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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'sfirst-grade trial against the Sharks at CessnockSportsground tonight.Uate runs the 100metres in a tick over 10 secondsand has impressed some good judges with his freakishtryscoring ability.Such is his promise that Knights skipper Andrew Johnsand coach Brian Smith have been at pains to release thepressure on the 19-year-old winger."He is a very exciting proposition," Johns said. "I justhope he plays first grade this year, because he certainlyhas some ability."If he does, he will be a crowd favourite, for sure."Smith was impressed by the youngster's performancein a trial game against Penrith in Darwin last Saturdaynight, which he sealed by scoring a try."He is a very excitingproposition. I just hope he playsfirst grade this year, becausehe certainly has some ability.ANDREW JOHNS"It might matter to other people, but it doesn't matterto me if he plays first grade at the start of the season,"Smith said. "I'm confident in saying everybody will geta look at him in first grade at some stage this year."He's got a chance on Saturday night and we'll seehow he goes."Born and bred in Votua, on Fiji's Coral Coast, Uatemoved to the Central Coast just three years ago tolive with his father, David.A student at Brisbane Waters Secondary College,the only rugby league he played in 2004 was forthe school team.Uate's big break came when he was noticed ata Knights junior trial later that year after he "burnt"one of the opposition wingers with sheer pace.Continued Page 92Fans get first look at Fijian prodigyFrom Page 96"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."My mum is still in Fiji, and I talk to my Mum every day just to tell her how things are going."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. "[Johns] is pretty excited about it," Smith said. "Most of them have got the jumping beans in them at this stage anyway wanting to play a game. [But] the fact he is playing at Cessnock is also a double-whammy for him."CorrectionTHE Herald reported on March 3 that Adam MacDougall was operated on by a dental surgeon. The operation was performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
© 2007 Newcastle Herald