Melbourne Storm star Suliasi Vunivalu didn’t need firing up for his return to the side for last week’s qualifying final win over South Sydney.
But the Fijian-born winger admits he did need a wake-up call to improve his recovery practices after suffering his second hamstring injury of the season.
Vunivalu missed a game after his side’s clash with Brisbane in the early rounds, then in the game against Parramatta he felt his hamstring go again and didn’t return after half time.
That second injury saw him sit out almost two weeks and forced him to be more professional in caring for his body.
Suliasi Vunivalu (right) after scoring a try during the Storm’s qualifying final against the Rabbitohs last week.
Vunivalu had a history of serious injuries in his early days at the Storm but since breaking into the side in 2016 has played 68 games and scored 61 tries, if the Storm win next Friday’s preliminary final he will be set for a third consecutive NRL grand final appearance.
“I had the all clear after that Broncos game – it was just me not doing all the little things right but after this second hamstring injury I know all the things I have to do,” Vunivalu said this week.
“After every training I have to do heaps of recovery and all my stretches.”
While Vunivalu is taking more care off the pitch, he threw caution to the wind in the qualifying final expressing his frustration following his absence by hitting Rabbitohs star Greg Inglis with a fearsome tackle to his ribs and scoring two tries.
“Two weeks out, I felt bad and I was that hungry to get back on the field,” Vunivalu said.
“I just wanted to play and I thought I would start off being aggressive, pumped and all those cobwebs would go away.”
While the Storm are focused on preparing for their preliminary final and the prospect of becoming back-to-back premiers, Vunivalu hasn’t lost sight of the significance of the preliminary final being the last game in Melbourne for legend Billy Slater and club great Ryan Hoffman.
“Not only Billy, we have Hoff and the other boys who are leaving,” Vunivalu said.
“I used to look up to Billy, he was one of my idols back in Fiji so we want to send them all off on a high.
“We are all going to keep training and play it game by game, not looking ahead of ourselves.”
Vunivalu gave his hamstring a stress test with a powerful sprint down the right wing just on half- time of the Souths game as he chased down Brodie Croft’s grubber kick before leaping into a “Superman” dive for the line.
“Before that I was just looking to get that ball, the first bounce it came up, it bounced again and I thought I won’t get that bounce again,” Vunivalu recalled.
“The hamstring was sweet, all I wanted was to get that ball and score that try.”
He pounded his heart in celebration after the score.
“Sometime I pump my chest because the logo is there, I love this club,” he said.
The Storm host an NRL preliminary final at AAMI Park this coming Friday at 7.40pm.
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