Bulldogs prop Renouf To’omaga on his afro, Des Hasler’s sledge and his name
From the wager behind his impressive afro, to Des Hasler’s career-changing sledge and the truth behind his name, Canterbury boom forward Renouf To’omaga has a story for everything.
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It started as a $100 bet and ended with two of the NRL’s best hairdos. And there was only one winner – Renouf To’omaga.
The Canterbury prop was hard to miss thanks to an impressive afro that grew almost out of control after he made a wager with teammate Raymond Faitala-Mariner.
To’omaga told The Daily Telegraph the pair had planned to shear off their manes after 12 months but things didn’t go to plan.
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“At the start of last pre-season I placed a bet with Raymond, he’s got a big blond afro, that we’d grow our hair for the whole year until this pre-season. So we decided to put a 100 bucks on the line, whoever cuts their hair owes the other 100 bucks. But we both ended up keeping the hair. We were supposed to cut it about two months ago,” To’omaga said.
Instead of chopping off his locks, the Wellington-born frontrower decided to turn his afro into dreads inspired by some of his rugby union heroes.
“Coming from New Zealand, I loved the All Blacks and followed the Hurricanes but that was the reason I got dreads this year. I used to look up to players like Ma’a Nonu and Tana Umaga. I always wanted to be that kind of player growing up but I ended up playing league. I wasn’t very good at union,” To’omaga said.
But To’omaga’s hair isn’t the only transformation he has been through at Belmore.
The 24-year-old started his rugby league journey in the backs before he was shifted to the forwards by then coach Des Hasler four years ago after returning from a Bali holiday on the heavy side.
“I remember the day because I came back to training and I was a bit overweight and Des called me over,” he said.
“I was halfway through my cardio session, he said ‘jump on the scale’. I jumped on the scale and I weighed in at 118 kilograms.
“He just looked at me and said ‘yep, you’re a prop now’ and he walked away. That’s how I became a prop.
“And all the boys were laughing at me saying ‘you’re fat bro, that’s why’.”
Despite playing rugby union during high school while he was living in New Zealand, To’omaga seemed destined to play in the NRL.
His father is a diehard Brisbane fan and named To’omaga after Broncos legend Steve Renouf. The Junior Kiwi, who made his NRL debut in 2018, played the Broncos twice last year and both times To’omaga reckons his dad actually barracked for the opposition.
“I’ve always asked him why he didn’t just name me Steve,” he said.
“I always tell him ‘c’mon man I’m your son’.
“But he’s always rooting for the Broncos. He tells me he’s going for me but I think he’s just trying to make me feel better.”
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The Bulldogs will take on the North Queensland Cowboys on Thursday night in front of an empty ANZ Stadium as the NRL takes precautions against the threat of coronavirus.
To’omaga said while his teammates were concerned, they all wanted to play as long as it was safe to do so.
“It’s weird with all this stuff happening and not knowing where it’s going to all end. But we have been training well and trying to be distracted by it even though we know how serious it could get,” he said. “Despite what’s going on the boys are feeling good and hopefully we can bring the same energy on Thursday.