Keano Kini
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 14 April 2004 Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 84 kg (13 st 3 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Fullback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] As of 25 August 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Keano Kini (/kiːni/) (born 14 April 2004) is a professional rugby league player who plays for the Gold Coast Titans as a fullback or wing in the National Rugby League.
Background
Kini was born in Auckland, New Zealand and is of Māori, English and Samoan descent. His family relocated to the Gold Coast where Kini attended Palm Beach Currumbin State High School.[2] Kini was a Northcote Tigers junior.
Playing career
In 2020, Kini was signed by the Gold Coast Titans after being spotted playing touch football in Auckland.[3] In 2021 and 2022, Kini played for the Titans' Queensland Cup feeder side, the Burleigh Bears. In 2023, despite still being on a development contract, Kini was elevated to the Gold Coast Titans first grade side.
Kini made his first grade debut from the bench in his side's 26–24 victory over the Parramatta Eels at Lang Park in round 10 of the 2023 NRL season.[4] The fullbacks good form also continued for Burleigh where he won the Duncan Hall medal for man of the match in the 2023 Queensland Cup grand final despite playing on the losing side.[5]
Kini scored his first NRL try in his sides Magic Round (NRL) match against the Newcastle Knights in round 11 of the 2024 NRL season. In round 16, Kini scored two tries for the Gold Coast in their 66-6 victory over the New Zealand Warriors.[6] Kini played 16 games for the Gold Coast in the 2024 NRL season as the club finished 14th on the table.[7]
Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Goals | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 |  Gold Coast Titans
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6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 32 | |
| Totals | 22 | 6 | 4 | 32 |
*denotes season competing
source:[8]
References
- ^ Rugby League Project
- ^ "Learning About Kiwi-NRL Juniors Keano Kini and Karl Oloapu". The Niche Cache. 28 October 2022.
- ^ "Keano Kini and Karl Oloapu share Justin Hodges Medal for Langer Player of the Year". Courier-Mail. 24 October 2022.
- ^ "Titans teenager Kini told he was 'too small' for NRL". Canberra Times. 9 May 2023.
- ^ "Duncan Hall Medal winner Keano Kini". 18 September 2023.
- ^ "Titans join exclusive club in record-breaking victory". www.nrl.com.
- ^ "The Mole's end-of-season review: Titans 'perennial enigma' who went missing as Des Hasler 'hallmark' falls flat". www.nine.com.au.
- ^ "Keano Kini - Playing Career - RLP". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 26 May 2024.