NRL: Nick Lui-Toso signs for Dragons after starring for Northern Pride

Barnstorming front-rower Nick Lui-Toso has nothing but fond memories and love for the Northern Pride as he farewells his home of the past two years.

BARNSTORMING front-rower Nick Lui-Toso has nothing but fond memories and love for the Northern Pride as he farewells his home of the past two years.

The prop had every intention of staying at Barlow Park for 2023 towards the end of the season, knocking back offers from other clubs as he sought maintain his dominant form at the club which offered him an opportunity.

But an offer to train fulltime and potentially earn a crack at the NRL proved too hard to resist, with Lui-Toso moving to Sydney to link with St George Illawarra on a one-year deal.

“I told myself I wouldn’t leave unless there was a fulltime deal on the table,” Lui-Toso told the Cairns Post.

“A few clubs offered deals with NRL trials but I wasn’t going for that.

“This opportunity came up and I couldn’t turn it down.

“I loved my time in Cairns, I’ll probably come back here.”

Northern Pride's Nick Lui-Toso breaks through for his first half try during the game againgst the Hunters. Picture: Brian Cassey

Lui-Toso will train fulltime as part of his “lower top 30” deal, providing him the opportunity to earn a NRL debut in 2023.

It brings to an end his time at the Pride, where he made a massive impact in the front row.

Lui-Toso was among the stars of a monster Pride pack in his first season at the club in 2021, forming a strong combination with re-signed prop Paea Pua and star second-rower Joshua Stuckey as the men leading from the front.

The departure of Stuckey to the Bulldogs left the role of forwards leader ripe for the taking, with Lui-Toso taking the chance with both hands.

The 26-year-old smashed the 200 running metres barrier four times and reached triple figures in all but three of his 17 games for the Pride.

His ability to bend and break the line - he recorded more than 100 post contact metres three times - often put the Pride on the front foot in attack, while his strong defensive work in the middle sent ballrunners scrambling in another direction.

Nick Lui-Toso has signed a deal at the Dragons after starring for the Northern Pride. Picture: Brendan Radke

Lui-Toso received the biggest award of his entire rugby league career when he was named the Hostplus Cup’s Prop of the Year, the only Pride player to be recognised at the Queensland Rugby League’s end-of-season awards.

“I’ve never any awards in my career, so that felt good,” he said.

“It felt like the best year I’ve ever had.

“The sacrifices. I cut down on drinking and was on a diet for the whole year.

“Halfway through the year I’d usually put on a bit of weight but this year I kept it off and played even better.

“Learning new skills too, and I owe a lot to Bevo (Bevan Walker, assistant coach), Obsty (Sam Obst, assistant coach) and Ty (Williams, head coach).”

Lui-Toso left Cairns last week to prepare for his move to the Dragons, where the Minchinbury Jets junior hopes to train and play himself into an opportunity in the NRL.

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Originally published as NRL: Nick Lui-Toso signs for Dragons after starring for Northern Pride