New Canberra recruit Ata Hingano hopes he might one day be able to return to the Warriors. Photo / New Zealand Herald Photograph by Greg Bowker.
New Canberra recruit Ata Hingano hopes he might one day be able to return to the Warriors. Photo / New Zealand Herald Photograph by Greg Bowker.
Former Warriors playmaker Ata Hingano leaves Auckland with a heavy heart but is hoping for better opportunities after taking a pay-cut to sign a two-year deal with the Canberra Raiders.
The 20-year-old Tongan international will arrive in Canberra on Sunday where he will compete for a spot either in the halves or at hooker this season after being released by the Warriors on Monday.
There are no guarantees of a spot in coach Ricky Stuart's side and Hingano expects he'll start out in reserve grade when the Raiders open their season with a home game against the Titans next Sunday.
However, he is confident that good form will be rewarded and is prepared to battle it out with the Raiders halves Aidan Sezer and Blake Austin and dummy-half contenders Siliva Havili and Craig Garvey, in the absence of England hooker Josh Hodgson.
The 20-year-old playmaker impressed in the halves throughout Tonga's World Cup campaign. Photo / New Zealand Herald Photograph by Jason Oxenham.
"The Raiders are missing a hooker but for me it's more being under a coach that has success behind him and hopefully I can develop as a player," Hingano told the Herald.
"The indication Canberra has given me is if I can prove myself and stand out in Cup games then 'we'll give you a crack'.
"I know they've got established halves but if I can get that development under Ricky, I can really challenge and try and get in front of them, or else just play consistent footy.
"But I don't mind attacking other positions whether it's hooker or half. I've just got to keep working hard for it."
That scenario is not too different to what he faced at the Warriors but Hingano felt his first grade prospects appeared bleak, with new recruit Blake Green set to own the No6 jersey and Issac Luke and Nathaniel Roache the preferred options at hooker - although the latter was today ruled out for the season with a back injury.
Hingano was reluctant to go into detail but the Herald understands he felt frustrated after knocking back approaches from several clubs including the Storm, Cowboys, Bulldogs and Titans to sign a three-year extension with the Warriors, believing he was in line to replace Bulldogs-bound Kieran Foran this season.
He was taken aback when the club signed Green and despite working hard throughout the pre-season, felt the writing was on the wall when he was only used in the dying stages of last week's trial win over the Gold Coast.
Hingano admits new Warriors five-eighth Blake Green has been a good acquisition for the club. Photo / Photosport.
"I had that feeling and kind of already knew where I was at with the team anyway, but that never stopped me from training hard and putting my best foot forward," he said.
"They were really just playing their number one team to give them more of a chance to play together and build combinations.
"To play that last five minutes showed me that I was probably going to go back to reserve grade and not even in line for a bench spot really."
Despite his disappointment, Hingano is mature enough to admit that Green has been a strong acquisition for the Warriors.
"Definitely. The way he is and what he's brought to the team, it really stood out last weekend.
"He's brought stability within the club and team and just the way we were playing, it wasn't messy or disorganised.
"It was always organised, we always had something ready, and he's always been driving our training and video sessions. He's been really good."
Leaving the club he joined in his early teens has been hard on Hingano. Photo / Photosport.
Upon returning to Auckland last Sunday, the wheels were quickly put in motion for him to find a new club. After some discussions with Manly, the Raiders proved to be a better fit.
Saying goodbye to the club he joined in his early teens has been difficult but he remains hopeful he might one day be able to return to the Warriors.
"I'd definitely like to come back to the Warriors. One of my goals was to be in the club's first team to win a premiership.
"And just the players around like Simon Mannering and Roger [Tuivasa-Sheck], they are the kind of guys I really wanted to play for. The way they play and train consistently really drives me.
"To get that release and have to go and tell the boys on Tuesday was a shock to them and it still hurts now.
"I've built a really close brotherhood with the boys off the field and it's made it hard to leave them and pretty much my life here."
