Richard Fa'aoso
Encyclopedia
Lisiate Richard Fa'aoso is a Tonga
n rugby league
player who plays for the Australian club Newcastle Knights
in the National Rugby League
. His position of choice is prop. Fa'aoso's father is half Samoan
.
A Tongan
international, Fa'aoso was signed by Castleford Tigers
after their promotion to the Super League in 2005.
Fa'aoso signed with Parramatta for 3 years with 2007 being his first with the club. He was touted as a replacement for departing Eel Michael Vella
who left the Eels to join Super League club Hull KR
in 2007.
Fa'aoso is currently playing for the Newcastle Knights
with whom he has played more than 90 games.
In August 2008, Fa'aoso was named in the Tonga training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
, and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Tonga squad. Fa'aoso was again selected for the Tongan national team in 2009 for the Pacific Cup
. He was named Tongan
player of the year for 2009.
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n rugby league
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 who plays for the Australian club 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 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...
. His position of choice is prop. Fa'aoso's father is half Samoan
Samoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
.
A Tongan
Tonga national rugby league team
The Tonga national rugby league team is a national sporting side, representing Tonga in rugby league football. Rugby league is a popular sport in Tonga, and the national team has become one of the best performed nations in the world...
international, Fa'aoso was signed by Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
after their promotion to the Super League in 2005.
Fa'aoso signed with Parramatta for 3 years with 2007 being his first with the club. He was touted as a replacement for departing Eel Michael Vella
Michael Vella
Michael Vella is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains English Super League club Hull Kingston Rovers. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative forward, he previously played in the NRL for the Parramatta Eels club...
who left the Eels to join Super League club Hull KR
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
in 2007.
Fa'aoso is currently playing for 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...
with whom he has played more than 90 games.
In August 2008, Fa'aoso was named in the Tonga training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Tonga squad. Fa'aoso was again selected for the Tongan national team in 2009 for the Pacific Cup
2009 Pacific Cup
-Semifinals:-Third place Playoff:-Final:-Telecast Details:The Pacific Cup will be shown in the UK, Australia, and throughout the Pacific.*In Australia all matches will be broadcast by NRL.com while the Nine Network will show a one hour highlight package each weekend.*In Britain matches will be...
. He was named Tongan
Tonga national rugby league team
The Tonga national rugby league team is a national sporting side, representing Tonga in rugby league football. Rugby league is a popular sport in Tonga, and the national team has become one of the best performed nations in the world...
player of the year for 2009.