Inaugural Dolphins fullback Tabuai-Fidow eyes a return to Origin
The man set to be christened as the Dolphins fullback in their inaugural NRL campaign has his sights set on a return to the Origin cauldron.
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THE man set to be christened as the Dolphins fullback in their inaugural NRL campaign has his sights set on a return to the Origin cauldron.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is fit, healthy, ready and raring to go for the Dolphins’ third and final preseason trial before the NRL’s 17th team kicks off their first campaign.
And he wants to return to the Maroons.
“That fullback role, I want to cement that for the full season, and just getting back into the Origin arena and playing this year,” Tabuai-Fidow said.
“I was in camp last year which was great, but I’ve got the urge to play Origin again this year.”
The former Cairns Kangaroos junior said he is thriving in his new surrounds.
He said the Redcliffe community he now calls home matches his “laid back and chilled” personality, and he’s made making the Dolphins’ No. 1 jersey a priority in his first season under supercoach Wayne Bennett.
A dual-code sensation as a schoolboy, Tabuai-Fidow made his NRL debut in 2020 at the Cowboys, going on to play 50 NRL games for the North Queensland club.
While he burst on to the scene as a slick, speedy fullback with enormous potential at his disposal, he spent just as much time in the centres or on the wing.
A hamstring injury which coincided with Scott Drinkwater’s rise to Todd Payten’s first-choice fullback for the Cowboys left “Hammer” restricted to a bench utility role.
His final game in Cowboys colours, his 50th NRL appearance, lasted just the final few minutes of the club’s 24-20 preliminary final loss to the Parramatta Eels.
He secured an early release to join the Dolphins, and Bennett has already declared the 21-year-old would get first crack at the fullback position.
“He has speed and movement. He is very skilful and you can’t coach that,” Bennett told News Corp last month.
“He has great anticipation as well and playing fullback requires a fair bit of that.
“He came here as our fullback and will be playing fullback. It’s one of the most challenging positions on the field to play in the modern game.
“There’s so much required of them and they’ve got to have a very good skill set.
“His is very good, it’s a credit to the club that’s brought him through.”
Tabuai-Fidow travelled with the Dolphins squad to Cairns for their trial against the Cowboys, and while he didn’t play he was seen mixing with and talking to numerous members of the North Queensland side.
Cairns footy fans held out hope he would play in the Barlow Park, especially given he’s been back training for the past month after injuring his ankle playing for Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup, but the closest he got was shaking hands with players and signing numerous autographs for fans after fulltime.
He’s been named in the Dolphins’ trial side for their last pre-season clash with the Titans, and he’s champing at the bit to get back into it.
“Watching the boys here, I got itchy feet,” Tabuai-Fidow said.
“I’m still close with the (NQ) boys and coaches, reuniting with them, saying hello. There’s no bad blood there, pretty good with that.
“The new change has been good for me, I’m loving it at Redcliffe.
“The vibe there and the community itself, it’s laid back and chilled, and that’s the kind of person I am and that’s probably why I’m enjoying it.”
DERBY CLOSES IN ON DEBUT
HOME town hero Robert Derby has proved how close he is to a start in the NRL after Cairns product crossed for two tries in the 22-22 draw with the Dolphins.
But the young flyer – and “physical specimen” as described by coach Todd Payten - admitted he has plenty to work on if he is to crack the NRL squad.
Payten, who watched from the coach’s box atop the Barlow Park grandstand as his Cowboys side went to work in their first trial, has liked what he’s seen in Derby’s growth in what’s been a big 12 months for the winger.
“He’s grown in confidence,” Payten said.
“He’s a physical specimen. He’s athletic, he’s powerful – he’s got all the traits we like as a winger.
“He was really strong tonight with his carries, he’s still learning his trade in terms of positional play and decision-making on the wing, but he’s a great kid to work with, he has a great work ethic, and he wants to learn.
“He’s in consideration if we lose a winger or a centre.
“It’s his decision-making on the end of the line, with a bit of shape and some options coming at him. He’s really aggressive and likes to jam, but sometimes he jams when he doesn’t need to.”
Derby did his future chances no harm in a solid outing. Born in Papua New Guinea, Derby played his junior footy for Brothers after his family made the move to Cairns.
He’s played his way through the ranks, and while he was regarded a special talent during his time at Brothers, it is in the past 12 months he’s truly taken off.
Derby has made a habit of impressing in the pre-season.
This time last year he played for North Queensland Young Guns, the Cowboys’ development team, in a trial against the Northern Pride.
At the start of the season, he was only expected to get a handful of games, but he went on to score seven tries in 16 games for the Pride, and played his way into an international debut for PNG.
He trained with the NRL squad throughout his first full pre-season with the squad, slotting onto the flank in the absence of Murray Taulagi, who returned midway through the summer after being part of the Rugby League World Cup squad.
His solid performance, in which he showcased his speed with a 95m runaway intercept try, and his strength and silky footwork, which he used for his second four-pointer, will put him in good stead if an opportunity arose.
“I was cooking. I was already puffed, then I got it – I didn’t even realise I had it,” Derby said of his first try.
“Maybe I need a bit of work on the 100 metre sprint.
“(The second try) just comes on the back of the coaching, what we’ve done in pre-season.”
But a key moment in the second half exposed Derby, and showed he still had plenty to work on.
A cross-field kick looked for all money to be far too deep – and a safe take by Derby – when Cairns-born Dolphins winger Brenton Baira soared through the air for a spectacular grab.
The former Cutters youngster grounded the ball for an unforgettable try to enhance his claim for selection later in the season, but for Derby it is a lesson he’ll learn and apply to his game in future.
“Keeping my head in the game in key areas,” he said.
“When the winger got me, jumped over me for the ball, I probably could’ve got that.
“I probably needed a bit more focus setting myself and getting ready for the jump, I was a bit late and he got me there.”
The gameday squad featured James Tamou and Ben Hampton with a cast of fringe and young talents pushing their case for future consideration, though Payten was disappointed with the way his side’s attack and lack of flow or continuity.
“I take a little bit of responsibility for that just for the fact we changed the spine several times,” Payten said.
“We competed pretty well, even right down to the last minute to come away with the draw. That’s a positive.
“If I’m really honest, I’m disappointed to walk away with a draw, because we had enough ball to win.”
matthew.mcinerney1@news.com.au
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