Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e
{{Short description|Australian rugby league player (b.2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name = Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e
| fullname =
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|4|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| retired = no
| position = {{rlp|FB|WG}}
| club1 = Keighley Cougars
| year1start = 2021
| year1end =
| appearances1 = 12
| tries1 = 5
| goals1 = 0
| fieldgoals1 = 0
| points1 = 20
| club2 = {{nowrap|Hull Kingston Rovers}}
| year2start = 2022
| year2end = present
| appearances2 = 9
| tries2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| fieldgoals2 = 0
| points2 = 0
| club3 = {{nowrap|→ Dewsbury Rams}}
| year3start = 2022({{Abbrlink|DR|Rugby league dual registration|dual registration}})
| year3end =
| appearances3 = 2
| tries3 = 1
| goals3 = 0
| fieldgoals3 = 0
| points3 = 4
| club4 = {{nowrap|→ Rochdale Hornets}}
| year4start = 2022({{Abbrlink|Loan|Loan (sports)|loan}})
| year4end =
| appearances4 = 1
| tries4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| fieldgoals4 = 0
| points4 = 0
| club5 = {{nowrap|→ Keighley Cougars}}
| year5start = 2023({{Abbrlink|Loan|Loan (sports)|loan}})
| year5end =
| appearances5 = 4
| tries5 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| fieldgoals5 = 0
| points5 = 0
| club6 = {{nowrap|→ Oldham}}
| year6start = 2024 {{small|(loan)}}
| year6end =
| appearances6 = 18
| tries6 = 15
| goals6 = 0
| fieldgoals6 = 0
| points6 = 60
| club7 = {{nowrap|→ Oldham}}
| year7start = 2025 {{small|(loan)}}
| year7end =
| appearances7 = 2
| tries7 = 0
| goals7 = 0
| fieldgoals7 = 0
| points7 = 0
| source = [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/phoenix-laulu-togaga--e/summary.html Rugby League Project]{{Rugby league records|id=8398|access-date=24 July 2022}}
| updated = 24 February 2025
| module = {{infobox person
| embed = yes
| father = Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e
| mother =
| spouse =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| relatives =
}}
}}
Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e (born 16 April 2003){{cite book |editor1-last=Butcher |editor1-first=Tim |editor2-last=Spencer |editor2-first=Daniel |title=Rugby League Yearbook 2021-2022 |date=2021 |isbn=978-190134740-1 |page=282|publisher=LEAGUE PUBLICATIONS Limited }} is a rugby league footballer who plays at {{rlp|fb}} or on the {{rlp|wg}} for Oldham RLFC in the RFL Championship, on loan from Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League.
Background
Laulu-Togaga'e was born in Brisbane, Australia but moved to the United Kingdom when he was seven.{{cite news |last1=Davidson |first1=John |title=Hull KR's Phoenix Laulu-Togagae sets sights on Super League breakthrough |url=https://www.totalrl.com/hull-krs-phoenix-laulu-togagae-sets-sights-on-super-league-breakthrough/ |access-date=26 February 2022 |work=TotalRL.com |date=19 December 2021}} He is the son of Samoan international rugby league player, Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e. At school, Laulu-Togaga'e played rugby union at school and was member of the academy side at Leicester Tigers.
