Motu Tony

Motu Tony
	Tony playing for Hull F.C. in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Motu Iosefo Tony
Born	29 May 1981 (age 43); Saleimoa, Gaga'emauga, Samoa
Playing information
Height	176 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	91.5 kg (14 st 6 lb)
Position	Fullback, Wing, Five-eighth
Club
Representative
	Source:

Last updated October 12, 2024

Motu Iosefo Tony^[4] (born 29 May 1981) is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer who played as a fullback in the 2000s and 2010s. He previously played in the NRL for the New Zealand Warriors and the Brisbane Broncos before playing in the Super League for the Castleford Tigers (Heritage No. 815), Hull F.C. (Heritage No. 1025) (with whom he won the 2005 Challenge Cup) and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats (Heritage No. 1299), and in the RFL Championship for Whitehaven.^[2]

Background

Tony was born in Saleimoa, Samoa.

He attended De La Salle College and played for the First XIII rugby league team. He played for the Marist Saints in the Auckland Rugby League competition before being signed by the New Zealand Warriors. He played for the Marist-Richmond Brothers in the 2000 Bartercard Cup and also toured Australia with the New Zealand Residents that year.^[5]^[6]

Professional playing career

National Rugby League

Tony made his professional début for the New Zealand Warriors in 2001. He went on to play 55 games for the club, including his appearance at five-eighth in the Warriors' 2002 NRL grand final loss to the Sydney Roosters. In 2004 he moved to the Brisbane Broncos but only played in three games for the club before leaving to play in the Super League. 17 year old Karmichael Hunt took over his spot in Brisbane.

Super League

Tony initially played for English club Castleford.^[7] In 2005 he joined Hull F.C. Tony played fullback for Hull in the 2005 Challenge Cup Final, scoring a try in the victory against Leeds Rhinos. He was part of the New Zealand side that won the Gillette Tri-Nations in 2005, beating Australia in the final 24–0. Hull reached the 2006 Super League Grand final to be contested against St Helens R.F.C. and Tony played on the wing in his side's 4–26 loss. He played in 109 games for Hull before crossing codes to play for National 2 (North) Rugby Union club Hull RUFC.^[8] Following the end of the Rugby union season Tony signed for Whitehaven. Tony had represented the New Zealand national rugby league team 18 times between 2001 and 2006.^[9]

In 2008 he chose to represent Samoa and was named in the Samoa training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup but withdrew due to injury.^[10] In July 2010 it was announced that Tony had signed for a 1-month trial with Championship union side Nottingham Rugby.^[11]

On 28 October 2010, Super League club Wakefield Trinity announced the signing of Tony. On 12 June 2010, Tony made his début for Trinity at fullback in their 13–10 home victory over Huddersfield.

Related Research Articles

Antony "Tony" Smith, also known by the nickname "Casper", is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, and coached in the 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for the Castleford Tigers, Wigan Warriors and Hull FC, as a stand-off, scrum-half or hooker, and coached at club level for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

Tony Kemp is a New Zealand former rugby league test representative and former coach of the New Zealand Warriors. He is a commentator for Māori Television's coverage of the Auckland Rugby League competition and also serves as the Football Manager for the New Zealand Rugby League.

Epalahame "Hame" Lauaki is a Tongan former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Bradford Bulls in the Championship.

Patrick Ah Van is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the North Wales Crusaders in RFL League 1.

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.

Kuripitone "Tony" Tatupu is a former professional rugby league footballer. He played as a centre and in the second-row and represented both New Zealand and Western Samoa. Tatupu is the uncle of the rugby league footballer; Matthew Wright.

Francis Joseph Mihaka Watene is a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop or second-row forward in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for Tonga, New Zealand Junior Kiwis (1996), New Zealand Māori, and at club level for Counties Manukau Heroes, Auckland Warriors, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Hull Kingston Rovers, Castleford Tigers, Dewsbury Rams and Halifax at club level.

Michael Shenton is an English rugby league coach and former professional rugby league footballer who is currently the assistant coach for Wakefield Trinity in the RFL Championship.

Derek Edwards was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. He played at representative level for Great Britain and Yorkshire, and at club level for Castleford and Keighley as a fullback.

