Kevin Naiqama
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Kevin Ligani Naiqama | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia | 4 February 1989||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 93 kg (14 st 9 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Centre, Wing, Fullback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 9 January 2024 |
Kevin Naiqama (born 4 February 1989) is a
at the International level.He previously played for the Newcastle Knights, Penrith Panthers, Wests Tigers and the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL), and St Helens in the Super League.
Background
Naiqama was born in Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia, and is of Fijian descent.
He played his junior football for the Arncliffe Scots, before being signed by the St. George Illawarra Dragons.[citation needed]
Naiqama is the younger brother of former London Broncos player and Fijian international, Wes Naiqama.[3]
Playing career
Early career
After playing with the St. George Illawarra Dragons, Naiqama joined the
2009
Naiqama played for Fiji in the 2009 Pacific Cup.[6]
2010
Moving to the Knights'
2011
In June, Naiqama re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract,[10] but did not make an appearance for the Knights in the 2011 season.
2012
On 3 August, Naiqama re-signed with the Knights on a 1-year contract.[11] In Round 17 against the Parramatta Eels at Parramatta Stadium, he scored his first NRL try in the Knights' 20–12 win.[12]
He finished the season with 8 matches and 7 tries.
2013
On 21 June, Naiqama signed a 2-year contract with the Penrith Panthers starting in 2014, to join his older brother Wes. Knights coach Wayne Bennett told Naiqama to move clubs and further his career as he was behind representative players Darius Boyd, James McManus and Akuila Uate at the Knights.[13][14] He finished the 2013 season having played in 6 matches and scoring 2 tries. At the end of the season, he played for Fiji at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup,[15] playing in 5 matches and scoring 1 try.
2014
In February, Naiqama played for the Panthers at the inaugural
He finished off the NRL season with 8 matches and 7 tries. On 10 October 2014, Naiqama signed a 1-year contract with the Wests Tigers starting in 2015.[19][20]
2015
Naiqama made his first appearance for the Wests Tigers in the
In round 8 against the
2016
Naiqama was named in the Tigers Auckland Nines squad.[28] Remaining at right centre in 2016, Naiqama scored his first treble in the Round 3 match against the Titans in the 30–18 loss at Robina Stadium.[29] By mid-season, he was named as one of the most improved players of the year, and it was said he had, "become a genuinely dangerous player down the Tigers' right side, appearing in every game this season. His success is the result of nothing but hard work and persistence."[30] Naiqama finished the season with 11 tries from 23 matches. On 8 October, Naiqama represented Fiji in a test against Samoa in Apia, captaining the team to a 20–18 victory.[31]
2017
In February, Naiqama played in the
Playing in his second World Cup, but his first as captain of Fiji, Naiqama gained attention when he was seen crying during his team's national anthem before the first game.
2018
Naiqama made 20 appearances for Wests in the 2018 NRL season as the club finished in 9th place on the table and missed out on the finals.[37]
On 22 May 2018 Naiqama signed a three-year contract with St Helens.
2019
After his contract ran out with the Wests Tigers, Naiqama joined English side St Helens.
He played in the
In his first season with St Helens, the club won the
2020
In the 2020 semi-final against
He played in the club's 8-4
2021
In round 3 of the 2021 Super League season, he scored two tries for St. Helens in a 34–6 victory over Wakefield Trinity.[44]
On 17 July, he played for St. Helens in their 26-12
Naiqama's final game for St Helens was the 2021 Super League Grand Final where Saints won a close match 12–10 over the Catalans Dragons. Naiqama scored two tries in the final and was awarded the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match.[46] On 8 December, he joined the Sydney Roosters for the 2022 NRL season.
