Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e

Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e

Personal information
Born	(2003-04-16) 16 April 2003 (age 21) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
Position	Fullback, Wing
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2021 Keighley Cougars 12 5 0 0 20 2022– Hull Kingston Rovers 9 0 0 0 0 2022(DR Tooltip dual registration) → Dewsbury Rams 2 1 0 0 4 2022(Loan Tooltip loan) → Rochdale Hornets 1 0 0 0 0 2023(Loan Tooltip loan) → Keighley Cougars 4 0 0 0 0 2024 (loan) → Oldham 18 15 0 0 60 Total 46 21 0 0 84
Source: [1] [2] As of 15 March 2024
Father	Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e

Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e (born 16 April 2003) ^[3] is a rugby league footballer who plays at fullback or on the wing for Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League.

Background

Laulu-Togaga'e was born in Brisbane, Australia but moved to the United Kingdom when he was seven. ^[4] He is the son of Samoan international rugby league player, Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e. At school, Laulu-Togaga'e played rugby union at school and was member of the academy side at Leicester Tigers.

Playing career

Keighley Cougars

Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e played for Keighley Cougars and with the Tigers' academy side suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Laulu-Togaga'e was invited to train with Keighley Cougars. Keighley were impressed with Phoenix and in March 2021 the club signed him on a one-year contract. After playing in a pre-season game, Laulu-Togaga'e made his professional debut for Keighley against West Wales Raiders on 13 June 2021. ^[5] His father played in the same match and when Phoenix came on as an interchange player they became the first instance of father and son playing in the same professional match since 2013 and only the third father-son pairing ever. ^{[a] [8]}

Hull KR

After playing a handful of games for Keighley, Laulu-Togaga'e was spotted by Super League side, Hull Kingston Rovers, and was signed on a two-year contract in August 2021 but was loaned back to Keighley for the remainder of the 2021 season ^[9]

At the end of the 2021 season Laulu-Togaga'e had made 12 appearances for Keighley, scoring five tries and won the Rugby Football League's League 1 Young Player of the Year award ^{[3] [10]}

Laulu-Togaga'e made his Super League debut for Hull Kingston Rovers on 25 February 2022, as an interchange player during Rover's 26–10 victory over Castleford Tigers. ^[11]

Dewsbury Rams (loan)

The following week he appeared for Championship side Dewsbury Rams with whom Hull Kingston Rovers have a dual registration agreement for the 2022 season. ^{[12] [13]}

Rochdale Hornets (loan)

Laulu-Togaga'e also had a period on loan at Rochdale Hornets in 2022. ^[14]

Oldham R.L.F.C. (loan)

On 15 March 2024 it was reported that he had signed for Oldham R.L.F.C. in the RFL League 1 on season-long loan ^[15]

On 17 October 2024 it was reported that he would extend his loan period remaining at Oldham RLFC for the duration of the 2025 season ^[16]

Notes

1. The last father-son pairing were Brad Hepi and Tyla Hepi for Gloucestershire All Golds, while the only other recorded instance was in 1924 when Ed "Tedda" Courtney and his son Ed Jr. played for Western Suburbs Magpies. ^[6] A fourth father-son pairing occurred in 2022 when George Flanagan and George Jr appeared for Bradford Bulls. ^[7]

References

1. Rugby League Project
2. "Player Summary: Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
3. Butcher, Tim; Spencer, Daniel, eds. (2021). Rugby League Yearbook 2021-2022. LEAGUE PUBLICATIONS Limited. p. 282. ISBN   978-190134740-1.
4. Davidson, John (19 December 2021). "Hull KR's Phoenix Laulu-Togagae sets sights on Super League breakthrough". TotalRL.com. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
5. Messenger, James (13 June 2021). "League 1 round-up: Six wins from six for Barrow, father-son duo combine for Keighley & tries galore for Hunslet and Doncaster". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
6. "This Leicester Tigers youngster just played professional Rugby alongside his Dad!". Ruck. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
7. "Like father, like son for Bulls' Flanagans". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
8. Heppenstall, Ross (14 June 2021). "Like father like son as family play in same Keighley Cougars team and score". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
9. "Hull KR snap up Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e". LoveRugbyLeague. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
10. O'Brien, James (13 December 2021). "Lachlan Coote shares first impressions of Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e". HullLive.
11. McAllister, Josh (25 February 2022). "Hull KR 26-10 Castleford: Robins claim first win of 2022 – talking points". uk.sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
12. Hughes, Steven (19 November 2021). "Hull KR announce dual registration partners". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
13. O'Brien, James (7 March 2022). "'I'd love to play' - Milnes discusses Hull KR chances after Dewsbury outing". HullLive. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
14. Darbyshire, Drew (13 May 2022). "Hull KR youngster Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e heads to League 1". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
15. Drew Darbyshire (15 March 2024). "Hull KR starlet Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e makes season-long loan move to League 1". Love Rugby League.
16. Kasey Smith (17 October 2024). "Phoenix set to continue his rise at Oldham next year". The Oldham Times.