NRL 2021: Roosters sign Fijian prodigy Vuate Karawalevu from Kaiviti Silktails
He has never even played a game of rugby league, but the Roosters have landed a kid dubbed the hottest Fijian prospect in either code.
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First, they signed Australian schoolboy sensation Joseph Suaalii.
Now the Roosters have landed his Fijian counterpart.
As part of a budding new relationship with the country famed for producing NRL stars like Semi Radradra, Viliame Kikau and Maika Sivo, The Daily Telegraph can reveal Roosters officials have snared 19-year-old Vuate Karawalevu — a promising rugby union fullback whose physique and playing style has been likened to Latrell Mitchell.
Better, the youngster emerged from quarantine late on Wednesday afternoon to begin his new life in what is being dubbed Australia’s most exciting rugby league team of 2021 — the Kaiviti Silktails.
After spending the past fortnight in lockdown, the 28-man Silktails squad is now readying for not only a debut in the Ron Massey Cup, but also a seven-month stay in Australia.
While initially meant to join the NSWRL competition last year, with home games every second week, the emergence of COVID has meant the Silktails, after a year on the sidelines, will now live and play out of Sydney until October.
Set to be housed across 12 Kingsford unit blocks, the Fijian franchise has also developed a partnership with NRL heavyweights the Roosters, who quickly moved to grab the signature of Karawalevu, despite the fact he has never played a game of rugby league.
According to Silktails CEO Steve Driscoll, the teenager’s decision to switch from rugby, after being named in the Fijian U/18 World Cup squad, is a huge coup for the game.
“It would be like rugby union signing Brad Fittler as a schoolboy,” Driscoll said.
“Right now, Vuate’s the hottest Fijian prospect in either code.
“With his powerful build and playing style, he’s a bit like Latrell Mitchell. And he can kick goals too.
“Only last season he signed to play with the Brumbies (in Super Rugby) but that deal fell through because of COVID. And after seeing what we’re doing with the Silktails — and our partnership with the Roosters — he has decided to switch across.
“He’s already signed with the Roosters and has come across as part of our squad.”
While Karawalevu has already committed himself to the Roosters, there remains a large group of untapped Fijian potential who, over the course of the Massey Cup season, will look to put themselves onto the radar of NRL recruiters.
Indeed, so great is the opportunity, a large chunk of the playing group have either left wives and children at home in Fiji, left parents for the first time, or even simply stepped aboard their first aeroplane to be part of this opportunity.
Financed by the Australian federal government and various corporate partners, the team will also receive close support from the NSWRL.
Apart from training at Daceyville PCYC, and playing at Mascot Oval, the players and five staff — headed by coach Wes Naiqama — will also travel about in a 25-seat bus and 14-seat mini-van.
Asked about the NRL potential within his group, Driscoll said: “Some of the numbers these guys are putting up in the gym, it’s scary.
“We haven’t seen anything like it before.
“And right now, there really is a factory of these young guys in Fiji.
“It’s almost like every time we turn up a rock over there, we find another one.”
Apart from the current Australian-based team, the Silktails also boast an Elite Pathways program in Fiji, three different training facilities and a Centre of Excellence in Lautoka. The franchise is also helping to run, and finance, a local competition which last year boasted a record 27 teams.
The Roosters are also working closely with both head coach Naiqama and his staff as part of the partnership.
Originally published as NRL 2021: Roosters sign Fijian prodigy Vuate Karawalevu from Kaiviti Silktails
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