Andrew Fifita was born on 28 June 1989 and is a retired professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop.
41 Facts About Andrew Fifita
2.
Andrew Fifita has played for Tonga and Australia at international level.
3.
Andrew Fifita is known for his tackle-breaks, strong fend and his step.
4.
Andrew Fifita was a part of the Cronulla team that won their maiden premiership title in the 2016 season, scoring the equalising try that led to the game winning conversion from James Maloney.
5.
Andrew Fifita was born in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia, of Indigenous Australian and Tongan descent.
6.
Andrew Fifita began playing rugby league with twin brother David in the Penrith junior rugby league system before moving to Griffith, New South Wales.
7.
Andrew Fifita attended Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown and Wyndham College.
8.
Andrew Fifita played junior football for the Doonside Roos, St Patricks Blacktown and the Griffith Waratahs.
9.
Andrew Fifita is not related to John Andrew Fifita, a former St George Dragons player.
10.
Andrew Fifita finished his debut year in the NRL with 5 tries from 22 matches.
11.
Andrew Fifita was chosen to participate in a New South Wales developmental squad.
12.
Andrew Fifita started the season at prop, but was dropped from first grade by Tim Sheens after round 19 and never returned.
13.
On 15 July, Andrew Fifita signed with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks on a 3-year deal, starting from 2012 after was released from the Wests Tigers, along with Bryce Gibbs, so that the club could accommodate Adam Blair under the salary cap.
14.
Andrew Fifita finished his last year with the Wests Tigers with 3 tries in 17 matches.
15.
Andrew Fifita proved to be a revelation for the Sharks in the 2013 NRL season and was rewarded with representative selections for NSW City Origin and the New South Wales State of Origin teams.
16.
Andrew Fifita was chosen in the 24-man Australian squad for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.
17.
On 26 April, Andrew Fifita re-signed with Cronulla on a four-year deal until the end of the 2018 season.
18.
Andrew Fifita later made public the terms of the memorandum of understanding he had signed, which stated he would be paid $800,000 per season.
19.
In round 9, against the Parramatta Eels, Andrew Fifita suffered an ankle injury.
20.
In round 22, against the New Zealand Warriors, Andrew Fifita suffered a broken arm which ended his season.
21.
Andrew Fifita played in 12 matches during his tumultuous heavily publicised 2014 NRL season.
22.
Andrew Fifita revealed that he had been saved when someone in the room grabbed his legs and pulled him back inside and said "David punched me in the face, punched me in the mouth, I sat there laughing at him", I was just yelling at him 'I don't care: it's over, do what you want.
23.
Andrew Fifita finished the year with him playing in 18 matches and scoring 7 tries for the Sharks.
24.
In September 2016, sports journalist Rebecca Wilson called for Andrew Fifita to be terminated by Cronulla after the player had visited convicted killer Kieran Loveridge in prison.
25.
Wilson later said that Andrew Fifita had no place in rugby league.
26.
Andrew Fifita scored the winning try with ten minutes to go in the game, carrying several defenders over the line with him.
27.
On 13 December 2016, Andrew Fifita was handed a breach notice by The NRL for showing support for childhood friend, one punch killer Kieran Loveridge.
28.
On seven occasions Andrew Fifita was photographed playing with the message on his wrist during the Cronulla's premiership drought-breaking campaign.
29.
On 21 December 2016, Andrew Fifita was fined $20,000 by The NRL over his continued support for Loveridge.
30.
Andrew Fifita fended multiple times to put James Maloney in under the posts, then made some runs.
31.
Andrew Fifita took advantage of a loose ball from Justin O'Neill to score under the posts.
32.
On 2 December 2017, it was revealed that Andrew Fifita was taking NRL club Canterbury to court over a contract dispute which was reportedly worth $3.2 million over 4 seasons.
33.
Andrew Fifita captained the Sharks on occasion and was awarded the Dally M Prop of the Year.
34.
In Round 18 against the New Zealand Warriors, Andrew Fifita was sin binned with 10 minutes of play left after using an illegal shoulder charge on New Zealand player Lachlan Burr.
35.
Andrew Fifita played in the club's elimination final defeat against Manly at Brookvale Oval.
36.
Andrew Fifita played 12 games for Cronulla in the 2020 NRL season as the club finished 8th and qualified for the finals.
37.
Andrew Fifita played in Cronulla's elimination final loss against Canberra.
38.
Andrew Fifita started the season in the NSW Cup, playing for Cronulla's feeder club Newtown.
39.
In round 22 against Newcastle, Andrew Fifita was taken from the field in the first half of the match and later taken to hospital with a suspected throat injury, where he was diagnosed with a fractured larynx requiring surgery and placed into an induced coma.
40.
On 23 August, Andrew Fifita announced he would be leaving Cronulla at the end of the 2022 season.
41.
Andrew Fifita played a total of 22 games for Cronulla throughout 2022 including both of the clubs finals matches.