It’s tough being good. Siosifa Talakai is finding out that the higher you rise in rugby league, the more people want your number.
The Sharks centre could be about to become the centre of bidding war between his state, New South Wales, and his heritage nation, Tonga, with both seeking his services come the representative round in June.
Talakai has been pulling up trees in the Shire, culminating in a monster first 40 against Manly that saw him dominate his counterpart, Morgan Harper, so completely that the Sea Eagle was hooked at half time.
There were two tries, three try assists and nearly 200m in the first half alone in a showing that catapulted Talakai into the rep conversation.
It’s been a meteoric rise for the former Mascot Jet. Despite debuting at South Sydney in 2016, he was released and bounced through the NSW Cup, working the bins while chasing his footy dream with Penrith and later Newtown.
It was with the Bluebags that he caught the eye of Cronulla and got a belated return to top grade in 2020. Now, he stands on the brink of rep honours.
The choice will have to be made sooner rather than later. There’s a spot in the NSW centre position following the injury to Latrell Mitchell, but with a Tonga test match against New Zealand in Auckland set to be announced imminently for the same weekend as Origin 2, that option is also on the table.
Blues coach Brad Fittler was on the Nine coverage of last night’s game and mentioned interest from their side, noting that Talakai was in an Emerging Blues squad in the past.
“He played in some pathways with NSW,” he said.
“He’s a proud Tongan man, there’s a mid-season Test for Tonga at the same time as the second Origin… but he is a NSW boy.
Speaking in the sheds after the game, Talakai said that he was aware of the interest and wanted to represent his state.
“I definitely want to make myself eligible for NSW,” said the 25-year-old.
“I want to try and make Origin first and hopefully I can do that.”
Under current eligibility rules, Talakai could play for NSW in Origin and then switch to Tonga for the World Cup.
He revealed that he had already been in touch with Mate Ma’a Tonga coach Kristian Woolf, who is currently based in the UK with St Helens.
“With Tonga being a tier two team, I know I can play there as well,” said Talakai.
“I want to try to make Origin first and hopefully I get to represent Tonga [too]. I want to represent my parents, I owe a lot to them.”
“I’ve been talking to Woolfy quite a bit.
“We already have that kind of relationship where if he picks me I’m grateful, I’m still just grateful just to have him in my contacts.”