Name Manu Maʻu Height 1.84 m Date joined 2014 Siblings Semisi Ma\'u | Role Rugby Player Weight 103 kg Children Levi Ma\'u, Melino Ma\'u | |
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Similar People Brad Takairangi, Pauli Pauli, Peni Terepo, Semi Radradra, Corey Norman Profiles | ||
Manu Maʻu (born 24 August 1988) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League. A New Zealand and Tongan international representative, he plays at second-row.
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Early years
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Ma'u is of Tongan descent. Ma'u attended rugby league nursery St Paul's College, Auckland and played his junior football for the Richmond Rovers and Marist Saints.
Ma'u was an original member of Auckland's Roskill South-based "JDK", one of the many street gangs in New Zealand. In 2007, a younger member of the gang was stabbed during an altercation. In an alcohol-fuelled quest for vengeance, the gang gatecrashed a 21st birthday party, found the alleged perpetrators and "unleashed hell".
Two months later the police showed up at the Ma'u residence with a search warrant. Manu was arrested along with his brother, Semisi, and subsequently sentenced to three years in prison for his part in the brawl. He was released in 2009 to work and continue his rugby league career.
A reformed man with a young family of his own, Ma'u is eager to put his past behind him and make the most of his opportunity with the Eels. "I want to repay Parramatta for their faith," Ma'u said. "I want to build a future. I want my partner Alisi and my kids [Melino and Levi] to be proud of me and I want my family to realise I'm not that naughty boy that caused them pain."
Ma'u joined the Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup, but his hopes for an NRL career were stunted as the Australian immigration department decided to deny him a visa to play away games in Australia because of his criminal history. In 2013, Ma'u was allowed to move to Australia to play for the Wentworthville Magpies in the New South Wales Cup, the feeder team to National Rugby League team Parramatta Eels.
2014
In February 2014, Ma'u was included in the Eels inaugural 2014 Auckland Nines squad. In Round 1 of the 2014 NRL season, Ma'u made his NRL debut for the Parramatta Eels against the New Zealand Warriors at second-row. Ma’u won the Man of the Match award on debut in the Eels 36-16 win at Parramatta Stadium. In Round 4 against the Penrith Panthers, Ma’u scored his first NRL career try in the 32-16 win at Parramatta Stadium. On 5 June 2014, Ma’u extended his contract with the Eels for a further three years to the end of the 2017 season. In Round 14 against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium, Ma’u debut year in the NRL was over after suffering a fractured forearm in the Eels 22-12 win. Ma’u finished off his debut year in the NRL with him playing in 13 matches and scoring a try for the Eels in the 2014 NRL season.
2015
On 31 January and 1 February, Ma'u played for the Eels in the 2015 NRL Auckland Nines. On 2 May, Ma'u represented Tonga in their 2015 Polynesian Cup test-match against Pacific rivals Samoa, playing at second-row in Tonga's 18-16 loss at Cbus Super Stadium. He finished off the 2015 season having played in 22 matches and scoring 5 tries for Eels. On 8 September, he was named in the New Zealand train-on squad, however didn't make the final squad so played for Tonga in their Asia-Pacific Qualifier match against the Cook Islands for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, playing at second-row in Tonga's 28-8 win at Campbelltown Stadium.
2016
On 1 February, Ma'u was named in the Eels' 2016 NRL Auckland Nines squad. On 6 May, he made his debut for New Zealand against Australia in the 2016 Anzac Test.