Willie Tonga facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Willie Tonga

Personal information
Full name	Villiami Sione Tonga
Born	(1983-08-08) 8 August 1983 (age 41) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Playing information
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	100 kg (15 st 10 lb)
Position	Centre
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2002–03 Parramatta Eels 8 5 0 0 20 2004–08 Canterbury Bulldogs 81 37 0 0 148 2009–11 North Qld Cowboys 60 34 0 0 136 2012–14 Parramatta Eels 32 3 0 0 12 2015 Catalans Dragons 21 7 0 0 28 2016–17 Leigh Centurions 9 1 0 0 4 2017 Bradford Bulls 1 0 0 0 0 Total 212 87 0 0 348 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2004–11 Queensland 8 3 0 0 12 2004–11 Australia 12 8 0 0 32 2010 Prime Minister's XIII 1 1 0 0 4 2011 Indigenous All Stars 1 0 0 0 0
Relatives	Esi Tonga (brother)

Willie Tonga, born on August 8, 1983, is a former professional rugby league player from Australia. He was known for playing as a centre. Willie played for several teams during his career. These included the Parramatta Eels, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and the North Queensland Cowboys. He also played for the Catalans Dragons and the Leigh Centurions in the Super League. Willie Tonga represented both Australia and the Queensland State of Origin team. He won the 2004 NRL Premiership with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Early Life and Background

Willie Tonga's full name is Viliami Sione Tonga. He was born in Canberra, Australia, on August 8, 1983. Willie has both Aboriginal-Australian and Tongan heritage. His father, John Tonga, was an immigrant from Tonga. His mother, Maria Naden, is a Wiradjuri woman. Willie has a younger brother, Esi Tonga, who also became a professional rugby league player.

Growing Up and Playing Sports

Willie showed a talent for sports from a young age. While living in Peak Hill, New South Wales, he started playing rugby league. He played for the Cootamundra team. Later, his family moved to La Perouse in Sydney. There, Willie played rugby union for Matraville Sports High School. His family moved often because his parents worked for Aboriginal Inland Missionaries. They eventually settled in Cherbourg, Queensland, an Aboriginal community.

Rugby League Career Highlights

Willie Tonga had a successful career in rugby league. He played for several top clubs and represented his country.

Starting with Parramatta (2002–2003)

Willie Tonga was discovered by Arthur Beetson, a famous rugby league player. He then moved to the Parramatta area. He signed with the Parramatta Eels club. Willie played 8 games for the Eels over two seasons. After this, he decided to sign with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Success with Canterbury-Bankstown (2004–2008)

Willie's career really took off when he joined the Bulldogs in 2004. That year, he was chosen to play for the Queensland in the State of Origin series. This was a big achievement for him. He also won the Centre of the Year award, which is part of the Dally M Medal.

Willie played a key role for the Bulldogs in the 2004 NRL Grand Final. His team won the championship against the Sydney Roosters. After this, Willie was selected to play for the Australian team. He competed in the 2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament. In the final match against Great Britain, he scored two tries. Australia won the game 44–4.

In 2005, the Bulldogs played against the Leeds Rhinos in the 2005 World Club Challenge. Willie played at centre in this game. He was also part of the Australian team for the 2005 Tri-Nations series. In 2008, Willie signed a four-year contract with the North Queensland Cowboys. This move started in 2009. His last year at Canterbury-Bankstown saw him play only seven games.

Moving to North Queensland (2009–2011)

In April 2009, Willie Tonga was named in the squad for Queensland for the first State of Origin match. He played in Game II of the 2009 series. He also played in the third match.

In 2010, Willie played in all three Origin matches for Queensland. At the end of that season, he represented Australia again. This was his first time playing for Australia in five years. He played in the 2010 Four Nations tournament. After dealing with some injuries, Willie announced in 2011 that he would return to the Parramatta Eels.

Back with Parramatta (2012–2014)

Willie's return to the Parramatta Eels was affected by injuries. He played 12 games in 2012. In 2013, he injured his back during a trial match. This kept him out of the game for a while. Willie returned to play towards the end of the 2013 NRL season. He made four appearances that year.

He later signed another contract with Parramatta until the end of the 2015 NRL season. In the 2014 NRL season, Willie played 16 games. The team just missed out on making the finals that year.

Friendship and Support

In late 2013, it was shared that Willie's good friend, Reni Maitua, was going through a very difficult time. Willie showed great support for his friend. One night, he received a worrying call from Reni's sister. Willie quickly went to Reni's home to help him. Willie believes his quick action made a huge difference. Willie and Reni later shared their story on the NRL Footy Show. They wanted to help others understand the importance of supporting friends who are struggling.

Playing in the Super League (2015–2017)

On July 9, 2014, it was confirmed that Willie Tonga had signed a contract. He would play for the Super League club, the Catalans Dragons, starting in 2015.

He made his Super League debut in the first round against St. Helens. He scored his first Super League try in round 3 against the Warrington Wolves.