Adam Tangata

{{short description|Cook Islands international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Adam "Adz" Tangata |fullname = Adam Tangata |image = ADAM TANGATA (15228077167).jpg |imagesize = 290 |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|3|17}} |birth_place = Raratonga, Cook Islands |height = {{convert|1.88|m|ftin|abbr=on|order=flip}} |weight = {{convert|107|kg|stlb|abbr=on|order=flip}} |position = {{rlp|PR|SR}} |club1 = Halifax |year1start = 2015 |year1end = 18 |appearances1 = 86 |tries1 = 26 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 104 |club2 = Widnes Vikings |year2start = 2019 |year2end = |appearances2 = 3 |tries2 = 0 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 0 |club3 = Halifax |year3start = 2019 |year3end = 20 |appearances3 = 11 |tries3 = 2 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 8 |club4 = {{nowrap|→ Wakefield Trinity}} |year4start = 2019{{small|(loan)}} |year4end = |appearances4 = 3 |tries4 = 0 |goals4 = 0 |fieldgoals4 = 0 |points4 = 0 |club5 = {{nowrap|→ Wakefield Trinity}} |year5start = 2020{{small|(loan)}} |year5end = |appearances5 = 11 |tries5 = 1 |goals5 = 0 |fieldgoals5 = 0 |points5 = 4 |club6 = Wakefield Trinity |year6start = 2021 |year6end = |appearances6 = 3 |tries6 = 0 |goals6 = 0 |fieldgoals6 = 0 |points6 = 0 | club7 = Halifax Panthers | year7start = 2021 | year7end = 25 | appearances7 = 118 | tries7 = 16 | goals7 = 0 | fieldgoals7 = 0 | points7 = 48 | club8 = SO Avignon | year8start = 2025 | year8end = present | appearances8 = 3 | tries8 = 0 | goals8 = 0 | fieldgoals8 = 0 | points8 = 0 |teamA = Cook Islands |yearAstart = 2009 |yearAend = 25 |appearancesA = 5 |triesA = 1 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 4 |retired = |source = <ref>[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/adam-tangata/summary.html Rugby League Project]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Adam-Tangata/ |title=loverugbyleague |access-date=25 April 2017 |archive-date=10 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810035939/http://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Adam-Tangata/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | updated = {{date|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}|DMY}} }}

'''Adam Tangata''' (born 17 March 1991) is a Cook Islands former rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|pr}} for SO Avignon in the Super XIII and the Cook Islands at international level.

He has previously played for Halifax in three separate spells as well as Wakefield Trinity and the Widnes Vikings. Tangata spent time during his second spell at 'Fax on loan at Wakefield in the Super League.

==Background== Tangata was born in Raratonga, Cook Islands. His surname ''Tangata'' translates to mean people from Polynesian languages.

==Career== Tangata played for the Mount Pritchard Mounties in the NSW Cup and he also played for the Canberra Raiders Under 20s side in 2011.

Tangata signed for English semi-professional club Halifax for the 2015 season, on a two-year contract.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/sport/halifax-rlfc/halifax-rlfc-news/fax-sign-international-forward-tangata-1-6840595 |title=Fax sign international forward Tangata |publisher=Halifax Courier |date=15 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220729/http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/sport/halifax-rlfc/halifax-rlfc-news/fax-sign-international-forward-tangata-1-6840595 |archive-date=3 March 2016}}</ref>

Tangata is known for his aggressive tackling and hit-ups, and became a fans' favourite at Halifax. In his time at Halifax, he had his own chant – "ooh aah Tangata", repurposed from Oops Up Side Your Head by The Gap Band.

===Halifax=== On 13 April 2021, it was reported that he had re-signed for Halifax in the RFL Championship on a deal that would keep him at the club until 2022.<ref>{{cite web|website=Halifax Courier|date=13 April 2021|accessdate=14 April 2021|title=Tangata makes his return to Halifax Panthers|url=https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/tangata-makes-his-return-to-halifax-panthers-3199688}}</ref> On 25 August, Tangata signed a contract extension with Halifax keeping him at the club until the end of 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/tangata-signs-new-deal-at-halifax-panthers-3818628/|title=Tangata signs new deal at Halifax Panthers|website=www.halifaxcourier.co.uk}}</ref>

He called time on his Halifax Panthers career at the end of the 2025 season<ref>{{cite web|website=Halifax Panthers|title=TANGATA CALLS TIME ON FAX CAREER AFTER 10 SEASONS|url=https://halifaxpanthers.co.uk/panthers-news/tangata-calls-time-on-fax-career-after-10-seasons/}}</ref>

===Avignon===

Tangata signed for Sporting Olympique Avignon of the Super XIII, the top tier of French Rugby League on the 18th November 2025.

==International career== He represented his nation in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

Adam was named in the Cook Islands squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying match against Tonga.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://au.eurosport.com/rugby-league/cook-islands-call-ups-for-anthony-gelling-and-adam-tangata_sto4924902/story.shtml|title = Cook Islands call-ups for Anthony Gelling and Adam Tangata|date = 25 September 2015}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://wakefieldtrinity.com/blog/team/adam-tangata/ Wakefield Trinity profile] *[https://www.superleague.co.uk/player/959/adam%3Cbr-%3Etangata SL profile] *[https://www.halifaxrlfc.co.uk/squads/first_team/player_info?521879-Adam-Tangata Halifax profile] *[https://wakefieldtrinity.com/blog/2019/11/06/tangata-back-for-2020/ Tangata back for 2020!]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tangata, Adam}} Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Cook Island sportsmen Category:Cook Island emigrants to Australia Category:Cook Island expatriate rugby league players Category:Cook Island expatriate sportspeople in Australia Category:Cook Island expatriate sportspeople in England Category:Cook Island rugby league players Category:Cook Islands national rugby league team players Category:Halifax Panthers players Category:Mount Pritchard Mounties players Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby league players in Australia Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby league players in England Category:Rugby league props Category:Wakefield Trinity players Category:Widnes Vikings players