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Jayden Nikorima

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Jayden Nikorima
Personal information
Born (1996-10-05) 5 October 1996 (age 28)
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Height174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight83 kg (13 st 1 lb)
Playing information
PositionFive-eighth, Halfback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2016–17 Sydney Roosters 7 1 0 0 4
2022–23 Melbourne Storm 2 0 0 0 0
2024 Catalans Dragons 12 2 0 0 8
2024– Salford Red Devils 1 0 0 0 0
Total 22 3 0 0 12
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2017 NSW Residents 1 0 1 0 2
2022 Māori All Stars 1 0 0 0 0
Source: [1]
As of 27 July 2024

Jayden Nikorima (born 5 October 1996) is a New Zealand rugby league footballer who is a player stand-off for the Salford Red Devils in the Super League. Nikorima previously played for the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).

Background

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Nikorima was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand. He is of Māori and Irish descent.[2]

His older brother Kodi Nikorima is also a professional rugby league footballer, playing for the Dolphins in the NRL.[3]

Nikorima moved to Brisbane, Australia as a 10-year old and played his junior football for the Aspley Devils before being signed by the Brisbane Broncos.[4][5] Nikorima was educated at Wavell State High School.[6] In 2013, Nikorima played for the Queensland Under-18s and the Australian Schoolboys representative teams respectively.[7]

Playing career

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Early career

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In 2014 and 2015, Nikorima played for the Brisbane Broncos Holden Cup team. On 28 April 2014, Nikorima was named as 18th man for the Queensland Under-20s team.[8] On 5 October 2014, Nikorima played for the Broncos in their 2014 Holden Cup Grand Final against the New Zealand Warriors, playing off the interchange bench, scoring a try and kicking 2 goals in the 34-32 loss.[9][10] On 2 May 2015, Nikorima played for the Junior Kangaroos against the Junior Kiwis, playing off the interchange bench in the 22-20 win at Cbus Super Stadium.[11] On 8 July 2015, Nikorima represented the Queensland Under-20s team, playing at five-eighth in the 32-16 loss to the New South Wales under-20s team at Suncorp Stadium.[12] On 25 August 2015, it was announced that Nikorima had signed with the Sydney Roosters on a 3-year deal starting from 2016, after months of speculation as to which club Nikorima would end up at.[13][14] On 14 September 2015, Nikorima was named on the interchange bench in the 2015 Holden Cup Team of the Year.[15]

2016

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On 6 January, Nikorima was selected in the QAS under-20s Origin squad.[16] Nikorima made his first team debut for the Sydney Roosters in the World Club Series against match St. Helens.[17][18] In Round 1 of the 2016 NRL season, Nikorima made his NRL debut against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, playing at five-eighth in the Roosters 42-10 loss at the Sydney Football Stadium. In Round 2 against the Canberra Raiders, Nikorima scored his first NRL career try in the Roosters 21-20 loss at Canberra Stadium.[19] His season was hampered by hamstring injuries, which limited his appearances to just seven first grade games.[20]

2017

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In the 2017 season, he spent most of his time with Sydney Roosters feeder club, Wyong Roos.

In December 2017 Nikorima failed a second drug test and was sacked by the Sydney Roosters.[21] The NRL handed down a 12-match suspension to Nikorima that would need to be served in 2018 before he could resume playing.[22] NSW Police would charge Nikorima with wilfully making a false declaration for material benefit after he had asked Wyong Roos teammate Brad Keighran to sign a statutory declaration to lie about spiking his drink. Keighran was found guilty for his part in the plot, and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, but served his term by way of an intensive community corrections order.[23] Nikorima would also avoid imprisonment, instead serving a 12-month community corrections order after being convicted and fined $5,000. It was reported that for failing the drugs test he had cost himself close to $1m when he was sacked by the Roosters.[24]

2019

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He was signed with Brisbane Broncos feeder club, Redcliffe Dolphins in late 2018,[25] joining the club in 2019 to play in the Queensland Cup.

