Semi Valemei
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1999年01月20日) 20 January 1999 (age 27) Labasa, Fiji | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.86 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 16 st 3 lb (103 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing, Centre | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As of 26 March 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Semi Valemei (born 20 January 1999) is a Fijian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger and centre for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League and Fiji at international level.
He has previously played for the Canberra Raiders and North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League.
Background
[edit ]Born in Labasa, Fiji, Valemei attended Seaqaqa Central College and Natabua High School, where he played rugby union.
In 2017, he was scouted by former NRL player Wise Kativerata and moved to Australia to play rugby league. He moved to the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, playing for the Caloundra Sharks before being signed by the Canberra Raiders.[3] [4]
Playing career
[edit ]In 2018, Valemei played for the Raiders' Jersey Flegg Cup feeder side, Mounties.[5]
In 2019, he played for Mounties in the New South Wales Cup and for the Raiders in the Jersey Flegg Cup, scoring a hat-trick in their Grand Final loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs.[6] In October 2019, he represented Fiji at the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s.[7]
2020
[edit ]In round 10 of the 2020 NRL season, Valemei was named to make his NRL debut against the Sydney Roosters.[8]
He played in all three of Canberra's finals matches including the preliminary final defeat to Melbourne Storm. He played a total of ten games in his debut season.[9]
2021
[edit ]Valemei made eleven appearances for Canberra in the 2021 NRL season which saw the club finish 10th on the table and miss out on the finals.[10] [11]
2023
[edit ]On 12 May, Valemei was granted a release from his Raiders contract and joined the North Queensland Cowboys on a one-and-a-half-year contract.[12] Valemei scored a hat-trick on his club debut for the Cowboys in their 45–20 win over Melbourne during round 14 at North Queensland Stadium.[13] He played nine matches for North Queensland in the 2023 NRL season and scored nine tries as the club finished 11th on the table.[14]
2024
[edit ]He played eighteen games for North Queensland in the 2024 NRL season as they finished 5th on the table. He played in both finals games for North Queensland as they were eliminated in the second week by Cronulla.[15] On 21 August, Valemei re-signed with the Cowboys until the end of 2025.
2025
[edit ]Valemei played just four NRL games in an injury-interrupted 2025 season. He scored four tries, which included a double against the Brisbane Broncos in his final game for North Queensland.[16] [17]
On 3 September, he signed for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League on a two-year contract.[18] [19]
2026
[edit ]Valemei was assigned Castleford's number 2 shirt for the 2026 season.[20] In January, he suffered a hamstring strain during pre-season training, ruling him out of the opening rounds.[21] He was first included in Castleford's 21-man squad in March.[22] [23] Valemei made his debut in round 5, scoring a try in a heavy defeat against Warrington Wolves.[24] [25] The following week, he suffered a concussion in Castleford's victory against Bradford Bulls,[26] [27] and missed further games in April with a knee issue.[28]
Statistics
[edit ]| Club | Season | Tier | App | T | G | DG | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra Raiders | 2020 | NRL | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 2021 | NRL | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| 2022 | NRL | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
| Total | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 36 | ||
| North Queensland Cowboys | 2023 | NRL | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| 2024 | NRL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2025 | NRL | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | |
| Total | 17 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 56 | ||
| Castleford Tigers | 2026 | Super League | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Career total | 48 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 96 | ||
References
[edit ]- ^ a b "Semi Valemei - Playing Career". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Player Summary: Semi Valemei". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ "Semi ready for Raiders". Fiji Times. 23 May 2020.
- ^ "Results - Sunshine Coast". Sunshine Coast Daily. 12 June 2017.
- ^ "Team Lists: Mounties". Canberra Raiders. 17 July 2018.
- ^ "South Sydney crowned 2019 Jersey Flegg Cup champions". NSWRL. 29 September 2019.
- ^ "Nines World Cup squads announced". Fox Sports. 17 October 2019.
- ^ "Semi Valemei to make NRL debut". Canberra Raiders. 15 July 2020.
- ^ "Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart storms out of press conference after one question". wwos.nine.com.au.
- ^ "Roosters' 'Mr Fix It' stuns with hat-trick, Sloppy Raiders' final fade out ends season: 3 Big Hits". www.foxsports.com.au. 2 September 2021.
- ^ "Tough conversations coming for senior Canberra stars as interest grows in Parramatta young gun Dylan Brown". www.theaustralian.com.au.
- ^ "Cowboys sign Valemei". NQ Cowboys. 12 May 2023.
- ^ "Bellamy calls out 'putrid' Storm after 20-year low as new Cowboys signing explodes — Big Hits". www.foxsports.au.
- ^ "NRL 2023: North Queensland Cowboys season review". www.sportingnews.com.
- ^ "The Mole: Cowboys show improvement in 2024 but worrying finals stat sparks thorny question". www.nine.com.au.
- ^ "Cowboys to farewell seven departing players". NQ Cowboys. 3 September 2025.
- ^ "Broncos in top four; Raiders crowned minor premiers; Manly stay alive". NRL. 30 August 2025.
- ^ "Valemei Signs For Tigers On A Two Year Deal". Castleford Tigers. 3 September 2025.
- ^ "Castleford sign Fiji winger Valemei". BBC Sport. 2 September 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Chapman Coombe, Louis (26 December 2025). "Castleford Tigers reveal 2026 squad numbers with new-look top 17 and shocks confirmed". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Bower, Aaron (23 January 2026). "Castleford Tigers dealt pre-season injury blow as star import suffers setback". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Smith, Peter (12 March 2026). "Castleford Tigers v St Helens: former NRL ace in debut contention as Challenge Cup 21-man squads named". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Jackson, Will (13 March 2026). "Castleford Tigers' injury doubt as Ryan Carr gives updates on Semi Valemei and Brock Greacen". Serious About Rugby League. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Olawumi, Ben (20 March 2026). "Castleford receive injury boost ahead of Warrington clash as off-season recruit set for debut". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Brennan, Stuart (21 March 2026). "Tanginoa scores four as Wire hammer sorry Castleford". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Harby, Chris (26 March 2026). "Qareqare hat-trick helps Cas to derby win over Bulls". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ^ Harber, Tony (31 March 2026). "Castleford Tigers new boy lined up for derby debut with Valemei ruled out". Wakefield Express. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ^ Cook, Sam (30 April 2026). "Castleford Tigers director shares comprehensive injury update pre-Hull KR as recruitment stance shared". Serious About Rugby League. Retrieved 3 May 2026.