TUI TO RELISH FINALS TASTE
TUI Kamikamica couldn’t get out of bed, let alone walk. All 195cm and 110kg of his hulking Fijian frame was immobilised.
Melbourne Storm teammate and great friend Justin Olam was bringing three meals a day to Kamikamica’s hotel room on the Sunshine Coast last year as he lay bedridden with a serious back injury.
“I had a bulging disc where I couldn’t leave my bed for two weeks. I couldn’t even walk,” Kamikamica said.
“For those two weeks, I had that sort of thinking (my career was over). The only thing that motivated me was my family in Fiji. I want to make them proud. I wanted to get back on the field.”
Kamikamica’s recovery after delicate spinal surgery was swift. After initially fearing his 2020 campaign was over, he got back on the field for the final three rounds of the regular season as the Storm surged towards the grand final.
But an ankle injury meant he didn’t play any part in Melbourne’s finals campaign, which culminated in a premiership win against Penrith in which Kamikamica was 18th man.
Now, he is chasing redemption.
Kamikamica, 27, will come off the bench in Saturday night’s preliminary final against the Panthers at Suncorp Stadium.
It will be his 55th NRL game since debuting in 2017 and 22nd match in a superconsistent season.
A spot in the grand final at Suncorp on October 3 is on the line and Kamikamica wants it badly.
“I’m so happy I’ve got the chance this year,” he said. “I can’t wait to get out there.”