Asotasi departs head held high
Date
July 7, 2013 - 2:49AM
Chris Barclay
But now the former Kiwis captain has fought the good fight for seven years, reinforcements have arrived, particularly from the north of England and the 31-year-old is finishing his playing days in Super League.
Asotasi said on Monday he had signed a two-year deal with Warrington, a career and climate change that enthuses the Auckland-born front-rower months after being unable to rule out retirement.
The 24-Test Kiwi, who will lead Samoa to the World Cup in October, was off-contract at the end of the year and although extending his stay at Redfern was a possibility Asotasi has opted for a more lucrative package offered by coach Tony Smith.
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Rival NRL clubs were also an option although Asotasi could not seriously contemplate playing against South Sydney.
He may have cut his teeth as a first-grader with the Bulldogs in 2002 and won a premiership two years later but Asotasi's allegiance is firmly with the club that has not won the title since 1971.
Asotasi was recruited by Crowe and fellow Rabbitohs co-owner Peter Holmes a Court and although success has remained elusive during his 122-game stint, the father of one, with another on the way, is confident he will be heading to England on a high.
He believes Michael Maguire the third Rabbitohs head coach he has played under has succeeded where Jason Taylor and John Lang failed by finally melding talent with the temperament required to emerge victorious on grand final day.
''He's added a lot of steel to this side,'' he said. ''Over the years there's always been talk of South Sydney having a great team on paper but we haven't been able to fulfil that potential. He's been the guy who's been able to unlock that.''
South Sydney will remain at the top of the NRL regardless of whether they beat the New Zealand Warriors in Perth on Sunday and on form they seem capable of improving on last season's appearance in the preliminary final, where they were denied a place in the grand final by Asotasi's former club.
That was the Rabbitohs' first finals campaign in five years, evidence Crowe's rebuilding campaign has been slow to reach fruition.
''As much as you'd have loved this [season] to have happened three or four years ago, that's the way the game goes,'' Asotasi said.
Asotasi was the marquee buy when Crowe laid out the blueprint for the Rabbitohs' resurrection. He was joined by seasoned pros Dean Widders, David Kidwell and Nigel Vagana, who are now long retired. ''Fast forward seven years and you've got GI [Greg Inglis], the [four] Burgess brothers, Adam Reynolds ... John Sutton is playing the best football he's ever played,'' Asotasi said.
So wasn't there a temptation to stay put after playing through the pain of underachievement?
''I could have but at the same time I had to look for opportunities for myself and my family. I've been thinking about it for the last month or two and knowing I'm going to be leaving is the most saddening thing.'' Warrington is not the most exotic destination but the Wolves are perennial Super League contenders and are holders of the Challenge Cup.
Asotasi is viewed as a replacement for former England enforcer and Sydney Roosters favourite Adrian Morley, who is on the move to Salford next season.
Part of the appeal is Britain's proximity to Europe with Asotasi reeling off potential off-season destinations for his wife Celeste, one-year-old boy Xayden and his sibling who is due in two months.
''If you get a break here it's Brisbane or the Gold Coast,'' he said. ''Over there you're going to Paris, Italy or Spain. It's only an hour away and only costs you $60.''
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http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...d-held-high-20130706-2pj47.html#ixzz2YIty0NlY
