Even Taumalolo couldn’t lure Lolohea away from Tigertown
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 mid- year switch, Lolohea told 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 this 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 4, 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 4), and I just want to get better each week and play my part for the team.”
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.
“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.”