View source for Sam Tagataese

{{Short description|Samoa international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name           = Sam Tagataese
|fullname       = Samuel Tagataese
|image          = Sam Tagatese in July 2012.jpg
|caption        = 
|position       = {{rlp|PR|SR|CE}}
|birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1986|12|8}}
|birth_place    = [[Wellington, New Zealand]]
|height         = {{convert|193|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight         = {{convert|108|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|club1          = [[Melbourne Storm]]
|year1start     = 2007
|year1end       = 08
|appearances1   = 19
|tries1         = 2
|goals1         = 0
|fieldgoals1    = 0
|points1        = 8
|club2          = {{nowrap|[[Gold Coast Titans]]}}
|year2start     = 2009
|year2end       = 11
|appearances2   = 33
|tries2         = 4
|goals2         = 0
|fieldgoals2    = 0
|points2        = 16
|club3          = [[Cronulla Sharks]]
|year3start     = 2011
|year3end       = 17
|appearances3   = 118
|tries3         = 9
|goals3         = 0
|fieldgoals3    = 0
|points3        = 36
|club4          = [[Brisbane Broncos]]
|year4start     = 2018
|year4end       = 
|appearances4   = 4
|tries4         = 0
|goals4         = 0
|fieldgoals4    = 0
|points4        = 0
|teamA          = [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoa]]
|yearAstart     = 2009
|yearAend       = 17
|appearancesA   = 6
|triesA         = 0
|goalsA         = 0
|fieldgoalsA    = 0
|pointsA        = 0
|retired        = 
|source         = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/sam-tagataese/summary.html|title=Sam Tagataese - Career Stats & Summary|publisher=Rugby League Project|date=1986-12-08|access-date=2016-10-03}}</ref>
|updated        = 14 March 2021
}}

'''Sam Tagataese''' pronounced ({{IPAc-en|t|eɪ|g|ə|t|iː|z|i}}) (born 8 December 1986) is a [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoa]] international [[rugby league]] footballer who last played as a {{rlp|pr}} forward for the [[Brisbane Broncos]] in the [[NRL]].

He played for the [[Melbourne Storm]], [[Gold Coast Titans]] and the [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]] in the [[National Rugby League]]. Tagataese was part of the Cronulla team that won their maiden premiership title in the 2016 season.

==Early life==
Born in [[Wellington, New Zealand]]. Tagataese attended [[St. Bernard's College, Lower Hutt]], playing first fifteen Rugby, and received Sportsman of the year in 2003.

He left [[Wellington, New Zealand|Wellington]] to play with [[Melbourne Storm]] feeder [[Norths Devils|Brisbane Norths]]. He was educated at [[Wavell State High School]] was selected for the Queensland under 19's and [[Junior Kiwis|2004 Junior Kiwis]] squad.

==Playing career==
Tagataese made his [[2007 NRL season|NRL debut]] for the [[Melbourne Storm]] on 7 April 2007, against the [[Newcastle Knights]] at [[Energy Australia Stadium]].  He made 11 appearances for Melbourne in his debut year.  In the [[2008 NRL season]], Tagatese played 6 games for Melbourne before he joined the [[Gold Coast Titans|Gold Coast]].  Tagatese played in the Gold Coast's first ever finals campaign in the [[2009 NRL season]].

On 11 June 2011, Tagataese announced he was leaving the [[Gold Coast Titans]] immediately to join the [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]] on a three-year contract.  Tagataese managed eight appearances for the Gold Coast in the [[2011 NRL season]] as the club finished last and claimed the wooden spoon.<ref>{{cite news|title=Big hitting Gold Coast forward Sam Tagataese granted early release to join Cronulla Sharks|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/big-hitting-gold-coast-forward-sam-tagataese-granted-early-release-to-join-cronulla-sharks/story-e6frf3ou-1226073738040|access-date=14 June 2011|newspaper=Fox Sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/parramatta-eels-defeat-the-gold-coast-titans-to-avoid-wooden-spoon-for-2011/news-story/fc87216a6a23a4b8d0eefd6174b60c47/|title=Parramatta Eels defeat the Gold Coast Titans to avoid wooden spoon for 2011|website=Daily Telegraph}}</ref>

