Lauitiiti wants to be a warrior

[knights 2004]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3492752a10713,00.html

Lauitiiti wants to be a Warrior

27 November 2005

By NEIL REID

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Devout Christian league star Ali Lauitiiti was sacked from the Warriors after listing his love of God above the desire to win an NRL premiership.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif][/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But after playing two divine seasons for English super club Leeds, Ali wants to come home to the New Zealand team which asks fans to "keep the faith". [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]And the Kiwis second-row sensation revealed one of the reasons for his 2004 form slump, which led to his Warriors dumping, was a plan by then CEO Mick Watson to switch him to rugby union. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I will always cherish the Warriors. It was my home," Ali told Sunday News from the Kiwis' camp in Leeds, where he had been preparing for this morning's Tri-series final against the Kangaroos. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"They will be the NRL team that I will always want to play for. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"Pasifika - I don't know if was business or politics. It confused me. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I had the feeling that things weren't going well in the back office and it was soon to explode." [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Last week, it was revealed Watson had offered to strip the Warriors of Ali and other Samoan stars Sione Faumuina, Monty Betham, Henry Fa'afili and Iafeta Paleaaesina, and transplant them into a proposed Pacific Islands-based Pasifika team to be included in an expanded Super 12 tournament. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Watson made the extraordinary offer in a video conference with International Rugby Board bosses in February 2004 - two months before the Warriors axed Ali, accusing him of not being fully committed to the club's quest for excellence. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Pasifika never got off the ground, and Betham, Fa'afili and Paleaaesina have left the Warriors. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But it is Watson's departure that is one of the keys for Ali's desire to return to Ericsson Stadium. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Nineteen months on from his dumping, the giant forward still refers to the time as a "hurtful process".[/font]spac_writeAd("/site=s/area=s.stuff.sport.league/aamsz=300x250/ch=");

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Just before the axing, Watson had asked senior players to write down their priorities in life. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali put his faith, family and a desire to play for his mates above the will to win a premiership ring. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Watson said that was an example that Ali had failed to demonstrate he was interested in the club's values: "Commitment and care for one another, the end result, the club, teammates and fans". [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali then came under an apparent attack from his friend and long-time teammate Betham. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The Warriors released a statement from then captain Betham: "Players who don't care about winning a premiership have no place at the Warriors. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"To be a Warrior you have to care about each other and care about the result of the game. You can't stand in the trenches with someone who doesn't share those aspirations." [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The statement appeared to be aimed squarely at Ali, who had played for the Warriors since 1998. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But now Betham - who has signed with Superleague side Warrington -has revealed he had been referring to the whole Warriors team and not just Ali. Betham remains "frustrated" how his statement was publicly presented. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali's axing shocked fans and the league world. He is a sublimely gifted player - dubbed the "Michael Jordan of league" and named NRL backrower of the year in 2002. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]His 2003 season was wrecked when he couldn't play the first 16 games because he was recovering from surgery to remove a cyst from his forearm. But less than 24 hours after being dumped, eight Australian and five English clubs were fighting to sign him. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]And he repaid Leeds' faith in him by playing so well he was the only Kiwi named in both last season's and this year's Superleague Dream Team. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali, 26, has two years remaining on his Leeds contract. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"Leeds is a good team to play for," he told Sunday News. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"And my family is enjoying life up in the UK - that's the main thing. My wife likes it. That plays a big part. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I think I needed a new start. I needed to get the enjoyment back in my game - that was a big thing. I needed something different, not just for myself but for my family." [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali and his wife Janina became parents six months ago with the birth of their daughter Falome. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I'm trying to spend as much time as possible with my family, my wife and new baby," he said. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I'm trying to learn my role as a father. It's been really good. I feel very peaceful. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I've got a couple more years left at Leeds and then we will see what happens." [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But asked if he'd like to return to the Warriors to finish off his career, Ali said: "Yes!" [/font]

 

[Evil Homer]

That article is rife with basic factual errors.

 

[knights 2004]

where?

 

[Robster]

good on yea Ali, we would love to have yea back

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3492752a10713,00.html

Lauitiiti wants to be a Warrior

27 November 2005

By NEIL REID

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Devout Christian league star Ali Lauitiiti was sacked from the Warriors after listing his love of God above the desire to win an NRL premiership.[/font]



[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But after playing two divine seasons for English super club Leeds, Ali wants to come home to the New Zealand team which asks fans to "keep the faith". [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]And the Kiwis second-row sensation revealed one of the reasons for his 2004 form slump, which led to his Warriors dumping, was a plan by then CEO Mick Watson to switch him to rugby union. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I will always cherish the Warriors. It was my home," Ali told Sunday News from the Kiwis' camp in Leeds, where he had been preparing for this morning's Tri-series final against the Kangaroos. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"They will be the NRL team that I will always want to play for. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"Pasifika - I don't know if was business or politics. It confused me. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I had the feeling that things weren't going well in the back office and it was soon to explode." [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Last week, it was revealed Watson had offered to strip the Warriors of Ali and other Samoan stars Sione Faumuina, Monty Betham, Henry Fa'afili and Iafeta Paleaaesina, and transplant them into a proposed Pacific Islands-based Pasifika team to be included in an expanded Super 12 tournament. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Watson made the extraordinary offer in a video conference with International Rugby Board bosses in February 2004 - two months before the Warriors axed Ali, accusing him of not being fully committed to the club's quest for excellence. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Pasifika never got off the ground, and Betham, Fa'afili and Paleaaesina have left the Warriors. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But it is Watson's departure that is one of the keys for Ali's desire to return to Ericsson Stadium. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Nineteen months on from his dumping, the giant forward still refers to the time as a "hurtful process".[/font]spac_writeAd("/site=s/area=s.stuff.sport.league/aamsz=300x250/ch=");

