Junior Tia-Kilifi (JTK) (born 24 April 1988) is a Samoa international former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s for the Penrith Panthers and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League. Tia-Kilifi usually played on the wing or as a centre.
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Junior Tia-Kilifi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 24 April 1988 Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 92 kg (14 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing, Centre, Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: [1] As of 17 January 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Background
editTia-Kilifi was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He attended Chifley College in Mount Druitt, and St Dominics College in Penrith.[2] Tia-Kilifi played his junior footy for the Minchinbury Jets.
Playing career
editTia-Kilifi made his debut with the Penrith Panthers in 2009, but left the club at the end of the season to sign a two-year contract with the Bulldogs, commencing at the start of the 2010 season.[3]
Tia-Kilifi mostly played for Canterbury's feeder side in the NSW Cup. At the end of the 2011 season, Tia-Kilifi moved back to Penrith in a one-year contract.[4] He then renewed his contract for another season.
In 2015, Tia-Kilifi played for the Auburn Warriors in the Ron Massey Cup. In The 2017 Ron Massey Cup season, Kilifi played for foundation club The Western Suburbs Magpies.[5][6]
International career
editTia-Kilifi was called up for the Samoa national rugby league team in 2006, but never played.[7]
On 8 September 2014, Tia-Kilifi was named in the Samoa train-on squad for the 2014 Four Nations,[8]
References
edit- ^ Rugby League Project
- ^ "Former Penrith Panther Junior Tia-Kilifi playing for Wyong Roos". Daily Telegraph. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ "Bulldogs sign young talent". The Daily Telegraph. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
- ^ "Panthers add Etu Uaisele & Junior Tia-Kilifi to 2012 Squad". Penrith Panthers. 10 November 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
- ^ "Weekend Reports: Wests v Mounties". Western Suburbs. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ "NSWRL Ron Massey Cup - 2017 Round 20". L.U. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ "England 38-14 Samoa". BBC. 5 November 2006. Retrieved 30 July 2008.
- ^ "Samoa train on squad announced". Zero Tackle. 8 September 2014. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014.