GNR4LIFE
Well-known member
I was at Ctown the night we played the Raiders in 2023. He was coming off the back fence on some of those kick offs. Gave me huge Ruben Wiki vibes. Was off the boil this year.
Fonua Pole #257
- Thread starter TheDaBoss
- Start date
Rock Hopper Steve
Well-known member
He's got a fair way to go before we can start calling him Jake the Muss mate.
user118245
Well-known member
Just got engaged today to NRLW player Ilisia Haumanou, congrats Fonua
upthetigers
Well-known member
Gosh players get married early. 23 is so young enjoy your 20s then consider it. But each to their own.
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
‘Talk about it all the time’: Tigers star’s honest admission on dream that could see him switch clubs
‘Talk about it all the time’: Tigers star’s honest admission on dream that could see him switch clubs
www.foxsports.com.au
- Still managing the MCL injury from Round 10 last year.
- Desire is strong to play with his brother Suli one day.
Holman Barnes #1 Fan
Well-known member
No qualms if he goes back to Melbourne. Think he's been loyal enough. Also felt like he regressed last year, although if he is injured that may explain the loss of form.‘Talk about it all the time’: Tigers star’s honest admission on dream that could see him switch clubs
‘Talk about it all the time’: Tigers star’s honest admission on dream that could see him switch clubs
- Still managing the MCL injury from Round 10 last year.
- Desire is strong to play with his brother Suli one day.
Edit: so long as he doesn't break his contract.
Last edited:
wstigers11
Well-known member
Suli didn’t play/wasn’t named in any trials but Clarke is in both so I’m assuming he’s jumped him. Don’t see the reason to go there if his brother isn’t get a look in anyway.
It was quite evident last year in his performances that the injury was still impacting him. He was a completely different player before it happened, never the same after. Hopefully the off-season has helped.‘Talk about it all the time’: Tigers star’s honest admission on dream that could see him switch clubs
‘Talk about it all the time’: Tigers star’s honest admission on dream that could see him switch clubs
- Still managing the MCL injury from Round 10 last year.
- Desire is strong to play with his brother Suli one day.
I reckon theres more chance we'd sign him than the other way around. The family club. Hes probably too tall in the modern game for a front rower, only need to see what happened with Nelson
Jimmy
Well-known member
Would be a stupid move from pole. Melbourne have a quality pack with some real good youth. Pole alone wouldn’t make the 17 and if he did he’d be stopping the lil bro from getting a spot.
Yes as a club we’ve gone though some tough times and are no glamour club but how many tigers players have left for better days only to be tossed out by their new club. People only ever talk about the teddescos, JAC, Moses etc. and not the Aloiais, masters, talaus, tupous.
Benji is making a lot of the right noises and will get better with the tactics each year. What we do have right now is culture and you can’t build that up overnight.
Yes as a club we’ve gone though some tough times and are no glamour club but how many tigers players have left for better days only to be tossed out by their new club. People only ever talk about the teddescos, JAC, Moses etc. and not the Aloiais, masters, talaus, tupous.
Benji is making a lot of the right noises and will get better with the tactics each year. What we do have right now is culture and you can’t build that up overnight.
wstigers11
Well-known member
Also because a lot of our key players are about to come off contract - May’s, Fainu’s, Makasini - might need to let go of some to keep the ones we want. Pole might be the collateral
hammertime
Well-known member
The club should be seeing that and talking to Pole about a package which includes getting his family up to Sydney for a few years.
Probably not possible, but hopefully it's being explored.
Probably not possible, but hopefully it's being explored.
old_man_tiger
Well-known member
Sounds like he will go at some point and has done for a while. Can't resent a guy who is open and transparent and has shown loyalty until now. Please no more mod contract drama though lol
TigerBurnsy
Well-known member
Even woodsy was never the same after he left
I think this is pretty poor imo.
You dont talk about.leaving the club a few weeks from a new season....or any time really unless you're serious.
You wanna go then boot off
You dont talk about.leaving the club a few weeks from a new season....or any time really unless you're serious.
