View source for Sam Moa

{{short description|Tonga & NZ international rugby league footballer}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name           = Sam Moa
|fullname       = Samuela Moa
|image          = Sam Moa Catalans.jpg
|imagesize      = 289
|caption        = 
|birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1986|8|14}}
|birth_place    = [[Tonga]]
|height         = {{convert|183|cm|ftin|abbr=on|order=flip}}
|weight         = {{convert|105|kg|stlb|abbr=on|order=flip}}
|position       = {{rlp|PR}}
|club1          = [[Cronulla Sharks]]
|year1start     = 2008
|year1end       = 
|appearances1   = 1
|tries1         = 0
|goals1         = 0
|fieldgoals1    = 0
|points1        = 0
|club2          = [[Hull FC]]
|year2start     = 2009
|year2end       = 12
|appearances2   = 78
|tries2         = 7
|goals2         = 0
|fieldgoals2    = 0
|points2        = 28
|club3          = [[Sydney Roosters]]
|year3start     = 2013
|year3end       = 16
|appearances3   = 96
|tries3         = 9
|goals3         = 0
|fieldgoals3    = 0
|points3        = 36
|club4          = {{nowrap|[[Catalans Dragons]]}}
|year4start     = 2017
|year4end       = 20
|appearances4   = 91
|tries4         = 8
|goals4         = 0
|fieldgoals4    = 0
|points4        = 32
|club5          = [[FC Lézignan XIII|FC Lézignan]]
|year5start     = 2021
|year5end       = 
|appearances5   = 13
|tries5         = 3
|goals5         = 0
|fieldgoals5    = 0
|points5        = 12
|teamA          = [[Tonga national rugby league team|Tonga]]
|yearAstart     = 2006
|yearAend       = 17
|appearancesA   = 10
|triesA         = 0
|goalsA         = 0
|fieldgoalsA    = 0
|pointsA        = 0
|teamB          = [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]]
|yearBstart     = 2013
|yearBend       = 16
|appearancesB   = 9
|triesB         = 2
|goalsB         = 0
|fieldgoalsB    = 0
|pointsB        = 8
|source         = <ref>[https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Sam-Moa/ loverugbyleague]</ref><ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/sam-moa/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref>
|updated        = 22 December 2020 (UTC)
}}

'''Samuela''' '''Moa''' (born 14 August 1986) is a former professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played as a {{rlp|pr}}, most recently for the [[FC Lézignan XIII]] in the French [[Elite One Championship]]. He is both [[Tonga national rugby league team|Tonga]] and [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]] international. 

Moa has previously played for the [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]] and the [[Sydney Roosters]], with whom he won the [[2013 Telstra Premiership]] in the [[National Rugby League|NRL]], and [[Hull F.C.]] in the [[Super League]].

==Background==
Moa was born in Tonga and raised in New Zealand.

==Playing career==
===Wests Tigers===
Moa started his career at [[NRL]] side [[Wests Tigers]].

===Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks===
He then signed with the [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]] in 2008 and playing in one [[National Rugby League]] match.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/league/league-moa-comes-back-nrl-extinction |title=League: Moa comes back from NRL extinction |publisher=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=18 October 2013 |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref>

===Hull FC===
He was signed by [[Hull F.C.]] in January 2009 and arrived a week before the club's fixture with [[Huddersfield Giants]] which he featured off the bench in his debut. Moa is good friends with former [[Hull F.C.]] and [[Tonga]] teammate [[Willie Manu]] and former [[Hull F.C.]] and [[Tonga]] teammate [[Epalahame Lauaki]] (now at Bradford Bulls). The trio were commonly known by the Hull fans as 'The Tongan Mafia'.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hullfc.com/news/2010-09-09-tongan-mafia-support-anderson |title=TONGAN MAFIA SUPPORT ANDERSON' |publisher=Hull FC |date= |accessdate=13 February 2021}}</ref>
[[File:043 Moarunn.jpg|thumb|left|Sam Moa with a dominant run in the Roosters victory against Warriors 2014]]

===Sydney Roosters===
Sam signed for the [[Sydney Roosters]] for the [[2013 NRL season]], winning the premiership with them at the end of the season. Many observed that Moa's performance in the grand final was particularly memorable, flattening Manly's [[Glenn Stewart]] with an aggressive kick-off return in the 1st minute.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/oct/06/sydney-roosters-win-nrl-grand-final |title=Sydney Roosters beat Manly Sea Eagles to take NRL grand final |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=6 October 2013 |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref>

===Catalans Dragons===
Moa joined the French side ahead of the [[2017 Super League season]].

