{{Short description|Former Samoa international rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{EngvarB|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Malo Solomona |fullname = Malofou Solomona |image = Malofou Solomona.jpg |image_size = |position = {{rlp|WG}} |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1987|5|10}} |birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand |height = {{convert|182|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|88|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |club1 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}} |year1start = 2008 |year1end = 10 |appearances1 = 8 |tries1 = 3 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 12 |teamA = Samoa |yearAstart = 2006 |yearAend = 10 |appearancesA = 5 |triesA = 5 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 20 |updated = |source = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Malo_Solomona.html RLP]</ref> |new = yes }}
'''Malofou Solomona''' (born 10 May 1987) is a former Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays on the {{rlp|wg}} for the Point Chevalier Pirates in the Auckland Rugby League.
==Background== Solomona was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He is of Samoan and Maori descent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.maoritelevision.com/news/sport/nz-maori-rugby-league-tournament-squad-named|title=NZ Māori Rugby League Tournament squad named|website=Māori Television|accessdate=26 March 2019}}</ref>
==Early years== Solomona attended Mt Albert Grammar School, and played rugby league for the Richmond Rovers club.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sporty.co.nz/Richmond/ABOUT-US/tab1 |title=About Us |publisher=Richmond Rovers |date= |access-date=16 July 2023}}</ref><ref name=israel />
Between 2005 and 2006 Solomona spent time in Townsville, as part of the North Queensland Cowboys development squad.<ref name=israel />
He then returned to the Auckland Rugby League competition and also played for the Auckland Lions at Bartercard Cup level before being signed by the New Zealand Warriors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/266696/Warriors-begin-blooding-newcomers |title=Warriors begin blooding newcomers |publisher=Stuff |date= |access-date=16 July 2023}}</ref>
He is a cousin of Superleague player David Solomona and Se'e Solomona is his uncle.<ref name=israel>{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/547740|title=Israel no promised land for the Warriors|date=25 July 2008|work=Stuff.co.nz|accessdate=19 October 2011}}</ref>
==Warriors== After signing for the Warriors he played for the Auckland Lions in the NSWRL Premier League where he scored 15 tries in 21 matches in the 2007 season.
In 2008 he played for both the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Cup, and the Junior Warriors in the Toyota Cup. In Round 16 he made his National Rugby League debut on 29 June 2008 against the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval.<ref>[http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=87380&cat=989&fm=newsarticle "Warriors keep faith in Solomona and Fai"], ''NewsTalkZB'', 8 July 2008.</ref> In only his third first-class game he scored a hat-trick of tries against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium, Sydney on 19 July 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4630057a1823.html|title=Israel no promised land for the Warriors|date=25 July 2008|work=Stuff.co.nz|accessdate=19 October 2011}}</ref><ref name="NZ_Herald_10522488">{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10522488|title=League: Solomona hat-trick spurs Warriors to big win|date=19 July 2008|agency=NZPA|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=19 October 2011}}</ref>
==Later years== In 2010 Solomona played for the Te Atatu Roosters in the 2010 Fox Memorial.<ref>[http://aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=321 Appliance Shield Fox Memorial] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605024813/http://www.aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=321 |date=2010-06-05}}, ''Auckland Rugby League'', Accessed 11 July 2010</ref> He was selected to represent Auckland in the 2010 National Zonal Competition.<ref>[http://www.aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=436 Auckland Zone Premiers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720072358/http://www.aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=436 |date=2011-07-20}}, ''Auckland Rugby League'', Accessed 21 August 2010</ref>
Solomona joined the Glenora Bears for 2011 before moving to the Point Chevalier Pirates for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.<ref name=teamlistjuly5>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924104917/http://www.sportsground.co.nz/files/site/305/4/Pdf/140704131704EMPSNTDF.pdf "Team Lists Round 13 - July 5"] ''aucklandleague.co.nz''</ref>
==Representative career== He is a Samoan international, playing for the side in 2006.<ref name="England 38-14 Samoa">{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/international_and_australian/6103128.stm|title=England 38-14 Samoa|work =BBC News Online| location = London|date=5 November 2006|access-date=2008-07-30}}</ref>
In 2008 he was named in the Samoa training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup but did not make the final 24-man team.<ref name="Samoa name World Cup Squad">{{cite web|url=http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=16750 |title=Samoa name World Cup Squad |publisher=League Unlimited |date=5 August 2008 |accessdate=2008-08-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717060051/http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=16750 |archivedate=17 July 2011 }}</ref>
He was named in the New Zealand Māori squad in 2015 to play Auckland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aucklandleague.co.nz/newsarticle/4749 |title=NZ Maori Rugby League Residents Squad Named for Clash with Auckland |publisher=Auckland Rugby League |accessdate=7 September 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070321233042/http://warriors.sitesuite.ws/page/player_malo_solomona.html New Zealand Warriors profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Solomona, Malo}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen Category:Auckland rugby league team players Category:Glenora Bears players Category:New Zealand Māori rugby league players Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent Category:Sportspeople of Samoan descent Category:New Zealand rugby league players Category:New Zealand Warriors players Category:People educated at Mount Albert Grammar School Category:Point Chevalier Pirates players Category:Ponsonby Ponies players Category:Richmond Bulldogs players Category:Rugby league players from Auckland Category:Rugby league wingers Category:Samoa national rugby league team players Category:Samoan rugby league players Malo Category:Te Atatu Roosters players