Ali Lauiti'iti

Ali Lauitiiti

Personal information
Full name	Alaimatagi Lauitiiti
Born	(1979-07-13)13 July 1979 Auckland,New Zealand
Playing information
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	115 kg (18 st 2 lb)
Position	Second-row
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1998–03 New Zealand Warriors 115 33 0 0 132 2004–11 Leeds Rhinos 200 64 0 0 256 2012–15 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 86 17 0 0 68 Total 401 114 0 0 456 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2000–06 New Zealand 19 7 0 0 28 2007–10 Samoa 4 0 0 0 0
Source:

Alaimatagi "Ali" Lauitiiti(born 13 July 1979) is a former professionalrugby leaguefootballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, as asecond-row.He was touted as "TheMichael Jordanof Rugby League "in his playing days due to his large hands and athleticism.

Both aSamoaandNew Zealandinternational representative forward, Lauitiiti played for theNew Zealand Warriorsin theNational Rugby Leaguecompetition and for English clubsWakefield Trinity Wildcatsand theLeeds Rhinosin theSuper League.Whilst at the Leeds Rhinos, he was part of their 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009 championship-winning sides.

Background

OfSamoandescent, Lauitiiti was born inAuckland,New Zealand on 13 July 1979. He playedrugby leaguefootball for theMangere Eastclub in1996,and shone as a junior in their U19 side in1997,scoring 17 tries in 19 games. He went on to gain international honours with theJunior Kiwisthat year, and again in1998.He is the uncle ofNew Zealand WarriorsplayerAli LeiatauaandDolphinsplayerHerman Ese'ese.

Auckland

Lauitiiti made hisNational Rugby League(NRL) début in April 1998 for theAuckland Warriors.He was selected for theNew Zealandtest squad for the 2000ANZAC testbut missed out on final selection for the match, instead making a try-scoring début against theCook Islandsat Reading in the2000 Rugby League World Cup.He also scored againstWalesin the next game at theMillennium Stadium.

In 2002 he was named the NRL's second-rower of the year. He was an integral part of the Warriors squad that reached the2002 NRL Grand Final,the first time in the club's history, however they lost the match to theSydney Roosters.Lauitiiti, who would go on to play 14 times for New Zealand, was part of theKiwis side that toured Great Britain and France in 2002,featuring in seven out of the eight games on the tour, including all threetestsagainst theLions,plus games against St Helens, England A, Wales and France. He also scored in the third test against Great Britain.

When Lauitiiti was released from his contract with the Warriors it sparked a worldwide chase for his signature. However, theLeeds Rhinosbeat competition from 14 other clubs in Australia and England to secure the second rower.He had appeared in 115 games for the Warriors and scored 33 tries by the time he left the club after the2003 NRL season.

Leeds

Lauitiiti joined Leeds in May 2004 on a two-and-a-half-year contract. He made his début for Leeds against Salford and took little time to settle in, scoring his first try in the subsequent game againstBradford Bulls.His incredible ball-handling skills earned him a place in the Tetley'sSuper League Dream Teamin 2004. He played for theLeeds Rhinosat second-row forward in their2004 Super League Grand Finalvictory against theBradford Bulls.

AsSuper League IXchampions, the Rhinos faced2004 NRL seasonpremiers,Canterbury-Bankstownin the2005 World Club Challenge.Lauitiiti played from the interchange bench in Leeds' 39–32 victory. In 2005 Lauitiiti scored 14 tries in 32 appearances including 17 as a replacement. His 14 tries includes an incredible five tries against Wakefield when he came off the bench to become the first forward in the summer era to score five tries. He also appeared in the2005 Challenge CupFinal. He was subsequently named in 2005'sSuper League Dream Team.He helped Leeds to their second successiveSuper League Grand Finalappearance when he scored the winning try against St Helens with an 80-metre run in the Grand Final Qualifier, then played in the2005 Super League Grand Finalwhich ended in defeat for Leeds. In the2005 Tri Nationstournament Lauitiiti once again joined the New Zealand squad and scored a try against Great Britain after coming on from the bench, and was then part of the successful squad who defeated Australia in the historic final victory.

Lauitiiti playing for Samoa in 2008.

Lauitiiti played in Leeds' three Grand Final wins in a row between 2007 and 2009. He was also selected to represent theAll Goldsside in the match againstThe Northern Unionat theHalliwell Jones Stadium,Warringtonin October 2007, scoring two tries in the match. Lauitiiti was named in theSamoa squadfor their2008 Rugby League World Cupcampaign.

He played in the2009 Super League Grand Finalvictory overSt. HelensatOld Trafford.

He played in the2011 Super League Grand Finalvictory overSt. HelensatOld Trafford.

Wakefield Trinity

Lauitiiti joinedWakefield Trinityfor the 2012 season and remained with the club until the end of 2015.

On 15 October 2015, it was announced that Lauitiiti would play one more time for Leeds in aone-off exhibition matchagainst New Zealand, one of the countries he had previously represented.

New Zealand Warriors

In November 2015 it was announced that Lauitiiti would return to the New Zealand Warriors, with the signing of a second-tier contract for2016.He retired at the end of the season.

Match Fit

In 2023, Lauiti'iti participated in season 3 ofMatch Fit,where former rugby players return to play against the Australian counterparts. He joined in the first season that featured formerrugby leaguestars.He revealed he retired from rugby due toarthriticknees, partially made worse by his sweet tooth and liking milk chocolate. He was exempt from doing the Bronco fitness test, the 1.2km aerobic fitness and agility test. He performed a ramp test on an exercise bike instead so body weight and gravity aren't taken into account.

External links

• New Zealand Warriors profile
• Leeds Rhinos profile
• (archived by web.archive.org)Ali Lauitiiti Official Player Profile
• Right man for the job