2022
In round 4 of the 2022 NRL season, he made his club debut for the Sydney Roosters scoring a try in their 28–4 victory over North Queensland.[47] On 21 June 2022, it was reported that Naiqama would sign a two-year deal with the Huddersfield Giants.[48] Naiqama played in all four matches at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup for Fiji including the quarter-final where he scored two tries in their controversial 24–18 loss to New Zealand.[49]
2023
Naiqama played 25 matches with Huddersfield in the 2023 Super League season and scored 14 tries as the club finished ninth on the table and missed the playoffs.[50]
References
- ^ loverugbyleague
- ^ Kevin Naiqama rugbyleagueproject.org
- ^ a b "YOUNG GUN GETS FIRST RUN". Newcastle Knights. 3 September 2010. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
- ^ "N". Nycdatabase.org. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Kevin Naiqama". Rleague.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "2009 Pacific Cup: Squads". NRL.com. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Updated: New South Wales Residents team". League Unlimited. 28 June 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Storm Win Last Game of Pointless Season". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Pita Godinet named in NSW Cup Team of the Year". League Unlimited. 9 September 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ Dillon, Robert (29 June 2011). "Naiqama brothers extend stay with Knights | Newcastle Herald". Theherald.com.au. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Knights re-sign Kevin Naiqama". newcastleknights.com.au. 1 October 2005. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
- ^ "Newcastle Knights Punish Parramatta Eels for a Sloppy Second Half". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Naiqama signs with Panthers for 2014". Archived from the original on 19 October 2013.
- ^ "Panthers Sign Kevin Naiqama on Two Year Deal to Join Older Brother Wes". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Civoniceva, Wes Naiqama to lead Fiji Bati". Fijilive.com. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ John Dean (14 February 2014). "Squads For Auckland Nines". Rugby League Week. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Melbourne Storm Have Beaten the Penrith Panthers 18–17 in a Thriller". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Gutsy Samoa secures place in Four Nations tournament". The Daily Telegraph. Australia. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
- ^ "Wests Tigers sign backline duo". Weststigers.com.au. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ John Dean (10 October 2014). "Wests Tigers Sign Backline Duo". Rugby League Week. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Auckland Nines in brief: Naiqama impresses in Wests Tigers debut". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ Brady, Jack (28 January 2015). "Smashing roadblocks Naiqama's Tigers priority". nrl.com. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "Tigers field goal sinks Titans' hopes".
- ^ "Shining star Tedesco puts Dragons to sword". 10 March 2015.
- ^ "WESTS TIGERS RE-SIGN KEVIN NAIQAMA". Zero Tackle. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "Video: Fresh Prince's freakish try assist".
- ^ Barrett, Chris (2 May 2015). "Marika Koroibete stars as Fiji prove too strong for PNG Kumuls". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "2016 Downer NRL Auckland Nines Official Squads".
- ^ "Titans send Tigers crashing back to earth".
- ^ Andrew Voss. "Voss: Who is most improved in 2016?". nrl.com.
- ^ "Match Centre". Fox Sports.
- ^ "2017 Downer NRL Auckland Nines squads".
- ^ "Late Latu try grabs Test win for Tonga – NRL".
- ^ "Kevin Naiqama commits to Wests Tigers". weststigers.com. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017.
- ^ Dan Nicholls. "World Cup Pre-Match almost as good as the game itself". Zero Tackle. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017.
- ^ Eden Richards. "Naiqama's captaincy inspires Fiji to greatness". nrl.com.
- ^ "Wests Tigers 2018 season review". NRL.
- ^ "St Helens 4–18 Warrington RESULT: Challenge Cup Final as it happened from Wembley". Mirror. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
- ^ "St Helens win 2019 Super League League Leaders' shield". Sky Sports.
- ^ "St Helens 23–6 Salford Red Devils: Super League Grand Final – as it happened". The Guardian.
- ^ "St Helens give Justin Holbrook the perfect send-off with commanding Grand Final victory over Salford". The Telegraph. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
- ^ "St Helens demolish Catalans Dragons to set up Grand Final clash with Wigan". www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "Super League Grand Final: Wigan 4-8 St Helens". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Super League: St Helens 34-6 Wakefield Trinity - Saints steamroller their way to victory". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "How St Helens players have celebrated their first Challenge Cup win in 13 years". www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
- ^ "Super League Grand Final: Catalans Dragons 10-12 St Helens: Saints win three in a row". www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Kevin Naiqama scores try in Roosters debut". www.loverugbyleague.com.
- ^ "Kevin Naiqama: Huddersfield Giants to sign ex-St Helens centre in 2023". BBC Sport. 21 July 2022.
- ^ "New Zealand 24-18 Fiji: Jordan Rapana scores late try to set up semi-final date against Australia". www.skysports.com.
- ^ "Ian Watson explains why Huddersfield Giants underperformed in Super League 2023". www.totalrl.com.