Sio Siua Taukeiaho
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2022}}
{{short description|NZ & Tonga international rugby league footballer}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Sio Siua Taukeiaho
|fullname = Sio Siua Taukei'aho
|image = Siosiua Taukeiaho.jpg
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1992|1|3}}
|birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand
|height = {{convert|186|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|108|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|position = {{rlp|PR|LK|SR}}
|club1 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}}
|year1start = 2013
|year1end =
|appearances1 = 1
|tries1 = 0
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 0
|club2 = Sydney Roosters
|year2start = 2014
|year2end = 22
|appearances2 = 169
|tries2 = 13
|goals2 = 63
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 178
|club3 = Catalans Dragons
|year3start = 2023
|year3end = 24
|appearances3 = 10
|tries3 = 1
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 0
|points3 = 4
|club4 = {{nowrap|Manly Sea Eagles}}
|year4start = 2025
|year4end = present
|appearances4 = 10
|tries4 = 0
|fieldgoals4 = 0
|goals4 = 0
|points4 = 0
|teamA = Tonga
|yearAstart = 2015
|yearAend = 22
|appearancesA = 15
|triesA = 2
|goalsA = 26
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 60
|teamB = {{nowrap|New Zealand}}
|yearBstart = 2015
|yearBend =
|appearancesB = 1
|triesB = 0
|goalsB = 0
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 0
|retired =
|updated = 13 June 2025
}}
Sio Siua Taukeiaho (born 3 January 1992) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|pr}} or {{rlp|lf}} for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the NRL. He plays for Tonga and played for New Zealand at international level.
He previously played for the Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL). He won back-to-back NRL premierships with the Roosters in 2018 and 2019.
Background
Taukeiaho was born in Ōtara, South Auckland, New Zealand.{{cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/rooster-sio-siua-taukeiaho-now-causing-the-right-kind-of-trouble-for-opponents-20150327-1m9iqm.html |title=Rooster Sio Siua Taukeiaho now causing the right kind of trouble for opponents |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |date=28 March 2015 |access-date=11 December 2022}}
Playing career
=New Zealand Warriors=
Taukeiaho is of Tongan descent and played for the Otara Scorpions in 2010 before being signed by the New Zealand Warriors.{{cite web |url=http://m.thewarriors.com.au/team-player-profile/Sio%20Siua%20Taukeiaho/5181 |title=Team - Player Profile |website=m.thewarriors.com.au |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130907052955/http://m.thewarriors.com.au/team-player-profile/Sio%20Siua%20Taukeiaho/5181 |archive-date=7 September 2013 |url-status=dead}}
He played in the 2011 Toyota Cup winning Junior Warriors and was named in the Junior Kiwis that year.{{cite web |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1110/S00233/junior-kiwis-fielding-huge-line-up.htm |title=Junior Kiwis Fielding Huge Line-up |publisher=Scoop |date=16 October 2011 |access-date=31 May 2022}}
He made his first grade debut in round 26 against the St. George Illawarra Dragons on 7 September 2013.{{cite web |url=https://www.roosters.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/sydney-roosters/sio-siua-taukeiaho/ |title= Siosiua Taukeiaho |publisher=Roosters |access-date=31 May 2022}}
At the end of the 2013 season he requested, and was granted, his release from the Warriors.{{cite web|url=http://www.warriors.co.nz/news-display/Taukeiaho-granted-early-release/85119|title=Taukeiaho granted early release|access-date=4 February 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002070421/http://www.warriors.co.nz/news-display/Taukeiaho-granted-early-release/85119|archive-date=2 October 2013 }} Taukeiaho would then tweet on 27 September 2013 that he signed with the Roosters for two years.{{cite web|last=Taukeiaho|first=Sio Siua|title=SIO SIUA TAUKEIAHO MOVES TO THE ROOSTERS|url=https://twitter.com/SiuaSiua/status/383524799387275264|work=Twitter|publisher=Sio Siua Taukeiaho|access-date=29 October 2013}}
=Sydney Roosters=
Taukeiaho came into the 2015 NRL season as the Roosters' replacement for the departed Sonny Bill Williams. Taukeiaho was a surprise inclusion on the interchange to start the 2015 season, his great early form cemented his spot as he went on to play every game of the season, scoring 2 tries.{{cite news|author1=Mark Ashton|title=Young Kiwi attacks Warriors|url=http://www.sportal.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/young-kiwi-attacks-warriors-sio-siua-taukeiaho-sydney-roosters-new-zealand-warriors-nrl/pwp5b23g6sra18f1g8vtbdqaw|access-date=31 August 2015|work=Sportal|date=31 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150902113705/http://www.sportal.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/young-kiwi-attacks-warriors-sio-siua-taukeiaho-sydney-roosters-new-zealand-warriors-nrl/pwp5b23g6sra18f1g8vtbdqaw|archive-date=2 September 2015|url-status=dead}}
On 30 September 2018, Taukeiaho played in Eastern Suburbs 21–6 victory over Melbourne in the 2018 NRL grand final.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/sep/30/roosters-run-riot-to-deny-nrl-grand-final-repeat-for-the-storm|title=Roosters run riot to deny NRL grand final repeat for the Storm|website=TheGuardian.com|date=30 September 2018}}
Taukeiaho made a total of 20 appearances for the Sydney Roosters in the 2019 NRL season as the club finished second on the table and qualified for the finals. Taukeiaho played from the bench in the 2019 NRL Grand Final as the Sydney Roosters won their second consecutive premiership defeating Canberra 14–8 at ANZ Stadium.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-grand-final-player-ratings-roosters-and-raiders-hits-and-misses-20191006-p52y53.html/|title=NRL grand final player ratings: Roosters and Raiders hits and misses|website=SMH|date=6 October 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/49950757/|title=Sydney Roosters beat Canberra Raiders to win NRL Grand Final|work=BBC Sport}}
