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Kylie Leuluai

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Kylie Leuluai (born 29 March 1978) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer. A New Zealand Māori and Samoa international representative prop, he most notably played at club level for the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. He also played club football in Australia for National Rugby League clubs; the Balmain Tigers, Wests Tigers, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels, and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

Kylie Leuluai
Personal information
Full nameKylie Macgraff Leuluai[1]
Born (1978-03-29) 29 March 1978 (age 46)
Auckland, New Zealand
Playing information
Height178 cm (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Weight107 kg (16 st 12 lb)[2]
PositionProp
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1999 Balmain Tigers 7 0 0 0 0
2000 Wests Tigers 2 0 0 0 0
2002 Sydney Roosters 5 0 0 0 0
2003 Parramatta Eels 7 0 0 0 0
2004–06 Manly Sea Eagles 57 4 0 0 16
2007–15 Leeds Rhinos 258 22 0 0 88
Total 336 26 0 0 104
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1998–00 New Zealand Māori 2 0 0 0 0
2006–08 Samoa 5 1 0 0 4
2011–12 Exiles 2 0 0 0 0
Source: [3][4][5]

Leuluai was a massive part of the Leeds Rhinos success during his nine seasons at the club, winning a total of six Grand Finals, two World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups in that time to make him the most successful overseas player in the club's history.[6]

Background

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Leuluai was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He attended the Church College of New Zealand in Hamilton, New Zealand, playing both Rugby union and league.

Playing career

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Leuluai played for Balmain, Wests Tigers, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta, and Manly in the NRL. In 2007, he joined Super League club Leeds.

In 2007 Leuluai played for Leeds in the 2007 Super League Grand Final victory over St. Helens. The Leeds club defeated the Saints 33–6.

In 2008 Leuluai played for Leeds in the 2008 World Club Challenge against Melbourne. The Leeds side defeated Melbourne 18–10. Later that year, Leeds once again made it to the 2008 Super League Grand Final against St. Helens. They defeated Saints 24–16.

In 2009, Leuluai played for the Leeds in the 2009 World Club Challenge against Manly. The Leeds side were defeated by Manly 28–20.

He played in the 2009 Super League Grand Final victory over St. Helens at Old Trafford.[7][8][9]

In 2010, Leuluai played for Leeds in the 2010 World Club Challenge against Melbourne. The Leeds side were defeated by Melbourne 18–10. It was later found that Melbourne were in serious breach of the NRL Salary Cap Rules and they had the Title stripped from them. It is well known, yet unofficial that this action automatically made the Leeds outfit World Club Champions of 2010.

 
Leuluai playing for Leeds

He played in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Warrington Wolves at Wembley Stadium.[10][11]

In June 2011, Leuluai announced he will retire at the end of the 2012 season, signing a new one-year contract with Leeds in the process.

Later that year he played at prop for Leeds in the 2011 Challenge Cup Final defeat by Wigan at Wembley Stadium.[12][13][14] He played in the 2011 Super League Grand Final victory over St. Helens at Old Trafford.[15][16]

Towards the end of 2011, Leuluai announced he would play on into 2012, but would retire at the end of the 2013 Super League Season.

In 2012 Leuluai played for the Leeds in the 2012 World Club Challenge against Manly. Leeds beat Manly 26–12. He played in the 2012 Challenge Cup Final defeat by Warrington at Wembley Stadium.[17][18] Leeds went on to win the 2012 Super League Grand Final with victory over Warrington at Old Trafford.[19][20] Towards the end of 2012, Leuluai announced he would play on into 2013, but would retire at the end of the 2014 Super League Season.

In 2013 Leuluai played for Leeds in the 2013 World Club Challenge against Melbourne. Leeds were defeated by Melbourne 18–14. Leuluai once again halted his retirement plans by announcing he would play on into the 2014 Super League Season, but would hang up his boots at the end of 2014.

In 2014, Leuluai played in the 2014 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Castleford Tigers at Wembley Stadium.[21]

Surprisingly enough, Leuluai halted his retirement plans yet again and announced he would play on into the 2015 Super League Season, but would most definitely hang up his boots at the end of 2015 along with fellow Prop Forward Jamie Peacock MBE.