You wanna go then boot off
In his defence he didnt talk about leaving at all. Fox sports have taken a statement about wanting to play with his bro and twisted it into 'he might need to leave"
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...t/news-story/bfc19a4915fbf58baade810d964ee86a
Pamela Whaley
3 min read
March 13, 2026 - 12:00PM
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...ory/bfc19a4915fbf58baade810d964ee86a#comments
When NRL players boast about the sacrifices they’ve made in their diet and how they’ve overhauled their eating for better performance, the mind goes straight to fast food or booze.
Not acai bowls.
But for Wests Tigers prop Fonua Pole, the antioxidant-rich but sugar-laden breakfast was a favourite treat that got way out of hand.
One acai bowl can have the sugar equivalent of two bowls of ice cream.
Healthy in moderation, Pole was crushing them every day - sometimes twice a day - before he realised it was undoing his hard work on the training paddock.
And if cutting back is the key to going to a new level in 2026, then so be it.
Fonua Pole has opened up on giving his beloved acai bowls in a bid to lead the Tigers back to finals. Picture: NRL Imager
“(Improving is) turning up every week, making good habits and sticking to them too, and having a good circle around me, including coaches and people outside of footy to hold me to a good standard,” he said ahead of their first game of the season against North Queensland at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday.
“It’s being smarter with my training, and I’ve had to watch my eating a bit too which is a bad habit that I’ve been living with.
“It’s bad, considering I’m a footy player.”
But Pole is trying to fix that, beginning with a complete change of his eating habits.
“And my training load as well,” he said.
“Our head of high performance has been managing me pretty good because I feel like sometimes I do a bit too much off the field, which has been a focus for me this year.”
Like losing the war on the purple treats.
“I had a lot of acai bowls before, pretty much every day,” he said.
“Too much sugar. I still have a fair bit now, but I managed to cut it down quite a bit because I have having it sometimes twice a day.”
Acai bowls are rich in antioxidants but can have as much sugar as two bowls of ice cream.
At 23 and heading into his fifth season of NRL, Pole will do anything to take it up a notch in 2026.
He started last season in fine form, but suffered a knee injury in round 10 that derailed his momentum and he never got it back.
“I felt like I was firing and then injuries set me back heaps, and then when I came back I never got back to my full potential again,” he said.
“Hopefully being consistent through the year no matter what happens and I feel like that will set me up for a good year.”
His partnership up front with Tyrell May, and the addition of Kai Pearce-Paul into the second row with Samuela Fainu, makes a ferocious pack in 2026.
Pole was just nine-years-old when the Tigers last made the finals in 2011. Picture: NRL Photos
“We need him this year, we need him to have a big year and I think he knows that and he’s really set the bar high for himself this pre-season,” said skipper Jarome Luai.
“I’m looking around the park now and I’m pretty amazed at the depth we have now, we’ve brought in guys like Bunty (Afoa) KPP and Mav Geyer as well now...
“We’ve got so much depth, so much competition for spots.
“I’ve been a part of some pretty successful teams and those guys never really get the accolades they deserve.
“The middles are so important to winning in a successful team.
”And it’s our job, mine and Adam (Doueihi), to make sure they play their best footy, be aggressive and just be confident in their own ability and have no fear.”
Pole during Wests Tigers training. Picture: Justin Lloyd
Fonua was nine when Tigers last made finals in 2011, but there’s an expectation they can make the top eight this year.
“We’re building a lot of confidence knowing what we did last year and that it’s not the best we can do, but we’re just excited,” he said.
“I wouldn’t put a lid on it but that’s a good start, to play top eight footy.
“We haven’t played finals footy in a long time. I was nine. Still in school.
“Hopefully we can play a bit of finals footy, which I want to get a taste of, obviously never experienced it before.”
Wests Tigers star Fonua Pole gives up his beloved acai bowls in bid to break finals drought
He was smashing them up to twice a day thinking they were good for him. Now, Wests Tigers prop Fonua Pole is ditching his beloved acai bowls in an attempt to break their NRL finals drought.Pamela Whaley
3 min read
March 13, 2026 - 12:00PM
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...ory/bfc19a4915fbf58baade810d964ee86a#comments
When NRL players boast about the sacrifices they’ve made in their diet and how they’ve overhauled their eating for better performance, the mind goes straight to fast food or booze.
