Convert perfect Fit for Hawks
Rookie ‘exciting' talent
It took one quarter against premiership heavyweights Hermit Park for basketball convert Fit Malau-aduli to announce his arrival on the Townsville Aussie rules scene.
The 193cm forward is carved from granite, with aerial abilities, strength and speed that would not look out of place at Collingwood, St Kilda or Port Adelaide in the AFL.
In his third career game, against Hermit Park, MalauAduli took over the fixture, booting three goals in a single quarter in a hint at the jawdropping potential he possesses.
University coach Rick Bean said there was no doubting a player of Malau-aduli’s athletic ability could make a mark on the professional game.
He is determined to help the giant rookie make the most of his gifts as his footy education begins.
“His kick is definitely a work-in-progress but he does some freaky things and that balances out his lack of skill,” Bean said.
“He’s getting the game and each week he’s picking more up. What you’re seeing now is only a breadcrumb compared to what we’re going to get at the end of the year.”
Malau-aduli played his first game for the Hawks in reserve grade last year as a fill-in.
He made such an impression on his teammates that on Bean’s first day in charge a group of players flagged that the local basketballer was a talent worth convincing to make the switch to Aussie rules permanently.
“He gets up high but he hits the ground running. His short distance speed and closing speed is elite,” Bean said.
“Against Hermit Park he turned it on in a quarter and kicked three goals and they just couldn’t stop him, they were thinking ‘what the hell is going on here?’
“He’s played four games and is contributing each week. Now I know what he wants to do and how he plays we’re a lot better in how we use him and we’re getting better production out of him.
“It’s exciting and he’s excited about the possibilities too. He loves the game, he’s excited about the football club and I’ve got a saying – if you love football, it will love you back – and he’s one who really loves it and he wants to succeed.”
With a weapon in the forward pocket growing in confidence each week, University has hit a vein of form.
Last week the Hawks defeated promising Curra in a single-point thriller.
This week University hosts Northern Beaches at Riverway Stadium.
It is another r opportunity for Malau-aduli to test his skills against the competition’s most ost porous defensive nsive team.
At Curra, the he Swans hope to o become the e first team to o defeat Thur- ingowa this s season.
The Bulldogs gs are 5-0, having ing defeated last year’s grand final inal rivals Hermit Park by
28 points last week.