I have posted a number of stories about our young grandson and up-and-coming rugby league player Pride Petterson-Robati from the Hutt Valley in Wellington, New Zealand.
Pride was signed up by the Storm for six years after a bootcamp in Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt a year ago. He went over to Melbourne for a couple of training sessions last year, before finally going back and signing that contract for another five years.
I wrote about the teams Pride played for last year, 2010: His local Upper Hutt Tigers U15's who won their grade; the Wellington Orcas U15's who came second in their national competitiion; the Upper Hutt College rugby league team who won their secondary schools rugby league team for the third consecutive year. He played in an U17 Maori tournament early in the year and was named in a tournament team. He was also named in the NZ Merit team, a non-playing side for those not eligible in the Junior Kiwis.
He messaged me this morning to tell me that he had been selected in the Melbourne Storm U18 starting lineup, as a second row/lock. They have just finished a three day camp there. We have to remember that he is only 15 years old and competing with youths up to 18 years old. I'm sure he'll grab that No 13 position as his own in due course.
He didn't tell me when he would be playing, but it will be a pre-season game somewhere. Good luck for the rest of the season, and continue your development there, Pride. We know your ambition is to play first grade football with the Storm and international football for the NZ Kiwis.
Pride was signed up by the Storm for six years after a bootcamp in Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt a year ago. He went over to Melbourne for a couple of training sessions last year, before finally going back and signing that contract for another five years.
I wrote about the teams Pride played for last year, 2010: His local Upper Hutt Tigers U15's who won their grade; the Wellington Orcas U15's who came second in their national competitiion; the Upper Hutt College rugby league team who won their secondary schools rugby league team for the third consecutive year. He played in an U17 Maori tournament early in the year and was named in a tournament team. He was also named in the NZ Merit team, a non-playing side for those not eligible in the Junior Kiwis.
He messaged me this morning to tell me that he had been selected in the Melbourne Storm U18 starting lineup, as a second row/lock. They have just finished a three day camp there. We have to remember that he is only 15 years old and competing with youths up to 18 years old. I'm sure he'll grab that No 13 position as his own in due course.
