Konrad like
Without a doubt, centre Konrad Hurrell has been the most eye-catching promotion to the Warriors firstgrade team this season. Sunday News league writer Ben Stanley looks at how the Tongan-born 20-yearold is turning potential into reality at Mt Smart Stadiu
SEE Konrad Hurrell run. See the power of the Warrior centre’s ship piston legs. See defenders fall in his wake, see him drag others over the chalk.
See power and strength in its rawest form. Only seven games into his NRL career, see the absolute definition of potential.
Potential is a dangerous word in the sporting world.
One that hints at greatness, while at the same time acknowledging that water must pass beneath the bridge; that excellence must be hard won.
As in any sport, players with great potential have come and gone in league. Think of Wellington second rower Karl Filiga, hyped as ‘‘the next Sonny Bill’’, now floundering in the Eels New South Wales Cup team.
Think of mercurial former NZ Maori half Aruna Taumata, and a career littered with discipline issues. Of Daniel Mortimer and Tim Smith, two acclaimed young Aussies, who, after a taste of the Big Time, faded away dramatically.
Hurrell has potential by the bucket load. Ask Roosters veteran Anthony Minichiello, who the 20-year-old jinked past three weeks ago or the Tigers defenders who he fooled with his clever pass to Bill Tupou in Sydney the week after.
Yet the Tongan-born 1.83 metre, 101kg man mountain is no sure thing for success. Nothing is, in sport. Hurrell came into the Warriors first-grade squad this year off the back of a stunning season with John Ackland’s Under-20s in 2011, scoring 22 tries in 21 matches and making an astonishing 268 tackle-breaks.
But despite making some big waves in attack this season, defensively Hurrell has been shown up. A spell in the Auckland Vulcans was a big help there, both in terms of making tackles and spending more time on the paddock.
‘‘It’s been up and down trying to make it into the team,’’ he told Sunday News.
‘‘I was pretty confident at the start but when you come in and start playing, well it was hard for me to try to stay in the team.
‘‘Obviously, in the first few games, I didn’t make it through the whole 80 minutes but when I got dropped to the Vulcans I really looked at my goals and wanted to go forward from there.
‘‘First game back, I played a full game. Just staying on the field, and staying in the team, that’s important for me.’’
Hurrell’s hard work and affable manner is lauded around Mt Smart. He’s a popular team-mate, and a young man well thought of by the front office.
Hurrell, who moved to New Zealand in late 2009 not speaking a word of English, puts this down to his close family, who livein the Tongan capital of Nuku’alofa. He used to send them copies of his Toyota Cup appearances, with family and friends gathering around to cheer him on. First-grade footy is live back home now but despite the new-found fame throughout Australasia, nightly phone calls to his Mum and Dad keep his feet on the ground.
‘‘It’s all kind of new to me, with the fans, and new to my family as well,’’ he said. ‘‘But my family just tell me: keep humble, keep your feet on the ground. It’s always good to talk to Mum and Dad and my brothers and sisters.’’