CAPTAIN MOSE
Inspirational Masoe’s career may be over but Hull are still planning for his emotional return to club
HEROIC Mose Masoe will continue to act as Hull KR’s co-captain even though his playing career is over.
The former Samoa star has astonished doctors by the way he’s defied the odds after being paralysed from the shoulders down in January.
He is learning to walk again unaided and team-mates say his inspirational approach to his drastically changed life is driving them on.
Rovers coach Tony Smith has kept him on as co-captain and the team have an emotional welcome planned when Masoe returns to the club.
Fellow co-captain Weller
Hauraki said: “After Mose’s accident the kit guy asked if he should take his stuff out of his locker for him.
“I said the only person who will do that is Mose when he walks back in and does it himself. Everybody looked at me, clearly thinking that might not happen – but I believed it would, 100 per cent.”
Masoe, 31, was facing a grim future and doctors had warned he might never walk again following an innocuous tackle in a pre-season game against Wakefield Trinity.
But Hauraki said he refused to fear the worst after going to see his close mate in hospital the day after his accident.
Hauraki said: “Everyone freaked out because he was being so positive, but once I saw him and spoke to him I knew that nothing would stop him from walking again.
“It was been a long road for him but he is walking around on crutches now and we’re all so proud of him. It is inspirational and it will probably be emotional when he walks in and empties his locker.
“Tony has given him the job still as co-captain and he’s been sending lots of messages to the squad making sure we’re all right and positive about everything.
“Even after everything he’s gone through he still thinks about other people before himself. He is the most selfless man I have met.
“Ever since the season started it’s been in the back of all the players’ minds that we’re taking Mose out on the field with us in a way.
“When the season restarts, nobody will need reminding that we’re playing for him. He is still a massive part of our team.”
Rovers will restart the season against Toronto in the opening game of a triple header at Headingley on August 2.
Smith said: “We had a big injury list before lockdown, but we’re flying now.”