Junior Roqica
{{short description|Fiji international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Junior Roqica
|image = Junior Roqica London Broncos.jpg
|imagesize =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|2|13}}
|birth_place = Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia{{cite web|url=http://rleague.com/players/Junior-Roqica_2007/|title=Junior Roqica player results, scores, news and statistics|access-date=26 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528005715/http://rleague.com/players/Junior-Roqica_2007/|archive-date=28 May 2014 }}
|height = {{convert|6|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|110|kg|stlb|abbr=on|order=flip}}
|position = {{rlp|PR|SR}}
|club1 = {{nowrap|Cronulla Sharks}}
|year1start = 2014
|year1end =
|appearances1 = 6
|tries1 = 0
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 0
|club2 = London Broncos
|year2start = 2017
|year2end =
|appearances2 = 20
|tries2 = 5
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 20
|teamA = Fiji
|yearAstart = 2013
|yearAend = 19
|appearancesA = 15
|triesA = 1
|goalsA = 1
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 6
| teamB = {{nowrap|Fiji Prime Minister's XIII}}
| yearBstart = 2019
| yearBend =
| appearancesB = 1
| triesB = 0
| goalsB = 0
| fieldgoalsB = 0
| pointsB = 0
|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/vitale-junior-roqica/summary.html|title=Junior Roqica – Career Stats & Summary|publisher=Rugby League Project}}[https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Junior-Roqica/ loverugbyleague]
|updated = 10 November 2023
}}
Vitale Junior Roqica (born 13 February 1991) is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|pr}} or {{rlp|sr}} forward.
He played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL and the London Broncos in the Championship, and was contracted to the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League.
Early life
Roqica was born in Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia and is of Fijian descent.{{cite web|last=Kumar|first=Rashneel|date=13 October 2008|title=Young Roqica, the new name in league|url=http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=103335|publisher=Fiji Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825200523/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=103335|archive-date=25 August 2012}} He played his junior football for the Concord Burwood Wolves and Holy Cross Rhinos, while participating in the Balmain Tigers development program before being signed by the Wests Tigers.
Playing career
=Wests Tigers=
Roqica played for the Wests Tigers' NYC team from 2008 to 2011.{{cite web|url=http://rleague.com/players/Junior-Roqica_2007/Stats/|title=Junior Roqica player results, scores, news and statistics|access-date=26 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528005334/http://rleague.com/players/Junior-Roqica_2007/Stats/|archive-date=28 May 2014 }}
=Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs=
In 2012, Roqica joined the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
He failed to play a game in the NRL for Canterbury-Bankstown, but featured in their NSW Cup side.{{cite web|url=http://www.bulldogs.com.au/news/2012/03/13/pritchard-returns-for-trip-over-tasman.html|title=Pritchard Returns for Trip Over Tasman|publisher=Bulldogs|date=13 March 2012|access-date=4 July 2017}}
=Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks=
In 2013, Roqica joined the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
In Round 11 of the 2014 NRL season, Roqica made his NRL début for Cronulla-Sutherland against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/updated-team-lists-round-11/tabid/10874/newsid/78594/default.aspx|title=Updated Team Lists: Round 11|date=26 May 2014 |publisher=National Rugby League|access-date=2016-03-28}}
Whilst contracted to Cronulla-Sutherland, Roqica spent most of playing time on the field for the Newtown club, playing in the NSW Cup and the rebranded Intrust Super Premiership NSW.{{cite web|url=http://www.newtownjets.com/newtown-jets-continue-to-contribute-to-top-level-rugby-league-representative-ranks/|title=Newtown Jets continue to contribute to top-level Rugby League representative ranks|date=3 May 2016 |publisher=Newtown Jets|access-date=4 July 2017}}
=London Broncos=
Representative career
Roqica played for the New South Wales Catholic Colleges team when he was 17.{{cite news|work=Weekly Times|title=Sports News|author=Chris Karas|url=http://www.weeklytimes.com.au/2008/07_july/23_07_08/sports.html|access-date=29 March 2011|date=23 July 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403132602/http://www.weeklytimes.com.au/2008/07_july/23_07_08/sports.html|archive-date=3 April 2011}}
In 2009, Roqica played for the Australian schoolboys.{{cite web|title=Junior Roqica |url=http://www.weststigers.com.au/default.aspx?s=player-profile-display&id=4164&player=junior-roqica&team=Wests+Tigers |access-date=26 May 2011 |publisher=weststigers.com.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323042631/http://www.weststigers.com.au/default.aspx?s=player-profile-display&id=4164&player=junior-roqica&team=Wests+Tigers |archive-date=23 March 2012 }}
In 2013, Roqica was named in the Fiji squad for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. He made his international début against Ireland.{{cite web|url=http://fijilive.com/sports/news/2013/09/civoniceva-wes-naiqama-to-lead-fiji-bati/32752.Fijilive |title=Civoniceva, Wes Naiqama to lead Fiji Bati |publisher=Fijilive.com |date=2013-09-19 |access-date=2016-03-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054057/http://fijilive.com/sports/news/2013/09/civoniceva-wes-naiqama-to-lead-fiji-bati/32752.Fijilive |archive-date= 4 March 2016 }} He scored the decisive try in Fiji's quarter-final victory over Samoa.
In May 2014, Roqica played for Fiji in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International.
On 7 May 2016, Roqica played for Fiji against Papua New Guinea in the 2016 Melanesian Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/png-stuns-fiji-in-a-thriller/tabid/10874/newsid/95678/default.aspx|title=PNG stuns Fiji in a thriller|date=7 May 2016 |publisher=National Rugby League|access-date=7 May 2016}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://londonbroncosrl.com/players/junior-roqica/ London Broncos profile]
- [http://www.sharks.com.au/team/profiles/junior-roqica.html 2014 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks profile]
- [http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/4/playerid/6094/seasonid/42/default.aspx NRL profile]
- [http://websites.sportstg.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194435496&client=1-8908-125905-356573-23021711 Player Statistics]
- [http://www.rlwc2017.com/players?team=382#Junior-Roqica 2017 RLWC profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171105170435/http://www.rlwc2017.com/players?team=382#Junior-Roqica |date=5 November 2017 }}
{{Fiji 2013 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{Fiji 2017 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roqica, Junior}}
Category:Australian people of I-Taukei Fijian descent
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers players
Category:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players
Category:Fiji national rugby league team players
Category:Fiji Prime Minister's XIII players
Category:Lakes United Seagulls players
Category:London Broncos players
Category:Rugby league players from Sydney