NRL news: Toni Tupouniua does more than enough on the training track to convince Newcastle Knights

A decision to leave premiers Penrith in search of his NRL dream could pay huge dividends for a promising second rower after Newcastle signed him following a four-week training stint.

Talk about making the most of an opportunity.

Newcastle have added power and punch to their forward pack by signing Toni Tupouniua, just four weeks after the second rower arrived at the club on a pre-season training contract.

The younger brother of Sydney Roosters power forward Sitili Tupouniua has had such a devastating impact on the Knights that he has quickly been rewarded with a two-year deal.

At Penrith last season, playing for their NSW Cup side, Tupouniua made the decision to leave the premiers in search of his NRL dream.

The Knights offered the 23-year old a training contract last month, which he has quickly transformed into a 2023 contract that will see him enter the club’s top-30 roster.

Big, powerful and athletic like his brother, Tupouniua — who has also developed his game playing for Wynnum Manly in Queensland — will provide Newcastle with strong depth in their back row.

ENGLAND’S SBW OPENS UP ON NRL MOVE

- Brent Read

He has been dubbed the English Sonny Bill Williams but Kai Pearce-Paul has vowed to make a mark of his own as he prepares to join the English revolution at the Newcastle Knights.

Pearce-Paul will link with the Knights in 2024, the club confirming his signature along with that of teenage star Will Pryce late on Monday night.

The 21-year-old was a man in high demand. Pearce-Paul fielded calls from seven-time premiership-winning coach Wayne Bennett and Canterbury head of football Phil Gould before he landed on Newcastle.

It was a decision he made having met Knights head of recruitment Clint Zammit in person earlier in the year, where he was sold on Newcastle’s vision for his and their future.

The presence of England teammate Dom Young also helped get Pearce-Paul across the line and he will arrive at Newcastle having drawn comparisons with Williams due to his stature and offloading ability.

Pearce-Paul is flattered by the comparisons but insists he wants to be his own man.

“It is a privilege to be called that, do you know what I mean,” he said.

“At the end of the day I feel like I want my own journey and I want to be my own person, as much as I respect him. It is nice to hear but at the same time I am happy to be Kai and make my own name.

“I back myself. I back myself to give it my all and adapt. I can pick things up pretty quickly. I am sure I will be OK.

“It is never going to be easy. The NRL is the top footy in the world and I know what to expect. I will just give it my all.”

Kai Pearce-Paul is ready to rock the NRL. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

MEETING SONNY BILL

It was Kai’s older brother Kameron who first raised the comparisons with Williams. It is easy to see why when you meet the London-born second rower, who is nearly two metres tall and still growing.

Kai tips the scales at 106kg but expects to add another 10kg to his frame in preparation for his arrival in the NRL.

“I really looked up to Sonny Bill,” Pearce said.

“As a kid I watched a lot of Sonny Bill. He is one of those players whose YouTube highlights I would be watching from when I was young.

“He is someone I always thought I played a little bit like — I liked what he did with the footy. I have always been long and a bit rangy

“I have been able to offload as well from when I was young. He is the master of it. It could potentially be something I picked yup from watching him and his style.

“I guess I have always had the frame to be a good offloader.”

Pearce has never met Williams but would relish the opportunity.

“I watched him in that New Zealand-England final (at the 2013 World Cup) a few years back, binoculars from the crowd,” he said.

“He would be someone I would want to meet. That would be pretty cool, a pretty cool experience.”

Pearce-Paul’s hero Sonny Bill Williams in the 2013 grand final. Picture: NRL Photos

MISSING HOME

Ask Pearce-Paul who he will miss most as he prepares to switch to the NRL and he doesn’t hesitate. Pearce-Paul and his two brothers — Kaden and Kameron — were raised by their mother Marianna in Lewisham, a suburb in southeast London.

The brothers haven’t spoken to their father in years.

“She always wanted me to be the best I can really be,” Pearce-Paul said.

“I love Wigan, I love every minute I am there. It is a great club and great people. When this opportunity came up this time round, she said to me do you think you can give it a go.

“As a parent, you want your kids to do the best they can. She wants me to aim for the highest. She will miss me though — she calls me most days.

“I am sure she will come out when she can. I am sure she will love the country as well. She is my world, my mum.

“She helps me with everything, she is a great person. She just wanted me to reach as high as I could.”

Newcastle is a long way from London but Pearce-Paul insists that he is ready for the move.

“I am at the point now especially this season where I don’t have to go home - it is lovely to see them and every time I see them I really enjoy it, but I don’t feel the need to go and see mum,” he said.

