Name Joe Galuvao Career start 1998 Role Rugby Player Career end 2013 | Height 1.80 m Siblings Puipuimaota Galuvao Weight 106 kg | |
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Joe Galuvao (born 8 July 1978) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the National Rugby League. A Samoa and New Zealand international second row forward, he played for the Auckland Warriors, Parramatta Eels, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Penrith Panthers (with whom he won the 2003 NRL Premiership), and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (with whom he won the 2011 NRL Premiership).
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Playing career
After starting his playing career in the late 1990s with the Auckland Warriors, Galuvao was a member of the 2003 NRL premiership-winning Panthers team which defeated the Sydney Roosters in the 2003 NRL grand final. With fellow second-rower Tony Puletua, Galuvao was known as one of the "Hair Bears" and was rated one of the best second-rowers in the world in 2003. As 2003 NRL premiers, the Panthers travelled to England to face Super League VIII champions, the Bradford Bulls in the 2004 World Club Challenge. Galuvao played at second-row forward in the Panthers' 22-4 loss.
Galuvao joined the Rabbitohs from 2006 on a three-year deal. Galuvao was released in September 2007 after a campaign to encourage him to retire, reportedly being told by Souths to swap "the paddock for the pulpit". by the Rabbitohs to join the Parramatta Eels in the 2008 off season. Galuvao signed a 2-year contract with Parramatta, keeping him with the Eels through the 2009 season.
In the 2008 season, he only played in six NRL games for the Eels. In 2009, however he matched that total in the first six games of the season. In August, 2009, Galuvao extended his playing career by signing a three-year deal with Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
Despite being concussed in a pre-season match, Galuvao made his debut for Manly against his old club Parramatta in Round 2 of the 2010 season. Galuvao won a second premiership as part of Manly's victorious 2011 NRL Grand Final squad. He, along with Shane Rodney have played in the same premiership team twice, Rodney having been a teammate of Galuvao's in Penrith's victorious 2003 NRL Grand Final squad. In 2013, after suffering a season-ending injury, Galuvao announced his retirement.