Sharks find their own Fijian flyer
CRONULLA are poised to unleash their own flying Fijian after signing the older cousin of Wests Tigers speedster Marika Koroibete.
Alipate Raitini, who is within sight of the magical 10-second mark for the 100 metres, will be the club's fastest player and possibly the quickest in the NRL after joining the Sharks on a one-year deal last week.
The quietly spoken 21-year-old, a former Fijian junior age group sprint champion, was scouted by Cronulla while playing a sevens tournament with a Fijian team on the central coast in October. He has a sprinkling of rugby league experience and played in Fiji's 15-a-side team at the Pacific Nations Cup as a fullback or winger.
''I'm getting ready to jump onto the field,'' Raitini said.
''The training is very different in Fiji, at home I would just do running like three or six kilometres but here it's a little bit of running but more gym work. I enjoy playing rugby league and when my agent asked me if I prefer league or union I told him league.'
''The training is very different in Fiji, at home I would just do running like three or six kilometres but here it's a little bit of running but more gym work. I enjoy playing rugby league and when my agent asked me if I prefer league or union I told him league.''
'There's a little bit of hope there for us but it has given someone an opportunity,'' Flanagan said. ''Who knows, he may turn out to be a superstar. If you YouTube his name you'll see some really good footage, he is really fast and has scored some great tries.''
Raitini, who has moved into the Sutherland shire, will start the season in NSW Cup and most likely on the wing.
While he has committed to the club for one season, there is a mutual option to extend that deal into 2014.
''We'll let him find his feet at training and in rugby league,'' Flanagan said. ''He hasn't played league at any real competitive level so if he gets a first-grade game this season it's a bonus.
''There will be a lot of time and patience there and it's more of an investment in the future.''
The Sharks hope his bloodline runs thick and Raitini is able to channel Koroibete, who burst onto the rugby league scene scoring four tries in just his second NRL game for the Tigers this year.
He went on to play in the Tigers' final six games of the season, scoring seven tries.
''I've spoken to a couple of our ex-Wests Tigers boys and they say [Raitini] is very similar to [Koroibete] who was quietly spoken and just spoke when he had to,'' Flanagan said. ''We're hoping he follows the same path.
Sydney Morning Herald
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