Josh Aloiai

Josh Aloiai (born 11 November 1995) is a Samoan international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Wests Tigers in the NRL.

Aloiai was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He is of Samoan and Italian descent,

He played his junior rugby league for the Glenora Bears, before being signed by the Parramatta Eels. His father, a national jiu-jitsu champion in New Zealand, died in 2009. Later relocating to Sydney Australia aged 17, he moved in with his aunt and uncle who, he said, "took me in as if I was their own".

Early career

In 2014 and 2015, Aloiai played for the Parramatta Eels' NYC team. On 18 October 2014, he played for the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos. His 2015 season was hampered by injury. He said, "I was running and as I was getting tackled my hip subluxed and it the process fractured my posterior wall of my hip." On 11 November, he signed a 1-year contract with the Wests Tigers starting in 2016.

2016

Despite missing the pre-season with his hip injury, Aloiai made his NRL debut in round 1 against the New Zealand Warriors, playing off the interchange bench in the Tigers' 34-26 win at Campbelltown Stadium. He re-signed with the club for a further season soon after.

Playing as a reserve in the early weeks of the season, Aloiai progressed to the starting team from round 11 onward. He was the first Wests Tigers player to appear in every game of their rookie season. He said, "This year has definitely exceeded my expectations. I just feel really thankful and blessed how the year's gone."

2017

Suffering a broken jaw 3 weeks into the pre-season during a training session at the beach, Aloiai was hospitalised for a short time.He said, "I just copped a bit of a shot in the jaw and got a few breaks. I had surgery that week. After the Christmas break I should be practically be into everything." He signed an extension to the end of 2019 in January, saying, "It's a privilege to be able to live my dream – the players that we have here have pretty much become my brothers and we also have quality staff at the club." In round 11, Aloiai suffered a "gruesome" dislocated patella that kept him off the paddock until the last 4 games. He scored 2 tries from his 15 appearances.

Aloiai was named in the Italian team for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. but withdrew from the team.

2018

Aloiai played 16 games for the Wests Tigers, mostly from the bench, and made his first appearances in the front row.

In June, he made his international debut for Samoa against Tonga. He said, "When I told my Mum she got pretty emotional, just telling me how proud my father would have been. My aunties and uncles, my dad's brothers and sisters have all messaged me along with my first cousins just saying how proud it is for the Samoan side of the family."

At season's end, Aloiai was nominated for the Ken Stephen Medal for community service. He said, "It caught me by surprise actually. A lot of the community stuff I do, whether it is through the club or in my own time, I don't do it for recognition. My achievements say a lot about my mum."

Aloiai is married to Taleah as of October 2018. Aloiai is a devout Christian. "I think the sport they play in heaven is rugby league. I reckon God loves it. A big part of what I'm trying to do now is incorporate my faith into my footy, a lot of people don't understand how that works but it works awesome for me. God has given me a gift so I'm trying to use it is through rugby league and glorify his name," he has said.