He played in the [[2018 Challenge Cup Final]] victory over the [[Warrington Wolves]] at [[Wembley Stadium]].<ref name="Catalans Dragons beat Warrington in Challenge Cup final to make history">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/25/catalans-dragons-warrington-wolves-challenge-cup-final-match-report|title=Catalans Dragons beat Warrington in Challenge Cup final to make history|publisher=Guardian|date=25 August 2018|access-date=5 November 2019}}</ref>
[[File:SAM MOA.jpg|thumb|right|Moa playing for Tonga]]

On 2 December 2020 it was reported that Moa would leave the club at the end of the 2020 season<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/55165595|title=Sam Moa: Catalans Dragons prop leaves after not being offered new contract|date=2 Dec 2020|access-date=22 Dec 2020|website=BBC Sport}}</ref>
===FC Lézignan XIII===
On 11 December 2020 it was reported that Moa had signed for [[FC Lézignan XIII]]<ref>{{cite web|website=www.loverugbyleague.com|date=11 Dec 2020|access-date=3 Jan 2021|title=Sam Moa has found a new club|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/sam-moa-has-found-a-new-club/}}</ref>

== Coaching career ==
In November 2021, [[Catalans Dragons]] appointed Sam Moa as [[assistant coach]] to [[Steve McNamara]]. He returned to the club one year after having left the club and retired from playing professional rugby.
<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.catalansdragons.com/en/articles-9/236-9123-sam-moa-appointed-as-assistant-coach/ | title=Dragons Catalans › News › 2021 › Nov. › Sam Moa appointed as assistant coach }}</ref> Sam Moa has signed with the Parramatta Eels for the 2025 season as  assistant coach.

==International career==
===Tonga===
Moa first played for [[Tonga national rugby league team|Tonga]] in 2006 as part of the [[2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifying|2008 World Cup qualifying]] series.

Moa was subsequently picked in the [[2008 Rugby League World Cup|2008 World Cup]] squad and went on to feature in all three of Tonga's matches at the tournament.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catalansdragons.com/en/articles-9/159-5388-sam-moa-named-in-tongan-squad/ |title=Sam Moa named in Tongan Squad |publisher=Catalan Dragons |date= |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/9262480/Roosters-prop-Sam-Moa-takes-flight-with-Kiwis |title=Roosters prop Sam Moa takes flight with Kiwis  |publisher=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=10 October 2013 |access-date=29 October 2022}}</ref>

===New Zealand===
He declared himself eligible for selection for New Zealand at the next world cup citing his desire to be part of a world cup winning squad. Despite playing for Tonga against [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoa]] in the Pacific Rugby League International in April 2013, he played for [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]] in the [[2013 Rugby League World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/24438943|title=Rugby League World Cup 2013: NZ star Williams opts out|work=BBC Sport |access-date=2013-10-08}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.catalansdragons.com/en/fiche-427-moa-sam/ Catalans Dragons profile]
*{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20131121063014/http://www.rlwc2013.com/player/sam-moa/488 2013 RLWC profile]}}
*[http://www.roosters.com.au/team/profiles/sam_moa.html Sydney Roosters profile]
*[https://www.superleague.co.uk/player/164/sam%3Cbr-%3Emoa SL profile]
*[http://www.rlwc2017.com/players?team=384#Sam-Moa 2017 RLWC profile]

{{Parramatta Eels squad}}
{{2013 Sydney Roosters Premiership|state=collapsed}}
{{Sydney Roosters - 2014 World Club Challenge winners}}
{{Catalans Dragons - 2018 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Tonga 2008 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{New Zealand 2013 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{Tonga 2017 Rugby League World Cup squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moa, Samuela}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Tongan sportsmen]]
[[Category:Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers players]]
[[Category:Catalans Dragons players]]
[[Category:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players]]
[[Category:Hull F.C. players]]
[[Category:Lézignan Sangliers players]]
[[Category:New Zealand national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby league players in England]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby league players in Australia]]
[[Category:New Zealand sportspeople of Tongan descent]]
[[Category:People educated at Keebra Park State High School]]
[[Category:Rugby league props]]
[[Category:Sydney Roosters players]]
[[Category:Tonga national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Tongan rugby league players]]