Manaia Waitere
Centre
Player Bio
- Height:
- 183 cm
- Date of Birth:
- 02 January 2002
- Weight:
- 93 kg
- Birthplace:
- Hastings, NZ
- Age:
- 24
- Nickname:
- -
- Debut Club:
- Canberra Raiders
- Date:
- 07 September 2025
- Opposition:
- Dolphins
- Round:
- 27
- Previous Club:
- Canberra Raiders
- Junior Club:
- -
- Biography:
Waitere is in his first season with Melbourne after signing a two-year deal in December.
A promising young back, comfortable at both centre and five-eighth, Waitere made his NRL debut in Round 27 last year for Canberra against the Dolphins.
The New Zealand-born talent enjoyed a strong 2025 season, playing 24 NSW Cup matches for the Raiders and scoring nine tries.
Manaia is sponsored by Defibrillators Australia, Family Access Services, Henley Homes and Favero Family.
Career
- Appearances
- 8
- Tries
- 2
2026 Season
- Appearances
- 7
Scoring
- Tries
- 2
Attack
- Try Assists
- 2
- Line Breaks
- 3
- Tackle Breaks
- 13
Passing
- Receipts
- 75
Defence
- Tackles Made
- 89
- Missed Tackles
- 12
- Tackle Efficiency
-
Running Metres
- Average Running Metres
- 71
- Total Running Metres
- 497
Fantasy
- Total Points
- 186
- Average Points
- 26.6
2026 Season - By Round
| Round | Opponent | Score | Position | Minutes Played | Tries | Goals | 1 Point Field Goals | 2 Point Field Goals | Points | Kicking Metres | Try Assists | Linebreaks | Tackle Breaks | Post Contact Metres | Offloads | Receipts | Tackles Made | Missed Tackles | Total Running Metres | Hit Up Running Metres | Kick Return Metres | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Cowboys | Lost | 28 - 24 | Interchange | 40 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | - | 5 | 11 | 1 | 55 | 25 | - |
| 5 | Panthers | Lost | 50 - 10 | Centre | 80 | 1 | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | 1 | 2 | 25 | - | 12 | 28 | 3 | 96 | 6 | - |
| 6 | Warriors | Lost | 14 - 38 | Interchange | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | - | 4 | 1 | - | 19 | - | - |
| 7 | Raiders | Lost | 26 - 22 | Centre | 80 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 3 | 21 | - | 14 | 10 | 2 | 84 | 13 | - |
| 8 | Rabbitohs | Lost | 6 - 48 | Centre | 80 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 12 | - | 45 | - | 5 |
| 9 | Dolphins | Lost | 28 - 10 | Reserve | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 12 | Bulldogs | Lost | 30 - 20 | Reserve | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 13 | Roosters | Won | 18 - 4 | Interchange | 65 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 41 | - | - |
| 14 | Knights | Won | 32 - 30 | Centre | 80 | 1 | - | - | - | 4 | 9 | - | 1 | 6 | 45 | - | 25 | 18 | 4 | 154 | 4 | - |
Career By Season
| Year | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win % | Tries | Goals | 1 Point Field Goals | 2 Point Field Goals | Points | Kicking Metres | Kicking Metres Average | Goal Conversion Rate | Try Assists | Linebreaks | Receipts | Tackles Made | Missed Tackles | Tackle Efficiency | Total Running Metres | Average Running Metres | Kick Return Metres | Total Points | Average Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 2025 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 17 | 4 | 80.95% | 62 | 62.00 | - | 21 | 21.0 |
| Storm | 2026 | 7 | 2 | 5 | - | 29% | 2 | - | - | - | 8 | 9 | 1.33 | - | 2 | 3 | 75 | 89 | 12 | 88.12% | 497 | 71.00 | 5 | 186 | 26.6 |
Career Overall
| Year Start | Year End | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win % | Tries | Goals | 1 Point Field Goals | 2 Point Field Goals | Points | Kicking Metres | Kicking Metres Average | Goal Conversion Rate | Try Assists | Linebreaks | Receipts | Tackles Made | Missed Tackles | Tackle Efficiency | Total Running Metres | Average Running Metres | Kick Return Metres | Total Points | Average Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 2025 | 2025 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 17 | 4 | 80.95% | 62 | 20.00 | - | 21 | 21.0 |
| Storm | 2026 | 2026 | 7 | 2 | 5 | - | 29% | 2 | - | - | - | 8 | 9 | 1.03 | - | 2 | 3 | 75 | 89 | 12 | 88.12% | 497 | 55.00 | 5 | 186 | 26.6 |
Latest
Team Mates
Melbourne Storm respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.
