December 2011, Tadulala signed for Keighley Cougars, continuing his work in an off-field capacity for previous club Wakefield, while on match terms at Cougar Park.

Return to Australia with Northern Pride

On 7 November 2012, Tadulala returned to Australia, signing for Australian Queensland Cup club Northern Pride and re-joining Jason Demetriou, the new Pride Head Coach and his former coach at Keighley Cougars.[12]

Outside rugby

On 9 August 2009, Tadulala took part in a charity cricket match with many other Wakefield Trinity Wildcats players against Wakefield St Michaels, to raise money for the Adam Watene Fund.

References
  1. loverugbyleague
  2. Rugby League Project
  3. Tuqiri breaks Russia's spirit The Independent, 30 October 2000
  4. "Bati pencil in new Newcastle pace ace Uate". Fiji Times Online. 1 August 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  5. "Fijian preliminary squad". RLWC08.com. 6 August 2008. Archived from the original on 10 August 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  6. "Samoa, Tonga and Fiji name squads". BBC. 8 October 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  7. "Tadulala agrees Bulls deal". Sky Sports. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
  8. "Australian Kangaroos 52 Fiji 0". Rugby League Project. 16 November 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  9. "Semi Tadulala signs for Gloucester Rugby". Gloucester Rugby. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  10. "Semi Tadulala signs for Leeds Carnegie". Leeds Carnegie. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  11. "Semi signs for Wildcats". Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  12. "Fiji international Tadulala signs for Pride". Northern Pride. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
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