Petero Civoniceva

Widely considered one of the nicest people in rugby league, Petero Civoniceva was also one of the toughest players on the field.

Born in the Fijian capital of Suva, Civoniceva's parents, Petero Snr and Tima, moved to Australia when Petero was three months old. Petero Snr was a fine rugby union player, and young Petero played both rugby codes at Redcliffe, before settling on league, playing juniors with Mark Beetson, the son of inaugural Origin skipper, Arthur Beetson.

Civoniceva was chosen as lock in the Queensland Under 17 side and an Australian merit team in 1993, and attracted the attention of talent scouts, among them, Arthur Beetson, recruitment chief at the Roosters. Ultimately, Civoniceva took up a scholarship with the Broncos. His first chance in the top grade came in 1996, in Super League's World Club Challenge, when he came off the bench against English club, St Helens.

Any team would love to have Petero taking the first hit up for them, especially in Origin.

Mal Meninga FOG #4

Civoniceva made his NRL debut in Round 7, 1998 against North Sydney. He played 21 NRL games that year, including the 38-12 win over Canterbury in the grand final. The next two years tested his resolve, with Civoniceva twice breaking the right arm, the second fracture forcing him out of the 2000 grand final, in which Brisbane beat the Roosters.

Civoniceva played in the Broncos' 15-8 win over Melbourne in the 2006 grand final. His front row partnership with Shane Webcke, at the Broncos and in Queensland and Australian sides, is considered one of the finest in the history of the code.

Civoniceva parted ways with the Broncos at the end of the 2007 season, after claiming his third Paul Morgan Medal as the club's Best and Fairest. He signed with Penrith, where he remained for four seasons, captaining the club.

Civoniceva returned to Brisbane for one last hit-out with the Broncos in 2012, taking his tally of games for the club to 235.

Appropriately, he finished his senior career back at Redcliffe, in 2013, describing it as "a real homecoming".  

The Queensland Hostplus Cup Best and Fairest Medal carries his name, in acknowledgement of his service to Redcliffe, and the game at large.  Civoniceva played 45 Tests for Australia and six for Fiji, as well as 33 Origin matches for Queensland.

In 2018 he was inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame, in acknowledgment of his 401 first class games.

Although he was renowned as one of the most damaging hit-up forwards in history, he also possessed great ball skills, which he often put to one side to create the platform for the his playmakers, in club and representative football. 

In retirement, Civoniceva has continued to give back to rugby league through a variety of roles, including development work with the NRL, and as an Ambassador for Deadly Choices. He is also chair of the Kaiviti Silktails Team from Fiji.