Jeff Lima
 | ||||||
| Lima in 2013 | ||||||
| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 4 July 1982 Auckland, New Zealand | |||||
| Height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) | |||||
| Weight | 113 kg (17 st 11 lb) [1] | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Prop | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2004–05 | Wests Tigers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2006–10 | Melbourne Storm | 96 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 34 |
| 2011–12 | Wigan Warriors | 61 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| 2013 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2014–15 | Catalans Dragons | 39 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2016– | Canberra Raiders | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 223 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 70 | |
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2006–13 | Samoa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2007–09 | New Zealand | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | Exiles | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| As of 28 April 2014 | ||||||
| Source: Rugby League Project, NRL Stats | ||||||
Jeff Lima (born 4 July 1982 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League. A New Zealand international representative prop, he previously played for Wests Tigers, Melbourne Storm (with whom he won the 2007 and 2009 NRL grand finals),[2] and South Sydney Rabbitohs, and the Wigan Warriors and Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League, as well as France's Elite One Championship for the Saint-Gaudens Bears.[3]
Biography
Of Samoan and Portuguese heritage,[4] Lima was educated at Auckland's De La Salle College, Mangere East. His junior club was the Mangere East Hawks. Lima moved to Sydney where he attended Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown.
Professional playing career
Wests Tigers
Lima made his debut in the National Rugby League with Sydney's Wests Tigers club, scoring a try as the team defeated the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. In the next round, he was again chosen to play from the bench, but it was to be his last first-grade appearance for the club.
Melbourne Storm
Lima was rewarded for his good form throughout the 2007 NRL season's finals with selection on the interchange bench for the Storm's victory in the 2007 NRL grand final as well as the New Zealand national side to play Australia on 14 October.
In August 2008, Lima was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[5] and in October 2008, he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.[6]
Lima played at prop in the Storm's loss in the 2008 NRL grand final. He was then forced to withdraw from New Zealand's squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup through injury.[7]
Lima played from the interchange bench in the Storm's 2009 NRL grand final victory over Parramatta. He then played at prop for Melbourne's victory over Super League champions Leeds Rhinos in the 2010 World Club Challenge. However, months later, these and all previous honours achieved by the Melbourne club during Lima's time there were stripped by the NRL when long-term systematic breaches of the salary cap at the club were uncovered. Lima and his teammates were also prevented from playing for premiership points in the 2010 NRL season as the club tried to offload players to bring them within the salary cap. In July 2010, Lima signed with English Super League club Wigan Warriors.[8]
Wigan Warriors
In Lima's first season with Wigan they reached the 2011 Challenge Cup final and playing at prop forward he scored two tries and became the fifth ever New Zealander (and first prop forward since 1980) to win the Lance Todd Trophy as man-of-the-match.[9]
On 25 May 2012, Lima agreed to terms for re-joining his Wigan coach Michael Maguire in the National Rugby League with the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Lima played at prop forward for the Samoa national rugby league team in their 2013 one-off test match loss against Tonga.
Catalans Dragons
In 2014, Lima returned to the Super League, joining French side Catalans Dragons. He played 39 games and scored 1 try.[10]
Canberra Raiders
In October 2015, it was revealed that Lima would be joining the Canberra Raiders on a two-year contract starting in 2016.[11][12]
References
- ↑ "Catalans Dragons Equipe Saison 2015". Catalans Dragons site officiel. Catalans Dragons S.A.S.P. 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ↑ "Grand Final , Oct 4". nrl.com. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ↑ "Kiwi benchmen celebrate NRL title, test callup". Stuff.co.nz. NZPA. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- ↑ Donaghy, Dave (2007-03-15). "Islander blood runs deep". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
- ↑ "Kiwis select Sonny Bill". Sky Sports. 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ↑ "Kiwis to wait on Webb and Matai". BBC. 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
- ↑ "Kiwi Webb forced out of World Cup". BBC. 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
- ↑ "Latest League News, features and breaking League News". Sportal. 2014-10-09. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
- ↑ "O'Loughlin savours special cup win". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. 28 August 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
- ↑ "Custom Match List". Rugby League Project. 2015-10-20. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
- ↑ Jon Tuxworth. "Canberra Raiders ready to pounce on rival big men as salary cap squeeze sets in". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
- ↑ "Wayne Bennett Signs Dragons Backrower; Bulldogs Outside Back Re-Signs". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 2015-10-28.