Back in town: Willie Tonga.
Picture: Liam Driver.
Source: The Sunday Telegraph
BY his own admission, Willie Tonga needed to escape Sydney for the sake of his rugby league career.
It was 2008 and Tonga was making headlines for his off-field antics with then-Bulldogs teammates Sonny Bill Williams and Reni Maitua.
Tonga went to North Queensland, away from the city lights, and spent three years with the Cowboys, rediscovering his game and winning back his Queensland and Australia jerseys.
Now back at Parramatta - where it all began in 2002 - Tonga feels more than ready to make his mark in Sydney for the right reasons.
In his first interview since joining the Eels, Tonga, 28, told The Daily Telegraph yesterday: "I guess when I left I was having a lot of troubles at the Bulldogs through injuries and off-field stuff. I was at the crossroads and things weren't working out. I got to the stage where I was happy and content with where I was.
"I got up to Townsville and wanted to focus solely on footy, and I could haven't asked for anything better. I worked with JT (Johnathan Thurston), achieved what I wanted to achieve in three years and now I'm happy to be back."
Even Maitua, who has turned his own career around via the Eels, said Tonga's escape to the tropics had done wonders.
"The Cowboys was the best thing for him and to move away from Sydney, the lifestyle change - he's definitely matured as a person and footballer," Maitua said.
"The one thing we spoke about before he came back to Parra was if he was ready to move back to Sydney, which he was."
Tonga returned to training last Friday after playing a key role for the Kangaroos on the Four Nations tour.
While he genuinely thought he would see out his NRL career in Townsville, he was rapt at the chance to be back in the blue and gold and playing alongside younger brother Esi for the first time.
Tonga still remembered his debut for the Eels, a 2002 clash at the SFS against the Sydney Roosters - where he marked Justin Hodges and was "the most nervous I've ever been in my life" when Brad Fittler led the Chooks on to the field - and was glad to see familiar Eels faces Nathan Hindmarsh and Luke Burt.
The softly spoken yet articulate Tonga said it would not take long for a few of the new faces at the club to click. His representative experience in the centres is sure to help the young backline.
Parramatta lacked genuine firepower out wide last season, and that is one department Tonga will boost.
The Eels have few injury concerns less than two months out from the season opener against Brisbane, with Maitua to resume running on his hurt ankle later next week.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/willie-tonga-happy-to-be-back-in-the-blue-and-gold-of-the-parramatta-eels/story-e6frexnr-1226244745997
Picture: Liam Driver.
Source: The Sunday Telegraph
BY his own admission, Willie Tonga needed to escape Sydney for the sake of his rugby league career.
It was 2008 and Tonga was making headlines for his off-field antics with then-Bulldogs teammates Sonny Bill Williams and Reni Maitua.
Tonga went to North Queensland, away from the city lights, and spent three years with the Cowboys, rediscovering his game and winning back his Queensland and Australia jerseys.
Now back at Parramatta - where it all began in 2002 - Tonga feels more than ready to make his mark in Sydney for the right reasons.
In his first interview since joining the Eels, Tonga, 28, told The Daily Telegraph yesterday: "I guess when I left I was having a lot of troubles at the Bulldogs through injuries and off-field stuff. I was at the crossroads and things weren't working out. I got to the stage where I was happy and content with where I was.
"I got up to Townsville and wanted to focus solely on footy, and I could haven't asked for anything better. I worked with JT (Johnathan Thurston), achieved what I wanted to achieve in three years and now I'm happy to be back."
Even Maitua, who has turned his own career around via the Eels, said Tonga's escape to the tropics had done wonders.
"The Cowboys was the best thing for him and to move away from Sydney, the lifestyle change - he's definitely matured as a person and footballer," Maitua said.
"The one thing we spoke about before he came back to Parra was if he was ready to move back to Sydney, which he was."
Tonga returned to training last Friday after playing a key role for the Kangaroos on the Four Nations tour.
While he genuinely thought he would see out his NRL career in Townsville, he was rapt at the chance to be back in the blue and gold and playing alongside younger brother Esi for the first time.
Tonga still remembered his debut for the Eels, a 2002 clash at the SFS against the Sydney Roosters - where he marked Justin Hodges and was "the most nervous I've ever been in my life" when Brad Fittler led the Chooks on to the field - and was glad to see familiar Eels faces Nathan Hindmarsh and Luke Burt.
The softly spoken yet articulate Tonga said it would not take long for a few of the new faces at the club to click. His representative experience in the centres is sure to help the young backline.
Parramatta lacked genuine firepower out wide last season, and that is one department Tonga will boost.
The Eels have few injury concerns less than two months out from the season opener against Brisbane, with Maitua to resume running on his hurt ankle later next week.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/willie-tonga-happy-to-be-back-in-the-blue-and-gold-of-the-parramatta-eels/story-e6frexnr-1226244745997
