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'Smokey' fires up for Manly
THIS is the 102kg centre the Sea Eagles are secretly hoping will be their "smokey" in 2008.
Andrew Suniula is a powerfully built, American-Samoa-born talent who arrived at Manly after a recent stint playing rugby union in Iowa, in the United States.
Sea Eagles recruitment guru Noel Cleal spotted Suniula when on a mission to Auckland's Waitemata Stadium in August.
Cleal and Manly football manager Steve Gigg were there to check out another talent, Sione Taka.
And while Taka will arrive at the club in the new year, Suniula caught the eye with an "outstanding" display for the Auckland Lions in their thrilling Bartercard Cup semi-final victory over Harbour League.
"Andrew stood out," Cleal said yesterday as Suniula did the hard yards at Manly's final training session at the Sydney Sports Academy in Narrabeen before a two-week Christmas break.
"He's athletic, he's got a good carry, he's strong, with good speed.
"To date, he's impressed the coaches and that's hard to do this time of year.
"I'm quietly happy about him.
"Every club likes to come up with a smokey, not saying he's going to be a world champion, but at this stage, we are confident he will do OK."
Suniula, who moved to New Zealand as a child, started playing rugby league this year and has signed with Manly for two years.
"I was playing league to fill in my time before going to the States and then Japan to play rugby," the 25-year-old said.
"I was in the process of going through with it (deal in Japan), until these guys (Manly) flew me over. I gave it some thought and thought I'd have a go.
"I'm still learning the game.
"There's good players here to learn off."
Suniula, who has played 12 NPC rugby games for Taranaki, spent the back half of 2007 playing union for Pearl City in America's mid-west.
"They were an awesome club and we had a lot of fun," he said.
Something he hopes to emulate at the Sea Eagles in 2008.
Go smokey
THIS is the 102kg centre the Sea Eagles are secretly hoping will be their "smokey" in 2008.
Andrew Suniula is a powerfully built, American-Samoa-born talent who arrived at Manly after a recent stint playing rugby union in Iowa, in the United States.
Sea Eagles recruitment guru Noel Cleal spotted Suniula when on a mission to Auckland's Waitemata Stadium in August.
Cleal and Manly football manager Steve Gigg were there to check out another talent, Sione Taka.
And while Taka will arrive at the club in the new year, Suniula caught the eye with an "outstanding" display for the Auckland Lions in their thrilling Bartercard Cup semi-final victory over Harbour League.
"Andrew stood out," Cleal said yesterday as Suniula did the hard yards at Manly's final training session at the Sydney Sports Academy in Narrabeen before a two-week Christmas break.
"He's athletic, he's got a good carry, he's strong, with good speed.
"To date, he's impressed the coaches and that's hard to do this time of year.
"I'm quietly happy about him.
"Every club likes to come up with a smokey, not saying he's going to be a world champion, but at this stage, we are confident he will do OK."
Suniula, who moved to New Zealand as a child, started playing rugby league this year and has signed with Manly for two years.
"I was playing league to fill in my time before going to the States and then Japan to play rugby," the 25-year-old said.
"I was in the process of going through with it (deal in Japan), until these guys (Manly) flew me over. I gave it some thought and thought I'd have a go.
"I'm still learning the game.
"There's good players here to learn off."
Suniula, who has played 12 NPC rugby games for Taranaki, spent the back half of 2007 playing union for Pearl City in America's mid-west.
"They were an awesome club and we had a lot of fun," he said.
Something he hopes to emulate at the Sea Eagles in 2008.
Go smokey
