Bureta Faraimo (born 16 July 1990) is a United States international rugby league footballer who plays on the wing for the Doncaster RLFC in the RFL League 1.

Bureta Faraimo
Personal information
Born (1990-07-16) 16 July 1990 (age 34)
Wellington, New Zealand
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight16 st 7 lb (105 kg)[1]
Playing information
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2014–16 Parramatta Eels 15 9 0 0 36
2018–21 Hull F.C. 87 43 4 0 180
2022–23 Castleford Tigers 35 15 0 0 60
2023– Doncaster 11 9 0 0 36
Total 148 76 4 0 312
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2013 United States 4 1 0 0 4
2016–17 NSW Residents 2 0 0 0 0
2019 United States 9s 1 1 1 0 6
Source: [2][3][4]
As of 3 May 2024

He has previously played for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL, and Hull F.C. in the Super League.

Early life

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Faraimo was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and is of Tokelaun descent (Olohega) also known as Swains Island which is a part of American Samoa.[5]

He played his junior rugby league for St. George, New Zealand.

Club career

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New Zealand

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In 2010, Faraimo trialed with the New Zealand Warriors Under 20s team but didn't get a contract.[6] Later that year, while playing for the Wainuiomata Lions, Faraimo was selected to play for the Wellington Orcas in the National Competition, scoring 12 tries in his first 3 games.

Mackay Cutters

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In 2011, Faraimo moved to Australia to play for the Mackay Cutters in the Queensland Cup for more rugby league exposure. In just half a season, Faraimo had scored 29 tries.[7]

Parramatta Eels

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In November 2013, due to the exposure from the World Cup, Faraimo signed a two-year contract with National Rugby League team, the Parramatta Eels.[8]

In round 21 of the 2014 NRL season, Faraimo made his NRL debut for Parramatta against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.[9] He scored two tries on debut in the club's 32–12 win at Remondis Stadium.

On 21 September 2014, Faraimo was named at wing in the 2014 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year.[10]

On 4 April 2015, Faraimo re-signed with Parramatta on a one-year contract.[11]

On 3 May 2016, Faraimo played for the New South Wales Residents against the Queensland Residents.[12]

On 2 May 2017, Faraimo played for the New South Wales Residents against the Queensland Residents for the second year in a row.[13]

New Zealand Warriors

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In July 2017, Faraimo joined the New Zealand Warriors for the remainder of the season, after being released from his Eels contract.[14] Although joining the Warriors for the remainder of 2017, he planned to join the Super League in 2018.[15] On 28 August 2017, he was named on the wing in the 2017 Intrust Super Premiership NSW Team of the Year.[16] He didn't play an NRL game for the Warriors.

Hull F.C.

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In August 2017, he signed a two-year contract with Super League side Hull FC, starting in 2018.[17]

He played 13 games for Hull F.C. in the 2020 Super League season including the club's semi-final defeat against Wigan as they got within one game of the grand final.[18]

Castleford Tigers

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In round 18 of the 2022 Super League season, Faraimo scored two tries in Castleford's 34-20 loss against Leeds at Magic Weekend.[19] In round 20 of the 2022 Super League season, Faraimo scored two tries for Castleford in a 46-18 victory over Hull F.C.[20] In round 22 of the 2022 Super League season, Faraimo scored a hat-trick in Castleford's 20-12 loss against St Helens.[21]

Doncaster RLFC

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On 4 August 2023, it was announced that he, along with Mahe Fonua would join Doncaster RLFC for the remainder of the 2023 season, following the pair's release from Castleford.[22] Faraimo only played one game for Doncaster, the League One play-off grand final victory over the North Wales Crusaders. In February 2024, Faraimo announced he would not be playing for Doncaster in 2024.[23]

On 3 May 2024 it was announced that Doncaster RLFC had re-signed Faraimo for the remainder of the 2024 season[24]

Representative career

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In 2009 and 2010, Faraimo played for the New Zealand Residents.[25]

