Atelea Vea

{{Short description|Tonga international rugby league footballer}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Atelea Vea

|fullname =

|nickname =

|image = ATELEA_VEA.jpg

|image_size =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1986|11|27}}

|birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

|height = {{convert|183|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}{{cite web|url= http://www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/10660|title= Atelea Vea St Helens|author=|date=2015|website= www.superleague.co.uk|publisher= Rugby Football League|access-date=26 July 2015}}

|weight = {{convert|103|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|position = {{rlp|SR|LK|PR}}

|club1 = Cronulla Sharks

|year1start = 2009

|year1end = 10

|appearances1 = 8

|tries1 = 0

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 0

|club2 = Melbourne Storm

|year2start = 2011

|year2end =

|appearances2 = 11

|tries2 = 0

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 0

|club3 = St. George Illawarra

|year3start = 2012

|year3end = 13

|appearances3 = 3

|tries3 = 0

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 0

|club4 = London Broncos

|year4start = 2014

|year4end =

|appearances4 = 23

|tries4 = 2

|goals4 = 0

|fieldgoals4 = 0

|points4 = 8

|club5 = St Helens

|year5start = 2015

|year5end = 16

|appearances5 = 40

|tries5 = 10

|goals5 = 0

|fieldgoals5 = 0

|points5 = 40

|club6 = Leigh Centurions

|year6start = 2017

|year6end =

|appearances6 = 27

|tries6 = 7

|goals6 = 0

|fieldgoals6 = 0

|points6 = 28

|teamA = Tonga

|yearAstart = 2009

|yearAend =

|appearancesA = 2

|triesA = 1

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 4

|source =[https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Atelea-Vea/ loverugbyleague][http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/atelea-vea/summary.html RLP][http://www.londonbroncosrl.com/rugby/fixturesandresults/squad_first_xiii.php London Official] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016201944/http://www.londonbroncosrl.com/rugby/fixturesandresults/squad_first_xiii.php |date=16 October 2014 }}

|updated = 4 March 2018

}}

Atelea Vea is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played for the Leigh Centurions in the Super League. He plays as a {{rlp|pr|lk}} or {{rlp|sr}} forward. He has previously played for the Melbourne Storm, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, St. George Illawarra and the London Broncos.

He made his first-grade début for the Sharks in 2009. He was selected to play for Tonga in the 2009 Pacific Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/player/v/vea_atelea/index.php|title=rleague.com profile|publisher=rleague.com|date=16 January 2010|accessdate=16 January 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113110246/http://www.rleague.com//db/player/v/vea_atelea/index.php|archivedate=13 January 2010|url-status=dead }}

Background

Vea was born in Sydney, Australia.

Playing career

=2009: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks=

Vea made his first-grade début for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks away to the Penrith Panthers, in a round 10 loss, a game in which he came on off the interchange bench.{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/content/84000/84765.php|title=Panthers 26–22 Sharks|publisher=rleague.com|date=16 May 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100103081312/http://rleague.com/db/content/84000/84765.php| archivedate= 3 January 2010 | url-status= live}} He then featured in the 26–4 loss at home to the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the next round, where he was again on the bench.{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/content/84000/84790.php|title=Sharks 4–26 Dragons|publisher=rleague.com|date=23 May 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100103083746/http://rleague.com/db/content/84000/84790.php| archivedate= 3 January 2010 | url-status= live}} His first start for the Cronulla side came when the side hit something of a run of form. He started out in the second-row in a narrow 13–10 win over the Parramatta Eels,{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/content/84000/84797.php|title=Eels 10–13 Sharks|publisher=rleague.com|date=30 May 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100103075845/http://rleague.com/db/content/84000/84797.php| archivedate= 3 January 2010 | url-status= live}} and he kept his starting place in wins over New Zealand Warriors (18–10),{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/content/84000/84836.php|title=Sharks 18–10 Warriors|publisher=rleague.com|date=7 June 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100103081940/http://rleague.com/db/content/84000/84836.php| archivedate= 3 January 2010 | url-status= live}} Canberra Raiders (24–22){{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/content/84000/84797.php|title=Raiders 22–24 Sharks|publisher=rleague.com|date=14 June 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100103075845/http://rleague.com/db/content/84000/84797.php| archivedate= 3 January 2010 | url-status= live}} and the thumping 46–16 thrashing of Brisbane Broncos,{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/content/84000/84857.php|title=Sharks 46–12 Broncos|publisher=rleague.com|date=22 June 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100103082909/http://rleague.com/db/content/84000/84857.php| archivedate= 3 January 2010 | url-status= live}} all of which were consecutive appearances. He was, in round 16 at the Sydney Roosters, shuffled to lock, where the Sharks lost their first game in four.{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/content/84000/84797.php|title=Roosters 19–12 Sharks|publisher=rleague.com|date=27 June 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100103075845/http://rleague.com/db/content/84000/84797.php| archivedate= 3 January 2010 | url-status= live}} He then had to wait another 10 rounds before being selected again, in the 26–24 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs.{{cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com/db/content/85000/85009.php|title=Sharks 24–26 Rabbitohs|publisher=rleague.com|date=5 September 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100103075044/http://rleague.com/db/content/85000/85009.php| archivedate= 3 January 2010 | url-status= live}}

=2010–11: Melbourne Storm=

Signed by the Melbourne Storm in July 2009 ahead of the 2010 NRL season,{{cite web |title=Storm signs Stanley, Vea |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-07-22/storm-signs-stanley-vea/1363296 |website=abc.net.au |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=30 June 2023 |date=22 July 2009}} Vea would have to bide his time in NSW Cup. He would return to NRL action in 2011, playing nine games for Melbourne, with all appearances of the bench. His performance in a losing effort in round 26 against the Sydney Roosters was praised by coach Craig Bellamy given the injury toll on the night.

=2012–13: St George-Illawarra=

He played for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in 2012 and 2013.

=2014: London=

He joined the London Broncos on 24 February 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.dragons.com.au/?s=article-display&id=44676 |title=Dragons Recruit Vea For 2012 |date=23 October 2011 |work=www.dragons.com.au |accessdate=23 October 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214149/http://www.dragons.com.au/?s=article-display&id=44676 |archivedate=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}

=2015-2016: St Helens=

In 2015, Vea joined St Helens where he made 40 appearances over two seasons.{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12204/10606280/leigh-centurions-sign-forward-atelea-vea-from-st-helens-on-two-year-contract/|title=Leigh Centurions sign forward Atelea Vea from St Helens on two-year contract|website=www.skysports.com}}

=2017: Leigh=

In 2017, Vea joined Leigh where he played 27 matches in the 2017 Super League season. Leigh would be relegated from the Super League after losing the Million Pound Game and Vea was released from his contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/leigh-sign-atelea-vea-st-11989917/|title=Leigh sign Atelea Vea from St Helens|website=www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk}}

Representative career

He made his international début for Tonga in a 44–14 defeat by Papua New Guinea, where Vea scored a try.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/png-thrash-tonga-to-reach-pacific-cup-final/story-e6frexnr-1225791088830|title=PNG 44–14 Tonga|publisher=Daily Telegraph|date=25 October 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010}} As Tonga did not progress to the final, Vea's next game was in the third/fourth place play-off loss to Fiji.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/fiji-beat-tonga-in-pacific-cup/story-e6frfgbo-1225793119996|title=Fiji 26–16 Tonga|publisher=Herald Sun|date=31 October 2009|accessdate=16 January 2010}}