WHY SAMI WAS BANNED FOR A YEAR

THERE are two elements of Gold Coast Titans young gun Phillip Sami’s background that are not yet widely known – including that he was once banned for 12 months.

Eight impressive games into his NRL career, Sami’s star is on the rise after being the hat-trick hero in Gold Coast’s shock 26-14 victory over Brisbane last weekend.

His Suncorp Stadium highlights also featured a perfect cross-field kick to set fellow winger Anthony Don up for a try.

It’s no secret that the 20year-old hails from Ipswich.

Sami represented Queensland in the under-20 State of Origin arena last year despite having barely made any junior representative teams previously.

Last year a member of the Titans under-20 squad, Sami’s original Coast connection has flown under the radar. He is actually a product of Southport-based rugby league nursery Keebra Park, having attended Year 9 there.

“I did have a year at Keebra. I obviously travelled from Ipswich to Keebra and after that year, I went it’s just too much for me as a young kid in grade nine so I went back (to Ipswich),” he said.

“Obviously going to Keebra helped me with my footy but the travelling was too much and Ipswich State High had a fully paid program just starting so I saw that opportunity too.”

In late 2012, his footy progress took another twist.

Sami and his under-15 Wests Centenary teammates were banned from league for a full year.

It came after an ugly Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League grand final day during which a brawl erupted between Centenary and opponents St Brendans.

“We got banned for one year because we all got into a (brawl) after the grand final siren went,” Sami said. “Everyone jumped in, even all the families jumped in, so we all got banned for that … it was pretty hectic.”

St Brendans players, and the Waterford under-18 team who became involved in a separate scuffle on the day, were also handed 12-month suspensions.

The turbulence was not enough to throw Sami off course and now he is on the fast-track to stardom with the Titans.

The flyer, who is under contract until the end of 2020, grew up cheering for the Wests Tigers as a Benji Marshall admirer.

WE GOT BANNED FOR ONE YEAR BECAUSE WE ALL GOT INTO A (BRAWL) AFTER THE GRAND FINAL SIREN WENT