Bulldogs History Database
Sam Kasiano
| Player # | 730 |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Dogzilla |
| Position | Front Row, Lock, Second Row |
| Height | 196cm |
| Weight | 122kg |
| DOB | 21st Sep 1990 |
| Origin | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Junior Club | Norths Aspley |
| Debut | 2011: Round 1 vs Wests Tigers |
| Other Clubs | Melbourne |
| Rep | NZ(6), Samoa(5) |
Sam Kasiano started playing rugby league at the age of eight for the Otahuhu Leopards but stopped once he started high school. However, in 2007 he played for the Mount Albert Grammar School's 1st XIII. After moving to Brisbane as a teenager, Sam played for the Aspley Devils under 18s before being picked up by the Norths Devils Colts for the 2009 season. He was then signed by the Bulldogs, and played for their Toyota Cup (Under-20s) team for the 2010 season, where he quickly became one of the competition standouts. His form saw him rewarded with a spot in the 2010 Junior Kiwis team. Sam started out in the Bulldogs Under 20's side in 2010 where he played 22 games and scored 10 tries.
He trained hard and impressed in the off-season and following the sacking of Ryan Tandy, Sam made his first grade debut in the 2011 season opener against the Wests Tigers. He played 19 games in his debut season and picked up the Steve Mortimer Medal for the Bulldogs Rookie of the Year.
In Round 2 match
against the New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium in 2012, Sam scored his first
NRL try in the Bulldogs 32-18 win. At the 2012 Dally M Awards Sam was
named the NRL's prop forward of the year. In the Bulldogs 2012 NRL Grand
Final against the Melbourne Storm, Sam started at prop in the Bulldogs 14-4
loss. Sam made his New Zealand test debut in the October Test at prop in the
20-12 loss to Australia at 1300SMILES Stadium.
In 2013 Sam missed the first 7 matches with a leg injury. In
Round 21 match against the St George Illawarra Dragons at Jubilee Oval, Sam scored a double in the 39-20 win. He played in 13 matches and scored 3 tries in 2013. Sam was selected in the New Zealand 2013
World Cup squad, playing in 5 matches including playing off the interchange
bench in the 34-2 loss to Australia in the World Cup Final.
Sam returned to the Bulldogs first grade squad in Round 7 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs off the interchange bench in the 15-14 win after missing the early round recovering from a foot injury and playing in NSW Cup. In Round 22 against the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium, Sam suffered a season ending ankle injury in the Bulldogs 41-10 loss. Sam finished the season with him playing 14 matches and scoring 3 tries.
On 3 March 2015, Sam extended his contract with the
Bulldogs to the end of the 2018 season. On 2 May 2015, Sam represented
Samoa in the Polynesian Cup against Tonga. He was named man-of-the-match in the
test. He and fellow Bulldogs teammate Frank Pritchard, who was captaining the
team, made headlines in the match after making a 'double-team' try-saving hit
on Tonga's Jorge Taufua in 77th minute forcing him over the sideline and
securing Samoa the narrow margin 18-16 victory at Cbus Super Stadium. Sam finished off the 2015 season
having played in 24 games and scoring 2 tries.
On 1 February 2016, Sam was named in the Bulldogs 2016 Auckland Nines squad. In Round 6 against the Melbourne Storm, Sam played his 100th NRL career match in the Bulldogs 18-12 win at AAMI Park. On 7 May 2016, Sam played for Samoa in the 2016 Polynesian Cup against Tonga, where he started at prop in the 18-6 win at Parramatta Stadium. Sam finished the 2016 NRL season with him playing in 23 matches and scoring 6 tries for the Bulldogs. On 8 October 2016, he represented Samoa in the Samoa vs. Fiji test match, where he started at prop and scored a try in the 20-18 loss in Apia, Samoa.
In February 2017, Sam was selected in the Bulldogs 2017 NRL Auckland Nines squad. On 6 May 2017, Sam played for Samoa in the test against England, starting at prop in the 30-10 loss at Campbelltown Stadium.
On 5 July 2017, it was announced that Sam signed a 3 year contract with the Melbourne Storm. Sam finished his last year at the Bulldogs by playing in 22 matches in the 2017 NRL season.
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