Eloni Vunakece
Personal information
Born (1987-05-27) 27 May 1987
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight102 kg (16 st 1 lb)
PositionProp
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2011–14 Toulouse Olympique 41 8 0 0 32
2016 Sydney Roosters 9 0 0 0 0
Total 50 8 0 0 32
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2013–17 Fiji 15 3 0 0 12
Source: [1][2]

Eloni Vunakece (born 27 May 1987) is a former Fiji international rugby league footballer who played as a prop for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL. He also played for Toulouse Olympique in the French Elite One Championship.

Background

Vunakece was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia to a Fijian father, Meli, from Tavua and an Australian mother Julie Young from St Arnaud, Victoria.[3][4] He played his junior rugby league for the Holy Cross Rhinos and Leichhardt Wanderers, before being signed by the Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers.

Vunakece is married with four children.[5]

Playing career

Early career

From 2006 to 2011, Vunakece played for the Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers,[6][7][8][9][10][11] while also having a stint with the Western Suburbs Magpies New South Wales Cup side in 2011.[12] In September 2011, he signed a 1-year contract with French team Toulouse Olympique in the Elite One Championship.[13] In 2012, he re-signed with Toulouse on a 1-year contract.[14][15]

Vunakece playing for the Wyong Roos in 2013

2013

In April, Vunakece played in two games for Toulouse in the 2013 Challenge Cup, scoring 2 tries.[16] At the conclusion of the 2012/2013 Elite One Championship season, he returned to Australia to play with the Wyong Roos in the New South Wales Cup.[17] In October and November, he played 5 games for Fiji in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, scoring 1 try.[18][19]

2015

On 2 May, Vunakece played for Fiji against Papua New Guinea in the 2015 Melanesian Cup.[20] At the end of the 2015 season, he got the chance to join the Sydney Roosters first-grade squad for the 2016 pre-season.[21]

2016

In round 4 of the 2016 NRL season, Vunakece made his NRL debut for the Sydney Roosters against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.[22][23] On 7 May, he again played for Fiji against Papua New Guinea in the 2016 Melanesian Cup, where he played at lock and scored a try.[24] In September, he was named at prop in the 2016 Intrust Super Premiership NSW Team of the Year.[25]

2017

On 28 August 2017, Vunakece was named at Prop in the 2017 Intrust Super Premiership NSW team of the year.[26]

Post rugby league and Reality TV

In September 2018, Vunakece announced his retirement from rugby league. He has been working for the council as a garbage collector and also doing some modelling. He also donated his brain, currently as a living participant in post-concussion cognitive research. Vunakece competed in the Australian Ninja Warrior (season 3).[27] He returned in seasons 4 and 5.

Vunakece will appear as a contestant on the sixth season of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia.[28]

References

  1. ↑ "Eloni Vunakece - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project.
  2. ↑ itsrugby
  3. ↑ "Why I do this?". Fiji Times. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "Vunakece eyes RLWC spot in Bati outfit - Fiji Times Online". Fijitimes.com. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  5. ↑ "Australian Ninja Warrior 2020: Eloni Vunakece". 9now.nine.com.au. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  6. ↑ "2007 Jersey Flegg Gains and Losses - The Front Row Forum :: Rugby League". Forums.leagueunlimited.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Big win for Bati - The Front Row Forum :: Rugby League". Forums.leagueunlimited.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  8. ↑ "News & Star | Sport | Town | Ex-Workington ace James Pickering set to line up for Fijians against his old club". Newsandstar.co.uk. 29 November 2008. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-26.
  9. ↑ "ELONI VUNAKECE | Flickr - Photo Sharing!". Flickr. 23 May 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  10. ↑ J. "Eloni Vunakece | Procarlos Sports Photography". Procarlos.photoshelter.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  11. ↑ "Eloni Vunakece | Procarlos Sports Photography". Procarlos.photoshelter.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  12. ↑ "ELONI VUNAKECE | Flickr - Photo Sharing!". Flickr. 12 March 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  13. ↑ "Un pilier expérimenté s'engage au TO | Toulouse Olympique XIII". To13.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  14. ↑ Thomas Sartorel (3 December 2013). "Eloni VUNAKECE de retour à Toulouse | Toulouse Olympique XIII". To13.com. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "Baby boost for Vunakece". French Footy. 1 November 2012. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  16. ↑ "Custom Match List". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  17. ↑ "VB NSW Cup rd #23 preview - Auckland vs. Wyong - AUCKLAND VULCANS". Fox Sports Pulse. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  18. ↑ "Custom Match List". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  19. ↑ "Civoniceva, Wes Naiqama to lead Fiji Bati". Fijilive.com. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2015-12-26.
  20. ↑ "Representative Round team lists". NRL.com. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  21. ↑ "Eloni Vunakece". Roosters.com.au. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  22. ↑ "UPDATED: NRL team lists: Round 4". NRL.com. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  23. ↑ NRL (26 March 2016). "NRL Late Mail | Round 4". Roosters. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  24. ↑ "PNG stuns Fiji in a thriller". nrl.com. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  25. ↑ NSWRL.com.au (26 March 2016). "2016 Intrust Super Cup Team of the Year". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  26. ↑ "2017 Team of the Year | ISP NSW". 28 August 2017.
  27. ↑ "NRL: Retired Roosters player Eloni Vunakece to Ninja Warrior". Wide World of Sports. 8 July 2019.
  28. ↑ Knox, David (22 May 2022). "Celebrity Apprentice 2022: Meet the Cast". TV Tonight. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
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