“Now I feel like I am a lot more independent. This is almost like the next step, being in a different time zone. I know my family will be there for me wherever I am in the world.

“I know Newcastle will look after me as well.”

Kai Pearce-Paul on the charge for Wigan. Picture: Getty Images

WOOED BY BENNETT, GOULD

It was a bleak and wet day in Manchester when News Corp sat down with Pearce-Paul to talk about the future and his plans to conquer the NRL.

He drove nearly an hour, negotiating English traffic, because he wanted to meet in person to discuss his ascent from London hopeful to England Test star.

He is polite and well-mannered, qualities that no doubt left an impression on the two biggest names to chase his signature.

Being pursued by Bennett is one thing. Throw in Gould and it shows what sort of potential Pearce-Paul has in his sizeable frame.

“I spoke to Wayne — he is a great guy as well,” Pearce-Paul said.

“He was very straight forward — he tells you exactly how it is and what he wants. I appreciate that in a person.

“It was interesting talking to Wayne and someone of his calibre. I spoke to (Dolphins recruitment guru Peter) O’Sullivan as well. It wasn’t easy deciding. It was quite late that I came to the final decisions.

“I was really stuck. All the options were really good options and I am really appreciative to have people of that calibre and experience in the sport wanting me.

“I was hard to choose.”

Harder still when Gould entered the equation.

“He was pretty similar to Wayne,” Pearce-Paul said.

“He was pretty old school and tells you what he wants.”

Remarkably, Pearce-Paul was also chased by Melbourne and Storm coach Craig Bellamy a few years back. At the time, he opted to move to Wigan to further his career.

“It came to a point where I had to choose between Melbourne and Wigan,” Pearce-Paul said.

“That was a bigger jump to make ... I was just turning 18 and hadn’t really been away from home before for a long time.

“Wigan was only two hours on a train away from home. As much as I think Melbourne Storm was a good option, Wigan were very keen and made it clear how much they wanted me.”

Kai Pearce-Paul played for England at the World Cup. (Photo by Pat Elmont/Getty Images for Rugby League World Cup)

WHY THE KNIGHTS?

Pearce-Paul did his research before he landed on Newcastle. As well as speaking to Zammit and Young, he picked the brains of England teammates John Bateman and George Williams, and former Warriors star Thomas Leuluai.

The idea of playing in a league-mad city like Newcastle was appealing. As was the opportunity to play alongside Knights star Kalyn Ponga.

“Having someone like KP is something you can dream of as an offloader really,” he said.

“I know this year at Wigan, Jai Field was all over the place. There would be times when I wouldn’t even see him, he would just call and I would throw it.

“He would be straight onto it. I like playing with players who are active and love an offload.”

The lifestyle in Newcastle also appealed. Pearce-Paul is a rugby league rarity in that he hails from London, a city dominated by soccer and rugby union.

The chance to play at a club that lives and breathes rugby league, much like Wigan, was too good to resist.

He has vowed to reward the supporters’ passion by giving his all in a Knights jersey. Asked what the Newcastle fans could expect, he said: “Hard worker, big presence, I want to be someone who makes an impact, someone who is physical and can make a difference to a game.

“That is what I want them to expect from me. Off the field, I am a pretty nice guy. For me, it is just challenging myself and trying to become the best player I can, and have the best career I can, and make the biggest impact on the sport that I can as well.”

HOW IMMORTAL HELPED KNIGHTS LAND ENGLISH ACE

English prodigy Will Pryce has revealed he grew up studying the game of Andrew Johns and was gobsmacked to receive a call from the Newcastle icon as the Knights worked overtime to lure him to the NRL.

In a twin coup for the Knights, on Monday they announced the 19-year-old and his countryman Kai Pearce-Paul had both agreed deals to link up with the club in 2024.

Newcastle fended off feverish competition for the pair who are regarded as the hottest prospects to emerge in the English game for years.

Newcastle signing Will Pryce takes off. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

The versatile Pryce views himself as a long-term five-eighth, while the 21-year-old Pearce-Paul is an exciting backrower who has also played in the centres for Wigan and England.

Although they are not contracted to play at the Knights for another 12 months, it’s a clear indication Newcastle see the pair as key pieces of their future as coach Adam O’Brien tries to lift the club off the canvas and secure his own job.

Having made the decision to join the Knights, Pryce has set his sights on becoming one of the best players in the game.

“To be honest with you it has probably been one of my lifelong ambitions really,” Pryce said.

