{{short description|Tonga international rugby league footballer}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox rugby league biography | name = Tesi Niu | fullname = Fanitesi Niu | image = Tesi Niu.jpg | image_size = | position = {{rlp|FB|WG|CE}} | birth_date = {{birth-date and age|11 August 2001}} | birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | height = {{convert|1.77|m|ftin|abbr=on|order=flip}} | weight = {{convert|94|kg|stlb|abbr=on|order=flip}} | club1 = Brisbane Broncos | year1start = 2020 | year1end = 22 | appearances1 = 32 | tries1 = 11 | goals1 = 0 | fieldgoals1 = 0 | points1 = 44 | club2 = Dolphins | year2start = 2023 | year2end = 24 | appearances2 = 24 | tries2 = 9 | goals2 = 0 | fieldgoals2 = 0 | points2 = 36 | club3 = Leigh Leopards | year3start = 2025 | year3end = present | appearances3 = 34 | tries3 = 12 | goals3 = 0 | fieldgoals3 = 0 | points3 = 48 | teamA = Tonga 9s | yearAstart = 2019 | yearAend = | appearancesA = 3 | triesA = 1 | goalsA = 0 | fieldgoalsA = 0 | pointsA = 4 | teamB = {{rlnt|Tonga}} | yearBstart = 2019 | yearBend = 22 | appearancesB = 3 | triesB = 4 | goalsB = 0 | fieldgoalsB = 0 | pointsB = 16 | new = | source = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/fanitesi-niu/summary.html|title=Tesi Niu - Playing Career - RLP|first=Shawn|last=Dollin|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org}}</ref> | updated = 30 August 2025 | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | relatives = David Fifita (cousin) }} }}
'''Fanitesi Niu''' (born 11 August 2001) is a {{rlnt|Tonga}} international rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|ce}} or {{rlp|wg}}er for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League.
He previously played for the Dolphins and the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL.
==Background== Niu was born on 11 August 2001 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-08 |title=Tesi Niu |url=https://www.dolphinsnrl.com.au/teams/nrl-premiership/dolphins/tesi-niu/ |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=The Dolphins |language=en}}</ref> He was educated at Marsden State High School and played his junior rugby league for the Forest Lake Magpies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dawson |first=Andrew |date=2018-10-12 |title=Tesi Niu – Thrilling Young Talent |url=https://southsloganmagpies.com.au/tesi-niu-thrilling-young-talent/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327094603/https://southsloganmagpies.com.au/tesi-niu-thrilling-young-talent/ |archive-date=2020-03-27 |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=South Logan Magpies}}</ref> He is a first cousin of David Fifita.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ray|first=Jamie-Lee|date=31 May 2019|title=Tesi Niu draws Origin inspiration from Fifita|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2019/05/31/tesi-niu-draws-origin-inspiration-from-fifita/|publisher=QRL|access-date=1 November 2019}}</ref>
Niu also represented the 2018 Australian Schoolboys.
==Playing career== ===2019=== Niu represented Tonga in 2019 Great Britain Lions tour making his international debut. He then played for Tonga 9s in the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/live-world-nines-png-out-to-heap-pain-on-beaten-kiwi-ferns/news-story/1b2c3df815703e59635881f548dc6ec3 |title=Thrills, spills and huge upsets: Every World Nines score and report |work=Fox Sports |date=19 October 2019}}</ref>
===Brisbane Broncos (2020–2022)=== On 4 June 2020, Niu made his NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos, coming off the interchange bench in a record 59–0 home defeat against the Sydney Roosters. On 27 June 2020, he made his starting debut at fullback against the Gold Coast Titans.
