Temple Kalepo
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Temple Koloamatangi-Kalepo | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 15 May 2001 Auckland, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 86 kg (13 st 8 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Hooker | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Temple Koloamatangi-Kalepo (born 15 May 2001) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Background
Kalepo was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and is of Tongan descent.[2]
He played his junior rugby league for the Ellerslie Eagles and attended Kings College, Auckland before being signed by the New Zealand Warriors.[3][4]
Playing career
Early career
In 2018, Kalepo played for the Warriors' under-20 Jersey Flegg Cup side and represented the New Zealand under-18s against Samoa under-18s.[5][6]
In 2019, he again played for the Warriors' Jersey Flegg side and represented the Junior Kiwis, coming off the bench in their loss to the Australian Schoolboys rugby league team.[7][8][9] In July 2019, he made his New South Wales Cup debut for the Warriors in a 34–8 win over the Newtown Jets.[10]
In February 2020, he played for the Warriors at the NRL Nines in Perth.[11][12]
In 2021, Kalepo underwent pre-season with the Warriors' NRL squad and played for the Redcliffe Dolphins under-21 side as part of the Warriors' partnership with the club.[13][14]
After missing the 2022 season due to a serious hamstring injury, Kalepo spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Newcastle Knights, playing for their NSW Cup side.[15] In October 2023, he represented Tonga A in their loss to New Zealand A.[16]
In 2024, when not playing NSW Cup, he played for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs in the Newcastle Rugby League.[17]
2025
Kalepo joined the Mackay Cutters for the 2025 season and underwent pre-season training with the North Queensland Cowboys on a train and trial contract.[18][19]
In Round 18 of the 2025 NRL season, Kalepo was named to make his NRL debut for the Cowboys against the Melbourne Storm.[20]
References
- ^ Rugby League Project
- ^ "Congrats to our 2017 U16 Captain". Facebook. 21 February 2019.
- ^ "2024/25 Kiwi NRL Summer Guide". The Niche Cache. 1 December 2024.
- ^ "First XV Rugby Semifinal". Photosport NZ. 11 August 2018.
- ^ "NZ Residents 18s named". NZRL. 6 October 2018.
- ^ "Another tough loss for Vodafone Junior Warriors". NZ Warriors. 31 July 2018.
- ^ "Canterbury Cup and Jersey Flegg teams named". NZ Warriors. 16 July 2019.
- ^ "2019 Junior Kiwis side named". 18th Man. 18 September 2019.
- ^ "Big contingent in Junior Kiwis squad". NZ Warriors. 10 September 2019.
- ^ "Canterbury Cup and JFC sides named". NZ Warriors. 23 July 2019.
- ^ "2020 NRL Nines squads". LeagueUnlimited. 11 February 2020.
- ^ "Papali'i becomes youngest captain". NZ Warriors. 10 February 2020.
- ^ "Young prospects in focus as preseason kicks off". NZ Warriors. 21 November 2020.
- ^ "Aotearoa Warriors re-jig their Dolphins collab". The Niche Cache. 9 November 2021.
- ^ "Knights hooker Temple Kalepo looms as a fallback No.9". Newcastle Herald. 28 November 2022.
- ^ "Warriors to fore in Kiwis A team's win over Tonga". NZ Warriors. 22 October 2023.
- ^ "Former Knight Temple Kalepo to make NRL debut". Newcastle Herald. 3 July 2025.
- ^ "Todd Payten's shock North Queensland Cowboys selection call ahead of Melbourne Storm test". NT News. 1 July 2025.
- ^ "Every NRL club's train-and-trial lists". Fox Sports. 9 December 2024.
- ^ "Cowboys NRL team list: Round 18 v Storm". NQ Cowboys. 1 July 2025.