Retired forward Frank Pritchard determined to help rising Polynesian players cope with the pressure to perform in the NRL
FRANK Pritchard will never forget the day he witnessed former Wests Tigers prop Mosese Fotuaika taken away in an ambulance. And he wants to make sure something like that never happens again.
NRL
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FRANK Pritchard will never forget the day he witnessed former Wests Tigers prop Mosese Fotuaika taken away from his family home in an ambulance.
The year was 2013 and Pritchard and good mate Reni Maitua decided to visit Fotuaika at his Merrylands home in Western Sydney.
Sadly, they didn’t get to talk as the promising bookend was found dead only hours after he was seen doing weights at the Tigers home base in Concord.
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Pritchard felt helpless at the time, but the horror of a promising youngster ending his life inspired him to make a difference.
As a proud Samoan, he understands the pressures placed on rising Polynesian players once they make the NRL.
Pritchard never experienced this burden first hand, but he has seen countless others who have fallen due to enormous expectations.
“Which is why I want to do my bit to help,” said Pritchard, who is now retired after 14 seasons in the NRL with three clubs.
“It’s not easy being a young Polynesian player. Family is everything and you have a lot of pressure on you to perform and help them.
“I’ve seen it go both ways. For some guys it motivates them to work harder, but others feel the strain of earning money.
“Then if they get an injury or get dropped, they get down on themselves and that leads to trouble.”
Pritchard is now devoting more time to family and coaching his son’s junior rugby league side.
Despite his busy schedule, the ex-Penrith, Canterbury and Parramatta forward is determined to help the next generation of Polynesian players.
“It’s something I’m very passionate about,” he said.
“If I can speak to a few players and pass on my experiences, I’d be more than happy.
“The NRL is competitive. The fans see the tries on the weekend, but in between there are a lot of challenges for our young players to deal with.”
Fotuaiki’s legacy continues through mental health initiatives across the NRL.
His younger brother, Moeaki, is also making the family proud at the Gold Coast this season.
After starting out at Keebra Park and rising through the ranks, he is now making a respected name in the Titans’ top-grade squad.
He played his second game for the Gold Coast against Melbourne on Saturday night off the bench.
Moeaki is determined to live the NRL dream that was tragically taken away from his big brother.
This story has inspired the entire competition — just ask Wests Tigers forward
Elijah Taylor.
The veteran Kiwi wasn’t at the Tigers when Fotuaiki passed, but he still feels a strong connection to the cause of mental health.
“There are a lot who have their success stories, but there are also a lot that fall the other way and it gets a bit too hard for them.
“It is always tough for the young Polynesian boys to leave their family.
“It’s very hard to move to a different country and go into an environment that is competitive, ruthless and business orientated.
“You enter an NRL club system and you are up against at least 10 other boys in your position.
“This is why it’s crucial we continue to encourage our players to speak to people about their problems.”
Taylor praised the NRL for their continual work in the mental health space.
“They run different programs linked to organisations like Beyond Blue,” he said.
“As long as the boys are educated from a young age. I found the NYC rookie camps very helpful.
“They give you the understanding and awareness that not everyone is going to make it.”