I still don’t think he was the off field issue this year. I get that he stuffed up during magic round, however you don’t play that well without being fully committed.
Player Addin Fonua-Blake
- Thread starter wizard of Tauranga
- Start date
- Date of Birth
- Nov 6, 1995
- Birth Location
- Meadowbank, New South Wales, Australia
- Nationality
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇹🇴 Tonga
- Height (cm)
- 189 cm
- Weight (kg)
- 123 kg
- Position/s
- Prop
- Nickname
- AFB
- Warrior #
- 252
- Warriors Debut Date
- Mar 13, 2021
- Warriors Debut Details
- NRL 2021, Round 1, Gold Coast Titans
- Warriors Years Active
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- Signed To
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
- Signed From
- Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
- Junior Club/s
- Mascot Jets
- Previous Club/s
- Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
- Current Club
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
- Rep Honours
- NZ
- Tonga
- Awards/Honours
- Warriors Captain
- Dally M (Positional Award)
- Status
- Active
- Rugby League Project
- https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/addin-fonua-blake/summary.html
NZWarriors.com
I’m gonna miss the big fella man. One of the best players we’ve ever had. I wish it worked out for him and his family here in New Zealand.
Bullshit aside, on the field AFB was consistent this season, probably more than any other player in the squad bar Barnett maybe. Whatever was going on behind the scenes, it didn’t show on the field (Panthers game aside).
JFH is a great replacement, but he ain’t AFB bro. Wish him all the best.
Will follow how he goes at the Sharks.
Bullshit aside, on the field AFB was consistent this season, probably more than any other player in the squad bar Barnett maybe. Whatever was going on behind the scenes, it didn’t show on the field (Panthers game aside).
JFH is a great replacement, but he ain’t AFB bro. Wish him all the best.
Will follow how he goes at the Sharks.
Depends how you look at it.
I choose to believe he’s just paying homage to The Rock circa. 2000.
NZWarriors.com
Silk gold Versace shirt. what’s there not to like????? matches with his medal too
No doubt about it, he’s one hell of an athlete and probably learned his true potential with the Warriors. He was certainly up there as one of the best front rowers before he arrived but did it consistently in the last few seasons. Such a big guy with a big motor and footwork at the line, he’s unstoppable on his day. I’ve just got that envy that the left does that can’t afford his shirt. I couldn’t pull it off anywaySilk gold Versace shirt. what’s there not to like????? matches with his medal too
NZWarriors.com
Gee I rate Trindall and MulitaloWish him well at the sharks. They have a strong pack. Unfortunately their back line is utter shit
NZWarriors.com
Steve price-
91 games
13 tries
46.2% win record
Warriors player of the year 2007
Dally m prop of the year 2007
Dally m captain of the year 2007
Afb-
85 games
19 tries
41.2% win record
Dally m prop of the year 2023, 2024
Who’s the goat?
91 games
13 tries
46.2% win record
Warriors player of the year 2007
Dally m prop of the year 2007
Dally m captain of the year 2007
Afb-
85 games
19 tries
41.2% win record
Dally m prop of the year 2023, 2024
Who’s the goat?
- Thread starter
- #871
Both your 8 and 10.
Could build a case for either but for me, Prices captaincy and leadership was priceless!
NZWarriors.com
- Thread starter
- #873
Ironically for all their class, meters and tackling efficiency, I felt both had the negative that their didn’t use their physical size aggressively and physically impose themselves to turn a game.
Players like Wiki or Matalino were more the pack leader with a massive hit or bowling a defender out of the way. AFB and Price were more massive work horses.
There’s a chance JFH could bring that physical pack leaders aggression and rise above the both of them as Warriors legends.
Time will tell.
Unfortunately Matalinos shoulder tackles would see him in the judiciary rooms regularly.
NZWarriors.com
It’s easy to forgo how good matulino was next of the way his career petered out but in his mid 20s he was elite.
Agree that banning the shoulder charge took away one of his big weapons.
Always wonder how different his career might have looked if not for the loss of his good mate Sonny fai.
For the record-
Ben matulino-
212 games
17 trys
44.8% win percentage
Warriors player of the year 2012, 2015
Agree that banning the shoulder charge took away one of his big weapons.
Always wonder how different his career might have looked if not for the loss of his good mate Sonny fai.
For the record-
Ben matulino-
212 games
17 trys
44.8% win percentage
Warriors player of the year 2012, 2015
Yeah not buying that BS
An experienced pack with Murata, Harris, Capewell, Barnett and AFB has more than enough physicality and aggression needed. Replacing AFB with JFH won’t shift the needle any higher
Both of them are deserving of being the number one! Different era's, but both leaders at eating meters.
They would had made an amazing pair of starting props! Different styles and shapes. A cookies and cream wet dream!
NZWarriors.com
- Thread starter
- #879
I’m not going to disagree and those are valid points. 2 different sorts of players.
I personally would have liked to have seen AFB play slightly less minutes with more venom, but what both those 2 have done was elite.
Addin Fonua-Blake ripped and ready to impress in first season with Cronulla Sharks after leaving Warriors
NZ Herald28 Jan, 2025 11:03 AM3 mins to read
Addin Fonua-Blake during a pre-season session with the Sharks. Photo / Sharks Instagram
As if it wasn’t going to be hard enough for Warriors fans this season to watch former prop Addin Fonua-Blake running it up for a rival club.
The Dally M prop of the year winner is looking fitter than ever as he prepares for his maiden season with the Sharks in 2025.
Fonua-Blake played four seasons for the Warriors, but requested a release from the final years of his contract at the end of the 2023 season. He was convinced by club management to play out the season last year as the Warriors fell short of the playoffs.
He joins a Sharks team who were one win away from the grand final in 2024.
“I knew they were a fit team and it shows in the way that they play, coming up against them they’re constantly a threat,” he told the Daily Telegraph yesterday.
“I knew I had to do some sort of training, I didn’t want to come [to the Sharks] and make a bad impression, so I did some running sessions, but when I came in they eased me back into it.
“But I feel refreshed now, having had that smaller pre-season prior to Christmas. I’ve done everything they’ve asked, and I can slowly see the changes in my body and I’m feeling good, man. I’m feeling fit.
“I can’t wait. I’m ready to go.”
With a strong core of props at Cronulla, Fonua-Blake will be playing shorter stints in games under Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon, and that means he has to improve his fitness levels.
“They train extremely hard, Fitzy has set a high standard.
“I’ve been training hard with him to get myself to suit his style of the game,” the Tongan international said.
The Warriors have an exciting core of young forwards on their books for the future, with the likes of Zyon Maiu’u (21), Leka Halasima (19), Jacob Laban (20) and Demitric Sifakula (20) all having gained NRL experience last season.
The club has also secured arguably the biggest signing of the year in replacing Fonua-Blake with Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris on a four-year deal starting this season.
At the end of last year, a departing Fonua-Blake said the Warriors were in good shape.
“It’s definitely helped me grow, coming to the Warriors,” he said. “We’ve had some difficult times, but I feel like the club’s in good stead.
“Even though we didn’t get the results we want this year, the group of kids coming through and the core of older boys staying on next year, it feels like the club’s not too far away from success.”
Look away, Warriors fans: Ex-prop ripped and ready to make his mark at rival club
Addin Fonua-Blake looks fit and ready to make a great first impression.
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Nobody is reading this thread right now.