Not acai bowls.
But for Wests Tigers prop Fonua Pole, the antioxidant-rich but sugar-laden breakfast was a favourite treat that got way out of hand.
One acai bowl can have the sugar equivalent of two bowls of ice cream.
Healthy in moderation, Pole was crushing them every day - sometimes twice a day - before he realised it was undoing his hard work on the training paddock.
And if cutting back is the key to going to a new level in 2026, then so be it.
Fonua Pole has opened up on giving his beloved acai bowls in a bid to lead the Tigers back to finals. Picture: NRL Imager
“(Improving is) turning up every week, making good habits and sticking to them too, and having a good circle around me, including coaches and people outside of footy to hold me to a good standard,” he said ahead of their first game of the season against North Queensland at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday.
“It’s being smarter with my training, and I’ve had to watch my eating a bit too which is a bad habit that I’ve been living with.
“It’s bad, considering I’m a footy player.”
But Pole is trying to fix that, beginning with a complete change of his eating habits.
“And my training load as well,” he said.
“Our head of high performance has been managing me pretty good because I feel like sometimes I do a bit too much off the field, which has been a focus for me this year.”
Like losing the war on the purple treats.
“I had a lot of acai bowls before, pretty much every day,” he said.
“Too much sugar. I still have a fair bit now, but I managed to cut it down quite a bit because I have having it sometimes twice a day.”
Acai bowls are rich in antioxidants but can have as much sugar as two bowls of ice cream.
At 23 and heading into his fifth season of NRL, Pole will do anything to take it up a notch in 2026.
He started last season in fine form, but suffered a knee injury in round 10 that derailed his momentum and he never got it back.
“I felt like I was firing and then injuries set me back heaps, and then when I came back I never got back to my full potential again,” he said.
“Hopefully being consistent through the year no matter what happens and I feel like that will set me up for a good year.”
His partnership up front with Tyrell May, and the addition of Kai Pearce-Paul into the second row with Samuela Fainu, makes a ferocious pack in 2026.
Pole was just nine-years-old when the Tigers last made the finals in 2011. Picture: NRL Photos
“We need him this year, we need him to have a big year and I think he knows that and he’s really set the bar high for himself this pre-season,” said skipper Jarome Luai.
“I’m looking around the park now and I’m pretty amazed at the depth we have now, we’ve brought in guys like Bunty (Afoa) KPP and Mav Geyer as well now...
“We’ve got so much depth, so much competition for spots.
“I’ve been a part of some pretty successful teams and those guys never really get the accolades they deserve.
“The middles are so important to winning in a successful team.
”And it’s our job, mine and Adam (Doueihi), to make sure they play their best footy, be aggressive and just be confident in their own ability and have no fear.”
Pole during Wests Tigers training. Picture: Justin Lloyd
Fonua was nine when Tigers last made finals in 2011, but there’s an expectation they can make the top eight this year.
“We’re building a lot of confidence knowing what we did last year and that it’s not the best we can do, but we’re just excited,” he said.
“I wouldn’t put a lid on it but that’s a good start, to play top eight footy.
“We haven’t played finals footy in a long time. I was nine. Still in school.
“Hopefully we can play a bit of finals footy, which I want to get a taste of, obviously never experienced it before.”
Viva_Zapata
Member
I love these preseason pieces.https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...t/news-story/bfc19a4915fbf58baade810d964ee86a
Wests Tigers star Fonua Pole gives up his beloved acai bowls in bid to break finals drought
He was smashing them up to twice a day thinking they were good for him. Now, Wests Tigers prop Fonua Pole is ditching his beloved acai bowls in an attempt to break their NRL finals drought.
Pamela Whaley
3 min read
March 13, 2026 - 12:00PM
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...ory/bfc19a4915fbf58baade810d964ee86a#comments
When NRL players boast about the sacrifices they’ve made in their diet and how they’ve overhauled their eating for better performance, the mind goes straight to fast food or booze.
Not acai bowls.
But for Wests Tigers prop Fonua Pole, the antioxidant-rich but sugar-laden breakfast was a favourite treat that got way out of hand.
