Tongan rugby league stars face anxious wait for news following tsunami | Rugby League News

Tongan rugby league players in Super League and the NRL are facing an anxious wait for news from the island

Kotoni Staggs’ first visit to Tonga left a lasting impression on him. So much so, in fact, that he describes it as “probably the best time of my life”.

It came barely two weeks after his involvement in the national team’s historic victory over Australia in 2019, where the Tongans fought back from six points down at half-time to triumph 16-12 over the Kangaroos at Auckland’s Eden Park, with fans flocking to the streets of capital city Nuku’alofa to greet members of the team at a parade held in their honour.

This week, however, the emotions for the Brisbane Broncos centre along with his clubmates of Tonga-born Delouise Hoeter and fellow international Tesi Niu have been more of grave concern as they are among those anxiously waiting for news of family and friends following the tragic events of recent days.

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Head Coach Kristian Woolf says St Helens’ Tongan players have the full support of everyone at the club after the devastation caused by the volcanic eruption and tsunami on the Pacific island.

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano, which began last Friday, sparked a tsunami which struck the Pacific Island, with videos being shared on social media of some of the devastation. However, the impact has since included all communications being down, leaving those on the outside with no idea of what is happening.

“It’s very hard,” Staggs, whose Tongan roots are on his USA-based father’s side, told a press conference on Wednesday. “Even when it first came about, I sat on the phone to my dad asking if he’d had any contact and he didn’t have contact at that time.

“As soon as he said that I put the phone down and was praying and hoping for the best, hoping that they’re all okay and safe.

“Hopefully they can use their phones soon so we can find out if they’re all right or if anything has gone wrong. So, we’re just sitting tight at the moment and fingers crossed they’re all okay.”

The situation the NRL’s Tongan contingent find themselves in is shared by their brothers based over 10,000 miles away on these shores playing for Betfred Super League sides, with three-quarters of the competition’s 12 clubs having at least one Tonga international or player with family links to the island in their ranks.

In a collective sense, that worry is perhaps being felt most profoundly at reigning champions St Helens, where internationals Agnatius Paasi and off-season signings Will Hopoate and Konrad Hurrell are now all plying their trade.

Added to that is Saints head coach Kristian Woolf also overseeing the Tonga national team – a position he has held since 2014 – and the Australian is well aware of what the trio must be going through while at the same time trying to prepare for the start of the 2022 Super League season next month.

“From their point of view, the unknown is the worst part of it, hoping, praying, wishing but not really knowing what’s going on,” Woolf said.

From their point of view, the unknown is the worst part of it, hoping, praying, wishing but not really knowing what’s going on.

Tonga and St Helens head coach Kristian Woolf

“I know they’ve got a lot going on in their minds and a lot of worries there, but they’ve been able to come to training, put a smile on their faces and put that aside, and I’m sure that they’re thinking about it very heavily once they get home.

“It’s a really sad and tragic circumstance which has happened in Tonga and obviously a completely unforeseeable one as well.

“All we can do at the moment, with the lack of information and communication coming out of there, is have the people of Tonga in our thoughts and really hope people do come through.”

Woolf praised the way the rest of the St Helens squad have rallied around to show their support for their team-mates, and it is the same in Brisbane too as it is undoubtedly at clubs across both competitions.

But with the wait before communications between Tonga and the outside world are restored, even with support now being provided by regional neighbours New Zealand and Australia, it is something which will continue to weigh heavily on minds.

“It’s hard in any aspect, being at training or at home, but we have to try to be professionals and do our job,” Broncos centre Hoeter said. “But once we know, we’ll do whatever we can from a club and players’ perspective.

“We just want to send our love and thoughts to them. They probably won’t be able to see this at the moment, but we just know we’ll stick together and when everything dies down and clears, whatever help we can give through the club and Tongan community in Australia and New Zealand, we’ll do whatever we can.”

Staggs, Niu and Hoeter have already pledged to put their shirts and boots from Brisbane’s first match of the 2022 NRL season up for auction following that game to raise funds for relief efforts, while the pre-season match between Melbourne Storm and New Zealand Warriors on February 19 will double as a ‘Unite for Tonga’ fundraiser too.

The Tonga national team have emerged as a force on the international stage

For his part, Woolf hopes rugby league will further rally around to support the nation which has made huge strides in the sport in recent years and is expected to make a big impact at this year’s Rugby League World Cup.

“After everything has been assessed, I certainly hope with the presence of Tonga in the rugby league community and the number of Tongan players that rugby league does what it does best, and that’s come together to support those players and the Kingdom of Tonga,” Woolf said.

“One thing I do know is Tonga is full of very tough and strong people, and they will pull together and come through like they have done many times before.”