Niu made a total of six appearances for Brisbane in the 2020 NRL season after suffering a season-ending wrist injury in round 10, as the club finished last on the table and claimed its first-ever wooden spoon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/09/24/brisbane-get-wooden-spoon-as-cowboys-finish-on-a-high/|title=Brisbane get wooden spoon as North Queensland finish on a high|website=www.nrl.com|date=24 September 2020}}</ref>
In round 16 of the 2021 NRL season, Niu scored two tries in a 26–18 victory over Cronulla-Sutherland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-04/nrl-south-sydney-beats-wests-tigers-brisbane-defeats-sharks/100233256/|title=South Sydney defeats Wests Tigers 38-22, Brisbane Broncos score 26-18 victory over Cronulla|website=www.abc.net.au|date=4 July 2021}}</ref>
Niu played a total of ten games for Brisbane in the 2022 NRL season scoring three tries as the club finished 9th on the table and missed out on the finals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/rugby-league/news/nrl-2022-brisbane-broncos-season-review/dag7jt0v67vvq6zzsmsxbqjl/|title=NRL 2022: Brisbane Broncos season review|website=www.sportingnews.com|date=14 September 2022 }}</ref> In the third group game at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, Niu scored a hat-trick for Tonga in their 92–10 victory over the Cook Islands at the Riverside Stadium.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63448198|title=Tonga 92-10 Cook Islands: Tonga close Rugby League World Cup group in style|work=BBC Sport |date=30 October 2022 }}</ref>
=== Dolphins (2023–24) === [[File:Tesi Niu and Connelly Lemuelu.jpg|thumb|180px|Niu (left) and Connelly Lemuelu in 2024]] Niu joined the newly-licensed Dolphins after he was granted an early release by Brisbane.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/rugby-league/news/tesi-niu-granted-early-release-broncos-set-join-dolphins-2023/ie7lfdb0wolfc9bsqch0mltk/|title=Tesi Niu granted early release from Broncos, joins Dolphins for 2023|website=www.sportingnews.com|date=5 January 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-04 |title=Niu departs Broncos |url=https://www.broncos.com.au/news/2023/01/04/niu-departs-broncos/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=Brisbane Broncos |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-05 |title=Niu kid on the block for Dolphins NRL debut |url=https://www.dolphinsnrl.com.au/news/2023/01/05/niu-kid-on-the-block-for-dolphins-nrl-debut/ |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=The Dolphins |language=en}}</ref> In round 1 of the 2023 NRL season, Niu made his club debut for the Dolphins in their inaugural game in the national competition, defeating the Sydney Roosters 28–18 at Suncorp Stadium. In round 3 of the 2023 NRL season, he became the first player in the Dolphins NRL history to score a hat-trick when they defeated the Newcastle Knights 36–20.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-17/nrl-knights-dolphins-roosters-rabbitohs/102097528/|title=Sydney Roosters triumph over Rabbitohs 20-18 in tense NRL battle, Dolphins stay unbeaten with 36-20 win over Newcastle Knights|newspaper=ABC News|date=17 March 2023 }}</ref> In total, Niu played seventeen games and scored five tries for the Dolphins in 2023. His contract was extended until the end of 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dolphinsnrl.com.au/news/2023/06/30/niu2023/ | title=Niu earns contract extension | date=30 June 2023 }}</ref>
=== 2024 === In round 7 of the 2024 NRL season, Niu scored two tries in the Dolphins 44–16 victory over Parramatta.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-news-2024-parramatta-eels-vs-the-dolphins-live-stream-updates-start-time-teams-jesse-bromwich-dylan-brown/news-story/672e76464c7ec92abd251e7f31f1ca26/|title=Dolphins stun with nine-try onslaught to leave Eels shell-shocked in 'demoralising loss'|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}</ref> Following the end of the 2024 NRL season Niu turned out for feeder club Norths Devils and won the Queensland Cup with a 34-20 grand final victory over the Redcliffe Dolphins. Niu scored a double in the decider to earn the Duncan Hall medal for man of the match.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.qrl.com.au/draw/qrl-premiership/2024/grand-final/game-1/ | title=Grand Final game | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914033621/https://www.qrl.com.au/draw/qrl-premiership/2024/grand-final/game-1/ | archive-date=2024-09-14}}</ref> Two weeks later he also helped the Devils win the NRL State Championship against NSW Cup premiers the Newtown Jets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jets v Devils |url=https://www.nrl.com/draw/nrl-state-championship/2024/nrl-state-championship/jets-v-devils/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=National Rugby League |language=en}}</ref> Niu confirmed that he would move to the Leigh Leopards at the start of the 2025 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chalk |first=Ethan Lee |date=2024-10-07 |title=Dolphins centre confirms new club |url=https://www.zerotackle.com/dolphins-centre-confirms-new-club-214946/ |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=Zero Tackle |language=en-US}}</ref>
===2025=== Niu made his club debut for Leigh in round 1 of the 2025 Super League season against rivals Wigan. Leigh would win the match 1-0 in extra-time after the game finished 0-0 at the conclusion of 80 minutes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/c2k5w971j35o|title=Leigh beat Wigan in extra time after historic 0-0 draw|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Niu played 26 games for Leigh in the 2025 Super League season including their semi-final loss against arch-rivals Wigan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/3-key-areas-that-saw-leigh-leopards-miss-out-on-old-trafford-as-grand-final-opportunity-passed-up/|title=3 key areas that saw Leigh Leopards miss out on Old Trafford as Grand Final opportunity passed up|website=www.loverugbyleague.com}}</ref>
== See also ==
* List of Dolphins (NRL) players
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.dolphinsnrl.com.au/teams/nrl-premiership/dolphins/tesi-niu/ Dolphins profile] *[https://www.broncos.com.au/teams/qrl-premiership/norths-devils/tesi-niu/ Brisbane Broncos profile]
{{Leigh Leopards squad}} {{Dolphins Inaugural Squad}} {{Tonga 2021 Rugby League World Cup squad}} {{Norths Devils squad – 2024 Queensland Cup premiers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niu, Tesi}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Australian people of Tongan descent Category:Sportspeople of Tongan descent Category:Brisbane Broncos players Category:Dolphins (NRL) players Category:Fifita family Category:Leigh Leopards players Category:Norths Devils players Category:Rugby league centres Category:Rugby league fullbacks Category:Rugby league players from Brisbane Category:Rugby league wingers Category:Tonga national rugby league team players Category:Tongan rugby league players Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen
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