Laitia Moceidreke: Cowboy says ’I have more in my favour than other wingers’

Cowboys winger Laitia Moceidreke is determined to force his way into the North Queensland starting side this season, and he has the extraordinary physical gifts to do it. Find out how:

Laitia Moceidreke during the pre-season. Picture: Alix Sweeney/Cowboys

COWBOYS winger Laitia Moceidreke has been nicknamed ‘Stretch’ by teammates on account of his complicated surname but the 197cm Fijian flyer declared he is ready to live up to that tag in 2023.

Moceidreke (pronounced Moh-they-in-drekkeh) is tall enough to play basketball in the NBA and is determined to use that point of difference to transform himself into a wing weapon for North Queensland.

His competition are Origin representative wingers Murray Taulagi (189cm) and Kyle Feldt (192cm) but neither can match Moceidreke’s raw prowess in the aerial contest.

The only wingers in the competition taller are Newcastle’s Dominic Young (2m) and Jason Saab (199cm).

“My height does give me an advantage which I want to use a lot more this year,” Moceidreke said.

Laitia Moceidreke is an aerial specialist. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“Looking back at last year there’s a lot more things I have in my favour than other wingers (at the Cowboys) which I could be using a lot more. I know I am tall but in saying that, I do want to work on a few of weaknesses as well.”

Moceidreke, 22, has gone unused by the Cowboys since his 2021 debut but lit up the latest Queensland Cup season with Mackay, recording 11 tries, 11 linebreaks and 38 tackle busts in 18 games.

It is in the defensive side of the game where Moceidreke has the most ground to catch up.

In a team that prides itself on its defence, attacking ability alone isn’t enough to earn a place in the starting side and wingers are no exception.

“I think it was more of an eye opener to see how the boys were going and how I needed to improve as a professional,” Moceidreke said, having fallen behind Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Brendan Elliott in the wing pecking order through the Origin period, which Feldt also missed through injury.

“I really just want to show the coaching staff that I am ready for that round one jersey.

“Seeing the boys in front of you, they had really good seasons but to see how they were all professional with the way they trained and how they prepared themselves for game days, it really was an eye opener for me and I really wanted to change that this year coming in this pre-season.

North Queensland Cowboy Laitia Moceidreke. Picture: Evan Morgan

“I’m spending a lot more time in the wrestle room. Reading plays eyes up, not giving my inside shoulder, when to jam, making my tackles and making them count. You might make four tackles in a game but they all really count because you’re stopping tries.

“Youngy (Dean Young, assistant coach) has been into me talking about my defence and Jimmy (James Moran, wrestle coach) in the wrestle room and they’ve been giving me a lot of good feedback.”

Moceidreke said NRL interception king Taulagi had taken him under one wing to share how his reading of the game had turned him into a defensive weapon on the edge.

“I see him (Taulagi) a lot and talk to him about his reads, watching the ball and keeping in touch, always following your centre, making sure that you’re stuck on the line,” he said. “Feldty too. Those boys have really helped me out a lot.”

ACL SCARE FOR COWBOYS SON OF A GUN

- Nic Darveniza, December 14

A PRE-SEASON ACL scare has reinforced Riley Price’s ­determination to fight on for a new contract with the North Queensland ­Cowboys.

The off-contract son of Maroons and Kangaroos legend Steve Price feared his 2023 season was over before Christmas when he went down clutching at his knee in a pre-season wrestling accident.

Scans showed Price had torn his medial collateral ligament (MCL), not the season-ending anterior (ACL).

It meant he was free to return to full training for the first time on Monday.

“I haven’t had the best start to pre-season,” Price said.

Riley Price at training. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“I hurt my MCL, a grade 2 tear, in the second week of pre-season so it hasn’t been the best start, but I’ve just come back out of rehab yesterday.

“One of the boys on the wrestle mat landed on it as I was coming down. It was just something I can’t control.

“When it happened, I thought the worst but it put my mind at ease when I found out it was only a grade 2 MCL.”

The injury has not dulled Price’s desire to sign a new deal and extend his stay long-term with the game’s best forward pack.

“It plays a big part in your mind, being in the last year in my contract, but I just go about every year as a new season, new opportunity,” Price said.

“I didn’t get to make my debut last year but it certainly made me a lot hungrier coming into this pre-season, being so close. It wasn’t ideal but I’m a big believer that things happen for a reason.”

Price said his famous father, a former Dally M prop of the year and three-time NRL captain of the year, had offered him some advice ahead of the biggest junction of his football career.

“Just to continue to be myself,” Price said.

Maroons player Steve Price gets hit by Nathan Hindmarsh (left), Craig Wing and Andrew Ryan (right) in the 2006 Origin series. Picture: Craig Wilson)

“If I can continue to be myself and keep doing what I’ve been doing, I’m pretty sure everything will be sweet.”

Price was eight years old when his dad played his last of 313 NRL games and 28 Origins for Queensland.

While Price Sr was a classical front-rower at 193cm and 107kg, his 188cm, 96kg son has based his game on more modern heroes.

“Me and my old man compare probably a bit different,” Price said.

“He’s more of a pure front-rower than I am but things he’s given me throughout my life and career I take on.

“The obvious one that I always looked up to growing up was Jase (Taumalolo).

“The way he runs and ball plays is quite amazing, and I think everyone has been watching Reuben Cotter and the way he competes.

“His game style is incredible. I have my own game style, too, but you look at them and I’m in awe of what they do.”

Price said a month rehabbing under former Cowboys winger Ash Graham, who is now the club’s strength and conditioning guru, had left him feeling back to normal.

Originally published as Laitia Moceidreke: Cowboy says ’I have more in my favour than other wingers’