Vila Halafihi

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Vila Halafihi
Vila Halafihi.jpg
Personal information
Full nameVila Halafihi
Born (1994-01-24) 24 January 1994 (age 31)
Leeds, England
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight98 kg (15 st 6 lb)
Playing information
Position Hooker, Lock
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
2013 Leeds Rhinos 00000
2014 Penrith Panthers 00000
2015–18 Bradford Bulls 3980032
2015(loan)→ Oxford Rugby League 21004
2016(loan)→ Swinton Lions 51004
2019–21 Hunslet RLFC 44140056
2022–24 Sheffield Eagles 2850020
2025– Halifax Panthers 71004
Total1253000120
Source: [1] [2] [3]
As of 6 June 2025

Vila Halafihi (born 24 January 1994) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for Halifax Panthers in the RFL Championship.

Contents

He is the son of former Hull KR, Sheffield Eagles and London Crusaders forward Nick Halafihi. [4]

Halafihi was a product of the Leeds academy system.

Playing career

Bradford Bulls

2015 - 2015 Season

Halafihi signed for Championship side Bradford on a one-year deal. He featured in the pre-season friendlies against Castleford and Leeds.[ citation needed ]

He featured in Round 8 (Dewsbury) then in Round 10 (Doncaster). He played in Round 19 (Batley) to Round 20 (Hunslet). Halafihi played in Round 23 (Halifax) then in Qualifier 7 (Halifax).

He signed a two-year extension to his contract at the end of the season.

2016 - 2016 Season

Halafihi played in the pre-season friendlies against Leeds and Castleford.

2017 - 2017 Season

Halafihi re-signed with the Bradford club following the clubs liquidation at the end of the 2016 season.[ citation needed ]

He featured in the pre-season friendlies against Huddersfield and Keighley.

Halafihi played in Round 3 (Swinton Lions) then in Round 7 (Dewsbury) to Round 8 (Oldham). He also featured in Round 11 (Featherstone Rovers) and Round 14 (London Broncos) then in Round 16 (Dewsbury) to Round 17 (Featherstone Rovers). He featured in Round 20 (Halifax). Halafihi played in the Championship Shield Game 1 (Toulouse Olympique) to Game 7 (Rochdale Hornets). He also played in the 2017 Challenge Cup in Round 4 (Featherstone Rovers).

He signed a two-year contract extension at the end of the season.

2018 - 2018 Season

Halafihi featured in the pre-season friendlies against Halifax, Sheffield Eagles, Dewsbury, Toronto Wolfpack and Keighley.

He featured in Round 1 (York City Knights) to Round 2 (London Skolars) then in Round 7 (Coventry Bears). He also played in Round 9 (West Wales Raiders) to Round 16 (Newcastle Thunder) then in Round 19 (London Skolars) to Round 20 (Whitehaven R.L.F.C.). Vila played in Round 26 (Hemel Stags). Halafihi played in the 2018 Challenge Cup in Round 3 (West Wales Raiders) to Round 5 (Warrington). He scored against West Wales Raiders (1 try), Hemel Stags (1 try), Whitehaven R.L.F.C. (1 try) and London Skolars (1 try).[ citation needed ]

Hunslet RLFC

On 2 November 2018, it was reported that Halafihi had joined Hunslet RLFC. [5]

Sheffield Eagles

In October 2021, Halafihi joined Sheffield Eagles on a two-year deal. [6]

He decided to retire at the end of the 2024 season.

Halifax Panthers

On 6 June 2025 it was reported that he had signed for Halifax Panthers in the RFL Championship, reversing his retirement decision. [7]

Statistics

Statistics do not include pre-season friendlies.

SeasonAppearanceTriesGoalsF/GPoints
2015 Bradford 60000
2016 Bradford 00000
2017 Bradford 1640016
2018 Bradford 1740016
Total3980032

References

  1. ↑ loverugbyleague
  2. ↑ Rugby League Project
  3. ↑ Bradford Bulls Website
  4. ↑ Reply, Sam Thomas 02/11/2018 Team looking decent. "Parksiders win the race to sign Bradford Bulls star Vila Halafihi – Hunslet RLFC" . Retrieved 13 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ "Vila Halafihi opts for surprise switch to Hunslet". Yorkshire Post. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  6. ↑ "Vila Halafihi joins Eagles". Sheffield Eagles. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  7. ↑ Ben Olawumi (6 June 2025). "Veteran hooker makes retirement u-turn to join Championship side". Love Rugby League.
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