:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: …I don't think it's wise to use Buzz Rothfield as back up ......Bug...
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Lote Tuqiri back in the spotlight as he returns to NRL to play with Wests Tigers
By Andrew Webster From: The Daily Telegraph March 11, 2010 12:00AM
LOTE Tuqiri stepped off a 24-hour flight from London, navigated his way through customs with two young children and walked straight into the open arms of Sydney, the Wests Tigers and rugby league. Reunited and it feels so good.
Sure, he stuffed his pockets with the rival code's cash eight years ago. He strung out South Sydney like an Eastern Suburbs real estate agent before deciding to stay at the Waratahs in 2007.
And the tawdry details of his mysterious termination by the ARU for "disciplinary reasons" on July 1 last year still swirl, although the Clarke-Bingle mini-series has shifted the focus of gossip-mongers for now.
But no other game forgives, forgets and hands a kid a second chance like rugby league. Just ask Wendell Sailor.
"The game's already embraced me," Tuqiri told The Daily Telegraph. "I don't have to try too hard. League people are quite loyal. I didn't get that big a backlash when I left … although my mum won't be supporting the Tigers - she's a Bronco."
Tuqiri says this in the bowels of Concord Oval, where the Tigers are based. The last time he was here he was playing club rugby for the West Harbour Pirates, who had thrown him a lifeline after the ARU tore up his contract.
A week ago, he played his final game for Leicester Tigers in the Guinness Premiership before returning to Sydney this morning with wife Rebekka and young children Samson, 4, and Imosi, 1.
Regardless of whether he can shake off the jetlag and play against Manly in the first round, Tuqiri's return can potentially develop into the same fabled yarn that Sailor had been in the last two years.
Sailor was rubbed out for two years for snorting cocaine but by the time he played his last match for the Dragons the transformation was complete: a true cult hero.
"I'm not Wendell Sailor - I'm Lote Tuqiri," Tuqiri insisted of his former Broncos and Wallabies teammate and close friend.
"I'm not out there being brash. I'm self-assured, but I won't be saying too many big comments. Del obviously backed it up but I'll be going about it as I do."
But will he be doing it as well? Has his rugby robbed league of its best years of Tuqiri?
"At least I'll know how to kick it out on the full," Tuqiri laughed.
It remains a mystery where he'll nestle into the Tigers' spirited backline. He's named on the wing for the opening round - to potentially play his 100th NRL match - but has been tipped to play at fullback all summer.
"He's no chance of playing fullback five days after getting back here," coach Tim Sheen said. "I'll give him that option."
Sheens might ease the dreadlocked flyer into his new surroundings, but the game will be shining the spotlight on him from now on.
"It will be on me - massively," he conceded. "Tim won't be thinking that, but the press has already started. "I didn't expect anything different when I came back. I don't mind the hype and the build-up of the Sydney press and everything else."
That was evident in the tiniest of exchanges between coach and player when the cameras went off.
"Tired?" Sheens asked him quietly. "No," said Lote. "I'm ready to go."
By Andrew Webster From: The Daily Telegraph March 11, 2010 12:00AM
LOTE Tuqiri stepped off a 24-hour flight from London, navigated his way through customs with two young children and walked straight into the open arms of Sydney, the Wests Tigers and rugby league. Reunited and it feels so good.
Sure, he stuffed his pockets with the rival code's cash eight years ago. He strung out South Sydney like an Eastern Suburbs real estate agent before deciding to stay at the Waratahs in 2007.
And the tawdry details of his mysterious termination by the ARU for "disciplinary reasons" on July 1 last year still swirl, although the Clarke-Bingle mini-series has shifted the focus of gossip-mongers for now.
But no other game forgives, forgets and hands a kid a second chance like rugby league. Just ask Wendell Sailor.
"The game's already embraced me," Tuqiri told The Daily Telegraph. "I don't have to try too hard. League people are quite loyal. I didn't get that big a backlash when I left … although my mum won't be supporting the Tigers - she's a Bronco."
Tuqiri says this in the bowels of Concord Oval, where the Tigers are based. The last time he was here he was playing club rugby for the West Harbour Pirates, who had thrown him a lifeline after the ARU tore up his contract.
A week ago, he played his final game for Leicester Tigers in the Guinness Premiership before returning to Sydney this morning with wife Rebekka and young children Samson, 4, and Imosi, 1.
