PATIENCE PAYS OFF AT LAST FOR ROOKIE

HE’S taken the long road to his first NRL appearance, but that’s why tonight will be all the more sweet for Connelly Lemuelu.

A schoolboy prodigy with the world at his feet, Connelly Lemuelu looked destined for stardom.

The lethal fullback was a cornerstone of Keebra Park High’s Queensland State Championship in 2016, kicking the winning field goal against Coombabah in the final.

The following week he scored a double and was a standout when Keebra lost a heartbreaking National Schoolboys Cup decider to Westfields Sports High 26-24.

Four years and three NRL clubs later, Lemuelu will finally run out for his first grade debut today when North Queensland tackle the Wests Tigers.

“It’s been pretty tough,” Lemuelu said of his time since his schoolboy days at the start of this season.

“A lot of boys I played with in school have all gone on to make their NRL debuts.

“I’ve been happy for them but it’s been hard at the same time, coming through the system with them and having them go on and I’m still waiting.” The likes of Payne Haas, David Fifita, Tanah Boyd and Thomas Mikaele, who’ll line up for the Tigers tonight, shared the Keebra Park dressing shed with Lemuelu in 2016.

Lemuelu moved to Australia as a 15-year-old when he was scouted by Keebra Park playing rugby union.

The Papatoetoe junior had never even played league until he first pulled on a Keebra jersey.

“I didn’t know what my position was back then, I think my first game I started at five-eighth and ended up finishing that year in the back row.

“The next year I played fullback the whole year. I’ve been moving around ever since I played league.”

Tonight the utility back will line up on the wing for the Cowboys.

An only child, Lemuelu left his parents behind in New Zealand in pursuit of his dream.

It’s because of them he threw in the towel on is dream.

“I don’t want to let everyone who I left behind down … especially my parents,” he said. never