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Tonga name 58-man squad for Cook Islands qualifier

11th September, 2015
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The Sydney Roosters travel across the Tasman to face the New Zealand Warriors. (AAP Image/David Rowland)
Roar Guru
11th September, 2015
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The Tonga squad to play the Cook Islands in the Asia-Pacific 2017 rugby league World Cup qualifier has today been named.

Tonga have great depth in the outside backs with Konrad Hurrell, Mahe Fonua and Solomone Kata all set to provide a huge chance at a 2017 Rugby League World Cup berth. Another of Tonga’s strong positions is hooker where they hold a plethora of NRL-quality players such as Pat Politoni, Joel Luani, Nafe Seluini and future Kiwis hooker Sione Katoa.

With Tyson Frizell, Sika Manu and David Fifita Mate Ma’a will enjoy huge size in their forward pack with enough depth to fill two teams. The only position they will struggle to fill is the halves with one preferred position player – Daniel Forster.

Like many other Pacific Islands nations, Tonga will struggle and look to slot Tuimoala Lolohea in at five-eighth which could be blocked by New Zealand as they bid to fill the void left by 2014 Golden Boot winner Shaun Johnson in their tour of England.

The squad is as follows:

Sitaleki Akauola (Wests Tigers), Charlie Fainga’a (Redcliffe Dolphins), Sosaia Feki (Cronulla Sharks), David Fifita (Cronulla Sharks), Glen Fisiiahi (Vodafone Warriors), Asipeli Fine (Wests Tigers), John Folau (Parramatta Eels), Mahe Fonua (Melbourne Storm), Daniel Forster (Penrith Panthers), Tyson Frizell (St George Illawarra Dragons), Danny Fualalo (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), David Fusitua (Vodafone Warriors), Salesi Funaki (Wests Tigers), Siliva Havili (Vodafone Warriors), Delouise Hoeter (Wests Tigers), Malakai Houma (Cronulla Sharks), Saulala Houma (Cronulla Sharks), Konrad Hurrell (Vodafone Warriors), Sebastine Ikahihifo (Vodafone Warriors), Solomone Kata (Vodafone Warriors), Sione Katoa (Penrith Panthers), Antonio Kaufusi (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Felise Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm), Leilani Latu (Penrith Panthers), Brenko Lee (Canberra Raiders), Leva Li (Gold Coast Titans), Tuimoala Lolohea (Vodafone Warriors), Sione Lousi (Vodafone Warriors), Joel Luani (Wests Tigers), Lorenzo Ma’afu (Townsville Blackhawks), Sika Manu (Penrith Panthers), Willie Manu (Penrith Panthers), Feleti Mateo (Manly Sea Eagles), Manu Ma’u (Parramatta Eels), Fuifui Moimoi (Leigh Centurions), Ben Murdoch-Masila (Penrith Panthers), Joe Ofahengaue (Brisbane Broncos), Michael Oldfield (Catalans Dragons), Agnatius Paasi (Gold Coast Titans), Mickey Paea (Hull FC), John Palavi (Vodafone Warriors), Mosese Pangai (Townsville Blackhawks), Tevita Pangai (Canberra Raiders), Pat Politoni (Cronulla Sharks), Vaha Pulu (Sydney Roosters), Tony Satini (Manly Sea Eagles), Nafe Seluini (Burleigh Bears), Ukuma Ta’ai (Huddersfield Giants), Kelepi Tanginoa (North Queensland Cowboys), Jorge Taufua (Manly Sea Eagles), Sio Siua Taukeiaho (Sydney Roosters), Peni Terepo (Parramatta Eels), Vai Toutai (Parramatta Eels), Anthony Tupou (Cronulla Sharks), Siosaia Vave (Manly Sea Eagles), Atelea Vea (St Helens), Albert Vete (Vodafone Warriors), Malakai Watene-Zelezniak (Penrith Panthers)

Predicted First XVII: 1 Glen Fisiiahi, 2 Sosaia Feki, 3 Konrad Hurrell, 4 Mahe Fonua, 5 Solomone Kata, 6 Tuimoala Lolohea, 7 Daniel Forster, 8 David Fifita, 9 Pat Politoni, 10 Ben Murdoch-Masila, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Manu Ma’u, 13 Sika Manu
14 Sio Siua Taukeiaho, 15 Feleti Mateo, 16 Anthony Tupou, 17 Joe Ofahengaue

Tonga will play the Cook Islands at Campbelltown Stadium on October 17.

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UPDATE: October 7
Kristian Woolf has named his final 18-man squad. It is as follows: 1 Solomone Kata, 2 Jorge Taufua, 3 Mahe Fonua, 4 Moses Pangai, 5 Delouise Hoeter, 6 Pat Politoni, 7 Daniel Forster, 8 Albert Vete, 9 Joel Luani, 10 Peni Terepo, 11 Sika Manu, 12 Manu Ma’u, 13 Joe Ofahengaue, 14 Nafe Seluini, 15 Ukuma Ta’ai, 16 Ben Murdoch-Masila, 17 Leilani Latu, 18 David Fifita

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