Pride trio doing the heavy lifting at home
Pride props eye 2021 pack edge
NORTHERN Pride props Brad Lupi, Nick Liu-Toso and Taulata Fakalelu are pushing one another during home training sessions to keep their competitive edge in the absence of the Intrust Super Cup.
Despite no upcoming games in their schedules, the trio have found motivation in competing against teammates and each other in their home gyms.
But, what’s really driving them is the desire to take the field as part of a monster Pride pack in 2021.
THE Northern Pride’s “Big Muda Usos” are pushing one another during home training sessions to keep their competitive edge in the absence of the Intrust Super Cup.
Pride props Brad Lupi, Taulata Fakalelu and Nick Liu-Toso have been training together at Lupi’s Westcourt home since the Queensland Rugby League cancelled all statewide competitions for the 2020 season after one round on March 27.
Despite no upcoming games in their schedule, the trio have found motivation in competing against teammates and each other in their home gym.
But what’s really driving them is the desire to take the field as part of a monster Pride pack in 2021.
“Even though we lost the first game, I thought we actually had a really good team and we were pretty big as well,” said Lupi, who came off the bench in the Pride’s 16-10 firstround loss to Tweed Seagulls.
“When we hopped off the bus against Tweed, we looked and felt like giants compared to them,” he said.
“So we’re just trying to get massive, so when we all come back, hopefully we can keep the same team and be big and juicy.
“With how the competition is, with money and stuff next year, I think clubs that can keep their teams together and not lose many players, they’re going to go a long way.”
Lupi and Fakalelu have been training together since the off-season, while Lui-Toso joined the pair after the season was cancelled last month.
“The good thing is that we’re all pretty equal, so we can really push each other,” Lupi said.
“Nick’s got the deadlifts at the moment, Lata (Fakalelu) is the squat king, and I’ve got the bench – just.”
The trio aren’t the only Pride teammates training together during the season shutdown, but Lupi said they were “definitely” lifting the most.
“Every time we workout we think of it as a double workout because a lot of blokes don’t have the equipment,” he said.
“If you just keep doing light weights and circuit training, you’re not going to keep that strength.
“So we’ve just been smoking the heavy weights.”
He said the training group had even become the envy of some Pride teammates.
“Some of the other boys have wanted to train with us, but we’ve had to turn them away,” Lupi said.
“If you haven’t been pumping big weights throughout the pre-season, you’re not welcome here.”
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