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Just before the axing, Watson had asked senior players to write down their priorities in life. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali put his faith, family and a desire to play for his mates above the will to win a premiership ring. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Watson said that was an example that Ali had failed to demonstrate he was interested in the club's values: "Commitment and care for one another, the end result, the club, teammates and fans". [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali then came under an apparent attack from his friend and long-time teammate Betham. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The Warriors released a statement from then captain Betham: "Players who don't care about winning a premiership have no place at the Warriors. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"To be a Warrior you have to care about each other and care about the result of the game. You can't stand in the trenches with someone who doesn't share those aspirations." [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The statement appeared to be aimed squarely at Ali, who had played for the Warriors since 1998. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But now Betham - who has signed with Superleague side Warrington -has revealed he had been referring to the whole Warriors team and not just Ali. Betham remains "frustrated" how his statement was publicly presented. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali's axing shocked fans and the league world. He is a sublimely gifted player - dubbed the "Michael Jordan of league" and named NRL backrower of the year in 2002. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]His 2003 season was wrecked when he couldn't play the first 16 games because he was recovering from surgery to remove a cyst from his forearm. But less than 24 hours after being dumped, eight Australian and five English clubs were fighting to sign him. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]And he repaid Leeds' faith in him by playing so well he was the only Kiwi named in both last season's and this year's Superleague Dream Team. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali, 26, has two years remaining on his Leeds contract. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"Leeds is a good team to play for," he told Sunday News. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"And my family is enjoying life up in the UK - that's the main thing. My wife likes it. That plays a big part. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I think I needed a new start. I needed to get the enjoyment back in my game - that was a big thing. I needed something different, not just for myself but for my family." [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ali and his wife Janina became parents six months ago with the birth of their daughter Falome. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I'm trying to spend as much time as possible with my family, my wife and new baby," he said. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I'm trying to learn my role as a father. It's been really good. I feel very peaceful. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I've got a couple more years left at Leeds and then we will see what happens." [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But asked if he'd like to return to the Warriors to finish off his career, Ali said: "Yes!" [/font]

I post this a while back . The four players named plus Francis Meli have already sign contracts with the Samoan Rugby Union .
The contracts is for them to turn out for Manu Samoa if ever needed or switch to union in the future .
Cullen Sports is still invovle with Samoa Rugby as we speak .
Samoan Rugby gets to use all the facilities at Ericcson Stadium for free .
They have already use Ericcson Stadium for their Rugby trials, Samoan Rugby Age Groups Championship, NZ Samoan rugby Provincial comp and test matches between Samoan and England women's rugby .

 

[innsaneink]

This is a messy messy story, the Mick Watson angle anyway....if it was govt, not sport, thered be a royal commission.

 

[bartman]

Are you saying Faumuina, Betham, Fa'afili, Paleaaesina and Meli all have current agreements with Samoan RU to switch codes at sometime in the future?

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

Its already done bart but its now up to the players and the Samoan Rugby Union if they follow it through .
The offseason deal by Sione Faumuina to play for Hull was done by former All Blacks coach John Hart and current Samoan union coach Micheal Jones .
The deal was sign when this video was to have taken place .

 

[bartman]

Ok, cheers for that.

 

[Iafeta]

It'd great to have Ali back - he was a big part of our club on and off the field.

Probably not the same player, but a helluva man nonetheless. And sadly missed by his fans.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

I think Ali will have a better year at the Warriors because he's back where he belong .

 

[ali]

Are you saying Faumuina, Betham, Fa'afili, Paleaaesina and Meli all have current agreements with Samoan RU to switch codes at sometime in the future?

I wonder if the NRL is secretly fuming about what has been happening at the Warriors.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I post this a while back . The four players named plus Francis Meli have already sign contracts with the Samoan Rugby Union .
The contracts is for them to turn out for Manu Samoa if ever needed or switch to union in the future .
Cullen Sports is still invovle with Samoa Rugby as we speak .
Samoan Rugby gets to use all the facilities at Ericcson Stadium for free .
They have already use Ericcson Stadium for their Rugby trials, Samoan Rugby Age Groups Championship, NZ Samoan rugby Provincial comp and test matches between Samoan and England women's rugby .

Whilst that could be true i doubt it is. St Helens would never have signed Meli if he has a contract with Samoa. Same with Betham. Piles of law suits right there

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

The best ever defender in rugby union Manu Samoa Brian Lima was going to sign with Warriors a few years back .
North Sydney put a stop to that because Brian had sign an agreement with North Sydney back in 1992 that he ever switch to league it was with Bears .

 

[manoa thompsons knees]

Betham has signed for Wakefield not Warrington.

 

[screeny]

And Feka with Wigan, too. And Faafili already plays at Wire. As someone else mentioned, these British clubs would never sign these players if they had contracts with Samoan RU.

PW, your story is not possible. If - and it's a big if - they did have these contracts, then they're almost certainly null and void now.