Monday 18 March 2013 08:41, UK
What links Oldham to Innisfail in Australia? Brian Carney takes you on a rugby league journey...
Samoa and the Mormon community will be represented on the Melbourne Storm side by new recruit Lagi Setu. He has just spent two years on a Latter Day Saint mission, part of that served here in England. While on his mission he was allowed one hour of internet access per month and no phone calls. Difficult to manage a return to the NRL when clubs like St George Illawarra and the Brisbane Broncos are chasing you but he managed it and Melbourne were the club he plumped for. How will two years away from the gym and the rigours of playing affect this much sought after forward? Friday will go some way towards answering that question but Craig Bellamy has few doubts. Bellamy sees him as a big part of the Storms future. Happily for Melbourne fans Bellamy will be part of their future after signing a deal until 2016 with a rumoured two-year extension clause. "Bellyache" as he is known by his players has been in Victoria since 2003 and in his own words sees himself "as a fan of the club". How good would Melbourne be without the "mastercoach"? Their supporters are glad that is not a question they will have to answer anytime soon. I'm sure the Sky Sports cameras will be focused on him during the game. His "explosions" offer great viewing! But theatrics weren't why the club owners re-signed him. He has an incredible record at building and more importantly, after the salary cap scandal, rebuilding winning sides. He has had to shed many stars in the past but held on to his "holy trinity" of Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater. Slater and Melbourne are like bread and butter. You think of one and the other pops into your head. There must be plenty of talent scouts in Queensland scratching their heads as to how they missed this superstar as he was coming through the junior ranks. While he might have made his name in Victoria he is a proud Queenslander from the far north. Innisfail to be precise. A town first settled (I appreciate that is a poor verb to use considering the country was already inhabited) by an Irishman, Thomas Henry Fitzgerald, in 1879. His house and subsequently Billy's birthplace was named Innisfallen , shortened to Innisfail, after an island on Killarney's beautiful lakes.
