Born: August 4, 1986 - Auckland
Test record: 12 Tests (2006-09) - 5 tries (20 points)
Tours: 2006 Tri Nations, 2009 Four Nations
Powerhouse Sydney Roosters centre/back-rower Iosia Soliola played 12 Tests for the Kiwis from 2006-09, but remained an influential player on the Super League and NRL scenes with St Helens and Canberra, respectively, until 2021.
The Auckland-born Ponsonby junior represented the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos in 2003 before being snapped up by the Roosters. He captained the Junior Kiwis against England Under-18s in 2004 and featured in the Roosters' Premier League grand final victory.
Soliola was still 18 when he broke into the Roosters' NRL line-up in the opening round of 2005, cementing a spot in the centres. A Kiwis call-up came just two months after his 20th birthday - featuring in all five of their 2006 Tri Nations matches in the centres.
Soliola scored two tries in a 20-15 loss to Australia in Melbourne. He dotted down again in the 18-14 win over Great Britain in Christchurch and the epic 16-12 golden point final defeat to the Kangaroos, in which he was opposing Brisbane Broncos gun Justin Hodges.
After lining up in the 2007 Anzac Test in Brisbane, he missed the Kiwis' end-of-year tour following an injury-hit campaign with the Roosters. He played in the Centenary Test loss to the Kangaroos at the SCG in 2008 and was named in the World Cup squad but withdrew due to a shoulder injury.
Soliola was in the centres for the 2009 Anzac Test, and came off the bench in New Zealand's post-season clash with Tonga and the 20-all Four Nations-opening draw with Australia in London. Having moved to the pack for the Roosters, he start at lock in the Kiwis' big win over France and in the second-row in the loss to England.
A five-season stay with St Helens started in 2010, culminating in Super League grand final glory in his last appearance in 2014 - scoring a try in a 14-6 defeat of Wigan. He also represented Samoa at the 2013 World Cup.
Soliola returned to the NRL with Canberra and was an integral part of the Raiders' drive to the 2019 grand final, starting in the front-row in the 14-8 loss to former club the Roosters in the decider. He won the Ken Stephen Medal that year for his work in the community.
Retiring in 2021 at 35 years of age, the indefatigable Soliola finished with almost 350 appearances in the top flight for the Roosters, Saints and Raiders.