In 2011, Faraimo played for the Queensland Rangers team.[26]

In 2013, Faraimo was selected in the United States 2013 Rugby League World Cup squad, qualifying because his father was born on Swains Island, an island administered by the United States as part of American Samoa.[27][28]

Faraimo competed in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup for the United States, featuring in all three pool matches: losing 12–58 to Fiji, 0–46 to Italy and 0–64 to Papua New Guinea.[29]

Faraimo returned to action for the United States two years later, playing in the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s before heading to Jacksonville, Florida for the nation's 2021 Rugby League World Cup qualifier match against Cook Islands.[30]

References

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  1. ^ "Bureta Faraimo Biography". Castleford Tigers. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  2. ^ loverugbyleague
  3. ^ Rugby League Project
  4. ^ RL Record Keepers' Club
  5. ^ "Mackay Cutters winger Bureta Faraimo on cusp of realising unlikely NRL dream". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  6. ^ A stroll in the park for Faraimo and the Orcas stuff.co.nz, 13 August 2010
  7. ^ Three reasons to fear Faraimo dailymercury.com.au, 18 May 2013
  8. ^ "Bureta Faraimo is joining up with the Parramatta Eels | Mackay Daily Mercury". Dailymercury.com.au. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  9. ^ NRL (2 August 2014). "NRL Late Mail: Round 21 - Eels". Parraeels.com.au. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  10. ^ NRL. "2014 VB NSW Cup Team of the Year". NSWRL. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  11. ^ NRL (4 April 2015). "Eels Re-Signing News - Eels". Parraeels.com.au. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  12. ^ NRL Digital Media (3 May 2016). "UPDATED: 2016 ISP NSW Residents Team". NSWRL. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  13. ^ NRL Digital Media. "UPDATED SQUAD | Intrust Super Premiership NSW Residents". NSWRL. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Parramatta Eels release Bureta Faraimo". Zero Tackle. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  15. ^ Media, NRL Digital (3 July 2017). "Outside back signed as injury cover". Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  16. ^ Media, NRL Digital (28 August 2017). "2017 Team Of The Year - ISP NSW". Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  17. ^ "Hull FC sign NRL duo for 2018 - Zero Tackle". 1 August 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  18. ^ "Wigan Warriors v Hull FC highlights as FC struggle to find play-off form in one-sided defeat". www.hulldailymail.co.uk. 19 November 2020.
  19. ^ "Saints, Toulouse and Leeds all win on Magic Weekend". www.skysports.com.
  20. ^ "Super League: Derrell Olpherts stars as ruthless Castleford Tigers stun Hull FC 46-18". www.skysports.com.
  21. ^ "Nervy St Helens overcome Castleford thanks to boot of Tommy Makinson". www.theguardian.com. 7 August 2022.
  22. ^ "Castleford Tigers: Released overseas duo join League 1 outfit for remainder of season". Love Rugby League. 4 August 2023.
  23. ^ "Ex-Castleford Tigers and Hull FC winger Bureta Faraimo interested in Super League move following Doncaster exit". www.totalrl.com.
  24. ^ "Bureta Faraimo: Former Castleford Tigers and Hull FC winger makes Doncaster return". Love Rugby League. 3 May 2024.
  25. ^ NZ Residents 2010 nzrl.co.nz
  26. ^ "Queensland Rangers Team » League Unlimited". Archived from the original on 21 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  27. ^ 24-man squads for all RLWC2013 nations announced[usurped] rlwc2013.com, 9 October 2013
  28. ^ Mackay Cutters winger Bureta Faraimo on cusp of realising unlikely NRL dream dailytelegraph.com.au, 18 September 2013
  29. ^ Clarke, Paul (8 November 2017). "Why Faraimo's World Cup stats show he's right fit for Hull FC". Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  30. ^ "Bureta Faraimo's crazy month won't derail his Hull FC chance as winger returns to training - Hull Live". 22 November 2019.
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