Regardless of whether he can shake off the jetlag and play against Manly in the first round, Tuqiri's return can potentially develop into the same fabled yarn that Sailor had been in the last two years.
Sailor was rubbed out for two years for snorting cocaine but by the time he played his last match for the Dragons the transformation was complete: a true cult hero.
"I'm not Wendell Sailor - I'm Lote Tuqiri," Tuqiri insisted of his former Broncos and Wallabies teammate and close friend.
"I'm not out there being brash. I'm self-assured, but I won't be saying too many big comments. Del obviously backed it up but I'll be going about it as I do."
But will he be doing it as well? Has his rugby robbed league of its best years of Tuqiri?
"At least I'll know how to kick it out on the full," Tuqiri laughed.
It remains a mystery where he'll nestle into the Tigers' spirited backline. He's named on the wing for the opening round - to potentially play his 100th NRL match - but has been tipped to play at fullback all summer.
"He's no chance of playing fullback five days after getting back here," coach Tim Sheen said. "I'll give him that option."
Sheens might ease the dreadlocked flyer into his new surroundings, but the game will be shining the spotlight on him from now on.
"It will be on me - massively," he conceded. "Tim won't be thinking that, but the press has already started. "I didn't expect anything different when I came back. I don't mind the hype and the build-up of the Sydney press and everything else."
That was evident in the tiniest of exchanges between coach and player when the cameras went off.
"Tired?" Sheens asked him quietly. "No," said Lote. "I'm ready to go."
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I'm not here for a haircut GLENN JACKSON
March 11, 2010
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Back in the rugby league ranks just in time for the start of the NRL season, Lote Tuqiri believes the Wests Tigers can go all the way in 2010, Glenn Jackson reports.
MAYBE it was the jet lag doing some of the talking, but after flying into Sydney yesterday to spend his first day as a Wests Tiger, Lote Tuqiri could see no reason why he couldn't be toasting his first year with the club with a premiership.
''I wouldn't have come here if I didn't think [they were capable],'' Tuqiri said. ''I've got three years here to try and do that, and help the guys get there. The bones are there to do it. We've got a great squad. I'm just really looking forward to playing with a lot of these guys.''
Asked whether he felt the Tigers could win the premiership this season, the club's newest - and potentially biggest - recruit said: ''I wouldn't be here if I didn't think we were a strong chance. Anything can happen, as the boys showed in 2005\. It's obviously a goal for the club.''
Tuqiri arrived in Sydney yesterday morning after spending much of the rugby league off-season playing rugby union with Leicester, just five days before the Tigers' round one clash with Manly, declaring he was ''pumped'' to play.
While some, including his opponents' coach Des Hasler, feel that Tuqiri might struggle to acclimatise to 80 minutes of rugby league five days after a long haul flight, Tuqiri said yesterday his 23 hours of flying might have been a blessing.
Somewhere between Abu Dhabi and Sydney, Tuqiri's wife Rebekka turned to her husband and asked him why he was so quiet. He had slept most of the first leg but, after switching on the in-flight movie, Where the Wild Things Are, for his two children, he sat and pondered his latest switch.
''I was just thinking about how I've got to change my whole mental shift,'' Tuqiri said. ''Even the little things, getting tackled, body height … not releasing the ball. My missus was like, 'you're not really talking'. I was just mainly thinking, and getting things in my head right before I play, whenever that may be.''
Should that game be against Manly, Tuqiri will have had just three training sessions under his belt. Sheens wants to play the 30-year-old, but has - and will train - shadow players Mitch Brown, Geoff Daniela and Daniel Fitzhenry on standby.
''If I don't think he's ready, he won't play,'' Sheens said. ''We've got three years to get things to happen, and if it means the delay of a week, then so be it. I'm not going to risk his reputation or ours by playing him if I don't think he's ready, and if he doesn't feel comfortable about what we're doing.''
While he may be fatigued, he will not lack fitness. Sheens said Tuqiri would have more match-fitness than any of his other players, having come off regular competitive matches.
''He's played more footy than my guys so he's probably fitter than them, in respect to the collision and 80 minutes of football,'' Sheens said. ''Whether it's union or league, it's still playing, and he's been playing regularly. He's in pretty fair shape.
''I wouldn't have played him if he hadn't have been playing.''
Tuqiri said he would rather ''get straight back into it''.
