After spending the later stages of 2024 at centre, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is embracing his return to the fullback role and is being inspired by the rising standards at the Dolphins.
With Trai Fuller impressing with his every opportunity in the NRL in the custodian role last season, Tabuai-Fidow slotted into the centres to finish the year, also playing in the position for Australia in their successful Pacific Championships campaign.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Try
However, with Fuller set to miss most of 2025 after rupturing his ACL, Tabuai-Fidow is back training in his preferred position, despite "no guarantees" from his coach Kristian Woolf just yet.
“For myself, I don't mind centre, but fullback is my main position and I think we've got to work hard and earn (our jerseys) and that's what I'm willing to do in this pre-season is to work for that position and hopefully make it my primary position for the whole year,” Tabuai-Fidow said.
“No guarantees yet; you've got to earn it and the boys have worked hard (in training) and I have got to get up to their standards and with the way they've been trained … I started a bit later and I have just got to get back up to that and earn my jersey.
“I've had all my reps at fullback (this pre-season) and pretty sad news for Trai, but I think he'll come back bigger and better with his injury, he'll learn from it and I'm excited for him to get back out there.”
Rejoining the squad a few weeks later than the majority of the squad following his international campaign, Tabuai-Fidow was struck by the level of intensity at training and admitted to taking some time to adjust after having some time away from the game.
“I think the standards have gone up a level and I think we all needed that coming off last year where we sort of fell off, but the way Woolfy and (assistant coaches) Rory [Kostjasyn] and Fieny [Nathan Fien] are pushing the boys, they've all put their hand up and are willing to work hard for each other and just good to be around the boys and the coaching staff as well," Tabuai-Fidow said.
“But for myself, (the focus now is) just earning the jersey and just getting my standards up to what the coaching staff want me at.
“That's my main focus and it helps me focus on that position and that position only so I can get my reps in and work on what I do need to work on and just get better at it as well.
“(I need to work on) my defence, getting my number splits right and just working hard on that and just helping the D line and helping the boys out as well.
“I think that goes a long way when I do help the line out, it helps the boys as well, so, it tips juice into our line and into myself being confident that I can lead the boys around and get them into the right spots.”
Most watched NRL tries of 2024: 2
As well as refining on his own game, Tabuai-Fidow said the hard-nosed approach to pre-season was needed to address some of the shortcomings that affected the side in their first two seasons where they have been unable to make the finals, despite promising starts.
“I think that comes down to our mental state,” the Indigenous All Stars representative said.
“I'd say dropped it off a little bit. I think our standards weren't as high as it is now coming into the pre-season with the way the boys have training and I think all the boys; their standards have gone up through the roof and the mental state has gone up too.
“It's good seeing how fit the boys are and how hard they are working and it only makes me get up to their standards and be a better player as well.”
Match: Dolphins v Rabbitohs
Round 1 -
home Team
Dolphins
away Team
Rabbitohs
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
