Sharks to meet with Fifita over Tonga respect complaint
The Cronulla Sharks plan to sit down with Andrew Fifita after the inaugural Australia-Tonga rugby league test this weekend, and discuss his claim the club failed to recognise his representation of the Pacific nation.
Fifita took a dig at the Sharks for not acknowledging his involvement with the Tongans during speeches at the club’s Monty Porter Medal presentation night. ‘‘If I was in the Australian team the club would be proud I was in it,’’ Fifita said.
He also wanted to know why his
NRL club had not uploaded a photo of his
Tongan selection on Instagram, but had done so with the club’s Australian players.
Cronulla have since rectified this, posting the photo of Fifita in his Tongan jersey on Tuesday evening. It was understood Sharks officials have contacted Fifita and agreed to meet next week.
The barnstorming prop was issued an official warning for his appearance on an expletive-laden podcast in August, which came soon after a post-try spray directed towards the coach’s box in a game against North Queensland.
Fifita said that ugly scene quickly blew over and he was simply answering a challenge thrown down by assistant Jim Dymock.
While he attempted to blame the media on Tuesday for ‘‘trying to twist my words’’ when it came to his Tongan snub at the awards night, he needn’t have worried given there were some at the Sharks who actually agreed the club should have done more to acknowledge him.
Fifita is also one of the most influential players in the game because if it was not for him and Jason Taumalolo, the Kangaroos versus Tonga game – the mostanticipated international game of the year – would not be taking place at a packed Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday.
Taumalolo knows Fifita has had his running battles with the media and laughed about it before the latest backlash.
‘‘Every now and then he’ll get on the wrong side of the media,’’ Taumalolo said. ‘‘But I know Andrew and he’s a big-hearted guy, he always wears his heart on his sleeve.
‘‘Obviously he’s been through it all, he’s played [State of] Origin, won a premiership, played for Australia. For him to share that experience with the younger boys coming through has been great. He’s a real leader.’’