Wiki peaks: Tawha gives Broncos coach welcome headache
Joel Gould |
Brisbane recruit Aublix Tawha has put himself right in the frame to be included in the side to play Hull KR in the World Club Challenge after a blockbusting pre-season.
The 26-year-old trained at Red Hill on Saturday in the back-row. With last year’s grand final second-rower Brendan Piakura out injured for up to eight weeks, Tawha is a candidate to take his place.
The former Dolphins prop, who started his career as a winger/centre, has won over coach Michael Maguire in quick time and has the mobility and fitness to play on an edge and the toughness and impact to succeed at prop.
“Obs (Tawha) is a massive candidate to come with us and has definitely put himself in the picture to be able to be on the plane,” Maguire told AAP.
“He’s been excellent and came into the pre-season flying.
“I have been super-impressed and it is not just myself. It is everyone, just with the way he gone about his professionalism.
“His will to want to learn has been really impressive and he is asking questions of the coaches and players. He is giving himself one hell of an opportunity to be ready to go for the start of the season.”
Maguire said he was yet to make a call on who would partner Jordan Riki in the back-row against the Robins next month.
“Brendan will be out for a while and I’ve obviously got to look at the bodies,” Maguire said.
“Jack Gosiewski will be back (training) next week and we have also got Jaiyden Hunt.”
Tawha’s versatility won’t hurt him at the selection table. He would make a perfect bench forward even if he does not make the starting side. Maguire wasn’t comparing him to New Zealand legend Ruben Wiki as a player but he did note the positional transition.
“He’s probably following a bit of Ruben Wiki’s career. He started in the centres and moved further into the middle and he had a fair career,” Maguire said.
“I think Obs has a lot of opportunity in front of him. I am really pleased with the way he goes about things.”
New Zealand-born Tawha’s rise is one of rugby league’s more heartwarming journeyman stories.
The former scaffolder has played two rugby union internationals for the Netherlands after a stint playing union in Amsterdam.
When Brisbane assistant coach Ben Te’o was previously coaching the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Queensland Cup, a player agent sent through footage of Tawha playing country footy for Yass.
Te’o brought the raw talent up to Redcliffe in 2023 and after a full pre-season and a cracking year he gained an NRL contract in 2025, playing nine games for the Dolphins’ NRL side.
“He is one tough hombre, one of the toughest I’ve ever seen,” Te’o told AAP last year.
“The things that stood out to me were his athleticism and his willingness in contact. He carried the ball to hurt people.”
Tawha’s willingness to mix it with the best was on show last year when he wrangled with Sydney Roosters firebrand Spencer Leniu and fellow prop Naufahu Whyte in an explosive confrontation. Tawha did not back down and won over fans with his hard edge generally.
AAP
