Cowboys sign Sione Faumuina

[DIEHARD]

Cowboys sign Sione Faumuina

The North Queensland Cowboys have signed a two year contract with former New Zealand Test player Sione Faumuina for the 2007 and 2008 NRL seasons.

Sione accepted the offer after discussions with rival NRL clubs the Broncos and Titans, after visiting Townsville prior to the Christmas break.

The talented NRL star stated his main reason for joining the Cowboys was to enhance his career in the NRL, and test match arena for New Zealand.

After a disrupted 2006 due to injury and personal issues Sione felt the Cowboys offered him a number of advantages that included a focussed on and off field professional structure and an opportunity to be closer to his mother and siblings.

Coach Graham Murray believes Sione to be a very strong addition to the Cowboys squad.
?Sione is a tremendous player and has a skill level with the ball that compliments his athleticism. His versatility across the field is top class but our focus will be to provide as much opportunity for him to play well in his preferred position as a backrower?

?We as a club have prided ourselves in bringing out the best in players over the last few seasons. I?m sure Sione will be no exception to that?

Sione has relocated to Townsville and will join the training squad as from today ? Wednesday 3rd January.

NQ Cowboys

[DIEHARD]

Well he won't be a Titan, something I am pleased about.

I hope he helps the Cowboys and has an uneventful time at North QLD.

[Poida]

Well he won't be a Titan, something I am pleased about.

I hope he helps the Cowboys and has an uneventful time at North QLD.
Im happy with the signing. He will boost the Cowboys backrow. Or the Centres if he plays there.

[Future Star]

This is old news...

[Go_The_Doggies]

*waits for drunken off field incident*

[jenny]

Townsville best place for Faumuina

By Dan Koch
January 04, 2007

NORTH Queensland coach Graham Murray has denied the Cowboys are taking a major risk by signing former New Zealand Warriors player Sione Faumuina.

Murray insists the culture and lifestyle of Townsville will help get the best out of the former New Zealand international.

Faumuina trained with the Cowboys squad for the first time yesterday after signing a two-year deal this week.

The 25-year-old utility was sacked by the Warriors in August last year after a string of alcohol-fuelled incidents.

Warriors management put him on notice after he was involved in verbal altercations with New Zealand coach Brian McClennan, club coach Ivan Cleary and vice-captain Ruben Wiki during a testimonial dinner for teammate Awen Guttenbeil.

He was given his marching orders following another drunken outburst in front of fans and teammates after the Warriors' last game of the season and was linked with Manly and Penrith before agreeing to join English Super League club Harlequins on a lucrative three-year contract.

Faumuina walked out on that deal before Christmas, flying back to Australia to be with his family and seek a new deal in the National Rugby League, a move that has left his management stunned.

Faumuina's manager, Peter Brown, has threatened to cut ties with his charge, claiming he had not been contacted about the decision to return to the NRL or sign with the Cowboys.

Brown's business partner, former New Zealand Warriors and Test coach Frank Endacott, said there was a "big credibility question mark" over Faumuina following his "bizarre behaviour".

"Peter and I are in partnership but he handles the Sione folder. But I don't know for how much longer because he hasn't heard from him," Endacott said.

"We did get him a decent three-year contract in the UK, and he's walked out on that and we haven't heard from him since. It is bizarre behaviour.

"Clubs start to stay clear of players like that.

"He's not doing himself any good for his own personal credibility because you want players to honour contracts.

"There's a big credibility question mark at the moment.

"If he has signed with the Cowboys, good on him, but I'm at a loss as to what's happened."

Murray played down suggestions the presence of Faumuina could destabilise his young team, which was swamped by unwanted off-field problems last season including Mitchell Sargent's failed drug test and the spreading of unfounded rumours of a sex scandal within the club.

"I have done my own background checks, as you do before signing any player, and I have been pretty happy with what I have heard from the people I have spoken to," Murray said.

"He's an undoubtedly talented footballer and I am really confident that he will be a good fit for us, on and off the field.

"I think he will be a really good pick-up for our club.

"As soon as we heard he was back in Australia and looking to get back in the NRL, we got in touch with him.

"We were just lucky we had a bit of money left to spend on a quality player, which he certainly is and I am looking forward to working with him this season."

Warriors captain Steve Price praised club management for sacking Faumuina, saying the club's values were more important than any player.

Faumuina's contract will not include any clauses dealing with his behaviour, aside from those imposed on all players at North Queensland.

The utility laboured through the club's first session of 2007 yesterday under the watchful eye of new performance co-ordinator Glen Murphy, who has replaced Billy Johnstone.

Murray said the group had responded well to Murphy's methods and was confident Faumuina would be up to speed in a matter of weeks.

"Sione struggled a bit today, but then so did most of the group," Murray said.

"It was a tough session and he got through it."
FOX SPORTS

[Poida]

Townsville best place for Faumuina

By Dan Koch
January 04, 2007

NORTH Queensland coach Graham Murray has denied the Cowboys are taking a major risk by signing former New Zealand Warriors player Sione Faumuina.

Murray insists the culture and lifestyle of Townsville will help get the best out of the former New Zealand international.

Faumuina trained with the Cowboys squad for the first time yesterday after signing a two-year deal this week.

The 25-year-old utility was sacked by the Warriors in August last year after a string of alcohol-fuelled incidents.

