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Here is an article on a new signing i thought you guys might be interested in
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaynews/4592386a19773.html
Roosters swoop despite Warriors interest
By LEE UMBERS - Sunday News | Sunday, 22 June 2008
RISING league sensation Gary Natoealofa has been plucked from a second-division Auckland side into NRL glamour club the Sydney Roosters.
And Sunday News can reveal Warriors officials, who had the chance to sign him, baulked and by the time they approached the club it was too late.
The block-busting centre, in only his second year of senior league, signed a two-year deal with the Roosters on Tuesday.
Natoealofa, 24, was snapped up by Roosters recruitment manager Peter O'Sullivan the man who discovered Storm superstar Israel Folau after watching him play for Howick in a Fox Memorial preliminary series game last month.
"He came up after the game and said, `Your attributes hold up to NRL level, I don't have any problems taking you out of this grade'," Natoealofa said.
"I couldn't believe it. It took a while to sink in."
Natoealofa, from Otara, said the deal meant he could repay the faith shown in him by his dad Kelemete, an ACC beneficiary, and mum Rita, a teacher aide who were supporting him financially while he trained fulltime.
"It's the start of a better future, not only for me but my family. I'm finally going to be able to give something back to them."
Natoealofa played league as a youngster for the Otara Scorpions but gave the game away at 10, and played rugby union from 2003-6.
A mate persuaded him to trial for the Tamaki Titans in the Bartercard Cup last year and he was fast-tracked into the squad.
With the collapse of the competition, he followed friends into neighbouring Howick to play for the Hornets knocking on the door of the final eight to make the Fox Memorial competition.
A Samoan from south Auckland, he found no problem fitting into the east Auckland club with probably the highest percentage of European players in any premier club in the Auckland comp.
"It was easy. The white boys here pretty much act like brown boys in white skins," he said.
Natoealofa said his first aim was to crack the Roosters' first-grade side.
But he wanted to "go all the way" now he had his dream break.
"Hopefully I'll play for New Zealand one day, if I get the chance," he said.
Hornets coach Paul Davys, a former recruiter for the Broncos, said O'Sullivan was immediately impressed with Natoealofa's potential and size 100kg and 193cm.
"He said, `I'll take two of those if you've got them!'," Davys said.
The Howick coach, who invited O'Sullivan to view Natoealofa, said Warriors officials had started to take an interest in the centre whose power, pace and defensive-hitting was proving devastating in the Fox prelims.
"They were like, `Oh, is he going? We'll come down and have a look at him," Davys said.
"I said, `Mate, he is going over. He has signed with the Roosters'."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaynews/4592386a19773.html
Roosters swoop despite Warriors interest
By LEE UMBERS - Sunday News | Sunday, 22 June 2008
RISING league sensation Gary Natoealofa has been plucked from a second-division Auckland side into NRL glamour club the Sydney Roosters.
And Sunday News can reveal Warriors officials, who had the chance to sign him, baulked and by the time they approached the club it was too late.
The block-busting centre, in only his second year of senior league, signed a two-year deal with the Roosters on Tuesday.
Natoealofa, 24, was snapped up by Roosters recruitment manager Peter O'Sullivan the man who discovered Storm superstar Israel Folau after watching him play for Howick in a Fox Memorial preliminary series game last month.
"He came up after the game and said, `Your attributes hold up to NRL level, I don't have any problems taking you out of this grade'," Natoealofa said.
"I couldn't believe it. It took a while to sink in."
Natoealofa, from Otara, said the deal meant he could repay the faith shown in him by his dad Kelemete, an ACC beneficiary, and mum Rita, a teacher aide who were supporting him financially while he trained fulltime.
"It's the start of a better future, not only for me but my family. I'm finally going to be able to give something back to them."
Natoealofa played league as a youngster for the Otara Scorpions but gave the game away at 10, and played rugby union from 2003-6.
A mate persuaded him to trial for the Tamaki Titans in the Bartercard Cup last year and he was fast-tracked into the squad.
With the collapse of the competition, he followed friends into neighbouring Howick to play for the Hornets knocking on the door of the final eight to make the Fox Memorial competition.
A Samoan from south Auckland, he found no problem fitting into the east Auckland club with probably the highest percentage of European players in any premier club in the Auckland comp.
"It was easy. The white boys here pretty much act like brown boys in white skins," he said.
Natoealofa said his first aim was to crack the Roosters' first-grade side.
But he wanted to "go all the way" now he had his dream break.
"Hopefully I'll play for New Zealand one day, if I get the chance," he said.
Hornets coach Paul Davys, a former recruiter for the Broncos, said O'Sullivan was immediately impressed with Natoealofa's potential and size 100kg and 193cm.
"He said, `I'll take two of those if you've got them!'," Davys said.
The Howick coach, who invited O'Sullivan to view Natoealofa, said Warriors officials had started to take an interest in the centre whose power, pace and defensive-hitting was proving devastating in the Fox prelims.
"They were like, `Oh, is he going? We'll come down and have a look at him," Davys said.
"I said, `Mate, he is going over. He has signed with the Roosters'."
;-):lol:
