Moses Suli could join Sea Eagles after being sacked by Tigers and Bulldogs
TROUBLED teenager Moses Suli could be back training with his third NRL club this season as soon as Monday. It’s believed he is considering a deal with the Sea Eagles.
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TROUBLED teenager Moses Suli could be back training with Manly as soon as Monday.
The Saturday Telegraph can reveal the Sea Eagles’ premiership winning under 20s coach Wayne Lambkin and the team captain from last year Manase Fainu are the close links driving Suli to the northern beaches.
Lambkin was Suli’s schoolboy coach at Westfield Sports High where Suli attended with Fainu and fellow rising Sea Eagle, backrower Haumole Olakauatu.
The three players remain extremely close while Lambkin has a thorough knowledge of Suli’s family background.
It will be Suli’s third NRL club this season after he was previously punted by Wests Tigers and Canterbury.
The Saturday Telegraph can also reveal Fainu actually went to see Trent Barrett this week to personally vouch for his mate after the two sat down for a heart-to-heart talk following Suli’s axing at the Bulldogs.
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Suli is said to be devastated by the prospect of losing his career and he has promised his mates he won’t let them down this time.
The Telegraph revealed on Friday that Suli has had to deal with several confronting problems throughout his teenage years including the day he arrived home to find his father had died of a heart attack.
It is said that Suli still suffering a feeling of personal guilt for not being able to help his father and that has impacted on dramatically in the years since.
Suli has also had extensive injury problems that resulted in him only playing two Holden Cup games before he was offered a lucrative $1.3 million three year deal at the Tigers.
While the Tigers spent the best part of last year trying to help Suli overcome his problems, Canterbury made the snap decision sign him and then to cut him just 27 days later.
It seemed a hasty call given the Bulldogs were well aware of Suli’s personal issues going into the deal, with Canterbury recruitment manager Warren McDonnell formerly at the Tigers.
While both Canterbury and the Tigers ran out of patience with Suli’s sloppy attitude, his friendship with Fainu in particular could prove a blessing to the Sea Eagles.
The two still live nearby in Sydney’s west and could travel to training together.
Fainu was elevated into Manly’s top squad during the pre-season as a back-up hooker to Api Koroisau and his dream to play NRL will no doubt help inspire Suli to work harder on his own career.
Suli and his manager Mario Tartak met with Manly on Friday and there is talk he could be back training next week.
Given Suli’s weight ballooned over the summer, he has a lot of work ahead of him to get back playing NRL.
Most likely, he would return playing lower grades and when he proves his attitude is right he would obviously push for the top grade.
Given his immense potential, he would also be a significant signing for the club given the concerns Manly has had in the wake of the NRL’s recent salary cap investigation.
While Manly is still awaiting the NRL’s verdict on that, Suli’s asking price would have dropped dramatically following his recent stumbles.
But it could end up being a positive move for both.
Friends close to Suli maintain that despite his well-documented troubles, Suli is not a bad person and he has not been in trouble for typical off-field problems but rather deep personal issues.