Murray Taulagi reflects on incredible NRL journey as he prepares to reach 100th game milestone
Cowboys star winger Murray Taulagi has reflected on his incredible NRL journey and the people who made it possible as he prepares to reach his 100th game milestone on home turf.
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It was a moment he never thought would come after a rocky start to his career and injuries that forced him to the sidelines, but now the Cowboys’ star winger is preparing to make his 100th game milestone on home turf.
Despite serious knee injuries and MCL tears, Murray Taulagi never put out the fire in him to push forward through what has become an incredible journey.
“I never thought I’d get one game, let alone 100, so I’m really grateful for the people that have been part of my journey,” Taulagi said.
Coming up through the ranks from being one of the brightest talents at Cowboys feeder clubs in 2018 and 2019, to playing side-by-side with his idols, Taulagi said there were a number of standout influences that he looked up to as the new kid on the first grade field.
“(Kyle Feldt) has been my partner winger for most of my career and I remember coming through the ranks, he was sort of just tipping me up on little to do and he still did it even when I was playing first grade,” he said.
“I looked up to him as a mentor.
“Also Jason (Taumalolo), he’s done everything in the game that he could possibly do.
“He’s someone that I’ve looked up to growing up, just the way he goes about his business, he’s not a fussy person, he just goes out there and gets the job done.”
The ability to just get “along with it” is something Taulagi said he can relate to as an “easygoing” person himself, a quality he said pushes him through those tough moments.
However he said without the people around him, including his family who had sacrificed so much, he wouldn’t have been able to reach the heights he has today in the NRL.
“To have it (the 100th game) here at home and do it in front of a home crowd, it’s pretty exciting,” Taulagi said,
“The boys that I play with week in and week out, they’re the guys that pushed me to be my best.
“Also the coaching staff, I’ve had Greeny (Paul Green) as my first coach and he was the first one that gave me my first jersey and even Toddy (Todd Payten) now, he’s picked me consistently for the past couple of years now.”
The former Kangaroo turned Samoan representative will take the field at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday against the Gold Coast Titans for the Anzac round, which he said would make the moment all the more special.
“Regardless of the 100 rounds, I still think the Anzac round is still emotional, we’re the largest Garrison city in Australia so I think for us it’s about going about our business and performing for the people of our city,” Taulagi said.
“These guys on our jerseys, they put their lives on the line for us to make our country safe so for us it’s about just putting our bodies on the line for 80 minutes and just pretty much repaying what they’ve done for us.”
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Originally published as Murray Taulagi reflects on incredible NRL journey as he prepares to reach 100th game milestone
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