Teteh’s target

TWENTY-three-year-old Residents XIII centre Thompson Teteh is set to unleash venom against the Rabbitohs on at the Redfern Oval, in Sydney, on Saturday.
After being picked but then restricted to running the water for the Prime Minister’s XIII in last year’s  challenge against Australia, the no-nonsense centre wants to show what he has.

PNG 2011 ‘gun’ centre of the year just was not good enough even for a bench spot.
Last Saturday’s return to top form however at the Cabramatta 9s signalled the potential of one of Goroka’s sons to enter the fray against the NRL founding club.
“I really wanted to play against Australia,” Teteh admitted.
“But no matter how bad I wanted to play, I knew I was not fully fit.”
The 2011 Digicel Cup season had been such a ‘boom’ year after making the Pacific Nations Cup side and then the PM’s side, and that everything around him had happened very quickly, it was a shock when injuries and form hit him midway into the 2012 season.
“I knew I didn’t deserve to play last year no matter what. I think I became a target after 2011 and that affected my game, because the opposition knew about how I played and how good I was,” he said.
“It affected my body and the injuries were one after another.”
Teteh dedicated the festive season to his return and reflected on his goals so much that he is in Sydney with the lofty aim of impressing enough to make the World Cup cut.
“I want to prove to the coach … I want to prove to Adrian Lam that I can play in the number three jersey against Souths and then I want to play in the World Cup.
“If I get the chance, I will grab it and prove myself.”
He knows however that competition is not easy for a centre spot.
“Menzie Yere na Jessie Joe em ol strongpla centre (Menzie Yere and Jessie Joe Parker are very strong centres), but I know that it will a great chance to play beside any of them.”
Coach Adrian Lam was to have named his side in Sydney last night for the final preparations for Souths.
Lam admitted last week that all players would get a run against the Rabbitohs in the four-quarter match.