Moses Suli’s former Wests Tigers NYC coach Willie Peters offers his support for the struggling teen sensation
HANG in there, Moses. That’s the word from former Wests Tigers NYC coach Willie Peters, who knows just how it feels. And he knows how to come back better than ever.
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HANG in there Moses Suli, your former Wests Tigers NYC coach Willie Peters knows how you are feeling.
Suli’s much-hyped career is in limbo after the talented teen agreed to part ways with Canterbury, just three weeks after being released by the Tigers.
The Fairfield junior’s attitude came into question after he repeatedly arrived late to training, prompting officials to end his Belmore tenure.
Suli will wake up on Thursday morning feeling like the weight of the world is on his shoulders, but Peters says he understands his pain.
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The retired halfback, now working at South Sydney as a development coach, will never forget the day Rabbitohs legend Craig Coleman hailed him the next Peter Sterling during his debut season with the red and green in 1997.
At first Peters used the Sterling comparisons to fuel his strong early-career form.
Sadly, his confidence soon faded when he failed to emulate Sterlo’s premiership feats at Souths.
“That’s when they (the fans) started saying, this bloke is shit,” Peters recalled, laughing.
“But I used to think the Sterlo comparisons were cool and I looked at it as a good thing, because it put me on the rugby league map.
“Then I quickly realised it wasn’t so good to be tagged the next Sterlo.
“I mean, I was never going to be Peter Sterling. I remember getting asked all these questions about Sterlo and as soon as I didn’t live up to it, they were into me and it made it really difficult.”
Thanks largely to these lofty expectations, Peters left Souths after only two seasons and 18 games to play in England.
He spent a season each with Gateshead and Wigan, before reviving his Australian career with time at St George Illawarra and a return to the Rabbitohs.
Peters says his time away from the bright lights of the NRL helped him overcome the hype and rediscover his passion for the game.
Seven years on, the retired playmaker believes a troubled Suli can follow in his footsteps and place his promising career on the right path.
“There is no doubting his talent. The time I had with him at the Tigers he was a good kid, so it’s sad to see him leave two clubs in a short period of time.
“Moses’ wellbeing is now the most important thing,” said Peters, who coached Suli in the Tigers’ NYC ranks in 2016.
“He is a young kid who has been thrown in at a young age and exposed to a lot of different things quickly.
“But he has to work out what makes him happy. That’s when he’ll get the hunger for the game back, because once you are away you realise what you had.
“If you take ownership and own your mistakes, people in rugby league will help you.
“That’s what I had to do. I had to help myself first, before I could help others and I have no doubt Moses can do the same.”