Sitaleki Akauola: 'My NRL Experience'

[Guest]

Courtesy of the official Wests Tigers website:

Sitaleki Akauola: 'My NRL Experience'
Sitaleki Akauola
Wests Tigers

Wednesday 10 April 2013 5:52 PM
Sitaleki Akauola: 'My NRL Experience'

Talented young back-rower Sitaleki Akauola has written a personal blog about his Club and NRL debut on Monday night.

A member of the 2012 premiership winning NYC side and having been in good form the the Club's NSW Cup team, Akauola became the 160th player to appear in first grade for Wests Tigers when he lined up against premiers Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park.

Originally named 18th man, Akauola came off the interchange bench following the withdrawal of Liam Fulton through injury. Here is his story

MY NRL EXPERIENCE
When I got the call up to just train with the Wests Tigers NRL squad for the week, I was very excited. Just to be told I was 18th man was the best feeling. It was at our final team run last Sunday morning when Mick Potter named the side and said Liam Fulton wouldn’t be playing. Mick told the group I would be making my NRL debut and everyone just clapped and congratulated me. I was so overwhelmed. I went blank.

Flying down to Melbourne with the NRL team was just amazing. I couldn’t sleep Sunday night. My room-mate was James Tedesco. I don’t remember much of the bus ride from our team hotel to the ground. I was too busy looking around the bus seeing the calibre of players I was with.

It was the same feeling when I was changing in the dressing rooms. I couldn’t believe I was here. I told myself this isn’t real. Going out for the warm up was a surreal feeling. I tried to block out the noise and the crowd. It was a really good feeling.

The game starts and I’m on the bench, not knowing when I am going to go on. I run up and down the sidelines at different times with the other interchange players to keep warm and stretching. Just looking at the field was unreal. I was so happy.

Sitting on the sidelines, the speed of the game didn’t look real fast but it was a different story when I went on to the field with 20 minutes remaining. I think it was 12-all and I made my first tackle I think on Jesse Bromwich. Even then, I was thinking this is unreal. The adrenalin was pumping.

I wanted to get my first hit up over and done with. I didn’t want to look anywhere but their props to run at. So I ran at them. It was good to get smashed and get all the nerves out. I was so happy. I think my team-mates were expecting to me to offload but I was never going too even if it was on.

When full-time came around, to shake three of the best players’ hands in the world in Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith was just unreal. It was the best feeling. I got to shake hands with one of my best mates in Kenny Bromwich who also made his NRL debut that night. We grew up together in Manurewa so it was a special moment. He was the one who convinced me to switch to rugby league.

In the dressing rooms, we were upset about the loss but I took plenty out of it. The experience was unbelievable. I enjoyed the bus ride more this time.

The boys were fantastic to me during the whole week. Now I’ve had a taste of NRL, I want more of it.

The only way I can do that is to keeping working on my game, my weaknesses, and my fitness. I know it can be done.

 

[king_sirro]

Thats a great read

 

[softlaw]

Very very cool!
Go young fella!

 

[pHyR3]

didn't notice too much of him, but a good read! how many minutes did he get?

 

[Demonborger]

Hopefully it will be the first game in a great career with us.

 

[stryker]

Good on you mate. We are all happy for you. That was a good read and you can bet if any of us were in your place that is the same article we would write. Enjoy your footy and hopefully we will see a lot more of you. You are an NRL representative now, well done.

 

[fergiefurr]

Awesome read.

They should make someone like josh Dugan read this, might wake upto himself

 

[Peaches]

That's just a real good read. A young bloke has realized his dream and wants more of it. Good luck to the young man.

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_

 

[Guest]

He's exactly the type of player and backrower Wests Tigers need to develop. In some ways I see some similarities between Akaoula and Dwyer, they both have similar height and build (although Akaoula has a couple of extra kilos on Simon's playing weight), very mobile, has an excellent offload and can put a hit on in defence.

I'm sure with continued hard work and discipline, the results will slowly but surely come for the young fella.

 

[Shooshmeister]

Great article. I get so excited with stories like this. Every boy wants to be a 1st grade player, but only a few make it. 1st grade is like a drug, you get a little hit, and immediatley you want more. If you can't get it, you work harder and faster to get that hit again. It's a feel good story and hopefully he will be in the Tigers colors for a long time to come.

 

[Goose]

i enjoyed hearing about his experience. Im liking the personal insughts we are getting from the payers at the moment.
Much better the tripe Darius offered up in the presser on the weekend i wanted to throttle him, spoilt brat and one of my least favourite players

 

[system]

i enjoyed hearing about his experience. Im liking the personal insughts we are getting from the payers at the moment.
Much better the tripe Darius offered up in the presser on the weekend i wanted to throttle him, spoilt brat and one of my least favourite players

Agree i would love to smash him in the head

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_

 

[Eddie]

How refreshing.

This is something Sheens neglected at times over the years. Picking stale players that were going through the motions. Its funny how giving some guys opportunities leads to an injection of aggression and energy.

Sometimes I look at guys like Marshall, Ayshford, Moltzen, Blair and co and wonder whether they are really determined to win games and better themselves. They don't look to have the fire in their eyes. I see it in the eyes of Farah, Fulton and even the likes of Beau Ryan when he played here.

 

[851]

Maybe his enthusiasm helped the others on monday,as well as Thompsons,lets hope the kid realises his dream and becomes a life time WestsTiger player.

 

[MightyMaggy]

What a great read! This is another player the Tigers must keep into the future.

 

[Phantomlock]

We need more of these stories of young men who have realised their dreams. Stay the course Sitaleki; you've done so well already.

What a great read and something positive that should be circulated to other young aspiring players!

PL

 

[balmain boy]

He made over 10 metres with each of his hitups. Yes he only go 10-15 mins on the field but made a few tackles and strong metres in attack. Shold definitely be on the bench again this week with bodene out!

 

[happy_tiger]

Hope we can put some weight on the young fella ,he looks a prospect

 

[kh_canada]

Agreed BB, hoping to see him on the bench again and maybe with a little more game time as Bodene and Blair are both out.

In a year or twos time, I'd expect this guy to be one of our starters and certainly up there with Thompson, Fulton, Bell etc.

 

[Hbom]

Agreed BB, hoping to see him on the bench again and maybe with a little more game time as Bodene and Blair are both out.

In a year or twos time, I'd expect this guy to be one of our starters and certainly up there with Thompson, Fulton, Bell etc.

Blair is free to play.