Siosifa Talakai and Addin Fonua-Blake used to run amok at Mascot Oval when they were growing up, but the pair are now preparing to run riot through the middle at AAMI Park as the Sharks look to book a spot in the grand final.<\/p>\n
The Mascot Jets have produced a stack of NRL stars over the years, with the Cronulla wrecking balls going way back with a bond that has extended well beyond rugby league. <\/p>\n
The rest of the world expected Fonua-Blake to be the difference maker when he joined the Sharks this season, but Talakai knew that the superstar prop would be the trump card to take them all the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up with him so I already knew he\u2019d be that guy. Since we were young, he was always the guy that we looked up to coming through the ranks,\u201d Talakai told the NewsWire about his cousin. <\/p>\n
\u201cTo see him thrive and get to where is now, I\u2019m not surprised at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe lived across the road from me, so we always used to go to Mascot Oval and do silly stuff and muck around, and we\u2019d also go to church because we\u2019re family. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe were always around each other growing up, so to see him where he is now is no surprise to any of us who grew up with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were lots of good players in his age group, but he took the cake because he wasn\u2019t talented or anything but was willing to work harder.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s similar to Cam (Murray). I reckon those guys were in the top three coming through at the club along with \u2018Foxx\u2019 (Josh Addo-Carr), and then we had Aaron Gray, Dylan Walker and others. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou could probably make an NRL squad out of the guys in his age group.\u201d<\/p>\n
The families were very tight growing up which is why Fonua-Blake and a couple of Talakai\u2019s cousins spent a year in Tonga during his teenage years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe sort of planned it,\u201d the prop forward said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went there for cultural reasons. I got a mad experience out of it. It was a tough time in my life going there and being away from my family, but it\u2019s something I draw a lot of inspiration from as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fonua-Blake has made a huge difference since joining from the Warriors, with the Tongan star proving his worth with 141m and 31 tackles in the upset win over Canberra.<\/p>\n
He played the first 49 minutes without coming off after bench forward Tom Hazelton suffered a head knock, with his teammates glad the club forked out the cash to sign him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why you get paid a million bucks,\u201d winger Ronaldo Mulitalo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you paid me a million bucks, then I\u2019d run in the middle and play 50 minutes. I wouldn\u2019t make many tackles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why you bring a world-class player to the team. The front office managed to get him here, and I\u2019m super grateful to have the big fella here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Sharks have had their critics over the years due to their inability to win big games, but the outside perception is starting to match the inner belief after a couple of finals victories. <\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of us have played together for the past couple of years,\u201d Talakai said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know each other\u2019s games, and we know that when we\u2019re on that there\u2019s no one that can match us.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowing our worth, especially when we\u2019ve done all the prep throughout the year, we know what we can bring. We\u2019re still yet to hit our peak and there\u2019s a lot of potential that we haven\u2019t tapped into.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know our worth and this is where we belong.\u201d<\/p>\n