Tommy Talau might be a name you haven’t heard of for a while, but the promising outside back said he’s ready to pick up where he left off – albeit 546 days after his last game of first-grade.
The 22-year-old, who has returned to full team training this pre-season for the first time since suffering an ACL injury in the final round of 2021, said he is in the frame for a Round 1 return if selected by coach Tim Sheens — news that will come as a relief for Wests Tigers fans after he missed the entirety of the 2022 campaign.
Son of Bulldogs great Willie Talau, the Moorebank Rams junior emerged as one of the stars of the future in 2021 with 14 tries, but after a 2022 which was dominated by rehabilitation and recovery, the Wests Tigers outside back said he was ready to return "mentally and physically stronger" than before.
“It was my first major injury so at first, it was really different coming to terms with it and watching on the sidelines,” Talau told NRL.com.
“Ever since I started playing footy, I’d never had a big injury that meant I couldn’t play so it was really difficult to accept at first.
Strong front-on tackle from Talau on Hampton
“Your body goes through changes and the mental side of it is really challenging.
“But now I can say I’m glad I went through it all because I feel a lot mentally and physically stronger".
Re-signed by the club despite an injury-cruelled 2022 campaign, Talau said he is determined to repay the faith new coach Sheens has shown in him.
Talau leaps high to collect a Doueihi kick
“They showed faith in me after not being able to play for a whole year and relieved me of the uncertainty of not having a contract,” Talau said.
“I feel like they did me a huge favour and when I get back on the field, I really hope I can repay the faith.
“I just feel like after all the emotions, hard work and rehab, it’s all starting to pay off.”
Debuting as a teenager for Wests Tigers in 2019, Talau admitted he had a "fan-girl" moment when running out alongside premiership-winning playmaker Benji Marshall.
With Marshall stepping into a new role as Wests Tigers assistant coach under Sheens in 2023, the former Canterbury-Bankstown junior said it's like he's returned to “a new club” after lacing up the boots for the first time in over 12 months.
“I was fangirling big time the day I got to run on with him. I’ve never really supported a team, I support players and he’s always been one of my favourites,” he said.
Sublime read and pass from Marshall has Talau scoring
“His leadership has been really important to our team. You can see everyone admires and respects him. When he talks everyone is listening.
“He’s won a comp and achieved everything you could dream of in the game so it’s great to have someone of his calibre.
“He jumps in and leads all the drills and is skills are second to none; I think he could still play now.
“It’s really valuable for our halves and outside backs to learn off him as well because he’s still carving us up at training, and if you can defend Benji, you’re going pretty well.”
With the Wests Tigers recruiting Charlie Staines, Api Koroisau, Isaiah Papali’i and David Klemmer, Talau said he is yet to see how he fits into Sheens’ side in 2023 but is instead focusing on his own goals ahead of a long-awaited NRL return.
Papali'i impressed by new home
“I’ve had a long year of thinking about the things I want to achieve in my career and how to get back to where I was playing,” he said.
“I’ve already seen a bit of Klemmer and he’s a machine. He works so hard.
“I’m also excited to see players like (Api) Koroisau and (Isaiah) Papali’il; I watched them play in the World Cup and they’re in awesome form, playing really good footy and I’m really excited to play with them.
“We’re all really hungry which is really good. Training feels like it’s gone to a new level than what I’ve been to before."
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