tigersrule4life
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Steve Jancetic AAP Tue, Mar 19, 2013 - 4:45 PM
Wests Tigers' Fijian sensation Marika Koroibete walked the road less travelled to the NRL - one without electricity or rugby league until his late teens.
Hailing from the village of Navaiyawa - four hours inland from Suva, Koroibete only took up rugby league in 2010 at the age of 17.
But he has wasted little time in becoming a fan favourite on the left flank for the Tigers - his combination of blinding pace and deft footwork dazzling defences for a return of eight tries from as many appearances in the top grade.
Still, he remains immune to the hysteria surrounding his rise up the ranks.
The memories of the tough life he left behind are all the motivation he needs to maintain his focus.
"That's what's motivating me, the hardship I've been facing back home since I was little," Koroibete said.
"It's so hard, living in the bush, four hours from town, Suva.
"Living in the bush, there's no electricity and stuff - walking to school, earning the money - one, two hours work before school - that's what's motivating me since I was little.
"Sometimes I had to wake up early with my parents, go to the farm before school, then go to school, come back from school and help my parents."
Now he's helping in a different way, sending home money he earns from his meagre contract to help make ends meet, including paying the school fees for his brother and sister to get an education.
He's also built a house for his family to live in back home - complete with a satellite dish to enable them to stay home to watch him play in the NRL.
"The whole village comes to the house to watch," Koroibete said.
He asked his parents to come live in Australia, but they would rather stay and tend to the farms they have back home.
But they have vowed to visit later this year to take in one of their son's games.
Maybe their trip will prove life-changing, as it did with Koroibete when he travelled here to play a series of games with the Fijian under 19s side.
Up until then he'd played footy "just for fun", but it has since become a bit more serious.
The coach of the Fijian side was Joel Greig, the Tigers' under 20s assistant coach, who quickly let the club know about the raw talent he had on his hands.
"I was man of the match in two games, scored two-three tries each game," Koroibete said of the three-game tour.
"Six clubs followed me and the Tigers offered me the best contract so I went with them. I'm pretty lucky."
By the end of 2011 he scored nine tries in 15 matches in the National Youth Competition.
In 2012, he bumped up his rate to 13 tries in 11 games before being promoted to the top grade.
"Getting a contract was awesome," he said.
"Making it to the NRL, playing with Lote Tuqiri, Benji Marshall, Robbie Farah, I can't believe it."
http://www.nrl.com/tigers-nrl-flyer-koroibete-keeps-grounded/tabid/10874/newsid/71238/default.aspx
Wests Tigers' Fijian sensation Marika Koroibete walked the road less travelled to the NRL - one without electricity or rugby league until his late teens.
Hailing from the village of Navaiyawa - four hours inland from Suva, Koroibete only took up rugby league in 2010 at the age of 17.
But he has wasted little time in becoming a fan favourite on the left flank for the Tigers - his combination of blinding pace and deft footwork dazzling defences for a return of eight tries from as many appearances in the top grade.
Still, he remains immune to the hysteria surrounding his rise up the ranks.
The memories of the tough life he left behind are all the motivation he needs to maintain his focus.
"That's what's motivating me, the hardship I've been facing back home since I was little," Koroibete said.
"It's so hard, living in the bush, four hours from town, Suva.
"Living in the bush, there's no electricity and stuff - walking to school, earning the money - one, two hours work before school - that's what's motivating me since I was little.
"Sometimes I had to wake up early with my parents, go to the farm before school, then go to school, come back from school and help my parents."
Now he's helping in a different way, sending home money he earns from his meagre contract to help make ends meet, including paying the school fees for his brother and sister to get an education.
He's also built a house for his family to live in back home - complete with a satellite dish to enable them to stay home to watch him play in the NRL.
"The whole village comes to the house to watch," Koroibete said.
He asked his parents to come live in Australia, but they would rather stay and tend to the farms they have back home.
But they have vowed to visit later this year to take in one of their son's games.
Maybe their trip will prove life-changing, as it did with Koroibete when he travelled here to play a series of games with the Fijian under 19s side.
Up until then he'd played footy "just for fun", but it has since become a bit more serious.
The coach of the Fijian side was Joel Greig, the Tigers' under 20s assistant coach, who quickly let the club know about the raw talent he had on his hands.
"I was man of the match in two games, scored two-three tries each game," Koroibete said of the three-game tour.
"Six clubs followed me and the Tigers offered me the best contract so I went with them. I'm pretty lucky."
By the end of 2011 he scored nine tries in 15 matches in the National Youth Competition.
In 2012, he bumped up his rate to 13 tries in 11 games before being promoted to the top grade.
"Getting a contract was awesome," he said.
"Making it to the NRL, playing with Lote Tuqiri, Benji Marshall, Robbie Farah, I can't believe it."
http://www.nrl.com/tigers-nrl-flyer-koroibete-keeps-grounded/tabid/10874/newsid/71238/default.aspx
