Name Marika Koroibete Career start 2011 Weight 93 kg | Height 1.80 m Role Rugby league wing | |
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Marika koroibete 2015 speed and power
Marika Koroibete (born 26 July 1992) is a Fijian-Australian rugby footballer and a dual-code international. He has been capped for Australia's national rugby union team, and currently plays as a winger for the Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby. Koroibete previously played rugby league for the Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League, and was a member of the Fijian national rugby league team.
Contents
- Marika koroibete 2015 speed and power
- Shunsuke Nunomaki dominant tackle on Marika Koroibete
- Early years
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- References
Shunsuke Nunomaki dominant tackle on Marika Koroibete
Early years
Born in Naraiyawa, Fiji, Koroibete grew upon a family farm from which he walked twenty kilometres to travel to and from school. Koroibete played rugby union for his school in Fiji before switching to rugby league. After a short stint in junior rugby league Koroibete signed a 3-year contract with the Wests Tigers. Koroibete was signed after being spotted playing for the Fiji Under 19s in a match against Australian-born Fijian players. Koroibete had also been considering pursuing a career in sprinting, having run 100 metres in 10.75 seconds.
Koroibete played for the Tigers' Toyota Cup team in 2011 and 2012, scoring 22 tries in 26 games. He scored two tries as the team won the 2012 Grand Final. 2012 Toyota Cup coach Todd Payten said, "The most exciting part with Marika is that we're only really scratching the surface. He's got a couple of little issues and once we iron them out, he's certainly going to be a crowd pleaser."
2012
In Round 21 of 2012, Koroibete made his NRL debut on the wing for the Wests Tigers against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Tigers 32-6 loss. In just his second game in Round 22, Koroibete scored 4 tries for the Tigers against the 51-26 win Parramatta Eels at Campbelltown Stadium, equaling the club record for most tries in a match set by Kevin McGuinness ten years earlier. Koroibete then followed up with 2 tries against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs a fortnight later. Coach Tim Sheens described him as having, "lots of issues still but he's got raw pace and ability." Koroibete finished his debut year in the NRL playing in 6 matches and scored 7 tries. On 21 August 2012, Koroibete was named at wing in the 2012 Toyota Cup Team of the Year. Koroibete was also named the joint Rookie of the Year for the Wests Tigers, and one of the top ten upcoming youngsters in the NRL in Lifestyle Uncut Magazine.
2013
A number of injuries, including a fractured eye-socket and a dislocated elbow, saw Koroibete play in just 9 games in 2013. However, he scored 5 tries and was averaging over three tackle breaks and 100 metres with the ball per game.
Koroibete made his international debut for Fiji in the 2013 World Cup, as Fiji defeated Ireland 32-14. He played in all five of Fiji's games. In the game against Samoa, he made seven tackle breaks and ran over 220 metres with the ball.
2014
In February, Koroibete was included in the Wests Tigers inaugural 2014 Auckland Nines squad, despite having issues with his visa to gain entry into New Zealand. After playing in one match after Round 8, Koroibete was selected to play for Fiji in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International against Samoa. He played on the wing in the 32–16 loss at Penrith Stadium.
On 23 June, Koroibete joined the Melbourne Storm mid-season on a 2 1⁄2-year contract effective immediately. On Round 18 against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Koroibete made his debut for the Melbourne Storm replacing Sisa Waqa on the wing in the Storm's 6–4 loss. In the next match in Round 19 against the Canberra Raiders at AAMI Park, Koroibete scored his first club try in the 28–14 win. Koroibete finished the year with him playing in 10 matches and scoring 6 tries after his mid-year transfer to the Storm.
2015
On 31 January and 1 February, Koroibete played for the Storm in the 2015 NRL Auckland Nines. On 2 May, he played for Fiji against Papua New Guinea in the 2015 Melanesian Cup, playing on the wing. He scored 2 tries in a Man of the Match winning performance in Fiji's 22-10 victory at Cbus Super Stadium. He finished off the 2015 season as the Storms' highest try-scorer with 16 tries in 23 matches.
2016
On 1 February, Koroibete was named in the Storm's 2016 NRL Auckland Nines squad.
In May 2016 it was confirmed he will be leaving NRL for rugby union with offers placed by Super Rugby side, Melbourne Rebels and the Wallabies. The offer allowed him to play for the Rebels as well as for the Australia national team for which he has already qualified under the 4-year residency rule.
In October 2016, just weeks after playing in the 2016 NRL Grand Final, he was named in the Wallabies squad for their end-of-year tour to Europe.