He played a total of 21 games for the Sydney Roosters in the 2021 NRL season including the club's two finals matches. The Sydney Roosters would be eliminated from the second week of the finals losing to Manly 42-6.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/09/16/they-dont-rate-us-how-injury-toll-eased-pressure-for-revitalised-roosters/|title='They don't rate us': How injury toll eased pressure for revitalised Roosters|website=www.nrl.com|date=16 September 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-17/nrl-manly-sea-eagles-defeat-sydney-roosters-in-semi-final/100472900/|title=Manly Sea Eagles hammer Sydney Roosters 42-6 to advance to NRL preliminary finals|newspaper=ABC News|date=17 September 2021}}
=Catalans Dragons=
On 14 October 2023, Taukeiaho played in Catalans 2023 Super League Grand Final loss against Wigan.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/oct/14/catalans-dragons-wigan-super-league-grand-final-rugby-league-match-report/|title=Wigan Warriors crowned Super League champions after downing Dragons|website=www.theguardian.com}}
On 12 July 2024, it was announced that Catalans Dragons had terminated his contract, along with two other players namely Jayden Nikorima and Damel Diakhate, for being "...involved in an incident deemed to be ‘highly unacceptable’ by the French club and contrary to their values..."{{cite web|website=Love Rugby League|date=12 Jul 2024|title=Catalans Dragons terminate contracts of three players including high-profile duo after ‘incident’|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/catalans-dragons-terminate-contracts-of-three-players}}
After his release from Catalans, Taukeiaho attempted to sign with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs but the request was blocked by the NRL for the rest of the season.{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Callum |date=2024-07-25 |title=Club blocked from signing sacked Catalans Dragons veteran Siosiua Taukeiaho |url=https://www.totalrl.com/club-blocked-from-signing-sacked-catalans-dragons-veteran-siosiua-taukeiaho/ |access-date=2024-07-25 |website=Total Rugby League |language=en-US}}
= Manly Warringah Sea Eagles =
On 8 November 2024, Taukeiaho signed a one year deal with Manly for the 2025 NRL season.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-08 |title=Manly sign former Roosters premiership winner; Eels release Gutherson — Transfer Centre |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2024-transfer-centre-parramatta-eels-release-clint-gutherson-st-george-illawarra-dragons-contracts/news-story/13079997e0b65a2fdb3f304b6a568718 |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=Fox Sports |language=en}}
=International=
Taukeiaho played for Tonga against Papua New Guinea in an end of year test match in the PNG while on 2 May 2015 in the Gold Coast, he played for Tonga in their Polynesian Cup clash with Pacific rivals Samoa.{{cite web |url=https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2015/04/26/taukeiaho--langi-named-in-tonga-squad/ |title=Taukeiaho & Langi Named In Tonga Squad |publisher=Roosters |date=26 April 2015 |access-date=11 December 2022}}
On 2 November 2019, Taukeiaho captained Tonga against Australia as they went on to win 16–12, causing one of the biggest upsets in international rugby league history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/draw/internationals/2019/round-3/tonga-v-australia/|title = Tonga Invitational v Australia}}
Statistics
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Team !Games !Tries !Goals !Pts |
| 2013
|{{Leagueicon|Auckland|16}} New Zealand Warriors |1 | | | |
| 2015
| rowspan="8" |{{Leagueicon|Sydney|16}} Sydney Roosters |27 |2 | |8 |
| 2016
|20 |1 |27 |58 |
| 2017
|17 |1 |3 |10 |
| 2018
|24 |1 |5 |14 |
| 2019
|21 |5 |3 |26 |
| 2020
|20 |1 |3 |10 |
| 2021
|21 | |22 |44 |
| 2022
|18 |2 | |8 |
| 2023
|{{leagueicon|Catalans|16}} Catalans Dragons |10 |1 | |4 |
| 2025
|{{leagueicon|Manly|size=16}} Manly Warringah Sea Eagles |6 | | | |
| |Totals
|180 |14 |63 |182 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.roosters.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/sydney-roosters/sio-siua-taukeiaho/ Sydney Roosters profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150713215014/http://www.roosters.com.au/team/profiles/siosiua_taukeiaho.html Roosters profile]
- [http://www.rlwc2017.com/players?team=384#Sio-Siua-Taukeiaho 2017 RLWC profile]
{{Manly Sea Eagles squad}}
{{Navboxes|list1={{Sydney Roosters squad - 2018 NRL premiers}}{{Sydney Roosters - 2019 World Club Challenge winners}}{{Sydney Roosters squad - 2019 NRL Grand Final winners}}{{Sydney Roosters - 2020 World Club Challenge winners}}|bg=#000080|fg=white|bordercolor=red|title=Sydney Roosters squads}}
{{Tonga 2017 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{Tonga 2021 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{2017 RLWC Team of the Tournament}}
{{New Zealand Warriors squad - 2011 NYC premiers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taukeiaho, Sio Siua}}
Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen
Category:Auckland rugby league team players
Category:Catalans Dragons players
Category:Manly Warringah Sea Eagles players
Category:New Zealand national rugby league team players
Category:New Zealand sportspeople of Tongan descent
Category:New Zealand rugby league players
Category:New Zealand Warriors players
Category:Otara Scorpions players
Category:Rugby league players from Auckland
Category:Rugby league second-rows
Category:Sydney Roosters players
Category:Tonga national rugby league team captains