Whyte hot: Naufahu on JWH, hairstyles, Eli Katoa, and plans to become game’s top prop
Payne Haas is regarded as the best front-rower in the game. The player who aims to replace him will face him this Sunday. Roosters and New Zealand enforcer Naufahu Whyte has lost count of how many times he has been compared to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
Whyte recalls his first encounter with the esteemed player vividly. At the end of 2020, with COVID still affecting society, the 18-year-old Whyte arrived from New Zealand on a train-and-trial deal with the Roosters. One day, while walking to training to watch the NRL team, Roosters coach Trent Robinson singled him out to join a training drill.
“I remember feeling honoured and starstruck when looking around and seeing the likes of Jared, Isaac Liu and Sio Siua Taukeiaho,” Whyte said. “I then took my first carry and got absolutely pumped. I didn’t know who had hit me at the time, but I got smoked. To my surprise, I looked up and it was Jared. He just stood over me, gave me that look, and didn’t say a word. I was like, ‘did that bro just hit me?’ He hit me so hard. I’m pretty certain it was shoulder to mouth.
“I had trained in my own age group and always knew what was coming, but at that very moment, I knew I was with the big dogs. None of the boys came and helped me get up. Then we were doing recovery and Jared came up, shook my hand, and said, ‘nice to meet you, bro.’”
Naufahu Whyte’s experience highlighted the intensity of professional rugby league and his aspirations to rise to the top prop position, following in the footsteps of players like Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Payne Haas.
Author’s summary: Naufahu Whyte reflects on his first encounter with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, signaling his determination to become the top prop in rugby league.