Born: July 13, 1979 - Auckland
Test record: 19 Tests (2000-06) - 7 tries (28 points)
Tours: 1998 tour of Britain, 2000 World Cup, 2002 tour of Britain and France, 2004 Four Nations, 2005 Four Nations
A Warriors and Leeds icon, uniquely gifted second-rower Ali Lauitiiti played 19 Tests for the Kiwis and made more than 400 NRL and Super League appearances in a highlights-stacked career.
The Mangere East junior represented the Junior Kiwis in 1997 and made his NRL debut for the Warriors at just 18 years of age the following season, playing eight games under Frank Endacott.
Lauitiiti was a bolter in Endacott's Kiwis squad to tour Britain at the end of the year, though he was not called upon for the Tests.
As his powerful ball-running, deft footwork and freakish skills came to the fore, Lautiiti became a regular for the Mark Graham-coached Warriors in 1999 and made his Test debut at the 2000 World Cup. The 21-year-old scored tries in pool wins over Cook Islands and Wales, but could not force his way into the Kiwis' 17 for the knockout matches.
Lauitiiti featured at prop against France and off the bench against Australia during New Zealand's 2001 midyear schedule, while starring in the Warriors' drive to a maiden finals series.
The game-breaker was at the peak of his powers in 2002, winning the Warriors' Player of the Year award and Dally M Second-rower of the Year honours as the club surged to the minor premiership and a historic grand final appearance (a 30-8 loss to Sydney Roosters).
Lauitiiti capped the year by playing in all six Tests of the Kiwis' post-season program against Australia, Wales, Great Britain and France.
Injury hampered Lauitiiti's 2003 season, but he returned in time to feature in the Warriors run to a preliminary final and come off the bench in the Kiwis' 30-16 defeat of the Kangaroos at North Harbour Stadium.
Lauitiiti had an acrimonious split with the unravelling Warriors early in 2004 and linked with Leeds Rhinos. During that year's Tri Nations, he scored a try off the bench against Great Britain in a loss at Huddersfield and dotted down in a non-tournament fixture against France.
In 2005, he played in both of the Kiwis' Tri Nations matches against Great Britain (scoring a try in the latter), crossed against France again, and came off the bench in the stunning 24-0 victory over Australia in the Elland Road final.
Though only 26, Lauitiiti would play just once more for New Zealand: in a 46-14 loss to Great Britain in mid-2006 as part of a side made up almost exclusively of Super League-based players.
Lauitiiti scored two tries in the All Golds' exhibition match win over Northern Union during the Kiwis' 2007 tour of Britain and France, before debuting for Samoa in World Cup qualifiers against USA and Lebanon. He would play in all three of Samoa's matches at the 2008 World Cup and represented the island nation against the Kiwis and Tonga in 2010.
Lauitiiti's 200-game tenure with Leeds included Super League grand final victories in 2004, 2007-09 and in his 2011 farewell from the club. He spent the following four seasons with Wakefield Trinity, then returned to the Warriors in 2016 and played 15 games for their NSW Cup side - retiring at the age of 37.
In retirement, he has worked in the wellbeing space with New Zealand Rugby League and as the Warriors' chaplain, while he was inducted into the Leeds Rhinos Hall of Fame in 2024.
Lauitiiti's daughter, Ivana, made her NRLW debut for the Warriors and Test debut for the Kiwi Ferns fin 2025.