Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 24 February 2003 Auckland, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 97 kg (15 st 4 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] As of 19 August 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Chris Vea'ila (born 24 February 2003) is a New Zealand rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League.
Vei'la was born in Auckland and is of Tongan descent. [2] He played his junior rugby league for the Waitemata Seagulls and Pt Chevalier Pirates before being signed by the Newcastle Knights when he was 14. [3] [4] [5]
Vea'ila spent several seasons in the Knights' junior representative system, winning the Harold Matthews Cup with the club in 2019. [6] From 2020 to 2022, he played for the club's SG Ball Cup side. [7]
In 2023, while playing for Newcastle's Jersey Flegg Cup side, he made a mid-season move to the Cronulla Sharks. [8]
In 2024, he became a regular for the Newtown Jets in the NSW Cup, starting at centre in their Grand Final win over the North Sydney Bears. [9]
On 8 May, Vea'ila re-signed with the Sharks until the end of the 2026 season. [10]
In Round 20 of the 2025 NRL season, Vea'ila made his NRL debut, scoring a try in the Sharks' 31–18 win over the Sydney Roosters. [11]