League: Vagana ready for shot at redemption

By PETER JESSUP

The past season has been the worst of Nigel Vagana's career.

At the end of last year, he left the Bulldogs for the Sharks, where turmoil erupted with the sacking of coach Chris Anderson.

Disruptions followed, he played a terrible game in the Anzac test, injury limited his time on the field, then he had to watch as the Dogs won the grand final.

The veteran centre, New Zealand's fastest player and the best try-scoring finisher the Kiwis have, is thankful he gets another chance at a decent result and redemption against the Kangaroos tomorrow.

In the Anzac test in Newcastle, Vagana dropped the ball, missed opportunities and took poor options.

"It wasn't just my worst test, it was probably the worst game I've ever played," he said at the Kiwis' camp this week.

"The harder I tried the worse it got."

It says a fair bit about Vagana's character that he came back from that to perform well for the Sharks in their next game, and returned to a consistency that saw him selected for the Kiwis again.

At age 29 he is a senior player and admits he now gets nervous at selection time, worried that his name will not be read out.

It also says a bit about his character that he would rather that the Newcastle disaster happened to him than one of the new boys coming through.

"If you are mentally tough and confident in your ability you can rebound from a bad one like that.

"Luckily it was me - it might have knocked one of the young boys so hard they didn't recover from it."

Wearing the Kiwis jersey means more to Vagana now than ever.

"You take it for granted when you're younger and you've been there for a couple of years. But I'm getting on in my career now and I really want to put my best foot forward.

"At this stage you think every test might be your last. I can't wait for Saturday and I can't wait for the tour," he said of the upcoming Tri-Nations series.

Vagana hasn't played since September 4 but feels the break has been good for him. He has been able to spend time with his family and to repair little knocks.

The shoulder that required reconstruction feels better week by week.

"The body does not recover as well as it used to and it's always a long season these days so you have to take the breaks when you get them."

Vagana doesn't feel rust will be a factor in his performance on Saturday night. Back at his favoured centre position after switches to fullback and some time at five-eighth, he will be comfortable in his role and his ability to fulfil it. He is also positive about the shape of the team.

Vagana will know a fair bit about his opposing centre, Willie Tonga, and the way he has been trained by Dogs' coach Steve Folkes.

The Aussies are sure to work Vagana's right side, where small halfback Thomas Leuluai is also defending. The Kangaroos will regard him as a liability because he has come from Bartercard Cup.

It was in the centres where the Kiwis did the damage last year when they won the 100th contest between the two countries, also at North Harbour Stadium. Clinton Toopi and Vinnie Anderson were the strike weapons.

Tomorrow, Vagana can be expected to take a big hand in the attack as he seeks to put bad news behind him.


Nigel Vagana


Born: Auckland

School: Mt Albert Grammar

NRL debut: R3 1996 for the Warriors

Games:165 games for the Warriors 1996 and 1998-2000, Bulldogs 2001-2003 and Sharks 2004, Warrington 1997

2004 season: 18 games, 12 tries. Averages nine carries for 77m, 13 tackles, 0.6 line-breaks, 1.4 off-loads.

Tests: 21 since debut 1998.