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Sunia Turuva will kiss a photo of his mum on his way out the door on grand final day. However, from that moment on, it\u2019s all footy.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on the past three years \u2013 in which his mother Salote Vatuinaruku passed away and his family\u2019s Glendenning home burnt down \u2013 would run the risk of overwhelming Turuva leading into the biggest game of his life.<\/p>\n
So Turuva will focus on the Broncos and Selwyn Cobbo, the Queensland Origin winger with nine centimetres and 11 kilograms on the Dally M rookie of the year.<\/p>\n
However, Cobbo also has a bit of chirp in him, too. Doesn\u2019t mind a sledge. Which is when Salote\u2019s words will be ringing large and loud in Turuva\u2019s ears.<\/p>\n
\u201cMum hated my chat,\u201d Turuva said with a grin. \u201c[Growing up] she would worry about me not being the biggest guy out there \u2013 especially because I was a little chirpy bloke and I\u2019d make myself a target.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t help myself, and she hated that I was like that. I was the guy who\u2019d say something, get people pushing and shoving and then sneak around the back.<\/p>\n
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Sunia Turuva with his mother (left and centre) and his younger brother (right).<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven now, sometimes I\u2019ll have to pull myself into line. I still have a chirp now. I try not to do it so much, but that\u2019s what I\u2019ll be thinking: \u2018Mum hated this, better shut up\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Turuva might be trying to keep a lid on things, but what\u2019s been dubbed the loudest personality in a team full of them is emerging with every minute he spends in the NRL.<\/p>\n When larger-than-life teammates Jarome Luai and Brian To\u2019o are away on Origin duty, it\u2019s Turuva who takes charge of the club\u2019s ubiquitous boombox. Should Luai end up moving on from the club, his \u201cchief energy officer\u201d duties will fall Turuva\u2019s way, too.<\/p>\n Fast emerging as a fan favourite with Penrith supporters, Turuva gives away all his club gear after games, but leaves his boots out in the middle of the field when he does a lap of the ground after full-time.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not like these big-shot players with sponsors,\u201d he said with a laugh as Dylan Edwards walked by.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve only got one or two pairs [of boots] and I hate saying no to kids, it kills me. So I have to leave them out in the middle. I give away the shirts and shorts.\u201d<\/p>\n Turuva comes off contract on November 1 and is in line for a healthy contract upgrade as Penrith balance their roster around Luai\u2019s plans.<\/p>\n The Fijian international has already knocked back lucrative three-year offers from the Dolphins and Wests Tigers. He has made it clear he wants to stay at Penrith once again and plans to build his family a new house after flames ripped through the Turuva house in a matter of minutes.<\/p>\n Sunia Turuva with Panthers fans during grand final week.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Rhett Wyman<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cGiving back to them, that\u2019s the most important thing for me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cMy faith and my family are my most important things. What my family\u2019s done for me, how they\u2019ve looked after me, I think it\u2019s time I give something back to them.<\/p>\n \u201cI stop and think about where I\u2019d be without them, and I honestly don\u2019t know. We\u2019ve had to stick together.<\/p>\n \u201cGoing through it all together, that\u2019s how we got through it, knowing that we have each other\u2019s back.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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