 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jacob Saifiti | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 1 May 1996 Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 195 cm (6 ft 5 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 114 kg (17 st 13 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop, Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: [1] As of 20 July 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Daniel Saifiti (brother) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jacob Saifiti (born 1 May 1996) is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop forward for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.
Saifiti was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. He is of Fijian and Samoan descent [2] and moved to the Central Coast at a young age. [2] He is the identical twin brother of Knights teammate Daniel Saifiti. [3]
Saifiti played his junior rugby league for the Terrigal Sharks and The Entrance Tigers, before joining the Newcastle Knights in 2015. [3]
In 2015, Saifiti played for the Newcastle Knights' NYC team. [4] On 2 May, he played for Fiji against Papua New Guinea, alongside his twin brother Daniel. [5] On 27 September, he played in Newcastle's 2015 New South Wales Cup Grand Final win over the Wyong Roos. [6] During the year, he re-signed with the Newcastle club on a two-year contract. [2] [7]
In round 1 of the 2016 NRL season, Saifiti made his NRL debut for the Newcastle Knights against the Gold Coast Titans, [8] playing alongside his brother Daniel, becoming the first twins in Australian rugby league's 108-year history to debut together. [9] On 12 May, he and his brother extended their contracts with the Knights from the end of 2017 until the end of 2018. He made a total of 18 appearances for Newcastle in his debut season as the club finished last on the table. [10] [11]
Saifiti played 21 games for the Newcastle club in the 2017 season, [12] before having his contract extended until the end of 2020. Newcastle would finish bottom of the table for a third straight season. [13] [14]
Saifiti was limited to only eight games for Newcastle in the 2018 NRL season as the club finished 11th on the table. [15]
Saifiti played 7 games for Newcastle in the 2019 NRL season as the club finished 11th on the table. [16]
Saifiti played 21 games for Newcastle in the 2020 NRL season. He played in Newcastle's first finals game since 2013 which was a 46-20 loss against South Sydney in the elimination final. [17]
He played 23 matches for Newcastle in the 2021 NRL season including the club's elimination finals loss against Parramatta. [18]
Saifiti was selected as a reserve player for New South Wales in the 2022 State of Origin series. He made his Origin debut against Queensland after the withdrawal of Jordan McLean in Game 3 of the series at Suncorp Stadium. Saifiti scored a first half try as New South Wales eventually lost the match 22-12. [19]
Saifiti played 23 games for Newcastle in the 2022 NRL season as the club missed the finals finishing 14th on the table. [20]
In round 2 of the 2023 NRL season, Saifiti was sent off for a dangerous high tackle on Wests Tigers player Jake Simpkin. Newcastle would go on to win the match 14-12. [21] Saifiti was later suspended for five matches over the incident. [22] On 3 July, Saifiti was a surprise selection for New South Wales ahead of their match in game 3 of the 2023 State of Origin series. [23] In round 27, Saifiti captained Newcastle for the first time and scored the opening try in a 32-12 win over the St. George Illawarra Dragons. [24] [25] Saifiti played a total of 21 games for Newcastle in the 2023 NRL season as the club finished 5th on the table. Saifiti played in both finals games as Newcastle were eliminated in the second week of the finals by the New Zealand Warriors. [26]
Saifiti played 16 games for Newcastle in the 2024 NRL season as the club finished 8th and qualified for the finals. [27]
On 2 December 2018, Saifiti was found unconscious and with a broken leg after a fight with Dane Cordner, the brother of NSW captain and Sydney Roosters player Boyd Cordner. Saifiti was later cleared of any wrongdoing but was fined $50,000 by Newcastle over the incident. [28]
Tariq Sims is an Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a Second-row, Loose forward and Prop for the Catalans Dragons in the English Super League.
Sauaso "Jesse" Sue is a Samoan international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop, lock and second-row forward for the Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League.
Junior Paulo is a Samoan international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Kurt Mann is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League. A utility player, he has started games in the positions of centre, five-eighth, wing, lock, fullback, hooker and halfback.
Reagan Campbell-Gillard, also known by the nickname "RCG", is a professional rugby league footballer who last played as a prop forward for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League. He has also represented both Fiji and Australia at international level.
Lachlan Fitzgibbon is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as second-row forward for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League. He previously played for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.
Mitchell Barnett is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or second-row forward for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL).
The 2016 Newcastle Knights season was the 29th in the club's history. Coached by Nathan Brown and co-captained by Trent Hodkinson, Tariq Sims and Jeremy Smith, they competed in the NRL's 2016 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season in 16th place. In the pre-season the Knights competed in the 2016 Auckland Nines tournament, reaching the quarter-finals. Mid-way through the 2016 season the team had only one member selected to play in the 2016 State of Origin series. Notably, all four Mata'utia brothers, Chanel, Pat, Peter and Sione featured in the NRL team for the Knights throughout the year.
Adam Elliott is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a lock and second-row forward for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.
Daniel Saifiti is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who last played as a prop for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.
Joshua King is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or lock forward for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Taane Milne is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL.
The 2017 Newcastle Knights season was the 30th in the club's history. Coached by Nathan Brown and captained by Trent Hodkinson, before being replaced by Sione Mata'utia and Jamie Buhrer in the captaincy role, they competed in the NRL's 2017 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season in 16th place.
Marcelo Eduardo Montoya Jr is a Fijian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or centre for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Fiji at international level.
Jayden Brailey is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Jacob Kiraz is a Lebanon international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or centre for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the NRL.
Phoenix Crossland is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker, halfback or five-eighth for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League.
Christopher Randall is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Mathew Croker is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop and lock for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.
Leo Thompson is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League. His position is prop.
