Player Bio
Chanel Harris-Tavita (born 3 April 1999) is a Samoan international rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth, halfback or fullback and currently plays for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Harris-Tavita was born in Auckland, New Zealand and is of Samoan descent. His grandfather Ray Harris represented New Zealand māori and Auckland.
Harris-Tavita was named the New Zealand Warriors 2017 NYC player of the year.
Harris-Tavita made his NYC debut on his 17th birthday in 2016 and, after two seasons in the under-20 grade, was moved up to develop his game in the Intrust Super Premiership in 2018.
In round 4 of the 2019 NRL season, Harris-Tavita made his NRL debut against the Gold Coast Titans. He was viewed as Shaun Johnson long term replacement, who signed with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in late 2018.
He made 13 appearances for the New Zealand Warriors in both of the 2019 and 2020 seasons as the club missed out on the finals.
In round 9 of the 2021 NRL season, he scored two tries in a 38-32 loss against Manly-Warringah. He made a total of 11 appearances for the club which saw New Zealand once again miss out on the finals.
Following New Zealand's record 70-10 loss to Melbourne in round 8 of the 2022 NRL season, it was revealed that Harris-Tavita suffered a ruptured testicle during the game which required surgery. Harris-Tavita was then ruled out from playing indefinitely. In May 2022, Harris-Tavita announced he was taking a hiatus from rugby league at the end of the season. Harris-Tavita cited that he had lost the passion for playing the game and was going to spend his time traveling and writing.
In October Harris-Tavita was named in the Samoa squad for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Harris-Tavita played for Samoa in their Rugby League World Cup final loss to Australia. During the second half, Harris-Tavita was knocked out after being hit in the head by Australia's Angus Crichton. Harris-Tavita played no further part in the match.
After the World Cup the previous year, Harris-Tavita travelled Europe as part of his hiatus from rugby league. In May 2023, it was announced Harris-Tavita would return to the New Zealand Warriors, signing a two-year deal from 2024.
He played 17 games for the New Zealand Warriors in the 2024 NRL season which saw the club finish 13th on the table. On 15 October 2024, it was announced that Harris-Tavita would re-sign with the club for another 2 years.
www.rugbyleagueproject.org
'CHT', or Chitty as he is also known, is back with the One New Zealand Warriors after having a year away from the game in 2023.
His return was confirmed in May last year when he signed a two-year contract to the end of the 2025 season.
Chanel finished his fourth NRL campaign with the One New Zealand Warriors with his 54th outing in the final regular season match against Gold Coast in 2022 before taking a break from rugby league following his appearance for Toa Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup final against Australia in Manchester last November.
He came to prominence playing for the Warriors in the club’s under-20 team in the now defunct National Youth Competition, debuting on his 17th birthday on April 3, 2016 and going on to make 40 appearances in the grade. He followed that up with 30 games in the New South Wales Cup and made his NRL debut against Gold Coast at Mount Smart Stadium two days after his 20th birthday in 2019.
After making 13 appearances in his rookie campaign, Chanel doubled his career tally to 26 in 2020. He produced six try assists, forced eight goal-line drop outs and took on added responsibility with his kicking game. As well as being the team's top points scorer with 62 points, he snared a memorable try-scoring double against the Eels when he finished off two of the season's best tries.
Starting the 2021 season, CHT was locked in the halfback's job but his campaign was stalled after just two rounds when he was sidelined after having surgery on a foot injury. It kept him out until round nine before he returned in a season in which he added 11 NR appearances to his career tally.
The club's third season isolated in Australia was his busiest when he played 17 times, in the process bringing up his 50-game milestone.
However, the ongoing impact of the Covid era played a part in Harris-Tavita reaching his decision to bravely step aside from the game at the age of just 23. First he iced the year by impressing for Toa Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup, going all the way to the final.
Following that he slipped out of view travelling extensively and also spending time in Samoa, where he worked on a family farm. However, the turnaround in the Warriors' fortunes more than piqued his appetite and, in time, he was in negotiations with the club to return.
www.warriors.kiwi
Harris-Tavita was born in Auckland, New Zealand and is of Samoan descent. His grandfather Ray Harris represented New Zealand māori and Auckland.