In the [[2014 NRL season]], Tagataese played 18 games as Cronulla-Sutherland endured a horror year on and off the field with the club finishing last on the table due to a high injury toll and the [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks supplements saga]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/aug/24/sharks-set-for-wooden-spoon-after-defeat-to-raiders/|title=Sharks set for wooden spoon after defeat to Raiders|website=The Guardian|date=24 August 2014 }}</ref>

In the [[2015 NRL season]], Cronulla turned their form around on the field to reach the finals.  Tagataese played in the club's 39–0 defeat by [[North Queensland Cowboys|North Queensland]] in the elimination final.

In 2016, Tagataese was part of the Cronulla side which won their first ever premiership defeating Melbourne 14–12 in the [[2016 NRL Grand Final]] at [[ANZ Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2016/10/02/2016-grand-final-sharks-player-ratings/|title=2016 grand final sharks player ratings|website=www.nrl.com|date=2 October 2016 }}</ref>

On 13 December 2017, [[Brisbane Broncos]] announced they had signed Tagataese on a one-year deal.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2017/12/13/big-sam-joins-the-broncos/ |title= Big Sam Joins The Broncos |date= 12 December 2017 |publisher= broncos.com.au |access-date= 13 December 2017}}</ref>"For me it is about tapping into something I don't think I have tapped into before- and that is getting the best out of myself," he said. "I am going to give it my all and I hope to make it into the 17 during the year."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2018/02/15/tagataese-out-to-make-a-statement/|title=Tagataese Out To Make A Statement|date=2018-02-15|website=Brisbane Broncos|language=en|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref>

In 2019, he announced his retirement, playing his final game for the [[Souths Logan Magpies]] of the [[Queensland Cup]]. He scored ten tries for the Magpies during his stint in the Queensland Cup.

==Representative career==
Tagataese is of [[Samoans|Samoan]] heritage,<ref name="Islander blood runs deep">{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,21985,21383990-14823,00.html|title=Islander blood runs deep|publisher=Herald Sun|date=2007-03-15|access-date=2008-07-31| first=Dave| last=Donaghy}}</ref> and was named in the [[Samoa national rugby league team#2008 World Cup squad|Samoa training squad]] for the [[2008 Rugby League World Cup]].<ref name="Samoa name World Cup Squad">{{cite web|url=http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=16750|title=Samoa name World Cup Squad|publisher=League Unlimited|date=2008-08-05|access-date=2008-08-06|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717060051/http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=16750|archive-date=17 July 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 2009 he was named as part of the [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoan]] side for the [[2009 Pacific Cup|Pacific Cup]].<ref>[http://www.therhinos.co.uk/news/7999.php Poching names strong Samoan squad] ''therhinos.co.uk'', 6 October 2009</ref>

In 2013, Sam made his international début, he played for Samoa in the [[Pacific Rugby League International]] against fierce pacific rivals [[Tonga national rugby league team|Tonga]].

In May 2014, Sam again played for [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoa]] in the Pacific Rugby League International. Tagataese made headlines in the match after being sent off for a head-butt on Fijian player [[Kane Evans]].

