Whalers standoff has wealth of experience
JEFF CHESHIRE BLUE and gold are just the latest colours Vila Apuula has worn in a career in which he has played for some of rugby league’s most famous clubs.
The 34yearold standoff brings a wealth of experience to the Otago Whalers and will be key as the side plays the Wellington Orcas in the NZRL championship’s second division at Kettle Park today.
After winning their respective zones, both teams, alongside Bay of Plenty, are in the running to gain promotion to the championship’s top division.
Having begun his career in Wellington as a youngster, Apuula is familiar with what to expect today.
‘‘I’m expecting big boys, but I think we’ll have the fitness and the structure over them.
‘‘But other than that, I think it’ll be a tough game. I think they’ll bring it but, hopefully, our structure and our fitness can take it over the line.’’
It was in the capital that he got his break in the game, being coached by Gerard Stokes in the Wellington Bartercard Cup team.
As a 19yearold he was selected for the New Zealand Residents team and toured England.
Upon returning, he secured a twoweek trial with the Canberra Raiders through his manager, former Kiwis coach Frank Endacott.
The trial went well and Apuula received a fulltime contract and played at centre for the club’s reserve grade side.
That exposed him to a high level of league, while he also got to train with the first team, which included the likes of Ruben Wiki and Tyrone Smith.
‘‘It was full on, hectic, fast,’’ he said.
‘‘They’re more into fitness and structure, whereas in New Zealand we’re more physical. They teach you how to be a smarter player.
‘‘You train with all the old heads and the big guns.
‘‘It’s just an amazing feeling and it just helps fuel the fire.’’
He spent three years with the Raiders during an eightyear stint in Australia.
He also played reserve grade for the Wests Tigers, before moving north to Surfers Paradise.
He returned home about seven years ago, initially to Christchurch, where he played for the Canterbury Bulls.
However, after meeting his partner, Sarah Davie, in Otago he was lured south and has donned the Whalers jumper for the past three seasons.
A carpenter, he owns his own business, VSta Lining, which is going well.
He feels rugby league is doing well in Otago and is impressed with the talent that was around.
‘‘I think it’s great. I think it’s growing.
‘‘I think there’s a lot of hidden talent that hasn’t been touched.
‘‘Noone’s really looking at them from the north, because noone really takes a look at rugby league past Christchurch further south.
‘‘So it’s good to get the eyes opening and starting to realise that there’s talent here.
‘‘If we can go all the way it’ll be great for future players and players now to try and make it in the NRL if that’s their dream or what not.
‘‘It’s just opening a door to bigger and better things.’’
With all of his experience, it should come as no surprise that it is his organisational skills that he feels are his strength.
‘‘I’m a talker, I’m an organiser and I guess that’s probably my main strength.
‘‘I love to organise. I’m pretty good at organising players and putting them in their spots and telling them where to go.
‘‘I love to run the ball, but organising, communication, just getting everyone sorted, that would be my strong point.
‘‘That’s what Dunedin needs. We’ve got a lot of good players, but we just need someone to point them in the right direction.’’
Today’s game kicks off at
2.30pm.
SYDNEY: Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson expects former assistant Paul Green to claim underdog status for tonight’s NRL preliminary final.
But that does not mean he is going to roll over and play dead.
After enjoying the week off following their qualifying final win over Brisbane, Robinson’s players are at short odds against the sentimental favourites at Allianz Stadium.
Robinson knows Green well from the one year the Cowboys mentor spent as part of the Roosters’ coaching staff in their 2013 premiership triumph.
Asked if he thought Green would jump at the underdog tag, Robinson said: ‘‘I’d be surprised if he didn’t, Greeny. It’s been working for him well. He’ll throw that out there.’’
However, Robinson refused to buy into the Cowboys’ lateseason woes, which began when champion playmaker Johnathan Thurston was sidelined for the year with an injured shoulder.
He believes the 2015 premiers have found some hot form in the postseason.
‘‘They didn’t get the wins, but they’ve played well the last couple of weeks,’’ Robinson said.
‘‘They’ve got a lot of experience which people have overlooked.
‘‘A lot of people have bought the underdog tag, but they’ve got more NRL games than the Roosters in their team, and premiership winners everywhere.’’
Green said he had no choice but to wear the longshot tag, which would heap all the pressure on Robinson’s men to claim the prize of a place in next week’s decider.
‘‘We don’t have that pressure of expectation; they are the redhot favourites,’’ he said.
‘‘We weren’t supposed to win the first week, we weren’t supposed to win last week and we’re probably not supposed to win [today] so we’ll go with that.
‘‘It doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks. What matters is what we think.’’
Robinson confirmed fiveeighth Luke Keary (virus) and winger Daniel Tupou (groin) would start despite battling separate issues during the past week.
Keary completed the captain’s run yesterday after missing the start of the week due to a food poisoning scare, and Tupou has overcome a nagging groin issue. — AAP