 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Iulio Afoa [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 August 1996 Auckland, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 113 kg (17 st 11 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: [2] As of 26 May 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Iulio "Bunty" Afoa (born 20 August 1996) is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League(NRL)
Afoa was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and is of Samoan [3] descent and attended St Paul's College.
He played his junior rugby league for the Point Chevalier Pirates, before being signed by the New Zealand Warriors.
From 2014 to 2016, Afoa Loni Lolohea played for the New Zealand Warriors' NYC team. [4] [5] In May 2015, he was selected as 18th man for the Junior Kiwis side to play the Junior Kangaroos. [6] Afoa played in his 50th Holden Cup match in 2015 and was named the Junior Warriors player of the year at the end of the season. [7]
On 23 June, Afoa re-signed with the Warriors on a three-year contract until the end of 2019. [8] In Round 17 of the 2016 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for the Warriors against the Gold Coast Titans. [9] [10] On 8 October, he made his international debut for Samoa in their historical test match against Fiji in Apia. [11]
In the 2017 NRL season, Afoa made 17 appearances as the club finished a disappointing 13th on the table. [12]
Afoa made 23 appearances for New Zealand in the 2018 NRL season as the club qualified for the finals for the first time since 2011. Afoa played in the club's elimination final loss to Penrith. [13]
Afoa played 20 games for New Zealand in the 2019 NRL season as the club missed out on the finals.[ citation needed ]
On 18 February, Afoa was ruled out for the entire 2020 NRL season after suffering an ACL injury at pre-season training. [14]
On 10 June, the New Zealand Warriors announced that Afoa had signed a new two-year contract. [15]
In round 13 of the 2022 NRL season, Afoa was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul and later scored a try in New Zealand's 44-12 loss against Manly. [16] Afoa made a total of 24 appearances for the New Zealand club as they finished 15th on the table. [17]
Afoa played 21 games for the New Zealand Warriors in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished 4th on the table and qualified for the finals. [18]
Afoa played nine games for the New Zealand Warriors in the 2024 NRL season which saw the club finish 13th on the table. [19]
| Season | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 |  New Zealand Warriors | 4 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2017 | 17 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 2018 | 23 | |||||
| 2019 | 20 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 2021 | 20 | 2 | 8 | |||
| 2022 | 24 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 2023 | 21 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 2024 | 9 | |||||
| Totals | 138 | 8 | 32 |
*denotes season competing
source: [20]
Kieran Foran is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth or halfback for the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League (NRL) and New Zealand at international level.
Bill Tupou is a former Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played as a centre or on the wing for Wakefield Trinity in the Super League.
Martin Taupau is a professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Brisbane Broncos as prop and lock and has played for both Samoa and New Zealand at international level.
Shaun Johnson, nicknamed "Magic Johnson", is a former New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who last played as a halfback for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League.
Peta Hiku is a New Zealand rugby league footballer who plays as a centre, winger and fullback for Hull KR in the Betfred Super League, and New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori at international level.
Sosaia Feki, anglicised Josiah Feki, also known by the nickname of "The PM" is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who plays on the wing for Western Suburbs Red Devils in the Illawarra Rugby League.
Sam Lisone, also known by the nickname of "Slammin", is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League.
Daniel Levi is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for New Zealand, New Zealand Māori and Samoa at international level.
The 2016 New Zealand Warriors season was the 22nd season in the club's history. Coached by Andrew McFadden and captained by Ryan Hoffman, the Warriors competed in the National Rugby League's 2016 Telstra Premiership and the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines tournament.
Nathaniel Roache is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League.
Joshua Aloiai is a Samoan international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or lock for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Jazz Iosefa Tevaga is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a lock and hooker for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Addin Fonua-Blake is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Cronulla Sharks in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for both Tonga and New Zealand at international level.
Toafofoa Sipley is a Niue international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Erin Clark is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker or lock for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL).
The 2017 New Zealand Warriors season was the 23rd season in the club's history. Coached by Stephen Kearney and captained by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, the Warriors competed in the National Rugby League's 2017 Telstra Premiership. They also competed in the 2017 NRL Auckland Nines tournament.
Isaiah Papali'i is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for both Samoa and New Zealand at international level.
Braden Hamlin-Uele is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL. He has played for both Samoa and New Zealand at international level.
Gregory Marzhew is a Samoa international rugby league player from New Zealand who plays as a winger for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.
Kelma Tuilagi is a Samoan professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL and Samoa at international level.
