{{Short description|Tonga international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Esi Tonga |fullname = Esikeli Tonga |image = Esi Tonga.jpg |imagesize = |position = {{Rlp|CE|WG|SR}} |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|2|5|df=yes}} |birth_place = Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia |height = {{height|m=1.87|precision=0}} |weight = {{convert|94|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |club1 = {{nowrap|Gold Coast Titans}} |year1start = 2008 |year1end = 11 |appearances1 = 36 |tries1 = 10 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 40 |club2 = Parramatta Eels |year2start = 2012 |year2end = |appearances2 = 3 |tries2 = 0 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 0 |club3 = Manly Sea Eagles |year3start = 2013 |year3end = |appearances3 = 9 |tries3 = 0 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 0 |teamA = Tonga |yearAstart = 2008 |yearAend = |appearancesA = 2 |triesA = 1 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 4 |retired = yes |source = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Esikeli_Tonga/summary.html RLP]</ref> |updated = 14 April 2019 | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = | mother = | spouse = | education = | alma_mater = | relatives = Willie Tonga (brother) }} }}
'''Esikeli Tonga''' (born 5 February 1988) is a former Tonga international rugby league footballer who last previously played for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League. A Tongan international representative three-quarter or second-rower, he is the younger brother of Parramatta Eels centre Willie Tonga.<ref name="Young Titan Tonga set to make debut">{{cite news|url=http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/05/31/11888_gold-coast-titans.html|title=Young Titan Tonga set to make debut|work=Gold Coast Bulletin|date=31 May 2008|access-date=5 June 2008|first=Luke|last=Turgeon}}</ref>
==Background== Tonga was born in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. He is of both Australian Aboriginal and Tongan descent.
In 2005 Tonga graduated from Marsden State High School in Logan City.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/school-days-to-class-acts/story-e6frfgbo-1225702277172|title=School days to class acts|first=Matt|last=Marshall|date=23 April 2009|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=Sydney}}</ref>
==Playing career== Tonga made his first grade debut for the Gold Coast against Cronulla-Sutherland in round 12 of the 2008 NRL season at Shark Park. In August 2008, Tonga was named in the Tonga training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,<ref name="Tug-of-war over Mason">{{cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_3935853,00.html|title=Tug-of-war over Mason|publisher=Sky Sports|date=5 August 2008|access-date=6 August 2008}}</ref> and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Tonga squad.<ref name="Samoa, Tonga and Fiji name squads">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/7658506.stm|title=Anderson ruled out of World Cup|publisher=BBC Sport|date=8 October 2008|access-date=9 October 2008}}</ref>
In the 2009 NRL season, Tonga played 16 games as the Gold Coast reached the finals for the first time but Tonga missed out through injury. Tonga missed the entire 2010 NRL season but returned in 2011. Tonga played 12 games for the Gold Coast in 2011 as the club finished last and claimed the wooden spoon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/parramatta-eels-defeat-the-gold-coast-titans-to-avoid-wooden-spoon-for-2011/news-story/fc87216a6a23a4b8d0eefd6174b60c47/|title=Parramatta Eels defeat the Gold Coast Titans to avoid wooden spoon for 2011|website=The Daily Telegraph|location=Sydney}}</ref>
In the 2012 NRL season, Tonga joined Parramatta. Tonga only managed to make three appearances for the club as they finished last on the table for the first time since 1972 and claimed the wooden spoon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2012/10/02/season-review-parramatta-eels/|title=Season review: Parramatta Eels|publisher=National Rugby League}}</ref>
In 2013, Tonga joined Manly-Warringah but only made one appearance for the club before being released.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080720114548/http://www.titans.com.au/index.php?page_id=singleprofile&player_id=41 Gold Coast Titans profile]
{{Tonga 2008 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tonga, Esi}} Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Australian people of Tongan descent Category:Sportspeople of Tongan descent Category:Gold Coast Titans players Category:Indigenous Australian rugby league players Category:21st-century Indigenous Australian people Category:Manly Warringah Sea Eagles players Category:Parramatta Eels players Category:Rugby league centres Category:Rugby league players from Dubbo Category:Tonga national rugby league team players Category:Tongan rugby league players Category:Wentworthville Magpies players Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen