Jason Taumalolo has lauded Kristian Woolf as the real pillar of Tonga’s rugby league revolution, seven years after his own defection helped revive Test football.
Sunday’s Pacific Championships Cup final against Australia could be Woolf’s last game in charge of Tonga, with the star preparing to take on the top job at the Dolphins next year.
Involved with Tonga since he became an assistant coach in 2013, Woolf is yet to decide if he will coach on or even move into a different role in the national set up.
Tonga coach Kristian Woolf (centre) looks on during a training session at Blacktown Workers Rugby League Club in Sydney. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
Taumalolo’s decision to prioritise Tonga over New Zealand in 2017 has long been credited with changing the international game.
But players believe Woolf’s role cannot be understated, from his first game in charge in 2014 to leading the team to qualifying for its first major final this week.
“A lot of people talk about the players who have made the sacrifices,” Taumalolo said.
“But I think Kristian Woolf is very much the pillar of what Tonga rugby league is right now.”
Taumalolo has made no secret it was because of Woolf that he returned to play for Tonga, having debuted for the side in 2013 then earning Kiwi selection the next year.
“I had Kristian as my first under-20s coach at Cowboys. We built a connection through that,” Taumalolo said.
“He had a lot to do with me coming back … when I made my decision, it wasn’t hard at all.
“I promised him I wouldn’t come back as an old player when I wasn’t getting picked for New Zealand.
“So I made the decision to come back while I was playing really good football, that I would go back and represent Tonga — and the rest is history.”
Taumalolo’s promise to Woolf has since prompted several other players to prioritise Tonga, and inspired similar actions from several big names with Samoan heritage.
Woolf shies away from any talk about his importance to the rejuvenation of Tonga and international rugby league.
But those close to him stress one of the most impressive things is the way he has not changed as a coach despite Tonga now appearing to be an entirely different squad to a decade ago.
“As we got going a little bit and started to see the potential, we wanted to make sure we could harness that potential,” Woolf told AAP.
“A big thing was trying to make sure that what we have in the Tongan camp is as professional as what a player could get in other camps.
“We [thought that] could get the best players wanting to play for Tonga. That is what we have worked hard to do.”
While he credits Taumalolo’s move as the most important of his tenure, he has signs of what is possible in rugby league’s Pacific giant from his first days involved.
“I was pretty naive at that stage. But I enjoyed the difference and when we got together in the team room the camaraderie was there straight away,” Woolf said.
“The support has always been there [from fans], and the passion for the team and the passion for the players has always been there.
“I think what’s really helped that increase and improve is all the best players wanting to play for Tonga.”
AAP
