Tawera Nikau has experienced winning an NRL
grand final when he was part of the
Melbourne Storm's victory in the 1999 NRL
season
He played professional league during 1990s
and 2000s. A New Zealand international
representative forward, he played club
football at a number of different clubs in
New Zealand, England and Australia during
his career. A Waikato and Auckland
representative, Nikau played his early club
football for the Otahuhu Leopards, York
Wasps, Sheffield and Castleford Tigers.
Having already spent several seasons
playing in England, during which
time he earned representative
honours for his country, from 1996
to 1999, Nikau played in the
Australian NRL, spending the
1996-1997 with the Cronulla Sharks,
losing the 1997 Super League Grand
Final to the Broncos in Brisbane. He
joined the Melbourne Storm team in
its 1998 inaugural year, helping the
team reach a third place finish in
the minor premiership. Melbourne
also did well the following season
and Nikau played at lock forward in
the 1999 NRL Grand Final victory
over the St. George-Illawarra
Dragons. Nikau's performance has
been credited with sparking
Melbourne's second-half comeback.
From 1999 to 2001, Nikau was under
contract with Super League
franchise, the Warrington Wolves.
As a player he was known for his
high energy, fearless charges and
his sometimes terrifying facial
expressions while playing. In
defence he was often seen to be
"everywhere"; making a tackle on one
side of the field and the following
the ball to complete a tackle on the
other.
In 2008 Nikau was inducted as one of
the NZRL Legends of League. Nikau is
also a Tigers Hall Of Fame Inductee.
He won a Sir Peter Blake Leadership
Award for emerging leaders in 2011.