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Hurrell's switch pays off

Hurrell's switch pays off

02/08/2012 09:20:38 PM

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One of the Warriors' rising stars is one of a raft of players converting from union to league - and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Konrad Hurrell was one of the standouts of the Junior Warriors' run to the NYC Premiership last year in his first year of league.

Hurrell has no parents in New Zealand. They're both still in his homeland of Tonga but gave their son some much-needed encouragement at a time when he faced a tough decision.

"It took me a while - I had to talk to my parents and stuff. They said it's up to me and they'd support me all the way."

They urged their then 19-year-old boy to 'have a go', that there would always be union to fall back on if it never worked out. Hurrell hasn't looked back since.

"No regrets, I'm loving it. My game's more suited to it than union," a jovial Hurrell said.

And why not, when the 20-year-old is finding himself mixing with the likes of Kiwis captain Simon Mannering, NRL All Star Manu Vatuvei and fellow centre Jerome Ropati almost on a daily basis.

He also has some helpful mentors, with fellow Junior Warrior graduates Elijah Taylor and Shaun Johnson amongst others ensuring Horrell doesn't go into his shell on the big stage.

Hurrell is an all-too-familiar example of players who are making the switch from union to league with some success. The Junior Warriors squad, where the senior team recruit a considerable amount of their future first-graders from, is a mixture of pure league enthusiasts and curious union converters.

"There's more than seven who came through union in the 20s this year who played 1st XV in New Zealand. They came into the 20s and they made it to the 20s squad."

Horrell is a refreshingly honest player, perhaps more out of naivety than anything else. When he was asked why there was a sudden surge in the number of union players trying their hand at the 13-man code, the ex-Auckland Grammar student said it was surprisingly the lack of depth in league at secondary school level that was at fault.

"I think they like watching league players and there's less competition in league [playing] schools. They just play union because there's more competition but they like league better."

He's hoping to press his case further after a solid start to his senior Warriors career last week against Gold Coast Titans, where he scored a try in the 26-10 win.

He'll get further runs in the next few weeks against South Sydney and a Queensland Cup side, but there was no doubt the youngster was looking further ahead.

When asked about how ready he was for first grade, Horrell gave a typically honest answer.

"Ninety five percent. I think I'm ready to go."

Hurrell's next immediate challenge will be travelling with the team to play the South Sydney Rabbitohs this weekend.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images
Comments
Posted by wilson mataiti at
12/02/2012 09:53 AM
this is one player that the management can't afford to loose.Give him a contract for the next 15 years. lock him away please.

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