League: Asotasi glad to be back after year from hell

Roy Asotasi

Roy Asotasi has no complaints about being overlooked for the Kiwis' captaincy - he's just grateful to be there after a horror 2008.

It could hardly have been worse in the black jersey for the 23-test veteran prop last year.

It began when he bravely put his test captaincy on the line to declare no-confidence in then-coach Gary Kemble, and got his wish when Steve Kearney and Wayne Bennett were installed.

Asotasi's first test under the new duo, a year ago in Sydney, started badly when he was knocked senseless early on and didn't return.

Then, on the eve of the World Cup campaign, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle which required surgery and ruled him out of the biggest day in New Zealand league history last November.

That was as low as it got for Asotasi, arm in a sling and on crutches after clean-up ankle surgery, watching his mates in preliminary matches.

"It was pretty tough. I was in a bad place, I had surgery on the ankle and the pec injury, the season was over. You couldn't ask for anything worse," he said yesterday.

"I kept myself busy. I had my wife [Celeste] there supporting me and she was great, that was the only way I could really do it."

When the Kiwis stormed to a memorable 34-20 win at Suncorp Stadium, Asotasi was just starting to jog again and could barely watch.

"After the surgery I couldn't do anything for three months. I couldn't even sweat. When I finally got back in November I really started training hard and tried to focus on that rather than the boys winning the World Cup because I was so disappointed not to be there.

"It was mixed emotions, I was happy the boys got the trophy back in New Zealand in the cabinet."

Only now does the South Sydney captain, 27, feel he's nearing peak fitness after his setbacks.

He was excited to get Kearney's call last week for Friday's transtasman test, but not surprised Benji Marshall was named captain to succeed World Cup skipper Nathan Cayless.

"A lot of people have asked if I'm disappointed but I'm just happy to be back in the side. I didn't think once I wanted to get back in as captain."

And everyone is glad big Roy's back for the Suncorp showdown, none more so than Kiwis propping partner Adam Blair: "Everyone follows Roy's footsteps, he's going to take the ball forward and everyone will follow him."

- NZPA