Elijah Niko
Encyclopedia
Elijah Niko is a professional rugby league
footballer who currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys
in the National Rugby League
competition.
and played for Marist in the Hawke's Bay Rugby League competition. He also played rugby union
, competing for Napier in the 2003 Ross Shield. Niko attended St John's College
and played for the Hawke's Bay Unicorns in a Rugby League Cup
challenge match and the Central Falcons
in the Bartercard Cup
. Niko also represented New Zealand Students in 2007.
He joined the New Zealand Warriors
in 2008 and spent three years with the club. He played for the Junior Warriors in the Toyota Cup in 2009 and 2010, playing in thirty seven games and scoring twenty two tries. He was part of the side that won the 2010 Toyota Cup Grand Final and also played for the Junior Kiwis
that year.
Niko signed with the Melbourne Storm
in 2011 and he started the 2011 season playing for Melbourne's feeder club, the Easts Tigers
, in the Queensland Cup
. Cameron Smith
compared Niko to Israel Folau
. Niko signed with the North Queensland Cowboys
for the 2012 season.
. His younger brother, Kenny, is signed with the New Zealand Warriors
.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer who currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
competition.
Playing career
Niko was raised in the Hawke's BayHawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay is a region of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. The regional council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings.-Geography:...
and played for Marist in the Hawke's Bay Rugby League competition. He also played rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, competing for Napier in the 2003 Ross Shield. Niko attended St John's College
St John's College, Hastings
St John's College is a State Integrated, Catholic, Day School for boys, located in Hastings, a provincial city in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.Founded in 1941 by the Marist Fathers, St John's College has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 450 students from Year 9 ...
and played for the Hawke's Bay Unicorns in a Rugby League Cup
Rugby League Cup
The Rugby League Cup is a New Zealand rugby league trophy that is currently contested between districts on a challenge basis. The trophy was originally known as the Northern Union Cup...
challenge match and the Central Falcons
Central Falcons
The Manawatu rugby league team are a rugby league team that represents the Manawatu Rugby League in New Zealand Rugby League competitions. They have previously been nicknamed the Mustangs and between 2002 and 2007 competed in the Bartercard Cup as the Central Falcons.Manawatu has a strong domestic...
in the Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
. Niko also represented New Zealand Students in 2007.
He joined the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
in 2008 and spent three years with the club. He played for the Junior Warriors in the Toyota Cup in 2009 and 2010, playing in thirty seven games and scoring twenty two tries. He was part of the side that won the 2010 Toyota Cup Grand Final and also played for the Junior Kiwis
Junior Kiwis
The Junior Kiwis side represents New Zealand in the sport of rugby league. They are commonly known as the Junior Kiwis, after the native bird of that name. They are not necessarily an age grade side, but the second national team behind the New Zealand national rugby league team. They are...
that year.
Niko signed with the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
in 2011 and he started the 2011 season playing for Melbourne's feeder club, the Easts Tigers
Easts Tigers
The Eastern Suburbs Tigers are a rugby league club based at Langlands Park, which is in the suburb of Coorparoo in Brisbane, Australia. They competed in the Brisbane Rugby League from 1934 to 1996. From 1996 they have competed in the Queensland Cup. Their jersey is traditionally an all gold jersey...
, in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
. Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League...
compared Niko to Israel Folau
Israel Folau
Israel Folau is a professional Australian rules footballer currently listed with the Greater Western Sydney Football Club in the Australian Football League . He previously played Rugby league for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League from 2007 to 2008 where he broke the record for most...
. Niko signed with the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
for the 2012 season.
Personal life
Niko is a CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
. His younger brother, Kenny, is signed with the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
.