Harris-Tavita was named the New Zealand Warriors 2017 NYC player of the year.
Harris-Tavita made his NYC debut on his 17th birthday in 2016 and, after two seasons in the under-20 grade, was moved up to develop his game in the Intrust Super Premiership in 2018.
In round 4 of the 2019 NRL season, Harris-Tavita made his NRL debut against the Gold Coast Titans. He was viewed as Shaun Johnson long term replacement, who signed with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in late 2018.
He made 13 appearances for the New Zealand Warriors in both of the 2019 and 2020 seasons as the club missed out on the finals.
In round 9 of the 2021 NRL season, he scored two tries in a 38-32 loss against Manly-Warringah. He made a total of 11 appearances for the club which saw New Zealand once again miss out on the finals.
Following New Zealand's record 70-10 loss to Melbourne in round 8 of the 2022 NRL season, it was revealed that Harris-Tavita suffered a ruptured testicle during the game which required surgery. Harris-Tavita was then ruled out from playing indefinitely. In May 2022, Harris-Tavita announced he was taking a hiatus from rugby league at the end of the season. Harris-Tavita cited that he had lost the passion for playing the game and was going to spend his time traveling and writing.
In October Harris-Tavita was named in the Samoa squad for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Harris-Tavita played for Samoa in their Rugby League World Cup final loss to Australia. During the second half, Harris-Tavita was knocked out after being hit in the head by Australia's Angus Crichton. Harris-Tavita played no further part in the match.
After the World Cup the previous year, Harris-Tavita travelled Europe as part of his hiatus from rugby league. In May 2023, it was announced Harris-Tavita would return to the New Zealand Warriors, signing a two-year deal from 2024.
He played 17 games for the New Zealand Warriors in the 2024 NRL season which saw the club finish 13th on the table. On 15 October 2024, it was announced that Harris-Tavita would re-sign with the club for another 2 years.
Chanel Harris-Tavita - Playing Career - RLP
A summary of the career stats for Chanel Harris-Tavita, a rugby league player who represented Samoa and Maori, and also played for the Warriors.
www.rugbyleagueproject.org
'CHT', or Chitty as he is also known, is back with the One New Zealand Warriors after having a year away from the game in 2023.
His return was confirmed in May last year when he signed a two-year contract to the end of the 2025 season.
Chanel finished his fourth NRL campaign with the One New Zealand Warriors with his 54th outing in the final regular season match against Gold Coast in 2022 before taking a break from rugby league following his appearance for Toa Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup final against Australia in Manchester last November.
He came to prominence playing for the Warriors in the club’s under-20 team in the now defunct National Youth Competition, debuting on his 17th birthday on April 3, 2016 and going on to make 40 appearances in the grade. He followed that up with 30 games in the New South Wales Cup and made his NRL debut against Gold Coast at Mount Smart Stadium two days after his 20th birthday in 2019.
After making 13 appearances in his rookie campaign, Chanel doubled his career tally to 26 in 2020. He produced six try assists, forced eight goal-line drop outs and took on added responsibility with his kicking game. As well as being the team's top points scorer with 62 points, he snared a memorable try-scoring double against the Eels when he finished off two of the season's best tries.
Starting the 2021 season, CHT was locked in the halfback's job but his campaign was stalled after just two rounds when he was sidelined after having surgery on a foot injury. It kept him out until round nine before he returned in a season in which he added 11 NR appearances to his career tally.
The club's third season isolated in Australia was his busiest when he played 17 times, in the process bringing up his 50-game milestone.
However, the ongoing impact of the Covid era played a part in Harris-Tavita reaching his decision to bravely step aside from the game at the age of just 23. First he iced the year by impressing for Toa Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup, going all the way to the final.
Following that he slipped out of view travelling extensively and also spending time in Samoa, where he worked on a family farm. However, the turnaround in the Warriors' fortunes more than piqued his appetite and, in time, he was in negotiations with the club to return.
Chanel Harris-Tavita
The NRL profile of Chanel Harris-Tavita including career statistics, season stats, games, tries, goals, tackles and fantasy scores.
www.warriors.kiwi
