Henry Tatana
Encyclopedia
Henry Nardy Tatana (born in Auckland
, New Zealand
) was a rugby league
player for the Glenora Bears
, Canterbury Bulldogs
, St George Dragons, Cessnock Goannas and New Zealand
national side.
for the Glenora Bears
and the Mount Albert Lions and representing Auckland
. During this time he played in nine Test matches for the New Zealand Kiwis.
In his later years, Tatana moved to Sydney
, playing five seasons in the NSWRL First Grade competition. He played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs from 1972-1974. Before joining the St. George Dragons
for two seasons in 1975-1976, playing under captain-coach Graeme Langlands
. Tatana was a prop forward in the Dragon's 1975 Grand Final team.
A fine goalkicker and prop forward, he was St George's top scorer in 1976 (his final season there), with 105 points. He was president of the Cessnock club between 1984 and 1986. An award bearing his name is presented by the Cessnock Goannas each year.
. He represented New Zealand on nine occasions between 1967-1971.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) was a rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player for the Glenora Bears
Glenora Bears
The Glenora Bears are a rugby league football club based in Glen Eden, New Zealand who compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition. The club was established in 1931...
, Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
, St George Dragons, Cessnock Goannas and New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
national side.
Playing career
Tatana begane his career playing in the Auckland Rugby LeagueAuckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
for the Glenora Bears
Glenora Bears
The Glenora Bears are a rugby league football club based in Glen Eden, New Zealand who compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition. The club was established in 1931...
and the Mount Albert Lions and representing Auckland
Auckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
. During this time he played in nine Test matches for the New Zealand Kiwis.
In his later years, Tatana moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, playing five seasons in the NSWRL First Grade competition. He played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs from 1972-1974. Before joining the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
for two seasons in 1975-1976, playing under captain-coach Graeme Langlands
Graeme Langlands
Graeme 'Changa' Langlands, MBE, is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach of the 1960s and 70s. He retired as the most-capped player for the Australian national team with 45 from 1963 to 1975, and captained his country in 15 Test matches and World Cup games. Langlands was the...
. Tatana was a prop forward in the Dragon's 1975 Grand Final team.
A fine goalkicker and prop forward, he was St George's top scorer in 1976 (his final season there), with 105 points. He was president of the Cessnock club between 1984 and 1986. An award bearing his name is presented by the Cessnock Goannas each year.
Representative career
Tatana was a New Zealand Kiwi international player and played in the 1968 World Cup1968 Rugby League World Cup
- Final standings :-Final:The final had been billed a 'debacle' following Great Britain's inexplicable loss to France in Auckland, leaving them to contest the final despite being beaten by Australia seven tries to none two days prior....
. He represented New Zealand on nine occasions between 1967-1971.