{{Short description|Tonga & US international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Joel Luani |fullname = Haveatama Sioelipulu Halafungani<ref>{{cite news|author=Adrian Proszenko|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/tyro-tiger-joel-luani-uses-family-as-inspiration-to-make-his-mark-on-nrl-20140418-zqwbe.html|title=Tyro Tiger Joel Luani uses family as inspiration to make his mark on NRL|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2014-04-18|access-date=2015-10-22}}</ref> |image = joelluani.jpg |imagesize = 220px |caption = Luani playing for the Tigers in 2013. |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1992|2|16}} |birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |height = {{convert|180|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|92|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|HK}} |club1 = Wests Tigers |year1start = 2013 |year1end = 14 |appearances1 = 9 |tries1 = 1 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 4 |teamA = United States |yearAstart = 2013 |yearAend = |appearancesA = 4 |triesA = 0 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 0 |teamB = Tonga |yearBstart = 2014 |yearBend = 15 |appearancesB = 3 |triesB = 0 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 0 |retired = |updated = 31 January 2019 |source =<ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/joel-luani/summary.html Rugby League Project]</ref> }}
'''Joel Luani''' (born 16 February 1992) is a former rugby league player who last played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the Intrust Super Premiership. He played as a {{rlp|hk}} and previously played for the Wests Tigers in the NRL.
==Background== Luani was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He is of American Samoan<ref>{{cite news|author=Rugby League|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/tyro-tiger-joel-luani-uses-family-as-inspiration-to-make-his-mark-on-nrl-20140418-zqwbe.html|title=Tyro Tiger Joel Luani uses family as inspiration to make his mark on NRL|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2014-04-18|access-date=2016-12-11}}</ref> and Tongan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/tonga-named-preliminary-train-on-squad/tabid/10874/newsid/90108/default.aspx|title=Tonga named preliminary train-on squad|publisher=National Rugby League|access-date=2016-12-11}}</ref> descent.
He was educated at his father's alma mater Newington College (2008–2010) and played in the 1st XV rugby union team for three years. In his final year of school, he was a member of Newington's GPS Championship-winning team and went on to represent the Australian Schoolboys rugby union team. He played junior football for Five Dock before being signed by the Wests Tigers.
==Playing career== Luani played for the Tigers' NYC team in 2011 and 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rleague.com/players/Joel-Luani_3145/Matches/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130809090401/http://rleague.com/players/Joel-Luani_3145/Matches/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-08-09 |title=Joel Luani player results, scores, news and statistics |publisher=Rleague.com |date=1992-02-16 |access-date=2013-08-10 }}</ref> playing second row in the 2012 premiership-winning team.<ref>{{cite news|author=Wayne Cousins|work=weststigers.com.au|title=Wests Tigers win NYC Premiership|url=http://www.weststigers.com.au/news-display/Wests-Tigers-win-NYC-Premiership/64673|access-date=11 September 2013|date=30 September 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523162956/http://www.weststigers.com.au/news-display/Wests-Tigers-win-NYC-Premiership/64673|archive-date=23 May 2013}}</ref> Coach Todd Payten said, "Joel played in the back row, which was not his preferred position and not once did he complain. He just went out and did the job each week."<ref>{{cite news|author=Nick Walshaw|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=Sydney|title=Wests Tigers hooker Joel Luani is proof that even the dud clashes matter|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-hooker-joel-luani-is-proof-that-even-the-dud-clashes-matter/story-fni3gpz1-1226694175141|access-date=11 September 2013|date=9 August 2013}}</ref>
On 29 July 2013, Luani re-signed with the Tigers on a 2-year contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weststigers.com.au/news-display/Major-player-news-for-Wests-Tigers/80470 |title=Major player news for Wests Tigers |publisher=Weststigers.com.au |access-date=2013-08-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801045838/http://www.weststigers.com.au/news-display/Major-player-news-for-Wests-Tigers/80470 |archive-date= 1 August 2013 }}</ref>
After being 18th man a number of times in the 2013 NRL season, Luani made his NRL debut for the Tigers against the Parramatta Eels in round 22.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weststigers.com.au/news-display/No-changes-to-Wests-Tigers-NRL-side/81545 |title=LATE change to Wests Tigers NRL side |publisher=Weststigers.com.au |date=2012-01-07 |access-date=2013-08-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204031054/http://www.weststigers.com.au/news-display/No-changes-to-Wests-Tigers-NRL-side/81545 |archive-date= 4 December 2013 }}</ref> He played 3 games in a period when Robbie Farah was unavailable due to injury, scoring one try.
At the end of the season, Luani was chosen to be a member of the United States 2013 World Cup squad. He made his international debut playing at hooker in the side that defeated the Cook Islands 32–20, in the country's first ever World Cup match.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Rugby League World Cup: USA 32-20 Cook Islands|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/24752770|access-date=31 October 2013|date=30 October 2013}}</ref>
Luani made his debut for Tonga at the end of 2014.<ref>{{cite web| work= weststigers.com.au| title=Match Preview: Tonga vs. Toa Samoa| first = Brock| last = Corfe| url=http://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2015/04/30/match_preview_tonga_.html|access-date=5 May 2015|date=30 April 2015}}</ref> In 2015, he played halfback in a Polynesian Cup against Samoa, and was described as one of, "the halves changing perceptions of Pacific rugby league teams having an inability to produce quality playmakers."<ref>{{cite news| work= The Bulletin| title=Tongans on the right path| first =Tom| last = Boswell| url=http://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-gold-coast-bulletin/20150505/282630326209760/TextView|access-date=5 May 2015|date=5 May 2015}}</ref>
He represented Tonga again at the conclusion of the 2015 season in the Asia-Pacific Qualifier match against the Cook Islands for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, but he played this game in his usual position of hooker, with usual hooker Pat Politoni starting at five-eighth.
Luani didn't play in any first-grade games for the Tigers in 2015 and at the end of the season, was not re-signed by the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/newcastle-gun-extends-bulldogs-sign-exciting-centre-nrl-market-watch/story-fn2mcuj6-1227575932031|title=Newcastle Gun Extends; Bulldogs Sign Exciting Centre|publisher=Fox Sports|location=Australia|access-date=2015-10-22}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons-cat}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20151026004124/http://www.weststigers.com.au/team/profiles/joel-luani.html 2015 Wests Tigers profile]
{{Wests Tigers squad - 2012 NYC premiers}} {{United States 2013 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Luani, Joel}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Australian people of American descent Category:Australian people of Samoan descent Category:Sportspeople of Samoan descent Category:Australian people of Tongan descent Category:Sportspeople of Tongan descent Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Australian rugby union players Category:Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers players Category:People educated at Newington College Category:Rugby league hookers Category:Rugby league players from Sydney Category:Tonga national rugby league team players Category:Tongan rugby league players Category:United States national rugby league team players Category:Wests Tigers NSW Cup players Category:Wests Tigers players Category:Footballers who switched code Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen