QUENTIN LAULU-TOGAGA’E was supposed to be enjoying his testimonial game tonight with Sheffield Eagles against former side Castleford Tigers at the home of Featherstone Rovers.
That fixture has been postponed due to the adverse weather, but ahead of that fixture, QLT sat down with BBC Radio Leeds to discuss his rugby league career.
Now 40 years of age, QLT has spent 14 years in the UK, plying his trade for the likes of Sheffield, Halifax, Keighley and Castleford.
However, it took the livewire seven years to finally make the step up to Super League with Castleford in 2018 – and now he has reflected on that move and why it almost never happened.
“It was my dream to come here and play Super League but the year it happened, I was at Toronto at the start of the year and I left when I wasn’t wanted anymore,” QLT told BBC Radio Leeds.
“I went to Halifax for four games and it was the Summer Bash game that opened the Super League door. I was supposed to sign for Salford.
“Salford had come in for me, everything had been agreed and I was going to travel to Salford. But the night before, Castleford rang my manager.
“I then had to choose between Salford and Castleford. What a dream that was to finally reach that level after eight years of being in the country. I was 33 at the time.
“When you think about the hurdles I had to go through, I was a quota spot and you would think at 33 that no coach would want to risk bringing in a player that was untested in the NRL.
“Cas were a big team at the time and I am really proud of making my Super League debut that year.”
So why did QLT leave The Jungle after just one season?
“There was a chance I could have stayed. Four games in they offered me a two-year contract.
“But, before I signed I did something to my knee and they wanted to hold off to make sure – I was turning 34 – my knee wasn’t going to be crocked.
“Waiting four weeks then, Leigh didn’t make the top eight and they ended up signing Peter Mata’utia so I was told there wasn’t a spot for me.
“I was upset at the time. I had a chance to extend for two years but that’s part and parcel of the game.”