Playing career
=Keighley Cougars=
Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e played for Keighley Cougars and with the Tigers' academy side suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Laulu-Togaga'e was invited to train with Keighley Cougars. Keighley were impressed with Phoenix and in March 2021 the club signed him on a one-year contract. After playing in a pre-season game, Laulu-Togaga'e made his professional debut for Keighley against West Wales Raiders on 13 June 2021.{{cite news |last1=Messenger |first1=James |title=League 1 round-up: Six wins from six for Barrow, father-son duo combine for Keighley & tries galore for Hunslet and Doncaster |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/league-1-round-up-six-wins-from-six-for-barrow-father-son-duo-combine-for-keighley-tries-galore-for-hunslet-and-doncaster/ |access-date=26 February 2022 |work=LoveRugbyLeague |date=13 June 2021}} His father played in the same match and when Phoenix came on as an interchange player they became the first instance of father and son playing in the same professional match since 2013 and only the third father-son pairing ever.{{efn|The last father-son pairing were Brad Hepi and Tyla Hepi for Gloucestershire All Golds, while the only other recorded instance was in 1924 when Ed "Tedda" Courtney and his son Ed Jr. played for Western Suburbs Magpies.{{cite web |title=This Leicester Tigers youngster just played professional Rugby alongside his Dad! |url=https://www.ruck.co.uk/this-leicester-tigers-youngster-just-played-professional-rugby-alongside-his-dad/ |website=Ruck |access-date=26 February 2022 |date=18 March 2021}} A fourth father-son pairing occurred in 2022 when George Flanagan and George Jr appeared for Bradford Bulls.{{cite news |title=Like father, like son for Bulls' Flanagans |url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportlatest/20288939.george-flanagan-hails-sons-bradford-bulls-debut/ |access-date=24 July 2022 |work=Bradford Telegraph and Argus |date=20 July 2022}}}}{{cite news |last1=Heppenstall |first1=Ross |title=Like father like son as family play in same Keighley Cougars team and score |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/father-and-son-keighley-cougars-20811737 |access-date=26 February 2022 |work=YorkshireLive |date=14 June 2021}}
=Hull KR=
After playing a handful of games for Keighley, Laulu-Togaga'e was spotted by Super League side, Hull Kingston Rovers, and was signed on a two-year contract in August 2021 but was loaned back to Keighley for the remainder of the 2021 season{{cite news |title=Hull KR snap up Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/hull-kr-snap-up-phoenix-laulu-togagae/ |access-date=26 February 2022 |work=LoveRugbyLeague |date=11 August 2021}}
At the end of the 2021 season Laulu-Togaga'e had made 12 appearances for Keighley, scoring five tries and won the Rugby Football League's League 1 Young Player of the Year award{{cite news |last1=O'Brien |first1=James |title=Lachlan Coote shares first impressions of Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e |url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/lachlan-coote-phoenix-laulutogagae-impressions-6338728 |work=HullLive |date=13 December 2021}}
Laulu-Togaga'e made his Super League debut for Hull Kingston Rovers on 25 February 2022, as an interchange player during Rover's 26–10 victory over Castleford Tigers.{{cite news |last1=McAllister |first1=Josh |title=Hull KR 26-10 Castleford: Robins claim first win of 2022 – talking points |url=https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/hull-kr-26-10-castleford-214700047.html |access-date=26 February 2022 |work=uk.sports.yahoo.com |date=25 February 2022}}
=Dewsbury Rams (loan)=
The following week he appeared for Championship side Dewsbury Rams with whom Hull Kingston Rovers have a dual registration agreement for the 2022 season.{{cite news |last1=Hughes |first1=Steven |title=Hull KR announce dual registration partners |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/hull-kr-announce-dual-registration-partners/ |access-date=7 March 2022 |work=LoveRugbyLeague |date=19 November 2021}}{{cite news |last1=O'Brien |first1=James |title='I'd love to play' - Milnes discusses Hull KR chances after Dewsbury outing |url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/rowan-milnes-hull-kr-dewsbury-6762662 |access-date=7 March 2022 |work=HullLive |date=7 March 2022}}
=Rochdale Hornets (loan)=
Laulu-Togaga'e also had a period on loan at Rochdale Hornets in 2022.{{cite news |last1=Darbyshire |first1=Drew |title=Hull KR youngster Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e heads to League 1 |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/hull-kr-youngster-phoenix-laulu-togagae-heads-to-league-1/ |access-date=24 July 2022 |work=LoveRugbyLeague |date=13 May 2022}}
=Oldham R.L.F.C. (loan)=
On 15 March 2024 it was reported that he had signed for Oldham R.L.F.C. in the RFL League 1 on season-long loan{{cite web|website=Love Rugby League|date=15 March 2024|author=Drew Darbyshire|title=Hull KR starlet Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e makes season-long loan move to League 1|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/hull-kr-starlet-phoenix-laulu-togagae-loan-oldham-rlfc-league-1}}
On 17 October 2024 it was reported that he would extend his loan period remaining at Oldham RLFC for the duration of the 2025 season{{cite web|website=The Oldham Times|date=17 Oct 2024|author=Kasey Smith|title=Phoenix set to continue his rise at Oldham next year|url=https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/sport/24654290.phoenix-set-continue-rise-oldham-next-year/}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Oldham RLFC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laulu-Togaga'e, Phoenix}}
Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen
Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Dewsbury Rams players
Category:Hull Kingston Rovers players
Category:Keighley Cougars players
Category:Oldham R.L.F.C. players
Category:Rochdale Hornets players
Category:Rugby league players from Brisbane