BUB NEWS A GAME CHANGER
AS his former New Zealand Warriors teammates relocate to Australia, Sione Lousi is glad he is not in their predicament.
Knowing how big on family that community is, the Blackhawks prop appreciates the struggle could be enormous.
And with a baby of his own on the way that is more obvious to him now than ever.
Lousi and his wife, 2019 Northern Rays vice-captain Brooke Lousi (nee Williams), are set to welcome their first child in October – excitement building by the day.
Now as a prospective father, the 30-year-old sees more clearly than ever how heavy the toll family separation could have on the current Warriors group.
“I actually had this discussion with Brooke the other night … from the outside you think it’s pretty rough and you probably wouldn’t do it, but you have an obligation to the team,” Lousi said.
“It’s work, you have to turn up to work to get paid, but I honestly don’t know (what I would do).
“Full credit to those at the Warriors – they’re doing it tough and what they’re doing is a pretty massive sacrifice for the NRL to keep going.
“Without them I don’t see the NRL going forward.” Lousi pulled on the Warriors jersey on 50 occasions, the last time in 2016.
However he still has ties to the club within the squad, and that could be his ticket back into the NRL.
The New Zealand club will be based in Tamworth for the foreseeable future, and chief executive Cameron George said the team would be able to seek approvals for player replacements should anyone need to return home on compassionate grounds.
As someone who is accustomed to how the Warriors operate, Lousi could have a passage back to the top.
Reaching that level once again is definitely something the Blackhawks bookend aspires to, but the enormity of a relocation would be something to consider if the offer came. “I’d be keen to take it on; it’s a different challenge but I never really thought of that,” Lousi said.
“If it came up and things lined up I’d definitely put my hand up. My body hasn’t felt as good as this for a long time … when you’re playing rugby league you want to strive to be the best and the NRL is the best.
“But I’m in a different situation now, we’re expecting a baby and it looks like we’d have to move, which means I’d be away and in the same boat as them.” For Williams, her pregnancy has created a rare time in her life in which netball has not been a major factor.
After representing Samoa at the 2019 Netball World Cup she drew the curtain on her international career.
While a return to the court is inevitable in some capacity, Williams said her focus now was on her young family.
“I don’t know anything else, netball has been my life for so long, but I’ve done a lot in my career,” she said.
“This was always the next plan. We got married in November and we wanted to start our family straight away.”