Francis Manuleleua

Francis Manuleleua (born 24 May 2004) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a forward for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League.

Background Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Manuleleua is of Samoan descent. His elder brother Sam Manuleleua played for the Parramatta Eels and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at under-20s level as well as the Junior Kiwis at representative level.

He played his junior rugby league for the Papatoetoe Panthers, before being signed by the Penrith Panthers.

Playing career Early years Manuleleua came through the Penrith Panthers pathways squads, playing with their S. G. Ball Cup team in 2023 and Jersey Flegg Cup team in 2024. In September 2024, he signed a 3-year contract with the Newcastle Knights starting in 2025.

2026 In round 3 of the 2026 NRL season, Manuleleua made his NRL debut for the Knights against the New Zealand Warriors. On 5 August 2026, the Knights announced Manuleleua had re-signed with the club for a further two years.