A Word To The Wise

Newcastle Herald

Friday January 4, 2008

ROBERT DILLON - RUGBY LEAGUE

A FEW home truths from Newcastle Knights coach Brian Smith, and some mentoring from senior players, has Fijian flyer Akuila Uate poised to realise his vast potential in 2008.

Uate, the 20-year-old winger rated by many as a star of the future, was expected to make his NRL debut last season but suffered something of a culture shock in his first year as a full-time professional.

His displays in Premier League were inconsistent and his season ended prematurely when he underwent a shoulder reconstruction.

Natural talent was all Uate needed to dominate in junior ranks, but Smith took him aside early in the 2008 pre-season and, in "fairly pointed" terms, explained he needed to discover the virtues of commitment and discipline.

"It's mainly concentration and focus issues," Smith said yesterday.

"Last year in Premier League, he did some stuff that no one else could do, but he also did some stuff that let his teammates down.

"His inability to prepare was holding him back. We told him that until he learns about how to prepare himself, and be focused at the right times, he's never going to fulfil his potential.

"Some of it was a bit of a jolt for him . . . but I think he's enjoyed everyone noticing his improvement and enjoyed the feeling of not being growled at for poor performance."

Smith said veteran Adam MacDougall had encouraged some of Newcastle's experienced outside backs to help take Uate under their wings.

"He's only a kid," Smith said. "He's still growing up, and to be honest, he's still a work in progress and he'll probably still continue to be."

Uate, who moved to Australia as a 15-year-old after being born and raised in the tiny village of Votua on Fiji's Coral Coast, said he had taken Smith's advice on board and was keen to put his best foot forward in 2008.

"Last year was my first time in the squad and I didn't have experience for it," Uate said.

"This year, I've learned so much from the older players and I think I'm ready to step up.

"That's my aim for this year, to play first grade and show them what I've got."

He said Smith's heart-to-heart talk had prompted an attitude adjustment.

"Sometimes I trained really hard, sometimes I was slack," he said.

"Last year I was a little bit like that, but after he [Smith] told me what I was doing wrong, I fixed that up. But he's happy with me at the moment at training, the way I'm switching on."

There will be plenty of competition among Newcastle's outside backs in 2008, but Smith has no doubt Uate will be in the mix after recovering swiftly from his shoulder surgery.

"Probably because of his youth, he's repaired really quickly. He looks as strong as an ox," Smith said.

"He's just the most awesome-looking athlete. He can either run over the top of blokes or beat them with footwork.

"And when he came back today from the Christmas break, he was down to 97 kilos.

"He's kept training, lost a bit of weight and just looks absolutely sensational."

"His inability to prepare was holding him back."

Brian Smith on Akuila Uate