Former Dragons NRLW star Taliah Fuimaono set to make Illawarra Steelers debut this weekend
It’s had to wait until round three, but finally Illawarra Steelers fans get to see marquee signing Taliah Fuimaono kit up for their side for the first time. Hear from the star five-eighth ahead of the game.
Illawarra Star
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FINALLY in round three of the NSW Women’s Premiership, fans will get to see marquee signing Taliah Fuimaono in an Illawarra Steelers jersey.
Fuimaono, 23, signed for the Steelers in January, but is yet to kit up for her new side in a competitive match.
The Jillaroos World Cup winner gets her Steelers journey underway in her side’s Monday night clash with the Wentworth Magpies, with the star signing keen to get things underway
“I’m really pumped, it’s been quite a wait,” Fuimaono said.
“It’s been a long pre-season for the girls, and I’ve only joined in the last four or five weeks.
“They’re a really good bunch of girls though, putting in everything every week.
“They got the result last week without me, so I’m excited to jump in and try to keep that win streak going.”
Fuimaono was absent from the matchday squad in round one that was victorious over the Rabbitohs due to her selection for the Indigenous All Stars.
While her side went down 16-12 to the Maori All Stars in Rotorua, in which she played 33 minutes off the bench, Fuimaono described the whole experience as “very powerful and culturally enriching.”
Now back on home soil in Wollongong, Fuimaono is ready to get her club season underway, and is determined to lay her mark on the no. 6 jersey she’ll be lining up in this weekend.
For the Dragons last season, Fuimaono showed her worth in a number of different roles all over the park, ranging from five-eighth to centre to lock forward.
“My goal is to play consistent footy at no. 6,” she said.
“It still feels very new, I still consider it out of position.”
Joining Fuimaono in making their debut for the Steelers on Monday night will be fellow Jillaroo and Indigenous All Star Shakiah Tungai, who lines up on the wing for the first time.
Steelers fans will have to wait a little longer to see other marquee signings from the Dragons Emma Tonegato and Kezie Apps in the scarlet and white.
“It helped that there were a lot of Dragons girls there already,” Fuimaono said, speaking about her integration into the Steelers team.
“I’d also already come across a lot of the development girls before.
“I was quite nervous at first naturally, but I felt a fit in a lot better than expected.”
When interviewed in the pre-season about how Fuimaono was fitting in with the squad, coach Alicia-Kate Hawke had nothing but praise for the efforts of the star signing.
“For me I want people that work hard, train hard and are good people, and she epitomises that,” Hawke said.
“She’s already working super hard and has fitted into the system well.”
Fuimaono is optimistic about her side’s chance against their Magpies opposition, who bounced back from their opening round loss to beat the Knights last week.
“It will be quite a physical game, they’re quite a big team, very dominant in the middle,” Fuimaono said.
“As long as we can hold the ball, our middles work hard and our backs look pretty and finish their jobs, we should be in for a good match.”
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