2021

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In November 2021 he signed with Melbourne Storm for 1 year.[26]

2022

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On 1 February 2022, Nikorima was named to make his New Zealand Māori debut against the Indigenous All Stars.[27]

In round 16, Nikorima made his Melbourne Storm debut against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles after playing his last NRL match over 2,264 days ago. He had his Storm debut jersey (cap 223) presented to him by teammate Cameron Munster.[28]

2023

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In round 27 of the 2023 NRL season, Nikorima was called into the Melbourne side for their game against Brisbane which Melbourne would go on to win 32-22.[29]

On 30 September 2023, it was reported that Nikorima had signed for French side Catalans Dragons on a two-year deal.[30]

2024

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On 12 July 2024 it was announced that Catalans Dragons had terminated his contract, along with two other players namely Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Damel Diakhate, for being "...involved in an incident deemed to be ‘highly unacceptable’ by the French club and contrary to their values...".[31] On 18 July, he signed a deal with the Salford Red Devils to the end of the 2025 season.[32]

References

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  1. ^ "Jayden Nikorima - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project.
  2. ^ "Luke Keary in line for World Cup gig with Ireland". Yahoo. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Done deal: Warriors to confirm signing of Kodi Nikorima on Friday". stuff. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Junior Kangaroos Jayden Nikorima and Joe Ofahengaue are Kiwi Born but Proud to Wear Australia Colours". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Home | Live Scores & Latest News". Fox Sports. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Kodi and Jayden Nikorima Set to Lead Broncos to Glory". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Australian Schoolboys Team Announced - Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League". Fox Sports Pulse. 16 November 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Queensland name Under-20s Origin team". NRL.com. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Kodi and Jayden Nikorima Set to Lead Broncos to Glory". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Warriors survive Broncos scare to win Holden Cup". NRL.com. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Kodi and Jayden Nikorima Set to Lead Broncos to Glory". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Kelly scores four as Blues win 20s". NRL.com. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  13. ^ "Jayden Nikorima Signs Three Year Deal with Sydney Roosters". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Signing of Jayden Nikorima Gives Sydney Roosters Another Win Over Brisbane Broncos". Smh.com.au. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  15. ^ "2015 Holden Cup Team of the Year". NRL.com. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  16. ^ "Broncos young guns dominate QAS U20s". QRL.com.au. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  17. ^ "Nikorima stars as Roosters thrash St Helens". NRL.com. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  18. ^ Cartwright, Phil (19 February 2016). "World Club Series: St Helens 12-38 Sydney Roosters". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  19. ^ "Injury-hit Raiders steal comeback win". NRL.com. 12 March 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  20. ^ "Pre-season spotlight - Jayden Nikorima". roosters.com.au. Sydney Roosters. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  21. ^ "The 66 scandals in four years that have rocked the NRL". Fox Sports. 8 February 2019.
  22. ^ "Sydney Roosters sack Jayden Nikorima after he cops 12-game ban for second failed drugs test". stuff.co.nz. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  23. ^ Proszenko, Adrian (1 December 2018). "Former Roosters playmaker charged over drink spike lie". smh.com.au. Nine Media. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  24. ^ Pengilly, Adam (20 March 2019). "Former NRL player avoids jail over Mad Monday drink spike lie". smh.com.au. Nine Media. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  25. ^ "Redcliffe Dolphins on Twitter". twitter.com. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  26. ^ "Storm sign Olympic Games medal winner". 3 November 2021.
  27. ^ "2022 Harvey Norman All Stars teams announced". February 2022.
  28. ^ "Nikorima becomes player #223". melbournestorm.com.au. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  29. ^ "Storm hammer Broncos' NRL minor premiership hopes". www.espn.co.uk.
  30. ^ "NRL playmaker Jayden Nikorima makes Super League move following release from Melbourne Storm". Love Rugby League. 30 September 2023.
  31. ^ "Catalans Dragons terminate contracts of three players including high-profile duo after 'incident'". Love Rugby League. 12 July 2024.
  32. ^ "Every Super League club's overseas quota spots situation after Salford Red Devils confirm Jayden Nikorima arrival". Love Rugby League. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
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