Kevin Samuel Locke, also known by the nickname of "Knobby", is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Northcote Tigers in the Auckland Rugby League. He previously played for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League and for the Salford Red Devils and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the Super League. He primarily plays as a fullback and wing.

Bill Tupou is a former Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played as a centre or on the wing for Wakefield Trinity in the Super League.

Harrison "Harry" Siejka is an Australian rugby league footballer who most recently played for the Cessnock Goannas. He has also played for a National Rugby League clubs, the Penrith Panthers, New Zealand Warriors, Canterbury Bulldogs and St George Illawarra Dragons, and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and the Bradford Bulls in the Super League. He plays as a five-eighth but he can also play as a halfback. Siejka is a Polish dual-code rugby representative, having played for both the rugby league team and rugby union team.

Greg Eden is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or fullback for the Featherstone Rovers in the RFL Championship.

Gary Lord is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain (Under-21s), and at club level for Stanley Rangers ARLFC, Castleford, Leeds, Halifax, Oldham Bears in 1996's Super League I & 1997's Super League II, Wakefield Trinity, the Batley Bulldogs and Featherstone Rovers, as a fullback or prop.

Geoffrey Wraith was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and coached in the 1980s. He played at representative level for Yorkshire, and at club level for Hunslet Juniors, Wakefield Trinity, Norths Devils and Castleford, as a left-footed toe-end style goal-kicking fullback or centre, and coached at club level for Castleford and Wakefield Trinity.

Morgan Escaré is a French professional rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback for AS Carcassonne in the Elite One Championship and France at international level.

Anthony Winston Mullally, also known by the nickname of "Vegan Warrior", is a former Ireland international rugby league footballer who last played as a prop for Cornwall in Betfred League One

Suaia Matagi, also known by the nickname of "Sui", is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop forward for Doncaster R.L.F.C. in the RFL Championship. He is both a New Zealand and Samoan international.

Michael Sio is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who was most recently contracted to Wakefield Trinity in the Super League. He primarily plays as a hooker, and has represented Samoa at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, 2014 Four Nations and 2015 Polynesian Cup.

Mason Lino is a Samoan professional rugby league footballer who plays as a scrum-half and stand-off for Wakefield Trinity in the Betfred Championship and Samoa at the international level.

References

↑ "Official site of the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats". web page. Wakefield wildcats. 2011. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". Rugby League Project. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
↑ loverugbyleague
↑ TONY, IOSEFO MOTU 2001 – 2006 – KIWI #686 Archived 2 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine nzleague.co.nz
↑ Johns named halfback and captain AAP Sports News (Australia), 10 October 2000
↑ NZ Residents end trip with a flourish The Press, 27 July 2000
↑ "Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk". thecastlefordtigers. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
↑ "Tony makes the switch". Sky Sports. 21 December 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
↑ Roll of Honour nzrl.co.nz, Accessed 18 August 2009
↑ "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 5 August 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
↑ "Nottingham hand trial to Whitehaven full-back Motu Tony". BBC Sport. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2010.

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] "Official site of the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats". web page. Wakefield wildcats. 2011. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.

[Statistics_at_rugbyleagueproject.org-2] 1 2 "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". Rugby League Project. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.

[3] verugbyleague

[4] TONY, IOSEFO MOTU 2001 – 2006 – KIWI #686 Archived 2 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine nzleague.co.nz

[5] Johns named halfback and captain AAP Sports News (Australia), 10 October 2000

[6] NZ Residents end trip with a flourish The Press, 27 July 2000

[Statistics_at_thecastlefordtigers.co.uk-7] "Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk". thecastlefordtigers. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[Tony_makes_the_switch-8] "Tony makes the switch". Sky Sports. 21 December 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2010.

[nzrl-9] Roll of Honour nzrl.co.nz, Accessed 18 August 2009

[Samoa_name_World_Cup_Squad-10] "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 5 August 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2008.

[Nottingham_hand_trial_to_Whitehaven_full-back_Motu_Tony-11] "Nottingham hand trial to Whitehaven full-back Motu Tony". BBC Sport. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2010.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]