Big Raps On Flying Fijian Youngster

Sun Herald

Sunday February 25, 2007

By ADRIAN PROSZENKO

HE'S got the flair of Joe Rokocoko, the finishing ability of Darren Albert, the natural talent of Noa Nadruku.

But Newcastle speedster Akulia Uate just wants to emulate his idol, fellow Fijian-born winger Lote Tuqiri, in the NRL.

Although he is yet to make his first-grade debut, Uate has already earned a cult following with Knights fans after scoring 21 tries in Jersey Flegg and Premier League last season.

It's been a steep learning curve for Uate since he came to Australia four years ago. He was promptly signed by the Knights after word got around about his try-scoring feats for Woy Woy, but recruitment manager Warren Smiles was stunned to learn the 19-year-old had never lifted weights and the extent of his English was "pass the ball, bra".

The schoolboy athletics champion has worked hard since joining the club and is in the frame for a first-grade berth this year.

"He's come a long way in a short time," Knights coach Brian Smith said. "He's very fast, he's a young bloke with great pace and great determination. He's very tough.

"The whole concept of carrying the ball . . . it's an opportunity for him to excite himself and everyone else. He's responding enormously to the [pre-season] work set for him."

Uate has already made the Australian Schoolboys tour in 2005 and the NSW under-19s last season but almost turned his back on league to pursue a track career. At school he posted a time of 10.8 seconds over 100 metres, which would make him one of the fastest men in the NRL.

But the 186cm, 95kg winger has no regrets about his decision to concentrate on league, particularly after training with Newcastle legends Andrew Johns and Danny Buderus in the off-season. "I learned heaps from them," he said.

While Uate likes to compare himself to Tuqiri, Knights Premier League centre and media assistant Mat Cooper described him as "Lote Tuqiri, Joe Rokocoko and Noa Nadruku all rolled into one".

"On the field he is just so powerful. He's got no technique to him, he's just so natural," Cooper said. "He can do some pretty freaky stuff."

Former Newcastle five-eighth Matthew Johns said "Aku" had the potential to be better than Tuqiri.

© 2007 Sun Herald

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