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NOT even a sales pitch by North Queensland’s $10 million man Jason Taumalolo was enough to convince Tuimoala Lolohea to snub Tiger Town for the tropics.
In his first interview since his midyear switch, Lolohea told The Saturday Telegraph how he had received a call from Cowboys coach Paul Green and a message from good friend Taumalolo as he weighed up his immediate future while on the outer at the New Zealand Warriors.
While impressed by North Queensland’s success and roster, Lolohea said he could not go past the plans Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary had mapped out.
The 22-year-old was released by the Warriors last weekend, had his first training session with the Tigers on Monday and will run out for the club in their No. 6 jersey against St George Illawarra on Saturday afternoon at ANZ Stadium.
Four training sessions with his new teammates in a key position is not an ideal preparation, but it is a luxury given the last time Lolohea played in the halves against the Dragons in round four, he had 15 minutes to get ready.
“I was on the wing, ‘Foz’ (Kieran Foran) was meant to play his first game for us, but he did his hamstring in the warm-up, so I got chucked in there,’’ Lolohea said.
“A lot of people might expect me to bounce straight in here at the Tigers, but it will take me a couple of weeks. I haven’t played in first grade for a while now (since round four), and I just want to get better each week and play my part for the team.
“I was really nervous coming to training on Monday, just with new teammates and the club, but once I started out on the field and found my feet, I was right.’’
Lolohea can play in the halves and fullback and has a huge amount of talent that was firstly wasted on the Warriors wing, then in the NSW Cup.
He featured in the Warriors’ Holden Cup premiership triumph in 2014, was named in the Auckland Nines team of the tournament last year, but recently left with no choice but to seek an early release when it became clear Warriors coach Stephen Kearney had no plans to use him in the halves, even with Foran’s departure next year.
“I finally realised I wasn’t enjoying footy playing on the wing,’’ Lolohea said.
“It’s a bit tough, I’ve been all over the place in first grade playing different positions, and I finally came to a point where I had had enough of it. I wanted to play in a position I could get better and learn and focus on that position.
“Ivan had that specific pathway for me and told me the opportunity was mine if I wanted it, and I had to grab it.’’
The plan for Lolohea is to fill the five-eighth role vacated by new Parramatta recruit Mitchell Moses, then wear James Tedesco’s No. 1 jersey next year. Tedesco and skipper Aaron Woods met Lolohea on Friday during the captain’s run.
The baby-faced utility who prefers to be called ‘’Tuimoala than Tui’’ was excited to be joined by Warriors prop Ben Matulino next year, while he also attended the same high school and co-captained their rugby league team with injured Tigers forward Josh Aloiai.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...h/news-story/baa6c9be825dae5406d716a941cf3129
In his first interview since his midyear switch, Lolohea told The Saturday Telegraph how he had received a call from Cowboys coach Paul Green and a message from good friend Taumalolo as he weighed up his immediate future while on the outer at the New Zealand Warriors.
While impressed by North Queensland’s success and roster, Lolohea said he could not go past the plans Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary had mapped out.
The 22-year-old was released by the Warriors last weekend, had his first training session with the Tigers on Monday and will run out for the club in their No. 6 jersey against St George Illawarra on Saturday afternoon at ANZ Stadium.
Four training sessions with his new teammates in a key position is not an ideal preparation, but it is a luxury given the last time Lolohea played in the halves against the Dragons in round four, he had 15 minutes to get ready.
“I was on the wing, ‘Foz’ (Kieran Foran) was meant to play his first game for us, but he did his hamstring in the warm-up, so I got chucked in there,’’ Lolohea said.
“A lot of people might expect me to bounce straight in here at the Tigers, but it will take me a couple of weeks. I haven’t played in first grade for a while now (since round four), and I just want to get better each week and play my part for the team.
“I was really nervous coming to training on Monday, just with new teammates and the club, but once I started out on the field and found my feet, I was right.’’
Lolohea can play in the halves and fullback and has a huge amount of talent that was firstly wasted on the Warriors wing, then in the NSW Cup.
He featured in the Warriors’ Holden Cup premiership triumph in 2014, was named in the Auckland Nines team of the tournament last year, but recently left with no choice but to seek an early release when it became clear Warriors coach Stephen Kearney had no plans to use him in the halves, even with Foran’s departure next year.
“I finally realised I wasn’t enjoying footy playing on the wing,’’ Lolohea said.
“It’s a bit tough, I’ve been all over the place in first grade playing different positions, and I finally came to a point where I had had enough of it. I wanted to play in a position I could get better and learn and focus on that position.
“Ivan had that specific pathway for me and told me the opportunity was mine if I wanted it, and I had to grab it.’’
The plan for Lolohea is to fill the five-eighth role vacated by new Parramatta recruit Mitchell Moses, then wear James Tedesco’s No. 1 jersey next year. Tedesco and skipper Aaron Woods met Lolohea on Friday during the captain’s run.
The baby-faced utility who prefers to be called ‘’Tuimoala than Tui’’ was excited to be joined by Warriors prop Ben Matulino next year, while he also attended the same high school and co-captained their rugby league team with injured Tigers forward Josh Aloiai.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...h/news-story/baa6c9be825dae5406d716a941cf3129
