![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Joseph Sonny Vagana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Auckland, New Zealand | 21 January 1975||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 130 kg (20 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Prop | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: [1] |
Joseph Sonny Vagana (born 21 January 1975), also known by the nickname of "Big Joe", is a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a Prop forward in the 1990s and 2000s. During his career Vagana played for the Auckland Warriors, and the Bradford Bulls, and also represented both Samoa and New Zealand in international competition. [1]
Joe was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He is the cousin of fellow rugby league international Nigel Vagana, and the New Zealand netballer Linda Vagana.
Whilst a student at St Pauls College, Vagana played rugby league for the Richmond Rovers club in the Auckland Rugby League competition. In 1993 he played 9 games for Auckland. [2] He then played for the successful North Harbour Sea Eagles in the 1994 Lion Red Cup. [3] Vagana played for the Junior Kiwis for three seasons, between 1992 and 1994.
In 1995 Vagana was signed by the Auckland Warriors as they prepared for their début season in the Australian Rugby League. He made his début for the club on 18 March 1995 in the Warriors second ever premiership match. In 1995 Joe represented Western Samoa in the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. Vagana was selected for the New Zealand team to compete in the end of season 1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament. In the final against Australia he played at prop forward in the Kiwis' 22–20 loss. He went on to play 116 games for the Warriors, leaving the club when Eric Watson bought the franchise, but not the player contracts, in 2000. Vagana also played 25 times for the New Zealand national rugby league team, including playing in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.
Despite competition from other Super League and Australian clubs, Vagana signed for the Bradford Bulls in 2001. He became one part of the Bradford Bulls' Awesome Foursome, a phrase coined by the media, alongside Stuart Fielden, Brian McDermott and Paul Anderson. Vagana played for the Bradford Bulls at prop forward in their 2001 Super League Grand Final victory against the Wigan Warriors. As Super League VI champions, the Bradford Bulls played against 2001 NRL Premiers, the Newcastle Knights in the 2002 World Club Challenge. Vagana played as a prop forward in Bradford's victory. He also played for Bradford at prop forward in their 2002 Super League Grand Final loss against St. Helens. Vagana played for the Bradford Bulls at prop forward in their 2003 Super League Grand Final victory against the Wigan Warriors. Having won Super League VIII, Bradford played against 2003 NRL Premiers, the Penrith Panthers in the 2004 World Club Challenge. Vagana played from the interchange bench in the Bradford Bulls' 22–4 victory. He also played for Bradford at prop forward in their 2004 Super League Grand Final loss against the Leeds Rhinos. Vagana played for the Bradford Bulls from the interchange bench in their 2005 Super League Grand Final victory against the Leeds Rhinos.
As Super League champions Bradford faced National Rugby League premiers Wests Tigers in the 2006 World Club Challenge. Vagana played from the interchange bench in the Bradford Bulls' 30–10 victory. A destructive tackler and strong runner with the ability to off load the ball, Vagana rarely missed a game for the Bradford Bulls and became one of the most popular players at the club. He also wrote a weekly column for several Bradford newspapers and the Bradford Bulls' website. In 2006 Vagana was awarded the Bradford Bulls' Clubman of the Year Award. He signed a one-year extension on 18 August 2006 to keep him at the Bradford Bulls for the 2007 season. After a long absence he was called up by New Zealand for their game against Great Britain in 2006 but did not play in the match. In June 2007 Vagana signed another one-year contract with Bradford, signalling his intent to play out the 2008 season. Vagana was sent off for the first time in his Bulls career against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats on 5 August 2007. In August 2007 he was named in Bradford's team of the Century. In 2008 whilst playing for Bradford against Wigan Vagana broke his arm attempting to tackle Stuart Fielden. Vagana retired at the end of the 2008 season after 8 years with the Bradford Bulls. [4] [5] [6] In 2009 and 2010 he coached the East Coast Bays Barracudas alongside Willie Swann.
Robert Rawiri Hunter-Paul is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer. He has since become a business owner and television pundit, running Xtra Mile Marketing, an inbound and digital marketing company. Robbie retired from playing at the end of the 2011 season following a 19-season career with the Bradford Bulls, Harlequin FC, Huddersfield Giants, Salford City Reds and the Leigh Centurions. He then spent just under 2 years as business development manager at the Huddersfield Giants, and 3 years as CEO at the Bradford Bulls. Robbie played for the New Zealand Kiwis national team from 1997 - 2006. He is the younger brother of former New Zealand Kiwis and England Rugby player Henry Paul.
