Shem Tatupu, former AFL and NRL rookie, charged with attempted murder

A former AFL and NRL rookie has been charged with attempted murder after being arrested by Victoria Police last month.

Shem Tatapu (centre) during a Hawthorn training session.

A former AFL and NRL rookie player has been charged with attempted murder.

Shem Tatupu, 29, will face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in August for a committal mention hearing.

The charge relates to a family violence matter.

Tatupu was arrested and charged by Victoria Police and his matter was before court last month.

It is unclear where or when the alleged offence happened.

Tatupu has also been separately charged with intentionally causing serious injury and is to face Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court later this month.

Tatupu was listed with Hawthorn and Melbourne Storm, and in the past few years has been a prominent local footballer.

The Hawks recruited him as a Category B rookie at the end of 2013.

Shem Tatapu playing VFL with Box Hill. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Shem Tatapu marks during the VFL Grand Final

In a social media post after he signed with the AFL club he described himself as a player who “likes to get amongst everything and then get on the outside and use my speed and agility’’.

He said his strengths were his agility, speed and “using my big body – I guess it can be a bit of an advantage’’.

Tatupu was with the Hawks for two seasons, appearing in the VFL for Box Hill Hawks’ senior and reserves teams.

In March, 2016 Hawthorn announced Tatupu had decided to walk away from football.

Then-Hawks football operations manager Chris Fagan said the club understood and accepted Tatupu’s decision.

“This has been a tough decision for Shem to make. We have been really impressed with the way in which he has applied himself over the past two years and he has made some positive progress,” Fagan said.

“However, after much consultation with the club, Shem has decided that the passion for AFL football is no longer there.

“Shem was a highly regarded rugby league and union player growing up and he is going to explore his opportunities in that area.

“There is no doubt Shem is a talented athlete and all at Hawthorn Football Club wish him well for the future.”

Tatupu was a highly-rated under-age rugby league player in New Zealand before linking with Hawthorn, and joined the NRL’s Melbourne Storm in 2016.

At the time Storm football director Frank Ponissi called him a “potentially exciting prospect (who) possesses excellent athletic abilities and it’s great to have him join the club as a developing outside back’’.

Tatupu had a stint with Frankston in the VFL in 2019 and then played locally in the Southern and Mornington Peninsula leagues.

According to his PlayHQ profile, he had one game for Frankston YCW this year, against Rosebud in a Division 1 game on May 17.

In 2024 he played two senior games for Springvale Districts and 12 months earlier he had an outstanding season for St Kilda City, with one of his highlight reels going viral on social media.

According to Premier Data, a stats-based company for local football, Tatupu recorded the best two clearance games that year with figures of 28 and 27.

Originally published as Shem Tatupu, former AFL and NRL rookie, charged with attempted murder