One acai bowl can have the sugar equivalent of two bowls of ice cream.
Healthy in moderation, Pole was crushing them every day - sometimes twice a day - before he realised it was undoing his hard work on the training paddock.
And if cutting back is the key to going to a new level in 2026, then so be it.
Fonua Pole has opened up on giving his beloved acai bowls in a bid to lead the Tigers back to finals. Picture: NRL Imager
“(Improving is) turning up every week, making good habits and sticking to them too, and having a good circle around me, including coaches and people outside of footy to hold me to a good standard,” he said ahead of their first game of the season against North Queensland at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday.
“It’s being smarter with my training, and I’ve had to watch my eating a bit too which is a bad habit that I’ve been living with.
“It’s bad, considering I’m a footy player.”
But Pole is trying to fix that, beginning with a complete change of his eating habits.
“And my training load as well,” he said.
“Our head of high performance has been managing me pretty good because I feel like sometimes I do a bit too much off the field, which has been a focus for me this year.”
Like losing the war on the purple treats.
“I had a lot of acai bowls before, pretty much every day,” he said.
“Too much sugar. I still have a fair bit now, but I managed to cut it down quite a bit because I have having it sometimes twice a day.”
Acai bowls are rich in antioxidants but can have as much sugar as two bowls of ice cream.
At 23 and heading into his fifth season of NRL, Pole will do anything to take it up a notch in 2026.
He started last season in fine form, but suffered a knee injury in round 10 that derailed his momentum and he never got it back.
“I felt like I was firing and then injuries set me back heaps, and then when I came back I never got back to my full potential again,” he said.
“Hopefully being consistent through the year no matter what happens and I feel like that will set me up for a good year.”
His partnership up front with Tyrell May, and the addition of Kai Pearce-Paul into the second row with Samuela Fainu, makes a ferocious pack in 2026.
Pole was just nine-years-old when the Tigers last made the finals in 2011. Picture: NRL Photos
“We need him this year, we need him to have a big year and I think he knows that and he’s really set the bar high for himself this pre-season,” said skipper Jarome Luai.
“I’m looking around the park now and I’m pretty amazed at the depth we have now, we’ve brought in guys like Bunty (Afoa) KPP and Mav Geyer as well now...
“We’ve got so much depth, so much competition for spots.
“I’ve been a part of some pretty successful teams and those guys never really get the accolades they deserve.
“The middles are so important to winning in a successful team.
”And it’s our job, mine and Adam (Doueihi), to make sure they play their best footy, be aggressive and just be confident in their own ability and have no fear.”
Pole during Wests Tigers training. Picture: Justin Lloyd
Fonua was nine when Tigers last made finals in 2011, but there’s an expectation they can make the top eight this year.
“We’re building a lot of confidence knowing what we did last year and that it’s not the best we can do, but we’re just excited,” he said.
“I wouldn’t put a lid on it but that’s a good start, to play top eight footy.
“We haven’t played finals footy in a long time. I was nine. Still in school.
“Hopefully we can play a bit of finals footy, which I want to get a taste of, obviously never experienced it before.”
jirskyr
Well-known member
Acai bowls, that will do me.
The bloke runs and lifts heavy all day, way more than the average joe... he can almost certainly neck a few sweets and not be significantly impacted. Esp. as it's sugar, he'd burn a tonne of it off at training. Not ideal but his calorie intake would already be pretty high.
I knew a bloke who ran triathlons every week, he'd be consuming several meringues and pasta bowls every day to carb load ahead of the weekend.
Sustained fatty and sugary foods would instead be a real issue, e.g. too much takeaway for dinner all the time.
The bloke runs and lifts heavy all day, way more than the average joe... he can almost certainly neck a few sweets and not be significantly impacted. Esp. as it's sugar, he'd burn a tonne of it off at training. Not ideal but his calorie intake would already be pretty high.
I knew a bloke who ran triathlons every week, he'd be consuming several meringues and pasta bowls every day to carb load ahead of the weekend.
Sustained fatty and sugary foods would instead be a real issue, e.g. too much takeaway for dinner all the time.
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