Mikaele confident in second year improvement

[TheDaBoss]

Mikaele confident in second year improvement
Author
Caitlyn Grant
Timestamp
Tue 10 Mar 2020, 01:10 PM

After claiming the club's Rookie of the Year Award in 2019, Wests Tigers forward Thomas Mikaele is ready to deliver an even stronger 2020 campaign off the back of a big pre-season.

The powerful Keebra Park forward looks set to feature in the club's Round 1 side to take on the St. George-Illawarra Dragons this Sunday as part of an improved Wests Tigers pack that will include new recruits Zane Musgrove and Luciano Leilua, having played 23 of a possible 24 games last year under Coach Michael Maguire.


A father now for the first time as well, 2020 is shaping as a big year for the prop forward with Mikaele growing in his confidence and ability.

“I’m feeling confident and better than last year,” Mikaele said ahead of the season opener this Sunday.

“I’m physically fit and my body has changed a lot from last year. I just want to show on the field how much I have changed myself.

“My motor has been a large contributor to that change and there's been a lot of other little things that have me feeling confident this year."


Since coming through the development system at Wests Tigers as a Jersey Flegg and then Development Player, Mikaele finished his debut season with close to 2,000 metres gained at an average of 86.5 metres per game — over a third of which came post-contact. In addition, the 22-year-old racked up a 92.3% tackle efficiency rate, but said the most helpful thing was the experience he gained last year.

“I’ve learned a lot about preparation and consistency being important," Mikaele reflected. "Diet is also a massive factor for me — I’ve been working on the times of the day I eat and overall food options,” said Mikaele.

“Getting out there and doing my job for the team and playing good footy is my main focus.”

“I’ve had discussions with Madge and I’m in the mindset of wanting to get my job done — whether that is in the starting line up or coming off the bench. Getting out there and doing my job for the team and playing good footy is my main focus."


With the season opener just days away, Mikaele said there was no hiding the excitement of knowing that competitive football was just around the corner.

“Madge definitely a lot of belief in me and the group,” said Mikaele.

“It’s fun to be around the same group as last year and welcoming in new members.

"It’s exciting to build more on our dynamics and groupings."

 

[rustycage]

Just don't drop the ball mate.

 

[Blocker1963]

Good read on NRL.COM about Mikaele, was having serious vision problems, looks like Andrew Gray is on the boil with identifying issues, also a stat about Mikaele with attracting defenders. He speaks really well and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in a QLD jersey in the near future.

 

[bathursttiger1]

A lot referees have the same problem.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

It’s a shame for whatever reason Madge dropped him back to CC for a week early last season. He’d have only been the second WT’s rookie to have played every game in his debut season otherwise.

 

[Madge]

Thomas Mikaele battled vision problems:

If a debut season in the NRL isn't already hard enough, Wests Tigers forward Thomas Mikaele was also forced to battle failing eyesight during 2019.

That didn't stop him from ranking alongside the likes of Addin Fonua-Blake and Siosiua Taukeiaho at the top of a key statistical category.

He attracted four defenders on 65 percent of his carries to sit alongside the international props who were major players come September.

That feat is all the more impressive considering 190-centimetre Mikaele often struggled to see the opposition coming.

Mikaele and Wests Tigers teammate Michael Chee Kam were diagnosed with eye disorder Keratoconus during the off-season, a finding that was a long time coming for the 22-year-old.

Mikaele had been using soft lense contacts and wearing prescription glasses while not playing during 2019.

"It's pretty much a lump in your eyes that can cause close to blindness and I've got it in both eyes but my left eye is worse than my right," Mikaele told NRL.com.

"I've got some new hard contacts and soft lenses to play. The condition is too unpredictable, so something like laser [treatment] wouldn't be suitable."

While making minimal excuses for his first year in the top grade, Mikaele said parts of his game were affected by the condition.

"I couldn't see about 15 metres in front of me so a ball coming to me was hard to catch at times or something happening further up the field," Mikaele said.

"I didn't realise I had eye problems beyond just needing glasses. I started having a lot of handling errors from last year and then over the off-season. I noticed at training I couldn't see as far even with my contacts in.

"When we played night games I couldn't watch the game live if I was on the sideline, I'd always look at the big screen.

"And even looking at the screen it was blurry. It started happening during the day games as well. It wasn't just footy but normal life too."

Mikaele consulted with the club's new Head of Performance, Andrew Gray, who sent him to specialists.

"It's made a big difference now and I think that will be a big difference as well this year," Mikaele said.

"Madge actually mentioned the four defenders stat and I think that's one thing in my game I can evolve with - bringing in four defenders to create space around the field.

"I can see that now and I've been working on combinations with other middles here."

Mikaele was elevated to the starting side for the Wests Tigers' final five games of last season despite feeling like he struggled to finish the year in a strong fashion.
"It was good to get some games under my belt and see what the league was like in terms for my body," Mikaele said.

"But there were times throughout the year where I didn't think I performed at my best because of the little things that I was still figuring out week-in-week-out.

"Now that I know that stuff I can be better prepared and I know what's coming. I spent less time on the field as the season went on but I learnt some lessons.

"I'm pretty disciplined now but last year I let a few things creep into my diet like chips and ice cream but I've completely cut that out this year.

"It's made me feel physically better."

 

[TheDaBoss]

that really surpised me that article, i never knew him or cheekam had it


prehaps cheekams impaired vision, was what allowed him to come in clutch :joy:


anyway imagine how goo mikale is going to be with Clear vision 😀

 

[Geo]

Big year for Mikaele ...like him coming off the bench...

 

[Demps]

Big year for Mikaele ...like him coming off the bench...

Likewise.
Prefer him to not start.
But let's see.

He has all the potential and natural gifts in the world. Let's see him carve up.

 

[Spartan117]

So impressed with this guy.

Were building a nice pack of forwards that will be a force.

Get angry boys

 

[hobbo1]

I wonder how many other vision impaired players we’ve got ? 😂

 

[Demps]

I wonder how many other vision impaired players we’ve got ? 😂


Chris Lawrence.

 

[happy_tiger]

I wonder how many other vision impaired players we’ve got ? 😂

The downside of being beasts lol

 

[Guest]

I just hope their vision doesn't become further impaired as they get older.

 

[Demps]