Brandon Wakeham
A crafty Fijian playmaker who brings a creative spark and relentless energy to the hooker and halves positions in the NRL.
Born 1999 (age 27)·Fiji international rugby league footballer·Birthday: January 11·Generation Z
Biography
Brandon Wakeham's story is one of patience and seizing chances. Born in Sydney with deep Fijian heritage, he came through the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs system, marked as a clever organizing half. His NRL debut in 2019 showcased a player with a cool head and a sharp kicking game, but opportunities were initially sporadic. A defining moment came in 2022 when, filling in at hooker, he revealed a gritty, adaptable dimension to his game, becoming a valuable utility. This versatility, combined with his innate playmaking vision, earned him a spot in the Fiji national team, where he has been a key figure in their recent international campaigns. After a stint with the Wests Tigers, he joined the Manly Sea Eagles, where his experience and skill set continue to challenge defensive lines.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Brandon was born in 1999, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brandon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1999
#1 Movie
Star Wars: Episode I
Best Picture
American Beauty
#1 TV Show
ER
Brandon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1999Born
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2004Started school
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2012Became a teenager
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Could drive
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2017Could vote
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Turned 21
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 27 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Represented Fiji in the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, starting at five-eighth in their historic semi-final run.
- Kicked a field goal in golden point to win his NRL debut match for the Bulldogs against the Wests Tigers in 2019.
- Played a pivotal role at hooker for the Bulldogs during the 2022 season, adapting to a new position mid-campaign.
Did You Know?
He is the cousin of former NRL player and fellow Fijian international Marcelo Montoya.
Wakeham played his junior rugby league for the Chester Hill Hornets.
He was a standout in the Bulldogs' 2018 Canterbury Cup NSW premiership-winning team before his NRL promotion.
“I just waited for my opportunity and tried to take it with both hands.”
