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Lote's revenge in league: I'll prove the ARU got it wrong ffs
By Andrew Webster
February 06, 2010.
Lote Tuqiri doesn't want to rub the Australian Rugby Union's nose in it - yet he says he will relish the chance to prove John O'Neill made the wrong call.
Basking in the afterglow of his decision to return to the NRL after a tumultuous seven years playing rugby union, Tuqiri says he wants to show the ARU it made a mistake in terminating his contract last July.
"Now I'm in a position to do that," said Tuqiri, who has signed a three-year deal to join Wests Tigers from the end of next month.
"That will be up to me. Hopefully, I can prove those people wrong. I don't know if that's what I'm doing it for, but it will certainly be going on there subconsciously."
While confidentiality clauses have prevented Tuqiri and the ARU from speaking publicly about his dismissal, he did have to discuss the circumstances with NRL chief executive David Gallop before signing with the Tigers.
It was reported last year Tuqiri broke strict team rules for taking a woman to his Wallabies hotel room - although he has never commented publicly.
"I don't feel that I'm done with yet, that's the main thing," he said. "I've still got plenty to offer, and that's why I want to test myself in a top-class competition that is the NRL.
"That's not having a dig at rugby. I love the game. You could be bitter, but I made a lot of good friendships there and I'm quite tight with a lot of boys. It's a great game. It's just sad I won't be playing it."
Tuqiri was speaking from Leicester, where he has been playing for three months as he works out his future.
He said he almost decided to stay in the dark of England with Leicester, but ultimately realised a move back to their Birchgrove home was best for his wife Rebekka and their two young sons.
"It will be a nice change - because last year was tough," Tuqiri said.
"I've always been a bloke who takes on the positives rather than the negatives. But there was a lot of negativity around me.
"You walk down the street and people were still patting you on the back and saying things were going to be all right - but I wasn't playing any footy. That was the tough thing about it.
"It was quite tough. I've got a good family and a good wife who put up with me being home a fair bit. Which is good. In that sense, it's all about being positive. I've certainly enjoyed being around my two boys a fair bit more in that time."
At the age of 30, Tuqiri can still enjoy some golden years in rugby league, too. For his part, he is "pumped" at the idea of being coached by Tim Sheens and playing alongside Benji Marshall and young guns like Chris Lawrence and Tim Moltzen.
What about pulling on the maroon jumper, growing 12 inches and playing for Queensland? With centre Justin Hodges injured, there's a void to be filled.
"I wouldn't say Origin is a goal," Tuqiri said. "One of my first goals is to hold down a first-grade spot and go from there. Where that will be, I don't know. I don't expect to be handed anything to start with."
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Originally Posted by Burgs
