197cm teen Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who’s played just 113 minutes of NRL, to quit Storm for $2.7m deal

An NRL rival has reportedly dangled a multimillion-dollar offer in front of a 1.97m teenager with just 113 minutes of NRL game experience.

Tiny Fa’asuamaleaui is set to leave the Storm

On the day it appeared that the Melbourne Storm were beginning to say goodbye to Josh Addo-Carr, there may be another body about to head out the door.

This time it’s a very big body, in the shape of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.

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The 19-year-old, who has played just 113 minutes of NRL across five games, is set to leave Melbourne to sign with the Warriors.

And it’s not just his 107kg, 197cm frame which looms large.

According to Stuff, Fa’asuamaleaui will sign a deal in the region of $670,000 per year across four seasons.

The report claims that the deal is done, although, it is not clear whether the huge teenager will sign immediately – or when his contract runs out at the end of 2020.

Warriors recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan, who coincidentally signed Israel Folau, Greg Inglis to the Storm and also took Latrell Mitchell to the Roosters, is a known admirer of Fa’asuamaleaui.

The Orange-born forward played for Samoa earlier this year, and has also represented the Junior Kangaroos.

O’Sullivan told The New Zealand Herald that the Warriors’ main priority on the recruitment front was securing a hooker – which they did by bringing in Wayde Egan – along with some big forwards.

“We are still not small, we are just not as big as some packs,” O’Sullivan said.

“I could have signed three or four players in the last few months.

They would have helped our squad a little bit but because we have only got one spot left in our 30, I didn’t want to do that unless we were getting a player that helps our squad a lot.

“Priority wise the hooker was number one, the big edge back rower number two and probably a centre back rower would have been the third option which I really wanted to do.

“Next priority would be a big middle.”

Originally published as 197cm teen Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who’s played just 113 minutes of NRL, to quit Storm for $2.7m deal