League: Puletua primed to push for test place

Experienced Kiwis second rower Tony Puletua is far from downcast at missing out on a 14th test cap when the Tri-Nations rugby league competition opens with a trans-Tasman battle here at Telstra Stadium tomorrow night.

The 26-year-old is simply happy to get on the ground in the curtain raiser for what will be his first competitive game since April.

Although Puletua was named in the 21-man Kiwis squad to play the Kangaroos, he was always destined for the New Zealand A team to play a Kangaroos Invitational side, enabling him to ease back into top level league ahead of the tournament's northern hemisphere leg in England later this month.

Puletua tore a pectoral muscle when attempting to tackle Melbourne Storm halfback Matt Orford in round five and needed surgery after internal bleeding swelled his right bicep.

"Two tendons were ripped and the blood left the top of my arm black. It was pretty scary -- I knew I'd done a serious injury."

Puletua, who marks a decade's service at the Panthers next season, was confined to aerobic training with his teammates after a month off.

After shedding the sling after six weeks he faced two months of rehab and eventually felt confident enough to play at the tail end of the season when the Panthers still had a sniff at the play-offs.

"I was hoping to get a few games towards the end but they (coaching staff) didn't want me to come back early."

The positive was Penrith encouraged him to go on the Kiwis tour if he was selected, a stark contrast to their attitude this time last year when they insisted he undergo ankle surgery.

"I was really disappointed last year because the ankle wasn't that bad, I could have gone."

His predicament, Puletua lamented, was indicative of the frustrating treatment meted out to Kiwis contenders by their clubs when tests against Australia roll around.

"It seems to always be the Kiwis players that they pull out," Puletua said, referring to the Wests Tigers decision to ship off Benji Marshall and Dene Halatau for shoulder surgery.

"If Australia wanted a proper challenge and for international rugby league to be competitive they (clubs) should release the players.

"I just hope in the future we have more say more say over our players."

The immediate future is of greater concern to Puletua, namely how he will control his emotions when he makes a long over due comeback.

"I'm not worried about the injury, my only worry is I'm just so excited to play. I'm trying to calm myself down."

Despite the lay-off he had no concerns about his ability.

"Even though I've been out for a while there's no reason I can't do a few things on the field," he said.

"I've been around for a while now, I should be sweet."

The addition of Kangaroos squad members that missed the cut for the test 17 has spiced up the contest with Puletua admitting it was easier to focus when lining up against stars rather than the Junior Kangaroos.

"I felt it was hard to prepare if it was just the Juniors. Now with guys like (Trent) Barrett and (Willie) Mason it should be a good game."

Meanwhile, Kiwis coach Brian McClennan said the match was a vital cog in his Tri-Nations' preparations.

"This is our reserve grade team. Their next step is the Kiwis so this is an important game for us."

Because the New Zealand Warriors missed out on the play-offs, test candidates Wairangi Koopu and Iafeta Paleaeesina have been inactive since late August.

The same applies to Joe Galuvao while Hull-based utility Motu Tony has also had to assimilate back into the squad after a season in the English Super League.

"We had to make sure our guys are getting football," McClennan said.

"After the Auckland test (against the Kangaroos next Friday) if we need to throw a couple of these guys in these blokes they will have had a run."

- NZPA