 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 4 November 2002 Burwood, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 93 kg (14 st 9 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre, Wing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: [1] As of 22 January 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Krystian Mapapalangi (born 4 November 2002) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League.
Mapapalangi was born in Burwood, New South Wales. He is of Tongan descent. [2]
Mapapalangi played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs' Harold Matthews Cup team in 2018 and the S. G. Ball Cup side in 2019. [3] In 2020, he joined the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles' S. G. Ball Cup team. [3] Mid-way through 2021, he joined the Newcastle Knights. [4]
Ahead of the 2022 season, Mapapalangi signed a 2-year contract to be a development player with the Knights' NRL squad. [5] In August, his contract was extended until the end of 2024 and upgraded into the top 30 squad. [6] In round 23 of the 2022 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for the Knights against the Canberra Raiders. [4]
Mapapalangi played 4 matches for the Knights in 2024, after not playing any throughout 2023. He parted ways with the club at the end of the season. [7]
On 2 April, Mapapalangi had signed a train and trial contract with the Wests Tigers. [8]
On 22 January 2026 it was reported that he had signed for Castleford Tigers in the Super League [9]