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Eloni Vunakece
Personal information
Born (1987-05-27) 27 May 1987 (age 37)
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

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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

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Early career

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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  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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