Family pride has Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow ready to drop the hammer
He has started to find his feet in the NRL, but this week’s clash with the Canberra Raiders will carry extra weight for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
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HE HAS started to find his feet in the NRL, but this week’s clash with the Canberra Raiders will carry extra weight for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Round 12 will mark indigenous Round, and the proud Torres Strait Islander will run out for his seventh first-grade appearance donning a new Cowboys jersey symbolic of his heritage.
The teenager’s family are expected to make the trip to witness him in full flight as he prepares to confront last year’s grand finalists at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
And with the likes of North Queensland legends Johnathan Thurston and Matt Bowen, Tabuai-Fidow is growing into a more and more menacing threat by the minute.
“(Thurston) is indigenous as well, so he’s a big role model for indigenous boys, girls and families as well. Coming from him, one of the best players in the world, that gives me heaps of confidence,” Tabuai-Fidow said.
“(I’d) probably prefer to be considered on my own, but I do take stuff from Matty – I text him and ring him every now and then just of some tips. I watched him when I was younger, so he’s been pretty good help.
“The jersey is nice, I like the patterns so pretty happy with it. It’s pretty big for myself and my family as well, so I’ll cherish it for a long time.
“It means a lot to me coming from an indigenous background. I have lots of family that are up from the islands where I’m from, so this weekend is a pretty proud moment for myself.”
Tabuai-Fidow’s rise has been one eagerly watched by rugby league fans since he dazzled spectators at the Perth Nines.
His speed, skill and agility was mesmerising in the Cowboys charge to the title, and added an extra dose of anticipation to his NRL debut.
In the past two weeks, the 18-year-old has begun to show glimpses of his full flight — from his breathtaking solo try against the Penrith Panthers, to a 70 metres line break out of his own in-goal in the loss to Manly.
Despite the results, he has shone with ball in hand — running for a combined 314 metres with 10 tackle busts.
Now that he has found his footing, Tabuai-Fidow said it was time to start taking on the game more frequently and having some ownership in the No. 1 jersey.
He is just praying a rampant Josh Papalii does not find his way through the line on Saturday night.
“When I got my debut it was a bit of a shock, I didn’t know I was going to get a run in the NRL early on. I was just waiting for my time, and when my time came I took it with both hands,” Tabuai-Fidow said.
“Every week I’m getting used to the speed of the game, when I debuted against the Warriors it was pretty fast but as the weeks have gone on it’s been getting easier to (adjust to) the speed of the game.
“I probably just (need to get) louder talking wise, I’m a bit of a shy guy but I just need to come out of my shell and start talking more.
“It’s pretty hard out the back, but once you get a couple of games under your belt it gets easier.”
The Cowboys and Raiders will kick off from 5.30pm this Saturday.
Originally published as Family pride has Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow ready to drop the hammer