Junior Tupou
{{Short description|NZ rugby league player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Junior Tupou
|fullname = Junior Tupou
|image = Junior Tupou.jpg
|image_size =
|position = {{rlp|WG|CE}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2002|7|29}}
|birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand
|height = {{convert|190|cm|ftin|abbr=on|order=flip}}
|weight = {{convert|97|kg|stlb|abbr=on|order=flip}}
|club1 = Wests Tigers
|year1start = 2022
|year1end = 24
|appearances1 = 34
|tries1 = 10
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 40
|club2 = Dolphins
|year2start = 2025
|year2end = present
|appearances2 = 3
|tries2 = 0
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 0
|new = yes
|source = [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/junior-tupou/summary.html Rugby League Project]
|updated = 13 March 2025
}}
Junior Tupou (born 29 July 2002) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|wg}}er for the Dolphins in the National Rugby League (NRL). He previously played for the Wests Tigers.
Background
Tupou was born in New Zealand and raised in Canberra, playing both codes of rugby football.{{cite web|url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/wests-tigers-sign-junior-tupou-first-grade-selection-the-mole/89262d9a-cb65-4895-b50b-d7c710e7815b |title=Tigers young gun Junior Tupou to push for first grade selection |publisher=9 Wide World of Sports |date=30 November 2021}} He attended St. Edmund's College, where he represented the school's 1st XV at the age of 15.
Career
= Wests Tigers (2022-24)=
Tupou made his debut in Round 10 of the 2022 NRL season (Magic Round) for the Tigers against the North Queensland Cowboys, scoring a try in the 13th minute.{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/nrl/tigers-cop-brooks-blow-hastings-abused-by-crowd-as-cowboys-run-rampant-20220515-p5alic.html |title=Tigers cop Brooks blow, Hasting abused by crowd as Cowboys run rampant |publisher=The Age |first=Dan |last=Walsh |date=15 May 2022}}
Tupou played only four games for the Wests Tigers as the club finished bottom of the table and claimed the Wooden Spoon for the first time.{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-04/nrl-knights-sharks-tigers-raiders/101402294/|title=Canberra Raiders hand out 56-10 NRL drubbing to Wests Tigers as Cronulla beats Newcastle Knights 38-16|newspaper=ABC News|date=4 September 2022 }}
In round 21 of the 2023 NRL season, Tupou scored two tries for the Wests Tigers in their 18-14 loss against St. George Illawarra. Before the game, the match was dubbed the "Spoon Bowl" by some media outlets due to the Wests Tigers being bottom of the table and St. George Illawarra sitting in second last position.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/tigers-on-cusp-of-wooden-spoon-after-dragons-win-battle-of-the-desperates-20230720-p5dpxg.html/|title=Tigers on cusp of wooden spoon after Dragons win battle of the desperates|website=www.smh.com.au|date=20 July 2023 }}
Tupou was the leader for line breaks at the Wests Tigers in 2023, with 17, ranking him 19th in the entire competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/stats/players/?competition=111&season=2023&stat=30|title=Line breaks|website=nrl.com}} He was also 25th in the NRL for tackle breaks, again best for the Tigers.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/stats/players/?competition=111&season=2023&stat=29|title=Tackle breaks|website=nrl.com}}
Tupou played a total of 22 games for the Wests Tigers in the 2023 NRL season and scored six tries as the club finished with the wooden spoon for a second straight year.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-wests-tigers-season-in-review-tigers-brutal-review-tim-sheens-benji-marshall-coach-justin-pascoe-wooden-spoon/news-story/d1ae7fb41d93ea7dc29173a824cac5a1/|title='Circus act' that summed up year from hell... and big call left for Benji: Wests Tigers Brutal Review|website=www.foxsports.com.au|date=5 September 2023 }}
= Dolphins (2025-)=
On 22 December 2023, it was announced that Tupou had signed a three-year deal with the Dolphins from the 2025 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.dolphinsnrl.com.au/news/2023/12/22/tupou-to-join-dolphins-from-2025/ |title=Tupou to join Dolphins from 2025 |website=www.dolphinsnrl.com.au |date=22 December 2023 |access-date=22 December 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/01/01/2023-nrl-signings-tracker-latest-signings-news-details-contracts-signings-updates/ |title=2024 NRL Signings Tracker: Tupou to Dolphins; Sharks land Fonua-Blake |website=www.nrl.com |date=22 December 2023 |access-date=22 December 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.weststigers.com.au/teams/nrl-premiership/wests-tigers/junior-tupou/ Wests Tigers profile]
{{Dolphins squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tupou, Junior}}
Category:New Zealand rugby league players
Category:New Zealand sportspeople of Tongan descent
Category:Rugby league players from Auckland
Category:Western Suburbs Magpies NSW Cup players