Knights Launching Lethal Weapon
Newcastle Herald
Saturday March 3, 2007
KNIGHTS fans will get their first look at a star of the future when Fijian flyer Akuila Uate plays in Newcastle's first-grade trial against the Sharks at Cessnock Sportsground tonight.
Uate runs the 100 metres in a tick over 10 seconds and has impressed some good judges with his freakish tryscoring ability.Such is his promise that Knights skipper Andrew Johns and coach Brian Smith have been at pains to release the pressure on the 19-year-old winger."He is a very exciting proposition," Johns said. "I just hope he plays first grade this year, because he certainly has some ability. If he does, he will be a crowd favourite, for sure."Smith was impressed by the youngster's performance in a trial game against Penrith in Darwin last Saturday night, which he sealed by scoring a try."It might matter to other people, but it doesn't matter to me if he plays first grade at the start of the season," Smith said. "I'm confident in saying everybody will get a look at him in first grade at some stage this year."He's got a chance on Saturday night and we'll see how he goes."Born and bred in Votua, on Fiji's Coral Coast, Uate moved to the Central Coast just three years ago to live with his father, David.A student at Brisbane Waters Secondary College, the only rugby league he played in 2004 was for the school team.Uate's big break came when he was noticed at a Knights junior trial later that year after he "burnt" one of the opposition wingers with sheer pace. "A few of us were there watching and he just went 'bang' and left this bloke for dead," a Knights official said. "It all basically started from there and now he is a chance of playing first grade."He played Jersey Flegg in 2005 and was also selected in the Australian Schoolboys side with fellow Knights Mat Cooper, Jarrod Mullen and Cory Paterson.Ineligible for the Schoolboys side last year because he was too old, Uate continued his representative rise when he was selected in the NSW under-19s for the junior Origin series.He scored 14 tries in 19 Jersey Flegg games last season and six tries in just five Premier League starts.Uate is now looking forward to every chance he gets this season, especially after the departure of first-grade wingers Brian Carney and Anthony Quinn."Brian Smith said that I could end up in first grade by just doing what I do, so that's it for me at the moment," he said.Uate played in the Premier League grand final loss last year and was on a plane to Fiji two days later to represent his country in a World Cup qualifying match."It is the first time I have played for the Fiji senior team," Uate said. "I would like to be able to play for them every chance I get.The only change to the Knights team for tonight is Brad Tighe replacing Adam MacDougall in the centres. MacDougall suffered hairline fractures in his jaw in a training mishap 10 days ago and had hoped to be right to play.A dental surgeon put a small plate in his mouth and gave him a clearance to play, but Smith opted to leave him out."I don't want to take any risks with players at this stage of the season," he said. "It is certainly not something that will put him in any doubt to start the season because he could have played, but we don't want to take any chances."Smith said he would ease Johns and fellow international Steve Simpson into the season by limiting their game time tonight. ? The Gold Coast Titans thrashed Penrith 28-6 in a trial match at Gold Coast Stadium in front of 13,457 fans last night.
© 2007 Newcastle Herald