Powerhouse centre Mahe Fonua takes hullfc.com on a journey of his rugby league career in the latest ‘Back To My Roots’ feature…
FC: Can you remember your first playing experience as a junior?
“It was back in Victoria. I started playing for a team called the Berwick Bulldogs at the age of 9.”
FC: Were you encouraged by your parents to play rugby or was it more of a personal decision?
“It was actually a primary school friend that I was with at the local swimming pools. He was leaving early to go to footy training. I asked him why he was leaving early and he told me where he was going. So I gave my dad a call and asked if I was able to go along to footy training with him.”
FC: Do you still stay in touch with that friend or is it just someone you hold in your memory now?
“Unfortunately not, but I do remember his name – Henry Johnson – we were quite good friends through primary school. Once we split from primary school, we went to separate high schools and unfortunately I didn’t hear from him after that.”
FC: Have you always played as an outside back?
“I think I’ve played every position on the field. Prop, hooker, back-row, yeah I’ve definitely covered every position. At a younger age, I was quite quick for my size so I started in the outside backs. Then when I was at about under 13s I moved to the halves. I was actually playing as a five-eighth until under 17s, when I started playing junior rep footy. Then I made my way back into the centres when I moved into first grade. When I made my debut for Melbourne, I actually played on the wing and ended up as a wing/centre.”
FC: It’s quite a long journey from junior rugby to first grade, so can you take us along that journey?
“Growing up as a Victorian, rugby league wasn’t big at all. I think it’s grown there more now because of how successful Melbourne Storm have been in that region. But when I was growing up, it was a very Aussie Rules dominated state. When I was at under 16s, there were only four teams in our competition in Victoria, so you’d be playing the same team every third week.
“In my junior years, I played under 15 and under 18 Victoria state team. I was fortunate enough to be scouted and I went to Canberra Raiders. I played my first year of under 16s there, and also my first year of under 18s.
“The reason I left Victoria was because Melbourne didn’t have a junior rep team, so going to Canberra was the best exposure I was going to get. So I moved there for two years, and I had to finish my schooling there. Once I moved back to Victoria, Melbourne had just entered their own under 18s team into the competition, so when I went back in 2009, I got in touch with their coach, Kim Williams.
“He gave me the opportunity to go down to train and trial with the Melbourne Storm under 18s. A couple of months into pre-season, we had a friendly match which the Storm under 20 coaches were watching. I was lucky enough to get promoted up.
“At the end of the 2010 year, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to do my first pre-season with the Melbourne Storm NRL squad. So within one year, I went from under 18s, to under 20s and into first grade.
“It wasn’t until 2012 that I was actually promoted up to the first grade, so that’s pretty much how everything blossomed.”
FC: How much did playing for a success-driven club like Melbourne at such a young age mould you into the player you are?
“I think a lot of what I know about footy and my characteristics comes from the Storm. I spent six years at a very successful footy club.
“The things they teach you, I’ve been able to take them on board and apply that to my career to this day. I owe a lot to that club and I feel very blessed to have been given the opportunity to play for my hometown club.
FC: It took you a while to get your first NRL try after a few were chalked off by the video ref! How relieved were you to finally get your first try under your belt?
“Yeah I think I had been denied something like five times before I actually got my first legitimate try in the NRL!
“On my debut, I got knocked out trying to go for the corner. Couple of games later I got denied for being offside. And then finally when it came, my first try was in the qualifying semi-final against the Bunnies in 2012.
“Because I had celebrated the first few times when I thought I had scored, I did a bit of an awkward celebration that time because I was nervous that it was going to be chalked off again! But yeah I was happy to get my first try!
FC: The move to Hull came about because there were no other NRL clubs interested in signing you. Can you tell us a little more about that?
“My agent told me that there wasn’t any interest in me from the other NRL clubs as my contract was running out with Melbourne. He didn’t even mention any opportunities where I could move to another club on lower money, but he kept putting forward Hull FC.
“Initially, I had the opportunity to stay with Melbourne for another year. But my agent gave the impression that the Storm weren’t going to go any further after that 2016 year.
“He put forward Hull FC again, but at that point I was only 22 and I had never heard of the Super League before. So I started doing a bit of research into the club, but even at that stage I didn’t think I was going to come over. It wasn’t until later in the year that it was crunch time and I had to make a decision. I think it came down to 24 hours that I had to make my decision.
“Me and my wife were recently engaged at that point and it was a big move for us both at that age, but we took the leap of faith and I ended up playing some of the best footy of my career in 2016 and 2017. It was a real blessing.”
You can watch the whole interview with Mahe Fonua here
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