 Tia-Kilifi made his debut with the Penrith Panthers in 2009, but left the club at the end of the season to sign a two-year contract with the Bulldogs, commencing at the start of the 2010 season.Tia-Kilifi mostly played for Canterbury's feeder side in the NSW Cup.At the end of the 2011 season, Tia-Kilifi moved back to Penrith in a one-year contract.