Wes Naiqama
Encyclopedia
Wes Naiqama is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer for the Newcastle Knights
of the National Rugby League
competition. Also the incumbent Fiji national team captain, his usual position is in the centres. His younger brother Kevin Naiqama
also plays for the Newcastle Knights and plays international rugby league for Fiji
.
. His junior rugby league club was the Arncliffe Scots. In 2002 he scored 38 points (5 tries and 9 goals) in a Jersey Flegg game for St George Illawarra against North Sydney
.
in 2008 where he regularly starts in the centres or at fullback, but has been used as a bench utility player as well. He is also the replacement goal kicker after Kurt Gidley
.
In December, 2006, Naiqama was arrested but not charged over an alleged assault in Sydney's King Cross.
On 28 February 2007, Wes Naiqama was convicted by a Sydney court for driving a car while his license was disqualified. The court sentenced Naiqama to serve a maximum of eight months periodic detention, with a non-parole period of four months. This was the fourth time Naiqama had been convicted of such an offence.
He was named in the Fiji squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
.
In Round 16 of the 2011 NRL Premiership, Naiqama got the chance to captain the Newcastle Knights
after captain Kurt Gidley
and vice-captain Jarrod Mullen
were both injured at the time.
On 3 November 2011 The annual RLIF Awards
dinner was held at the Tower of London
and Naiqama was named Fiji
's player of the year.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer for the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
of the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
competition. Also the incumbent Fiji national team captain, his usual position is in the centres. His younger brother Kevin Naiqama
Kevin Naiqama
Kevin Naiqama is a rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League. He plays at wing, fullback and centre and gained selection for the Fiji national team in 2009. Kevin is the younger brother of Knights player Wes Naiqama.-Playing career:Born in Sutherland, New South...
also plays for the Newcastle Knights and plays international rugby league for Fiji
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
.
Biography
As a child, Wes Naiqama attended James Cook Boys Technology High SchoolJames Cook Boys Technology High School
James Cook Boys' Technology High School is a boys' school situated on Princes Highway in Kogarah, Australia.-History:James Cook was founded in 1957 after Moorefield racecourse was demolished and the ground was divided into housing development and two schools: Moorefield Girls High School and James...
. His junior rugby league club was the Arncliffe Scots. In 2002 he scored 38 points (5 tries and 9 goals) in a Jersey Flegg game for St George Illawarra against North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
.
Professional playing career
Naiqama began his NRL career in 2005 with the St. George Illawarra Dragons before moving to the Newcastle KnightsNewcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in 2008 where he regularly starts in the centres or at fullback, but has been used as a bench utility player as well. He is also the replacement goal kicker after Kurt Gidley
Kurt Gidley
Kurt Gidley is a professional Australian rugby league player and captain of the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback he has played his entire NRL career to date with the Knights. He is the younger brother of Matthew...
.
In December, 2006, Naiqama was arrested but not charged over an alleged assault in Sydney's King Cross.
On 28 February 2007, Wes Naiqama was convicted by a Sydney court for driving a car while his license was disqualified. The court sentenced Naiqama to serve a maximum of eight months periodic detention, with a non-parole period of four months. This was the fourth time Naiqama had been convicted of such an offence.
He was named in the Fiji squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
.
In Round 16 of the 2011 NRL Premiership, Naiqama got the chance to captain the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
after captain Kurt Gidley
Kurt Gidley
Kurt Gidley is a professional Australian rugby league player and captain of the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback he has played his entire NRL career to date with the Knights. He is the younger brother of Matthew...
and vice-captain Jarrod Mullen
Jarrod Mullen
Jarrod Stephen Mullen is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League . A New South Wales State of Origin representative half, he has played his entire career to date with the Knights.Born in Singleton in Northern...
were both injured at the time.
On 3 November 2011 The annual RLIF Awards
RLIF Awards
The Rugby League International Federation currently oversees and awards the major international sporting award for rugby league on an annual basis and has done so since its inception in 2004....
dinner was held at the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
and Naiqama was named Fiji
Fiji national rugby league team
-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
's player of the year.