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Crunching wingers, instead of numbers
March 17, 2013
Adrian Proszenko
Chief Rugby League Reporter - SMH
Marika Koroibete’s commute is a little bit different these days.The journey to school from his home town of Navaiyawa, in the Fijian highlands, to school used to take at least a couple of hours if his father wasn’t prepared to lend him his horse. Which was most days.
‘‘Forty kilometres to school and back,’’ Koroibete said. ‘‘Two hours. Sometimes I have to run when I run out of time. It was pretty hard. Bare foot, no shoes. On gravel. I would take the horse sometimes once a week.’’
The plan, if he did well at school, was to become an accountant. If not, a farmer like his parents.
‘‘They plant watermelon, cucumber, taro. Pretty cool,’’ he said.
‘‘Work in the farm and take it to the city and sell it, export [it] overseas and stuff. When I was young I used to do that, helping my dad do all the stuff. Sometimes I would miss school to work on the farm.’’
Of course, there was football too. Initially rugby, because that is what his mates played.
‘‘We would use the bottle,’’ he said, pointing to a nearby Mount Franklin container. ‘‘Cover up with clothes. Use as a ball.’’
These were the humble beginnings for one of league’s fastest and most explosive athletes. Had he not been discovered by Tigers under-20s coach Joel Greig while playing rugby for the Fijian rugby team three years ago, Koroibete may well have been crunching numbers.
It was his blistering speed - he was clocked at 10.75 seconds over 100 metres while still in his teens - that first piqued the interest of league scouts. That pace was on show in just his second NRL match last year, in which he equalled the club record of four tries in a single match. Since then, his football has done the talking, the Tigers shielding him from numerous media requests.
In his first interview, the 20-year-old shows there’s some personality to go with the pace. Even in more familiar surrounds, Koroibete was painfully shy. He used to skip school athletics meets because he didn’t want to have to make a speech when he inevitably topped the podium.
But he has adjusted seamlessly into the Australian way of life after some initial homesickness.
‘‘My family keeps encouraging me,’’ he said. ‘‘The first few months here was hard for me.’’
Now, there’s a chance he may stay here for good. ‘‘It depends on the girl I marry,’’ he said. ‘‘Still single.’’
There were half a dozen NRL clubs chasing Koroibete, who has put on 10 kilograms of muscle in the past year to bulk up to 95 kilograms. But the Tigers had one advantage over their rivals.
‘‘First thing, Lote is here,’’ he said of fellow Fijian Lote Tuqiri. ‘‘He is a big role model to me, one of my idols, a legend. They offered me a contract and helped me on the wing, with all his experience.’’
Whether he returns to the family farm remains to be seen. His father’s last orders were to ensure he didn’t return at all unless he made a name for himself first. ‘‘My dad wants me to become someone,’’ he said.
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I hope koro can pick up in round 2 where he left off last year. My fave player
hope he has a ripppper of a season! -
Fahhh, really wanna see him succeed.
All the best my friend.Koroi >
Top try scorer, 2013…?
Maybe 2014. -
I say he will score 3 tries 2moro when the tigers will be on fire and then will re sign the best hooker in the world Robbie Farah wooo.
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Sounds like a really humble guy. Has really muscled up this year but still looks like he has maintained his speed. Hoping he kills it today.
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Good hard runner of the ball. Maybe he should teach our forwards how to hitup. He run through the line, not turn his back at the line. He bend defensive lines back and almost breaks tackles. Forwards, you must watch this guy. Hope he goes well in 2013 and he has a succefull career ahead of him. Go Korro.
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Good hard runner of the ball. Maybe he should teach our forwards how to hitup. He run through the line, not turn his back at the line. He bend defensive lines back and almost breaks tackles. Forwards, you must watch this guy. Hope he goes well in 2013 and he has a succefull career ahead of him. Go Korro.
Totally agree
Posted using RoarFEED 2013
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Every forward should just copy Aaron Woods. It’s all about late footwork and forcing the defender to tackle you with their arms.
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Every forward should just copy Aaron Woods. It’s all about late footwork and forcing the defender to tackle you with their arms.
Exactly, but a head of speed is very intimidating for defenders too.
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Great article! Makes a pleasant change from most of the big-heads who strut around on and off the field these days. Don’t worry Koro, I am sure by the time you return home you will definitely “be somebody” and your family will be proud as punch!. Stay humble mate, all the best to ya :supporter:
Love watching the bloke play and burn up the sidelines!
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Speed……I need more Speed…oh shit…there goes Koro!!!
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Speed……I need more Speed…oh s***…there goes Koro!!!
HOW FAST IS HE!?
get prepared to here that a lot this season, tigers fans!
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Lets hope that the club has its head screwed on and offers him a decent extension package, and not take advantage of him. People who grow up like him know no other way than putting in their best, and Im happy for him that he made it…
Hopefully we can lock him in for his playing life, and nurture him both as a player and as a family member, the latter will most likely be the most important part of keeping him around. As many have commented, he has all the attributes that you cannot teach, the heart and work ethic, which make it so much easier to coach aspects of his game that may need it.
Good luck to the bloke, he deserves the rewards for all of his efforts…
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This guy doesn’t know how much potential he has got, as many have said before, he has things you can’t teach, but you can imporve ball handling, reading the game, defense etc… Alot of ability, let hope he doesn’t go down like Galloway. I get excited each time he gets the ball. Go Korro!
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‘Lote is here’
good reason to keep Lote around