Warriors management put him on notice after he was involved in verbal altercations with New Zealand coach Brian McClennan, club coach Ivan Cleary and vice-captain Ruben Wiki during a testimonial dinner for teammate Awen Guttenbeil.

He was given his marching orders following another drunken outburst in front of fans and teammates after the Warriors' last game of the season and was linked with Manly and Penrith before agreeing to join English Super League club Harlequins on a lucrative three-year contract.

Faumuina walked out on that deal before Christmas, flying back to Australia to be with his family and seek a new deal in the National Rugby League, a move that has left his management stunned.

Faumuina's manager, Peter Brown, has threatened to cut ties with his charge, claiming he had not been contacted about the decision to return to the NRL or sign with the Cowboys.

Brown's business partner, former New Zealand Warriors and Test coach Frank Endacott, said there was a "big credibility question mark" over Faumuina following his "bizarre behaviour".

"Peter and I are in partnership but he handles the Sione folder. But I don't know for how much longer because he hasn't heard from him," Endacott said.

"We did get him a decent three-year contract in the UK, and he's walked out on that and we haven't heard from him since. It is bizarre behaviour.

"Clubs start to stay clear of players like that.

"He's not doing himself any good for his own personal credibility because you want players to honour contracts.

"There's a big credibility question mark at the moment.

"If he has signed with the Cowboys, good on him, but I'm at a loss as to what's happened."

Murray played down suggestions the presence of Faumuina could destabilise his young team, which was swamped by unwanted off-field problems last season including Mitchell Sargent's failed drug test and the spreading of unfounded rumours of a sex scandal within the club.

"I have done my own background checks, as you do before signing any player, and I have been pretty happy with what I have heard from the people I have spoken to," Murray said.

"He's an undoubtedly talented footballer and I am really confident that he will be a good fit for us, on and off the field.

"I think he will be a really good pick-up for our club.

"As soon as we heard he was back in Australia and looking to get back in the NRL, we got in touch with him.

"We were just lucky we had a bit of money left to spend on a quality player, which he certainly is and I am looking forward to working with him this season."

Warriors captain Steve Price praised club management for sacking Faumuina, saying the club's values were more important than any player.

Faumuina's contract will not include any clauses dealing with his behaviour, aside from those imposed on all players at North Queensland.

The utility laboured through the club's first session of 2007 yesterday under the watchful eye of new performance co-ordinator Glen Murphy, who has replaced Billy Johnstone.

Murray said the group had responded well to Murphy's methods and was confident Faumuina would be up to speed in a matter of weeks.

"Sione struggled a bit today, but then so did most of the group," Murray said.

"It was a tough session and he got through it."
FOX SPORTS

Even if it was a risk, it would pay off.

[Poida]

http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.a...E14793,00.html

RECRUIT FOLLOWS THURSTO

By ANTONY STEWART
04jan07

THE lure of playing alongside 'the next big superstar in rugby league' proved too hard to resist for new North Queensland Cowboys recruit Sione Faumuina.

Despite attracting offers from defending NRL premiers Brisbane and the Gold Coast Titans, Faumuina agreed to a two-year deal with the Cowboys, saying the Johnathan Thurston factor played a major role in his decision.

Yesterday's announcement at Dairy Farmers Stadium was a huge boost for the club ahead of the 2007 season, bolstering North Queensland's forward stocks and adding yet another international-class player to their star-studded line-up.

The 25-year-old Faumuina, who has played 99 first-grade games for Canberra and the New Zealand Warriors over the course of six seasons, spent time at all three interested clubs during the past month before coming to a decision about his future.

In the end the versatile back-rower said the coaching staff, club set-up and representative player quality at the Cowboys were huge drawcards while the prospect of running off Australian halfback Thurston sealed the deal.

"That was a big key, when I was at the Broncos (and) speaking to them, (Darren) Lockyer was also a big factor," said the former New Zealand international.

"But I honestly think Thurston is the next big superstar in rugby league and to play off him, a Dally M medal winner a couple of years back ? I just can't wait till he comes back to training."

North Queensland coach Graham Murray was just as excited about what Faumuina would bring to the team, labelling him one of the most dynamic ball- runners in the competition.

At 190cm and 101kg, the Auckland native has the ability to break a defensive line as well as off-load in a tackle, making him a valuable asset to the Cowboys, Murray said.

Faumuina has played just two Tests for his country, in 2003 and 2004, but Murray believes there will be many more to come.

"I mean, 100 first-grade game and two Tests ? I can see Sione doing a hell of a lot more than that," he said.

"When Paul Rauhihi first came here it gave us a thrill to get him back into the New Zealand Test side and that will be our role, to get Sione back playing Test football."

But after a stormy 2006, which saw him sacked from the Warriors before quitting English Super League club the London Harlequins without playing a game, Faumuina said he was just looking forward to starting over.

"Coming up here, fresh start, new club ? I didn't want to leave the NRL in the first place ? but I am happy that I am back," he said. "I'm happy that the Cowboys have offered me a contract and I just want to play footy, that's all I want to do."

Faumuina will be joined in the twin cities by his partner of four years, New Zealand netball representative, Temepara George, in May.

[DeeGan]

Good - he is now not a possible Titans signing.

[Kingaroy Redant]

I really wish him all the best at the Cowboys, but somehow I think the Sheriff will have him run out of town before high-noon. As soon as someone says " Set 'em up bartender", he will be in trouble unless he goes completely clean from grog.