''I'm a footy player first and foremost,'' he said. ''I want to throw myself in the deep end, see how we go … sink or swim. It's a bit daunting but I'm really pumped to get out there and play. It's just getting out there and testing myself. It's great to be playing rugby league again.''
And while some don't expect miracles from him, Tuqiri was more optimistic about his input even though it has been eight years since he played rugby league with Brisbane.
''I didn't come back to make up the numbers,'' Tuqiri said. ''I've got high expectations of myself. I've put a lot of pressure on myself. I'm the sort of bloke who probably thrives a bit more on pressure than not. I like the big game and the hype that comes with the game, and you do get that with rugby league in Sydney.''
The dual international's presence will add to the hype surrounding the clash with Manly on Monday night, and he said when told of the prospect of the Sea Eagles targeting him: ''If they want to bring it, so be it. I welcome the challenge.''
March 11, 2010
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Back in the rugby league ranks just in time for the start of the NRL season, Lote Tuqiri believes the Wests Tigers can go all the way in 2010, Glenn Jackson reports.
MAYBE it was the jet lag doing some of the talking, but after flying into Sydney yesterday to spend his first day as a Wests Tiger, Lote Tuqiri could see no reason why he couldn't be toasting his first year with the club with a premiership.
''I wouldn't have come here if I didn't think [they were capable],'' Tuqiri said. ''I've got three years here to try and do that, and help the guys get there. The bones are there to do it. We've got a great squad. I'm just really looking forward to playing with a lot of these guys.''
Asked whether he felt the Tigers could win the premiership this season, the club's newest - and potentially biggest - recruit said: ''I wouldn't be here if I didn't think we were a strong chance. Anything can happen, as the boys showed in 2005\. It's obviously a goal for the club.''
Tuqiri arrived in Sydney yesterday morning after spending much of the rugby league off-season playing rugby union with Leicester, just five days before the Tigers' round one clash with Manly, declaring he was ''pumped'' to play.
While some, including his opponents' coach Des Hasler, feel that Tuqiri might struggle to acclimatise to 80 minutes of rugby league five days after a long haul flight, Tuqiri said yesterday his 23 hours of flying might have been a blessing.
Somewhere between Abu Dhabi and Sydney, Tuqiri's wife Rebekka turned to her husband and asked him why he was so quiet. He had slept most of the first leg but, after switching on the in-flight movie, Where the Wild Things Are, for his two children, he sat and pondered his latest switch.
''I was just thinking about how I've got to change my whole mental shift,'' Tuqiri said. ''Even the little things, getting tackled, body height … not releasing the ball. My missus was like, 'you're not really talking'. I was just mainly thinking, and getting things in my head right before I play, whenever that may be.''
Should that game be against Manly, Tuqiri will have had just three training sessions under his belt. Sheens wants to play the 30-year-old, but has - and will train - shadow players Mitch Brown, Geoff Daniela and Daniel Fitzhenry on standby.
''If I don't think he's ready, he won't play,'' Sheens said. ''We've got three years to get things to happen, and if it means the delay of a week, then so be it. I'm not going to risk his reputation or ours by playing him if I don't think he's ready, and if he doesn't feel comfortable about what we're doing.''
While he may be fatigued, he will not lack fitness. Sheens said Tuqiri would have more match-fitness than any of his other players, having come off regular competitive matches.
''He's played more footy than my guys so he's probably fitter than them, in respect to the collision and 80 minutes of football,'' Sheens said. ''Whether it's union or league, it's still playing, and he's been playing regularly. He's in pretty fair shape.
''I wouldn't have played him if he hadn't have been playing.''
Tuqiri said he would rather ''get straight back into it''.
''I'm a footy player first and foremost,'' he said. ''I want to throw myself in the deep end, see how we go … sink or swim. It's a bit daunting but I'm really pumped to get out there and play. It's just getting out there and testing myself. It's great to be playing rugby league again.''
And while some don't expect miracles from him, Tuqiri was more optimistic about his input even though it has been eight years since he played rugby league with Brisbane.
''I didn't come back to make up the numbers,'' Tuqiri said. ''I've got high expectations of myself. I've put a lot of pressure on myself. I'm the sort of bloke who probably thrives a bit more on pressure than not. I like the big game and the hype that comes with the game, and you do get that with rugby league in Sydney.''
The dual international's presence will add to the hype surrounding the clash with Manly on Monday night, and he said when told of the prospect of the Sea Eagles targeting him: ''If they want to bring it, so be it. I welcome the challenge.''
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