Etene Nanai-Seturo...it's all right son, you should be safe now. Photo / David Neilson
Etene Nanai-Seturo...it's all right son, you should be safe now. Photo / David Neilson
He's the hottest property in the football codes, with more relatives in high places than Donald Trump.
But with the world at his feet, did Etene Nanai-Seturo almost succumb to a moment of temporary madness?
Nanai-Seturo was faced with one of the easiest choices in New Zealand sport.
On one hand, the St Kentigern College student was a schoolboy rugby union star and thus in the pipeline which leads to the world champion All Blacks. On the other hand, he was wanted by the Auckland Warriors, the loser league outfit.
This is like being offered fresh snapper or a box of fish fingers. Nanai-Seturo initially grabbed the fish fingers.
Never mind. The 18-year-old is already attempting to back out of his league deal, and has revitalised his rugby career by playing for the New Zealand sevens in Sydney. Bye bye league means hello court case. Well, that's what the Warriors seem to reckon, and I'm all for anyone prepared to take on the arrogant national rugby body.
Without getting into the legal argument, here's the more important bigger picture.
If the Warriors were a club which had built up respect, they wouldn't get themselves in these jams.
Nearly three decades of mainly rubbish performances on and off the field have turned them into such a doormat that getting Nanai-Seturo's signature in the first place — no matter how tenuous his league commitment has turned out to be — must be seen as a shock.
Here is my serious and heartfelt recommendation to any outstanding young football player who is considering joining the Warriors. Don't.
If you are a journeyman with nowhere else to, by all means give it a crack. But not if you are graced with talent above the norm.
Either go with the rugby option, or learn to play rugby league with a proper club in Australia, then come back to NZ when the price and timing is right.
Etene Nanai-Seturo in action for the All Black sevens. Photo / Getty Images
In 23 years of often woeful Warriors football, I would argue that only one homegrown player — the remarkable Simon Mannering — has played up to or beyond his potential at the Warriors. Logan Swann might also belong in that category.
There may be a couple of others but to use a cricket term, the 'conversion rate' is somewhere between poor and disastrous.
So many others, Ali Lauitiiti, Ben Matulino et al, ultimately fell short, even though they enjoyed a few good years.
With all due respect, I would even include the great Stacey Jones in that. A top Aussie club would certainly have demanded Jones become a better defender, whereas his exalted status at the Warriors excused him from fully fronting up in that regard.
Furthermore, in the sad and frustrating history of the Warriors, even the big name recruits have failed. The amazing Steve Price was one guy who over-achieved, and the braveheart Micheal Luck should never be forgotten.
But the long term success stories end about there, a situation summed up by the premature departure of five-eighth James Maloney who represented a stunning bit of recruitment and development gone sadly wrong.
As for the Chiefs-bound Etene Nanai-Seturo — he's seen the light, and will almost certainly enjoy a lucky escape.
Fantastic to hear a New Zealand rugby player actually say something interesting and/or question the status quo.
Hats off to Portia Woodman, who says the New Zealand leg of the world sevens tour should include a women's tournament.
Great issue. The last player prepared to stand up for anything was probably Justin Marshall, and he quit playing here over a decade ago.
What are the odds do you think that Woodman — who may be the first household name in women's rugby — will get a call from rugby HQ, suggesting strongly that she direct her concerns through private channels in future. All for the good of the game, you understand, and nothing to do with giving those at the top an easy ride.
***
Congratulations to world darts, for removing the walk-on girls from their major televised events. All sports cheerleaders and their ilk should go the same way.
The whole cheerleading bizzo is demeaning, including for those of us who have to watch it.
Walk-on parts for pretty girls is a sexist business of objectification, that relegates women to a degrading role which says they are only good for their looks.
There is a lot of skill involved in cheerleading, but the real reason cheerleaders still exist is the vast amount of skin on show. In other words, it is a lie.
They are simply there to glorify the male players and titillate the crowd. Women are portrayed as subservient, in a very public way.
It's very embarrassing for sport.
If people really want to watch cheerleading, they can go to cheerleading competitions. And if professional sport is so wedded to the art of cheerleading, get a load of young blokes to perform the tricks and see how long it lasts.
