Rising Warrior makes most of second chance to lock in future
Warriors centre Adam Pompey locked in his future at the Warriors this week by inking a two-year contract extension, but it wasn’t that long ago when a career in the NRL didn’t seem so certain.
After failing to kick on from a promising under-20s stint at the Roosters, Pompey only joined the Warriors on a train-and-trial contract ahead of the 2019 season.
The club took a chance on the Wesley College product in the hope he would eventually live up to the undoubted potential Warriors recruitment manager and former Roosters scout Peter O’Sullivan first saw when Pompey was at high school.
He’s well on the way to vindicating that decision, backing up last year’s breakthrough season to become a regular in coach Nathan Brown’s lineup.
Pompey’s development hasn’t gone unnoticed by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck but, as the Warriors captain recalls, it wasn’t always smooth sailing in his early days at the club.
‘‘Adam has been real good to work with and real good to watch over the last few years, the way he’s matured,’’ Tuivasa-Sheck said.
‘‘He wasn’t too sure what type of player he was, he was coming to training just going through the motions. I think at one stage he didn’t turn up because he didn’t think he was going to get picked, so he went away and played club rugby. But he’s really turned a corner.
‘‘He grew in confidence, especially with having ‘Browny’ here. He’s showed him that he’s a really classy centre.’’
That slip-up aside, Pompey has impressed with his worth ethic while growing in confidence to rise up the ranks at the Warriors.
He finished his rookie campaign in 2019 with five NRL appearances, which increased to 13 last year, scoring five tries while alternating between wing and centre.
And the 22-year-old has continued to grow this season. Friday night’s 30-26 win against Wests Tigers was his ninth start from 11 games, highlighted by his match-winning try in the roundthree comeback win over Canberra.
Pompey said there was no secret to his progress.
‘‘Just training hard, trying to get a spot in the team and keep fighting. That’s where I’m at now and I’ve just got to keep the spot and do my best,’’ he said.
‘‘After I left the Roosters things got a bit hard for me. Now I’ve worked hard to get back where I am. Looking back to when I first signed (at the Warriors), the progress I’ve done over the last couple of years, I’m just happy and grateful that the club gave me another opportunity.’’
While his versatility is an asset for Brown, Pompey’s found a home at left centre this year, which has been timely following the season
ending injury to Peta Hiku.
‘‘I like centre because there’s a lot of space, and to create more for the other players,’’ Pompey added.
‘‘I’m loving the position at the moment. I’ve still got a lot to learn so I’m just trying to keep the spot and trying to help the team where I can.’’
Centre is arguably the most difficult position to defend on the field and that area remains a work in progress.
But, tipping the scales at over 100kg and standing 1.9m tall, Pompey has the physical attributes to become a strike weapon out wide for the Warriors, provided he maintains his development.
Tuivasa-Sheck, for one, is confident his best is yet to come.
‘‘Just where he’s got to from where he was before, it’s been cool to see the way he’s grown,’’ the skipper said. ‘‘He’s still young, has a lot more to grow and he’s just getting better each week.’’