VALUABLE LESSON Vete thankful wife talked him out of classroom switch
ALBERT Vete would be holed up in a New Zealand classroom today had it not been for his wife Whitney.
At 26 and 48 games into an injury-stricken career, last year the former Warriorsturned-Storm prop mentally quit after being told he needed a second shoulder reconstruction 12 months after the first.
By the time Whitney stepped in, the fed-up 110kg enforcer had made his decision and the required phone calls and booked a one-way ticket home to Auckland.
“I wasn’t in the right mindset to get back into the rehab and back into training,” Vete said. “I was already planning to head home to New Zealand and start being a school teacher and give up.
“My wife told me not to give up. I’m happy I listened to my wife, I probably should do it more often.”
On Sunday Vete will play his third straight NRL game, a feat he last achieved in 2017 when a broken arm in two places was the start of a chain of injury setbacks.
“It hasn’t been the best run but it’s all right,” Vete said.
“Put that behind me now and work hard to play some consistent football for the Melbourne Storm.”
Despite playing only a handful of NRL games in the past three seasons, Vete has slotted seamlessly into the Storm system as a replacement for injured prop Jesse Bromwich (knee).
“I probably had a little moment last Thursday, after captain’s run, in my hotel room with my wife and kids, just reflecting on how quickly things turn,” Vete said. “I thought that was me done (last year), I hadn’t played much footy and another injury, it’s hard for a club to sign you when you’ve had back-to-back injuries and not much really to show for it.
“Unreal to see where I’m at now, getting ready to play Indigenous Round at Sunshine Coast Stadium.”
The raging bull plundered the Broncos last Friday night off the bench, amassing 90m and two off-loads from nine carries. A reasonable return for a one-time reject.
The 27-year-old was one of three journeymen Storm signed in 2018, along with Tom Eisenhuth and Marion Seve, and another example of coach Craig Bellamy turning discards into diamonds. Each has had his share of setbacks, but on Sunday the trio are in line to play their first NRL game together, with Seve to start at centre and Vete and Eisenhuth on the bench.
“It’s really infectious how much hard work you do here,” Vete said. “I wanted to buy into that culture. I wanted to buy into what they’re doing here at the Storm.”