Starford To'a
Personal information
Born (2000-06-23) 23 June 2000
Auckland, New Zealand
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight97 kg (15 st 4 lb)
Playing information
PositionCentre, Wing, Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2019–21 Newcastle Knights 20 11 0 0 44
2022– Wests Tigers 39 10 0 0 40
Total 59 21 0 0 84
Source: [1]
As of 12 August 2023

Starford To'a (born 23 June 2000) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL).

He previously played for the Newcastle Knights as a winger in the NRL.

Background

To'a was born in Auckland, New Zealand[2] and is of Tongan, Māori and European descent. He attended St Paul's College, Auckland.[3]

Playing career

Early years

In 2018, he moved to Australia to play for the Newcastle Knights, after being scouted by a recruitment manager for the Knights in 2016 at a New Zealand national tournament in Rotorua.[2] He played for the Knights' Jersey Flegg Cup team.[4] At the end of 2018, he played for the Australian Schoolboys and was named man of the match in their first game.[5]

2019

In 2019, To'a joined the Knights' NRL squad for pre-season training and played in a first-grade trial match.[6] In June, he re-signed with the Knights on a 2-year contract until the end of 2021.[7] In round 25 of the 2019 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for the Knights against the Penrith Panthers[8] and scored a try.[9] On 29 September, he will play for the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos.[10]

2020

He made seven appearances for Newcastle in the 2020 NRL season and scored four tries. To'a did not feature in the club's first finals campaign since 2013.[11]

2021

In 2021, To'a made 12 appearances for the Knights, scoring 6 tries.[12]

2022

In January 2022, To'a was granted a release from the final two years of his Newcastle contract to join the Wests Tigers on a two-year contract effective immediately.[13] To'a played a total of 21 matches for the Wests Tigers in the 2022 NRL season and scored 3 tries as the club finished bottom of the table and claimed the Wooden Spoon for the first time.[14]

2023

In round 12 of the 2023 NRL season, To'a scored two tries for the Wests Tigers in their record breaking victory at 66-18 against the North Queensland.[15] In round 24, To'a scored two tries for the Wests Tigers in their 22-30 loss against the New Zealand Warriors.[16] To'a played a total of 18 games for the Wests Tigers in the 2023 NRL season and scored seven tries as the club finished with the Wooden Spoon for a second straight year.[17] In the end of season internationals, he was selected and made his debut for the Mate Ma’a Tonga team against England, where he scored a hat trick in a 34-16 win.

References

  1. ↑ "Starford To'a - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
  2. 1 2 "The future: Meet Starford To'a". Newcastle Knights. 7 November 2018.
  3. ↑ "The future: Meet Starford To'a". Newcastle Knights. 7 November 2018.
  4. ↑ "Players". 24 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "Schoolboys post record win in first Tour game". 27 November 2018.
  6. ↑ TOOHEY, BARRY (5 March 2019). "Rookie Knight Starford To'a's dazzling feet sign of big future". Newcastle Herald.
  7. ↑ "Exciting back Starford To'a awarded new deal". Newcastle Knights. 24 June 2019.
  8. ↑ TOOHEY, BARRY (6 September 2019). "Teenage winger Starford To'a to make Knights debut against Panthers". Newcastle Herald.
  9. ↑ "Penrith Panthers trounce Newcastle Knights to send James Maloney out on a high". National Rugby League. 8 September 2019.
  10. ↑ "Three Knights named in Junior Kiwis side". Newcastle Knights. 11 September 2019.
  11. ↑ "2020 season by the numbers". www.nrl.com.
  12. ↑ "Custom Match List - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
  13. ↑ Tigers, Wests. "Wests Tigers sign Starford Toa". Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  14. ↑ "Canberra Raiders hand out 56-10 NRL drubbing to Wests Tigers as Cronulla beats Newcastle Knights 38-16". www.abc.net.au.
  15. ↑ "Felise Kaufusi in doubt for State of Origin I as Melbourne Storm get past Dolphins 24-16". www.abc.net.au.
  16. ↑ "New Zealand Warriors down Wests Tigers 30-22, Sydney Roosters beat Dolphins 30-14, South Sydney defeats St George Illawarra 26-14". www.abc.net.au.
  17. ↑ "'Circus act' that summed up year from hell... and big call left for Benji: Wests Tigers Brutal Review". www.foxsports.com.au.
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