Apollo Perelini is a former dual-code international rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, and has coached in the 2000s and 2010s.
Nigel Faletoese Vagana, also known by the nicknames of "Pablo", and "Chiko", is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, as a wing, centre and five-eighth. A New Zealand and Samoa international representative, he retired as the Kiwis' all-time top try-scorer with 19. Vagana played club football in New Zealand for the Warriors, in England for Warrington, and in Australia for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Vagana represented the New Zealand national team 32 times between 1998 and 2006, including playing in the 2000 World Cup. He is also the cousin of Bradford Bulls prop-forward Joe Vagana, and former Silver Ferns netball player Linda Vagana.
Jerry Seuseu is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, as a prop. He represented New Zealand and Samoa at international level. After retirement he became Wellbeing and Education manager at the New Zealand Warriors, and the manager for the Junior Warriors. He is the current Junior Kiwis Manager as well as the Senior Wellbeing Manager for the New Zealand Warriors
Bryn Hargreaves was an English professional rugby league footballer. He started his professional career at Wigan Warriors in 2004. After a spell on loan at Leigh Centurions, he went on to play for St Helens and Bradford Bulls before announcing his early retirement from the sport in 2012.
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 Deacon is an English rugby union coach who is the head coach of the Sale Sharks in Premiership Rugby, and former a professional rugby league footballer and coach.
Stuart Fielden is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He was formerly an assistant coach for the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League, and now is a Personal trainer of Fielden Fitness in Leeds. A Great Britain international representative forward, he played his club rugby for Bradford Bulls with whom he won the 2001, 2003 and 2005 Super League Championships, 2000 and 2003 Challenge cups and World Club championships in 2002, 2004, 2006 before he moved to Wigan Warriors for a record transfer fee in 2006, winning the 2010 Super League Championship with them. He then signed with Huddersfield Giants in 2013 but played only a handful of games (9) before injury forced him into retirement. Fielden won 2 individual awards of young player of the year (2000) and International best forward (2005).He was named in 4 super league and 4 International dream teams.
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.
James Darryl Peacock MBE, is an English motivational speaker, leadership mentor and former professional rugby league footballer.
Paul Anderson, also known by the nickname of "Baloo", is the head coach of the England Knights and an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop in the 1990s and 2000s. He is an assistant coach of the England national rugby league team, having been head coach of the Huddersfield Giants between 2013 and 2016.
Michael Forshaw is an English rugby union coach, and former professional rugby league and rugby union player. He is currently the defence coach for the Wales national rugby union team.
Sean "Shoppe" Edward Hoppe is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand.
Willie Poching is a New Zealand professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the former head-coach of Wakefield Trinity in the Super League. When he was appointed head coach of Wakefield, he became the first Samoan head coach of a first grade rugby league club. A former New Zealand, and Samoa international representative forward, he spent his career playing for clubs in New Zealand, Australia and finally England, winning the Super League championship with Leeds Rhinos in 2004.
Harvey Howard is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain and England international representative prop, he played club football in England for Widnes, Leeds, Bradford Bulls and Wigan, and in Australia for the Eastern Suburbs Roosters, Western Suburbs Magpies and the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 2000 grand final.
Jeff Lima is a former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Canberra Raiders in the NRL. A New Zealand international representative prop, he previously played for the Wests Tigers, Melbourne Storm, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Wigan Warriors and the Catalans Dragons in the Super League, as well as France's Elite One Championship for the Saint-Gaudens Bears.
Julian O'Neill is a former United States international rugby league footballer who spent most of his career playing in the Super League. His position of preference was at prop.
Neil Fraser Cowie is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Rochdale Hornets and Wigan Warriors, as a prop.
Samuel Lameko Panapa is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He represented three countries in his career: Tokelau, New Zealand and Western Samoa. Panapa played his club football in Auckland as well as England, where he won several titles with the champion Wigan side of the 1990s.
Brady Malam is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer. His preferred position was at prop.