From 2012 to 2014, Kaufusi played for the North Queensland Cowboys' NYC team.[2] On 20 April 2013, he played for the Queensland Under-20s team against the New South Wales Under-20s team.[3] On 3 October 2013, he re-signed with the Cowboys on a 3-year contract.[4] In September 2014, Kaufusi was named in the Junior Kangaroos train-on squad.[5]
Kaufusi played 12 games for the Cowboys in 2016, coming off the interchange bench in all 12.[11]
2017
Kaufusi started the 2017 NRL season coming off the bench for the Cowboys. After starting prop and co-captain Matthew Scott tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in Round 2, Kaufusi moved into the starting line-up for the first time. In Round 3, he started his first NRL game, a 30-8 loss to the Manly Sea Eagles. On 6 May, he represented Tonga in the 2017 Pacific Test against Fiji. He broke his foot in the fixture, which ruled him out for the rest of the season.[12]
Kaufusi made a total of 6 appearances for St George in the 2019 NRL season as the club finished second last on the table.[14]
In November 2019, it was announced that Kaufusi had been released by the club.[15]
2020-21
On 6 February, Kaufusi signed a one-year deal with the Townsville Blackhawks.[16] On 19 February, the Blackhawks announced that Kaufusi had ruptured his achilles tendon in training, ruling him out for five to six months.[17][18] In March 2021, Kaufusi finally played his first game for Townsville.[19]