Taumalolo: Warning fired me up
Kiwis wrecking ball Jason Taumalolo has revealed just two years ago North Queensland coach Paul Green gave him a stark warning — shape up or play your career in reserve grade.
Heading into tonight’s NRL grand final qualifier against the Sydney Roosters, the Cowboys international lock has firmly established himself as the game’s most damaging forward.
The Kiwis test frontman has this year run for more metres than any forward since data was tracked, after bulldozing 4707 metres, at an average of 196m a game, according to Fox Sports stats.
It’s the second most metres by any player in a season since such records began — only behind fullback Roger Tuivasa- Sheck, who in 2015 ran for 5795m.
However, Taumalolo said in 2015 his career was at a crossroads after missing a team recovery session and was bluntly told by Green he risked slipping into obscurity.
“I definitely let the boys down,” Taumalolo said. “Greeny said to me that if I was to play first grade, I definitely had to fix that or else he couldn’t see me playing first grade.
“After that, I definitely turned that around. I’ve been professional and given everything a red- hot crack.”
Two short years later, Taumalolo is a Dally Mwinner, premiership winner, and for two seasons in a row has led the league for most metres.
Taumalolo concedes discipline has been a problem during his career but has worked hard to turn change his ways.
The turnaround has been nothing short of stellar and earlier in the year he eschewed interest from the NFL and was signed to a 10- year deal worth a reported $ 10 million.
“A lot of Macca’s and KFC,” he says when asked what he’s had to sacrifice to get where he is.
“There was a time when I was always a turning up late to training or never on time for meetings. At times that cost me opportunities to play first grade.
“I spoke to some of the leadership boys back then and they told me if I was a chance to play first grade I needed to fix that.
“That’s definitely a big factor in why I’m playing like I am.” For last night’s coverage of Melbourne v Brisbane go to nzherald. co. nz Melbourne stormed into the 2017 NRL grand final after easily beating Brisbane in their NRL preliminary final at AAMI Park in Melbourne last night after an error- ridden first half.
The Storm will play the Roosters or Cowboys who face off tonight in Sydney but either will struggle to topple the minor premiers.
Melbourne broke the game open in the 60th minute when Billy Slater scored. Halfback Cooper Cronk, playing his last game in the Victorian capital, put Felise Kaufusi in a gap. He drew two men and then popped an offload to the fullback who streaked away to score in the right corner.
The match was sealed in the 66th minute when Kiwi prop Nelson AsofaSolomona stormed over.
Cameron Smith’s conversion notched his 1000th goal in the NRL.
Warriors- bound Adam Blair then hit Cronk with a cheap shot and Smith kicked the goal.
Melbourne hit party mode when Slater scored his second try, after Cronk found space.
Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett’s gamble to play captain and fullback Darius Boyd was a flop. Boyd struggled to run with his ongoing hamstring problem and was replaced by Benji Marshall in the 50th minute. Kodi Nikorima went to fullback and Marshall into the halves.
The Storm led the Broncos 8- 0 at halftime at after a physical and torrid 40 minutes with both sides missing try- scoring opportunities.
Smith’s 18th minute penalty goal from a Broncos ruck infringement gave the home side the first points of the game.
Both sides came close to scoring after that but rival wings Suliasi Vunivalu and Corey Oates both knocked on with the tryline in sight.
The first try of the game finally came when Curtis Scott offloaded a peach of a pass in a tackle to Josh Addo- Carr in the 38th minute and the speedster burst clear to extend Melbourne’s lead into the break.
The minor premiers had looked rattled throughout the first stanza as Brisbane applied a tonne of pressure. Storm 22 ( J Addo- Carr, B Slater 2, N Asofa- Solomona tries; C Smith 6 gls, T Harris gl). Broncos 0. Ht: 8- 0.