“I have always watched the NRL since I was 11 or 12. Me and my dad would get up early in the morning in the UK to watch any big game, the Origin matches.

“It is the occasion, it is the big games, the calibre of players, the coaching you can get over there,. It is the full package really.

“I want to test myself and prove myself against the best.”

The Knight’s have also landed fellow Englishman Kai Pearce-Paul of Wigan. Picture: Getty Images.

BONDI BEACH

Let’s start with Bondi Beach and the famous quote by Pryce’s rugby league playing father Leon 16 years ago, when he claimed he preferred Blackpool to one of Australia’s most iconic destinations while on tour with England.

The back pages at the time screamed: “Whingeing Pom” and “Beach wail”.

“I have never been to Australia but I have seen the photos of it [Bondi] and obviously my dad is quite well known for that comment.” the 19-year-old English prodigy told News Corp.

“I am sure he was only joking because I have been to Blackpool a fair few times in my life and I don’t think I have ever been there when it was sunny.

“I am looking forward to experiencing the lifestyle.”

Leon Pryce was one of the most gifted players of his generation but he never made the move to the NRL despite interest from Australian clubs.

He urged his son to take the opportunity when it came along.

“When it became quite serious …, he kind of put it into perspective,” Pryce said.

“When he was playing in the early 2000s there were a lot of Australian players who were coming to England in the prime of their careers — Matt Gidley, Jamie Lyon.

“They were playing Super League because it was the best of the best. Obviously now roles have reversed and players are going over there because that is where you want to play — against the best players in the best league.

“He just said if you want to have a real crack at this, at the end of the day every rugby player wants to retire and never work again, but if you want to achieve something great in your career, you want to go where you can do that.

“Go to Australia and test yourself against the best. I want to go over to Australia and spend the rest of my career there.”

Will’s father Leon Pryce celebrates Bradford’s win over Penrith in the 2004 World Club Challenge. Picture: Reuters/Howard Walker

THAT CALL

Pryce met Knights recruitment boss Clint Zammit back in February as Newcastle got on the front foot and flew to England to speak to him and his agent Iestyn Harris.

Zammit had already been in talks with Pryce’s Australian-based agent Liam Ayoub but it was the meeting in February that moved Newcastle to the front of the queue.

“I got a chance to meet up with Clint Zammit earlier on in the year – in February,” Pryce said.

“They really sold it to me. The direction the club is looking to go in the next few years and the long term plan … was really interesting to me.

“I got to speak to Andrew Johns, who is one of if not my favourite player of all time. He is looking forward to being able to work with me and that is a big factor why I wanted to go over.

“I want to go somewhere where I feel like it is a home away from home.”

Johns’ call was crucial.

“I was a bit shell-shocked,” Pryce said.

“I was a bit gobsmacked. It was one of those phone calls that take you back a bit. It has been quite a tough journey to get to where I am now,

“There have been a lot of setbacks. Me and my dad have always talked about Joey Johns – he has played against him, he has played the top level and he has always said he has done things in the game that none else has done,

“When you study someone and they are an idol, and then you get a phone cal off them, it feels a bit unrealistic. It was crazy when I received the phone call from him.

“We chatted about the ambitions of the club and his ambitions for the team going forward, the spine in particular.

“Coming in as a spine player and Joey Johns being one of, if not the best … seven of all time, it is a massive thing to get a call from someone like that.”

Andrew Johns played a key role in snaring Pryce. Picture: David/Kapernick.

HIS BEST POSITION

Pryce has the ability to play anywhere in the backline but his long-term goal is to become one of the game’s best five-eighths.

“I have only played 30 first grade games now,” Pryce said.

“I try to be as confident as I can. A dynamic running player — that has always been my game.

I try to make sure I keep that strong and keep my hands on the ball, running it all the time and taking players on.

“I have been able to play in virtually every position in the backline. Doing that at a young age you learn a lot more.

“For me it is about being versatile and being able to play many positions wherever I am needed in the team. Myself, as I am progressing, I want to develop into an all around six or a running standoff.”

Having made the decision to come, Pryce has no plans to leave any time soon.

“Obviously, it is a huge decision,” he said.

“I have made the choice to leave a lot of people behind in England. I am quite a family man. It is obviously a big decision but one I think I can’t really pass up on.

“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If I passed it up now and didn’t get the opportunity later on, I think I would be pretty annoyed at myself for turning it down.

“Hopefully everything goes well, I will be made to feel at home in Newcastle and stay there.”

Originally published as NRL news: Toni Tupouniua does more than enough on the training track to convince Newcastle Knights