 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Junior Tupou | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 29 July 2002 Auckland, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (190 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 15 st 4 lb (97 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing, Centre | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: [1] As of 14 April 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Junior Tupou (born 29 July 2002) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Tupou was born in New Zealand and raised in Canberra, playing both codes of rugby football. [2]
Tupou made his debut in Round 10 of the 2022 NRL season (Magic Round) for the Tigers against the North Queensland Cowboys, scoring a try in the 13th minute. [3] Tupou played only four games for the Wests Tigers as the club finished bottom of the table and claimed the Wooden Spoon for the first time. [4]
In round 21 of the 2023 NRL season, Tupou scored two tries for the Wests Tigers in their 18-14 loss against St. George Illawarra. Before the game, the match was dubbed the "Spoon Bowl" by some media outlets due to the Wests Tigers being bottom of the table and St. George Illawarra sitting in second last position. [5]
Tupou was the leader for line breaks at the Wests Tigers in 2023, with 17, ranking him 19th in the entire competition. [6] He was also 25th in the NRL for tackle breaks, again best for the Tigers. [7] Tupou played a total of 22 games for the Wests Tigers in the 2023 NRL season and scored six tries as the club finished with the wooden spoon for a second straight year. [8]
On 22 December 2023, it was announced that Tipou had signed a three-year deal with the Dolphins from the 2025 season. [9] [10]
The Australian rugby league wooden spooners are the team that finished last in the premier top-grade rugby league competition in Australia, which is currently the National Rugby League, and was previously the New South Wales Rugby Football League (1908-1994), the Australian Rugby League (1995-1997), and Super League (1997). Each of these seasons is considered to represent one continuous line of competition dating back from the first season in 1908. The wooden spoon is an unofficial award, however, fans often bring "real" wooden spoons to taunt opposition sides who are struggling on the bottom of the ladder.
James Tamou is a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop and represented Australia and the New Zealand Maori at an international level. Tamou spent most of his career with the North Queensland Cowboys and was a member of their 2015 NRL Grand Final winning side
Ricky Leutele is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League.
Daniel Tupou is a professional rugby league footballer who plays on the wing for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for Tonga and Australia at international level.
Anthony Milford is an Australian Samoan international rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth and halfback for the Dolphins in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Brenko Lee is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre and winger in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Jackson Hastings is a Great Britain international rugby league footballer who plays as a halfback for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Euan Aitken is a Scotland international rugby league footballer who plays as a second-rower or centre for the Dolphins in the NRL.
Ken Maumalo is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League (NRL) and has played for Samoa and New Zealand at international level.
Zac Lomax is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or centre for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Kotoni Staggs is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL), and has represented Tonga and Australia at an international level.
Jake Clifford is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a halfback and five-eighth for North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL.
Thomas Flegler is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop and lock for the Dolphins in the National Rugby League (NRL). He also represents Australia at international level.
Reuben Garrick is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays as a centre, winger, or fullback for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Brent Naden is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre and winger for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Starford To'a is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Jake Averillo is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Dolphins in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Asu Kepaoa is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre, winger and second-row forward for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Jordan Riki is a New Zealand rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL).
The 2023 NRL season was the 116th of professional rugby league in Australia and the 26th season run by the National Rugby League.