Larrikin winger rapt with selection
TOWNSVILLE Bl a c khawks flyer Kalifa Faifai Loa is ready to produce his aerial acrobatics when he pulls on the maroon jersey for Queensland in Sunday night’s annual Residents clash.
The representative fixture sees the best players from the Queensland Cup take on their New South Wales counterparts in the curtain raiser to the second State of Origin game in Sydney.
Faifai Loa was the only Blackhawks player chosen in the Queensland Residents side, but his form has been impossible to ignore as Townsville has surged to the top of the ladder.
He scored a double as the Blackhawks came from behind to beat Mackay last weekend and has crossed for six tries in his past five games for a tally of 10 tries for the season.
The New Zealand- born winger considers himself a New South Welshman these days, but Faifai Loa said it was always a great experience playing for the Queensland Residents.
“It means a lot. I was there in 2014 and 2015 and I remember having a good camp,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to going under ( coach) John Buchanan and meeting different faces and people. I can’t wait.”
Former Cowboys winger Faifai Loa returned to Townsville this season following NRL stints with the Titans and Dragons and has provided an experienced head for the Blackhawks.
Coach Kristian Woolf praised Faifai Loa’s work on the field, but he said the selfconfessed larrikin was just a great presence around the squad.
“I love Kalifa as a player. I think every time I’ve spoken about him I’ve given him a real rap,” Woolf said.
“He’s got a terrific ability to make things fun and lighthearted when other blokes are finding it tough and the really good thing about him is he backs it up by the way he plays footy.
“He knows how to find the tryline and work hard for the team and come up with a big defensive play as well.
“He’s a terrific player to have on your side and he’s certainly a bloke that I hope hangs around for a long time.”