Tamwelg
11-05-07, 07:16 AM
Source: www.gcbulletin.com.au
Joelin on mission at Titans
Luke Turgeon
11May07
IT has been more than two years since his last game of footy, but Joelin Rapana is a godsend for the Gold Coast Titans.
The former Australian Schoolboys star and devout Mormon is back on the Coast after spending the past two years on a mission in Western Australia 'spreading God's word to the world'.
One of the hottest properties in rugby league when he shelved his footy boots at the end of 2004, Rapana has just been signed to a two-year deal by the Titans in the hope he can pick up right where he left off.
"There are those question marks in my head because I haven't played in two years," said 21-year-old Rapana, whose last game was for the Australian Schoolboys against England at the end of 2004.
"That is a lot of faith that Carty (Titans coach John Cartwright) and the boys here are putting in me.
"I want to show them that they are not wasting their time with me. I am just trying to show them that I am worth a full-time spot, even though I have a few cobwebs to blow out."
Despite not playing a game of footy for two years, Rapana trained almost every day in preparation for his return to rugby league.
The powerful centre/winger spent time in Fremantle near Perth, as far south as Albany and as far north as Geraldton, often without access to traditional gym equipment.
"You will never match the training intensity that a guy like Billy Johnstone (Titans trainer) has by yourself," said Rapana, who returned to the Coast a month ago and started training with the Titans this week.
"It is nothing like what we are doing here. Sometimes I was in towns that didn't have a gym or weights so you had to use what you can. Milk bottles and things came in handy."
The third eldest of 10 children, the former Palm Beach-Currumbin student had a Bulldogs deal when he left and had several NRL clubs chasing his signature upon his return.
But the support of his large family convinced him the Gold Coast was the right place to pursue his National Rugby League ambitions.
Rapana played Australian Schoolboys alongside the likes of Test and Queensland star Greg Inglis, Broncos flyer Steve Michaels and emerging Newcastle halfback Jarrod Mullen.
Karmichael Hunt and Benji Marshall were in his Queensland Schoolboys under-18 team.
"I always had the intention in mind of returning to football upon arriving home and I knew that my goal and desire was to play first grade," said the New Zealand-born Rapana.
"NRL is my goal.
"I definitely want it.
"I want to play first grade and do all the things you see the boys on TV doing on Friday nights.
"I look at the two years away as a freshening up period.
"I have no injuries, I am young still and I have still got plenty of time ahead of me."
Cartwright said Rapana would kick off with Tweed Heads in the Queensland Cup but train with the top squad for the rest of the season.
"He is a big lump and he is in a position where we are a little bit short so fingers crossed he does well," said Cartwright.
"But he is still a long way off.
"He hasn't played in two years or played against open age company but it is good to have him with us.
"He is a local kid so it is a good shot in the arm for all the local kids to see that we are keen on keeping them on the Coast."
Joelin on mission at Titans
Luke Turgeon
11May07
IT has been more than two years since his last game of footy, but Joelin Rapana is a godsend for the Gold Coast Titans.
The former Australian Schoolboys star and devout Mormon is back on the Coast after spending the past two years on a mission in Western Australia 'spreading God's word to the world'.
One of the hottest properties in rugby league when he shelved his footy boots at the end of 2004, Rapana has just been signed to a two-year deal by the Titans in the hope he can pick up right where he left off.
"There are those question marks in my head because I haven't played in two years," said 21-year-old Rapana, whose last game was for the Australian Schoolboys against England at the end of 2004.
"That is a lot of faith that Carty (Titans coach John Cartwright) and the boys here are putting in me.
"I want to show them that they are not wasting their time with me. I am just trying to show them that I am worth a full-time spot, even though I have a few cobwebs to blow out."
Despite not playing a game of footy for two years, Rapana trained almost every day in preparation for his return to rugby league.
The powerful centre/winger spent time in Fremantle near Perth, as far south as Albany and as far north as Geraldton, often without access to traditional gym equipment.
"You will never match the training intensity that a guy like Billy Johnstone (Titans trainer) has by yourself," said Rapana, who returned to the Coast a month ago and started training with the Titans this week.
"It is nothing like what we are doing here. Sometimes I was in towns that didn't have a gym or weights so you had to use what you can. Milk bottles and things came in handy."
The third eldest of 10 children, the former Palm Beach-Currumbin student had a Bulldogs deal when he left and had several NRL clubs chasing his signature upon his return.
But the support of his large family convinced him the Gold Coast was the right place to pursue his National Rugby League ambitions.
Rapana played Australian Schoolboys alongside the likes of Test and Queensland star Greg Inglis, Broncos flyer Steve Michaels and emerging Newcastle halfback Jarrod Mullen.
Karmichael Hunt and Benji Marshall were in his Queensland Schoolboys under-18 team.
"I always had the intention in mind of returning to football upon arriving home and I knew that my goal and desire was to play first grade," said the New Zealand-born Rapana.
"NRL is my goal.
"I definitely want it.
"I want to play first grade and do all the things you see the boys on TV doing on Friday nights.
"I look at the two years away as a freshening up period.
"I have no injuries, I am young still and I have still got plenty of time ahead of me."
Cartwright said Rapana would kick off with Tweed Heads in the Queensland Cup but train with the top squad for the rest of the season.
"He is a big lump and he is in a position where we are a little bit short so fingers crossed he does well," said Cartwright.
"But he is still a long way off.
"He hasn't played in two years or played against open age company but it is good to have him with us.
"He is a local kid so it is a good shot in the arm for all the local kids to see that we are keen on keeping them on the Coast."