Kalifa Fai-Fai Loa
Encyclopedia
Kalifa Faifai Loa is a New Zealand rugby league
player. He currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys
in the National Rugby League
(NRL) and has played in one Test
for New Zealand
. He plays on the wing or as a centre.
in the Auckland Rugby League
competition.
He was contracted to the Newcastle Knights
in 2008, but was sacked from the club for after multiple disciplinary breaches. He then moved to the St George Illawarra Dragons
. In the 2009 Toyota Cup Faifai Loa scored 12 tries. He made his first grade debut for the Dragons in 2010 and also was named in the Toyota Cup team of the year. As a member of the team of the year he received a $A2000 education grant. However, salary cap demands forced him out of the Dragons.
Faifai Loa joined the North Queensland Cowboys
in 2011. He played for the Northern Pride
in the Queensland Cup
, before making his debut for the Cowboys against the Melbourne Storm
, which the Cowboys won 34-6. He became a regular member of the Cowboys squad that season, scoring ten tries and carrying the ball an average of 124 metres per game. At the end of the season he made his Test
debut for New Zealand
in a match against Australia in Newcastle
. He was selected in the New Zealand squad for the 2011 Four Nations
tournament, scoring his first international try in the tournament's opening match against Australia.
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...
player. He 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...
(NRL) and has played in one Test
Test match (rugby league)
A Test match in rugby league football is a representative match between teams representing members of the Rugby League International Federation.The definition of a Test match differs from that of an international match...
for New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. He plays on the wing or as a centre.
Playing career
Faifai Loa grew up playing for the Marist SaintsMarist Saints
The Marist Saints is a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. They regularly feature in the Fox Memorial, the premier division in Auckland Rugby League...
in the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
competition.
He was contracted to the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in 2008, but was sacked from the club for after multiple disciplinary breaches. He then moved to the St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
. In the 2009 Toyota Cup Faifai Loa scored 12 tries. He made his first grade debut for the Dragons in 2010 and also was named in the Toyota Cup team of the year. As a member of the team of the year he received a $A2000 education grant. However, salary cap demands forced him out of the Dragons.
Faifai Loa joined 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 2011. He played for the Northern Pride
Northern Pride
Northern pride may refer to:*Northern Pride , LGBT Festival in Newcastle upon Tyne*Northern Pride RLFC, Australian rugby league club*Grundy's Northern Pride, British television programme...
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...
, before making his debut for the Cowboys against 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....
, which the Cowboys won 34-6. He became a regular member of the Cowboys squad that season, scoring ten tries and carrying the ball an average of 124 metres per game. At the end of the season he made his Test
Test match (rugby league)
A Test match in rugby league football is a representative match between teams representing members of the Rugby League International Federation.The definition of a Test match differs from that of an international match...
debut for New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
in a match against Australia in Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. He was selected in the New Zealand squad for the 2011 Four Nations
2011 Rugby League Four Nations
The 2011 Rugby League Four Nations tournament was the third staging of the Rugby League Four Nations tournament and was played in England and Wales during October and November of 2011...
tournament, scoring his first international try in the tournament's opening match against Australia.
Personal life
Faifai Loa is a cousin of New Zealand international Jeremy Smith. Faifai Loa lived with Smith when the two played for St George Illawarra. Smith imposed discipline on his younger cousin, helping to resurrect his career after his sacking by Newcastle.External links
- North Queensland Cowboys: Kalifa Faifai Loa player profile
- Kalifa Fai-Fai Loa at the Rugby League Project