‘We can win’: Toia reveals why he turned down Kangaroos and $40k
It has been two months since Robert Toia lifted the premiership trophy with the Sydney Roosters. Now, he is hungry to collect the biggest title on the world stage.
Bookmakers installed the Kangaroos as the pre-tournament favourites and most fans would have expected Toia would have been a better shot of being on the winning side had he chosen to wear the green and gold at the World Cup, but Toia and Tonga daring to dream.
Toia is hopeful to lift two trophies this season. Getty Images
“The belief in the group is so high, we feel like we can win the competition,” Toia told reporters, including nine.com.au, on Sunday.
“We do our stuff, we believe in our guys, I think that is all that matters.”
Toia has shown no signs of fatigue after a remarkable season with the Roosters, winning the premiership, establishing himself as a guaranteed pick for the Queensland Maroons then following the season with an international call-up.
The rugby league world is starting to get a better understanding of Toia’s freakish talent, while also getting a front-row seat to the rise of the Pacific Island nations as a whole.
Tonga and Samoa’s thrilling 20-18 battle on Sunday kept fans on the edge of their seats, with Toia earning player of the match honours on Sunday thanks to his incredible performance, after scoring the opening try and making 143 run metres.
While his passion for Tonga is clear, Toia was also eligible to play for Australia. He opted against the $40,000 cheque all Kangaroos players in the RLWC squad are paid and instead accepted the $2550 sum for playing with Tonga in the group stages. Toia and his teammates will earn an additional $850 for each of the knockout games.
Toia admitted the decision to choose Tonga “was not as easy as you’d think”. But the atmosphere inside CommBank Stadium and also the effort fans in Tonga are putting in to watch the team play has become a more valued reward.
“That was probably up there with one of the (best games),” Toia said.
“It was crazy. Especially after last year’s campaign, them beating us ... the rivalry goes back a long time, so to get that win, we have to celebrate it. It is special.
“I actually saw this video of a Tongan guy who had a disability in one of his arms. He rode a bike less than 10km/hr for six hours from his village just to watch the boys play. That is just a small thing that makes it (sweeter).”
Kristian Woolf had high praise for Toia’s choice to put aside the significant money that was on offer to join Australia’s squad, led by coach Kevin Walters.
Mark Nawaqanitawase and Robert Toia celebrate grand final glory. Getty Images
“I’m glad he’s with us. He made a lot of sacrifices to be with us,” he said. “People can overlook that really quickly. He was going to be in the Australian squad, (with) the money – it’s something that makes a difference to people - there’s no doubt about that.
“But as a matter of sacrifice, we’re proud to have him.”
The celebrations of defeating Samoa will be short-lived by the team, with Toia insisting the group still knows how much work needs to be put in to go to the end.
New Zealand stands in the way of the Pacific nation and a spot in the final, but Toia’s personal ambition to end the year on a high will be a motivating factor for the semi-final clash on Saturday.
“For it to be the last thing for me to tick of this year, it would be so special,” Toia replied when asked what it would mean to end the year with a World Cup title.
“I feel like it is a pretty hard thing to do given how long the year is with Origin and finals. To do this at the end would mean so much.”
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