The story behind Brisbane Broncos train and trial squad member Glen Vaihu’s ‘try-off’ with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
He once outscored Australian schoolboys teammate Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in a rout of their Fijian counterparts. Now, after the collapse of Super Rugby club the Rebels, Glen Vaihu is looking to emulate Suaalii’s NRL feats at the Broncos.
He once outshone cross-code superstar Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and now Glen Vaihu is chasing an NRL debut at the Brisbane Broncos.
Vaihu is on a train-and-trial contract at the Broncos after receiving the backing of dual international Karmichael Hunt.
Left without a club following the collapse of Super Rugby franchise the Melbourne Rebels last year, Vaihu headed back to Queensland.
He joined the Hunt-coached Souths Logan Magpies in the Hostplus Cup and played four games in the back end of the season, scoring two tries.
Now Vaihu has an opportunity to emulate his former schoolboys’ teammate and now Wallabies star Suaalii and crack the NRL.
A St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace product, Vaihu and Suaalii played together for Australia in 2019 during a tour of New Zealand.
Playing on the wing, Vaihu scored a hat-trick in a match against Fiji in which Suaalii crossed twice.
Suaalii ended up heading down the NRL route with the Rabbitohs and then Roosters, who he made 66 appearances for before recently shifting to rugby and debuting for Australia instantly.
New Broncos coach Michael Maguire is running his eye over the 23-year-old Vaihu this summer as he looks at potential depth in his outside backs.
Broncos recruitment chief Simon Scanlan said the train-and-trial players had a golden opportunity to progress their careers.
“It’s a good opportunity for all of those guys to train alongside NRL players,” he said.
“A lot of them play with and against NRL players regularly in the Queensland Cup
“To get a pre-season and chance to impress the coaches and work under them is a good opportunity.
PRE-SEASON: EVERY NRL CLUB’S TRAIN AND TRIAL SQUAD
“We’ve regularly had players come from train-and-trials into development list contracts like Tristan Sailor.
“There is an opportunity for them and it’s good for the affiliate clubs when their players can go through a professional pre-season and enjoy the physical attributes that can come with it.
“It’s also good for the player to train in front of the coaches and have a chance to work their way through the system.”
Other players trialling for NRL contracts at the Broncos include Hostplus Cup rookie of the year Latrell Siegwalt and journeyman Gehamat Shibasaki.
More Coverage
Hungry Woolf: Coach’s pre-season overhaul driving Dolphins
Kristian Woolf has wasted no time in putting his stamp on the Dolphins since taking over from Wayne Bennett, introducing new measures as he looks to deliver the club a maiden finals appearance.
NRL predicted round one teams: How Warriors cover Harris loss
The Warriors have been rocked by the sudden retirement of inspirational skipper Tohu Harris, so how will they replace him? See how every team is predicted to start in 2025.