FAN FAVOURITE ELONI VUNAKECE RE-SIGNS WITH THE ROOSTERS
Roosters cult figure Eloni Vunakece has re-signed with the club.
When Eloni Vunakece finally made his NRL debut this season, aged 28 & a father of two, he was the lowest-paid player on the field.
He was only ever meant to train once a week with the Roosters in pre-season but asked Trent Robinson if he could do more, to which the coach replied: "If you can handle it, you can keep coming."
He handled it, despite working full-time as a garbo, with 3am starts on weekdays before training at noon. His first game against Manly was so impressive that Vunakece has been in talks for a new, upgraded contract - timely, given that he's now got a baby son to go with his two daughters.
A versatile forward who can play prop, second row and even lock, Vunakece’s persistence at Intrust Super Premiership NSW level over a number of years was finally rewarded with a promotion to the NRL for nine games off the bench this season.
Finally, it's a done deal. The hard-working dad has just signed-off on what must be the NRL's best-ever contract demand which keeps him with the club until at least the end of 2018 and more importantly to Vunakece - he gets to continue working as a garbage man while juggling league.
The Roosters’ willingness to allow him to work fulltime and play football was a major influence in contract negotiations.
“The garbage still has to be picked up. I’ll keep chipping away at the two,” Vunakece told Market Watch “It’s all I know. I’ve always worked so that’s the plan. It’ll be tough through the pre-season but I got through it last year so I’ll survive. Robbo knows I don’t shy away from hard work and if I ever miss a session I’ll make it up later. He’s been really supportive like that.”
A Fijian representative, Vunakece only made his NRL debut this year after a decade of chasing his dream.
He finished the year with nine games for the Tricolours and was named prop in the 2016 Intrust Super Premiership NSW Team of the Year.
But heading into this season he admits he was preparing himself for retirement before finally reaching his goal.
“I didn’t really expect to play after this year,” he admitted “I didn’t know where things were going to go but to get another opportunity at the Roosters and to get two years is a bonus. I’m still pinching myself looking back on it. I think there’s plenty more in me and I guess they do too.”
It's a just reward for one of the hardest-working forwards in the competition – a forward who can do the hard work to start or can add impact coming off the interchange bench against tiring opposition packs.
Source: Fox Sports Australia & NSWRL News
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