In June 2015, Leuluai once again announced his intention to retire at the end of 2015,[22] saying that he felt it was time to move on to a new challenge. Leuluai expected to be staying on and working with the club on a part-time basis while studying at university as well. He played in the 2015 Challenge Cup Final victory over Hull Kingston Rovers at Wembley Stadium.[23][24][25] On 3 July 2015, Leuluai scored a try on his 250th appearance for Leeds[26] against reigning Super League champions St Helens as Leeds completed the double with a ruthless 46–18 victory to go three points clear of them with just three games left before the start of the Super 8s. Leuluai would finish his career with a sixth Grand Final victory with Leeds after defeating Wigan in the 2015 Grand Final at Old Trafford.[27]

Representative career

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Leuluai played for New Zealand Māori in 1998 and at the 2000 World Cup.[28]

Leuluai was named in the Samoa training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[29]

In 2009 he was named as part of the Samoan side for the Pacific Cup.[30] He was named Samoan player of the year for 2009.[31]

Rugby League International Origin Match

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Kylie Leuluai was selected for the Exiles squad for the Rugby League International Origin Match against England at Headingley on 10 June 2011.[32]

Honours

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Club

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Personal life

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He is the father of Burnley FC defender Marley Leuluai.

James Leuluai is his uncle and his cousins are Thomas Leuluai and Macgraff Leuluai.

Kylie belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is renowned for being able to bench press 225 kg – the heaviest weight lifted by an NRL player.[33]

Career highlights and honours

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References

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  1. ^ "Rhinos squad: Kylie Leuluai". Yorkshire Post. 13 February 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Kylie Leuluai Leeds Rhinos". www.superleague.co.uk. Rugby Football League. 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  3. ^ loverugbyleague
  4. ^ Rugby League Project
  5. ^ SL Stats Archived 8 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Rhino, Ronnie (1 January 2015). "Player Biography Kylie Leuluai". Leeds Rhinos Official Website.
  7. ^ AFP (11 October 2009). "Leeds makes it Super League hat-trick". ABC News. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  8. ^ AAP (11 October 2009). "Leeds claim third successive Grand Final". nrl. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  9. ^ Fletcher, Paul (10 October 2009). "St Helens 10-18 Leeds Rhinos". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  10. ^ Scott, Ged (28 August 2010). "Leeds 6–30 Warrington". BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  11. ^ Wilson, Andy (28 August 2010). "Chris Hicks hat-trick leads Warrington to Challenge Cup triumph over Leeds". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  12. ^ Scott, Ged (27 August 2011). "Leeds 18-28 Wigan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  13. ^ Wilson, Andy (27 August 2011). "Leeds Rhinos 18-28 Wigan Warriors – Challenge Cup final match report". The Guardian. London.
  14. ^ Brown, Oliver (27 August 2011). "Challenge Cup final: Leeds Rhinos 18 Wigan Warriors 28". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Leeds claim Grand Final glory as inspired Rob Burrow sinks St Helens". The Guardian. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  16. ^ "St Helens 16 Leeds 32". The Daily Telegraph. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Warrington's battered Brett Hodgson recovers to see off Leeds in final". Guardian UK. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Leeds Rhinos 18–35 Warrington Wolves". BBC Sport. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  19. ^ "Grand Final: Warrington 18-26 Leeds". BBC Sport. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  20. ^ "Leeds' Kevin Sinfield stars in Grand Final triumph against Warrington". The Guardian. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
  21. ^ "Leeds lift Challenge Cup after Ryan Hall's double stuns Castleford". The Guardian. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  22. ^ Smith, Peter (9 June 2015). "Leeds Rhinos: Prop Leuluai confirms retirement at the end of the season". Yorkshire Evening Post.
  23. ^ "Leeds emphatically shut out Hull KR to lift Challenge Cup". The Guardian. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  24. ^ "Scoreboard". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 2982. 31 August 2015. p. 31.
  25. ^ "Challenge Cup final: Hull KR 0-50 Leeds Rhinos". BBC Sport. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  26. ^ "Leeds 46-18 St Helens". BBC Sport.
  27. ^ "Leeds pip Wigan to seal treble after brilliant, breathless Grand Final". The Guardian. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  28. ^ New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1998. p.118
  29. ^ "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 5 August 2008. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
  30. ^ Poching names strong Samoan squad Archived 10 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine therhinos.co.uk, 6 October 2009
  31. ^ "Hayne named Player of the Year". The Daily Telegraph. 10 November 2009. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  32. ^ "Warrington dominate Exiles picks for Origin fixture". BBC Sport. 5 April 2011. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  33. ^ Hooper, James (15 September 2006). "The Eagle Rock". The Daily Telegraph.
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