On 8 September 2014, Tagataese was selected for the [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoa]] Four Nations train-on squad.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/samao-train-on-squad-announced-14837/|title=Samoa train on squad announced|publisher=Zero Tackle|date=2014-09-08|access-date=2016-10-03}}</ref> On 7 October 2014, Tagataese was selected in the [[Samoa national rugby league team]] final 24 man squad for the 2014 Four Nations series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/toa-samoa-name-four-nations-squad/tabid/10874/newsid/82434/default.aspx|title=Toa Samoa name Four Nations squad|website=NRL.com|date=7 October 2014 |access-date=2016-10-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/toa-samoa-name-four-nations-squad-15250/|title=Toa Samoa name Four Nations squad|publisher=Zero Tackle|date=2014-10-07|access-date=2016-10-03|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203031215/http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/toa-samoa-name-four-nations-squad-15250/|archive-date=3 February 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

On 7 May 2016, Tagataese traveled down from Hull to Sydney to captain [[Samoa national rugby league team|Samoa]] in the 2016 [[Polynesian Cup]] against [[Tonga national rugby league team|Tonga]], playing off the interchange bench in the 18–6 win at [[Parramatta Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/samoa-holds-on-in-pulsating-pacific-test/tabid/10874/newsid/95681/default.aspx|title=Samoa holds on in pulsating Pacific Test|date=7 May 2016 |publisher=nrl.com|access-date=7 May 2016}}</ref>

== Statistics ==

=== NRL ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Team
!Games
!Tries
!Pts
|-
|2007
| rowspan="2" |{{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} [[Melbourne Storm]]
|12
|1
|4
|-
|2008
|6
|1
|4
|-
|2009
| rowspan="2" |{{leagueicon|Titans|16}} [[Gold Coast Titans]]
|9
|1
|4
|-
|2010
|16
|2
|8
|-
| rowspan="2" |2011
|{{leagueicon|Titans|16}} [[Gold Coast Titans]]
|8
|1
|4
|-
|{{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]]
|12
|1
|4
|-
|2012
| rowspan="6" |{{leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} [[Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks]]
|13
|1
|4
|-
|2013
|21
|2
|8
|-
|2014
|18
|3
|12
|-
|2015
|20
|2
|8
|-
|2016
|21
|
|
|-
|2017
|12
|
|
|-
|2018
|{{leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} [[Brisbane Broncos]]
|4
|
|
|-
|
|Totals
|174
|15
|60
|}

=== Reserve grade ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Team
!Games
!Tries
!Goals
!Pts
|-
|2019
|{{leagueicon|Souths Logan Magpies|30}} [[Souths Logan Magpies]]
|22
|3
|1
|14
|-
|2018
|{{leagueicon|Norths Devils|30}} [[Norths Devils]]
|18
|7
|
|28
|-
|2017
| rowspan="2" |{{leagueicon|Newtown|30}} [[Newtown Jets]]
|11
|4
|
|16
|-
|2016
|4
|
|
|
|-
|
|Totals
|55
|14
|1
|58
|}
source: <ref>{{Cite web |title=Sam Tagataese - Playing Career - RLP |url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/sam-tagataese/summary.html |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[https://www.broncos.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/brisbane-broncos/sam-tagataese/ Brisbane Broncos profile]
*[http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/default.asp?sec=2&ssec=2&pid=34&prid=1&yr=2007 Melbourne Profile]
*[http://www.goldcoast.com.au/gold-coast-titans-player-profiles.html#thompson Gold Coast Titans profile]
*[http://www.rlwc2017.com/players?team=381#Sam-Tagataese 2017 RLWC profile]

{{Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks squad - 2016 NRL premiers}}
{{Samoa 2014 Rugby League Four Nations squad}}
{{Samoa 2017 Rugby League World Cup squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tagataese, Sam}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen]]
[[Category:Brisbane Broncos players]]
[[Category:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players]]
[[Category:Gold Coast Titans players]]
[[Category:Melbourne Storm players]]
[[Category:New Zealand sportspeople of Samoan descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand rugby league players]]
[[Category:People educated at St Bernard's College, Lower Hutt]]
[[Category:People educated at Wavell State High School]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Wellington City]]
[[Category:Rugby league props]]
[[Category:Rugby league second-rows]]
[[Category:Samoa national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Samoan rugby league players]]