 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Joseph Solomona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 26 January 1978 Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 110 kg (17 st 5 lb) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
David Joseph Solomona [4] (born 26 January 1978) is a former professional rugby league footballer, who last played for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League. [2] [3] He was regularly amongst the top off-loaders in the competition.
Solomona was born in Auckland, New Zealand and is of Samoan and Egyptian descent. He attended St. Paul's College, Auckland, a school known for consistently producing the best rugby league team in the national secondary school competition.
Solomona started his career in Australia with the Sydney City Roosters making his first grade debut in round 16 of the 1999 NRL season against Melbourne. He played from the interchange bench for the Roosters in their 2000 NRL grand final loss to the Brisbane Broncos. He played for Samoa in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. [5]
In 2001, Solomona signed for Parramatta. He played 25 games for the club in the 2001 NRL season as the club were runaway Minor Premiers and set a number of point scoring records. Solomona played for the Parramatta Eels from the interchange bench in their shock 2001 NRL Grand Final loss to the Newcastle Knights at Stadium Australia. [6] [7] [8]
Solomona spent three years at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (Heritage № 1217) where his skills helped keep them in the Super League. In 2004 he was named in the Super League Dream Team. He helped New Zealand to defeat Australia to win the 2005 Rugby League Tri Nations tournament.
Solomona signed for the Bradford Bulls on 24 October 2006 for the 2007 season. He was the Bulls only ever-present player in 2007, making 32 appearances in his first year at the club. Blessed with tremendous ball handling skills he also has the ability to score tries himself and he scored 14 tries in 2007, including a hat trick.
Solomona missed the first 5 games of 2008 due to injury picked up in pre-season. He again represented Samoa in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. [9]
Solomona played in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium. [10] [11]
Solomona continued to feature in the Warrington Wolves squad throughout the 2011 season. He was mainly brought on as a replacement making good use of his strength and ball handling skills to make in-roads into the opposing defence. His tenure with the Warrington Wolves came to a close due to an injury he suffered in the 2012 season, causing him to retire before returning to Australia.
Kylie Leuluai is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer. A New Zealand Māori and Samoa international representative prop, he most notably played at club level for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. He also played club football in Australia for National Rugby League clubs; the Balmain Tigers, Wests Tigers, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels, and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
Roy Asotasi is a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop in the 2000s and 2010s. A New Zealand international captain, he also played for Samoa. Asotasi played in the NRL for Australian clubs Canterbury-Bankstown and the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 2007 to 2013. He then played in the Super League for the Warrington Wolves.
Alaimatagi "Ali" Lauitiiti is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, as a second-row. He was touted as "The Michael Jordan of Rugby League" in his playing days due to his large hands and athleticism.
Brett Hodgson is an Australian rugby league coach and former professional player during the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.
Mickey Higham is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a hooker in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s.
Lee Radford is an English professional rugby league and rugby union coach. He previously worked in rugby league as the head coach of Hull FC, in the Super League, from 2013–2020 and as head coach of Castleford Tigers from 2022 to 2023. He is also a former professional rugby league footballer.
Paul Johnson is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, Emerging England and Lancashire, and at club level for the Wigan Warriors, the Bradford Bulls, the Warrington Wolves, the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and Crusaders RL, as a wing, centre, stand-off, second-row or loose forward.
Trent Waterhouse, also known by the nickname of "House", is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Thirroul Butchers in the Illawarra Rugby League. He has previously played for the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League and Warrington Wolves of the Super League in Europe, England. He has also represented City Origin, New South Wales and Australia.
Rob Parker is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for Leigh, signing from Super League neighbours Salford City Reds in time for the 2012 season. An England international representative forward, he previously played for Super League clubs; the Bradford Bulls, London Broncos and the Warrington Wolves.
Steve Georgallis is an Australian professional rugby league football coach who is the head coach of Greece, an assistant coach for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL) and former professional rugby league footballer.
Chris Hicks is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He last played for the Parramatta Eels of the National Rugby League (NRL). A former New South Wales country origin representative fullback or wing, he has previously played in the NRL for the Penrith Panthers and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles as well as playing for Warrington Wolves of the Super League.
Brett Delaney is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played as a centre and second-row forward in the 2000s and 2010s.
SamuelaMoa is a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop, most recently for the FC Lézignan XIII in the French Elite One Championship. He is both Tonga and New Zealand international.
Taulima Tautai born 3 April 1988 is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer, who has most recently played as a prop for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League. He previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Parramatta Eels and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Joseph Paulo is a former professional rugby league footballer who last played as a loose forward, second-row and stand-off for Pia in the Elite Two Championship. He has played for both Samoa and the United States at international level.
Kallum Paul Watkins is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre or second-row forward for the Salford Red Devils in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
Sean Rudder is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. Rudder played for the Newcastle Knights,Sydney Roosters, Castleford Tigers and the Catalans Dragons as a five-eighth or loose forward.
Chris Sandow is an Indigenous Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a goal-kicking halfback or five-eighth, he could also play as a fullback.
Elliott Whitehead is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL), and England and Great Britain at international level.
John Bateman is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays second-row or lock forward for Warrington Wolves in the Super League, on season-long loan from the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League, and England and Great Britain at international level.