Big League Weekly Edition – August 01, 2019

He’sbecomeoneofthegame’smost

reputabletryscorers,butDavidFusitu’acould

havebeenlosttorugbyleaguebeforehis

career even started. ByMICHAEL BURGESS

• cornerpostandhisfreakishabilitytohang
  intheairunderbombs.
  It’smadehimoneofthebestattacking
  weaponsintheNRL,evidencedbyhisfeatsin
  2018 whenhetoppedthetry-scoringcharts.
  Buthecouldhavegoneinanotherdirection,
  afterherepresentedNewZealandinAFL as
  a teenager.
  “IwenttoFijiforthattournament
  andatthattimeI wasstillkeepingallmy
  optionsopen,”Fusitu’atellsBigLeague.
  “Icouldhaveendedupthere.League
  wasalwaysmysportgrowingup,butit
  wasgoodtolearndifferentskillsand
  I enjoyedmytimeplayingthatsport.”
  Fusitu’awastheultimateall-rounder
  asa kid,withathleticsandcricketin
  summerandleagueandunioninwinter.
  “Hewasintoeverythingandhe
  alwayshadthatbalanceandabilityto
  glidewhenyouchangedirection.You
  couldseeit fromanearlyage,”recalls
  fatherandlong-timecoachEdwin.
  A studentatKelstonBoyshighschool
  inWestAuckland,hewasintroducedto
  AFLbychanceduringa PEclassin2009.

Best Fus

forward

PHOTO:

Jason O’Brien/NRLPhotos.com

Zealandteamwhichwascool.”

Thatbegana two-yearperiodwhen

Fusitu’awasjugglingallthreeovalball

codes,playingclubleagueandschool

rugbyinwinterandAFLinsummer.

“Itwascooltolearna newsport.They

thoughtI wasprettygoodatit soI thought

I wouldpursueit a littlebit,”recallsFusitu’a.

“Itwasintheoff-season,soit didn’tclash

withmyleague.”

Fusitu’arepresentedNewZealandin

AFLatunder-16level,andwasinthemix

fortheunder-20steam.Hewasalsobeing

monitoredbya prominentAFLclub.

“Thereweresomescoutsaroundat

tournamentsandsomepeoplewereinmy

ear,saying‘thisishowmuchAFLplayers

getpaid’,”saysFusitu’a.

“Asa kidyouthink‘wow,that’sa lot’.But

atonepointI hadtopickbetweengoingto

anAFLcampandtheKiwisunder-18steam.

I wentbacktoleague,thatwasmyfirstlove.”

Regardless,Fusitu’aisgratefulforhis

multi-sportupbringing.

“Itdefinitelyhelpedme,especiallywith

timing, teaching me different techniques of

,

thenJuniorWarriorscoach,remembers

spottingFusitu’aata schoolboymatch.

“Hehada naturalinstinctandlooked

comfortableontheball,”saysIro.

“Alotofkidscanmovewell,buthehad

thephysiquetogowithit.Helookedlikehe

wasgoingtobesomething,hemadethehard

thingslookeasy.That’swhatthegoodonesdo.”

Fusitu’ahasstruggledforopportunities

thisseasonontherightflank,withtheswitch

ofPetaHikuandtheexitofShaunJohnson

changingtheemphasisoftheWarriorsattack.

He’salsobeenhamperedbyinjury,buthas

stillshownthemagicwhichhasdelivered

59 triesin 94 NRLgamesisstillthere.

Givenhisstatus,Fusitu’aalsoremains

remarkablygrounded,stilllivinginthefamily

home,alongwithhissiblings.He’srepainted

hisbedroom– thepostersofchildhoodheroes

likeFrancesMeliandHenryFa’afilihavecome

down– butotherwisenotmuchhaschanged

“Istillhelpoutathome,I’vestillgotchores

todo,[mum]doesn’tletmeoff,”hesays.

“Ithelps,it relatestofootyandkeeps

youdisciplined.I’mstillabletohelpout

my family and they help me too.”

18 BIG LEAGUE 2019 Round 20