Honeti Tuha helps unlock Lakes’ potential

WHEREVER Honeti Tuha has played rugby league he has always scored tries.

Whether it is racking up 24 tries in a season for the Papakura Sea Eagles to be the Auckland competition’s leading try-scorer in 2012  or carving up the Newcastle Rugby League to lead Lakes United’s long-awaited revival, Tuha is lethal.

In seven games for the Seagulls the 21-year-old fullback has scored 11 tries, including five doubles, to be Newcastle’s equal leading try-scorer with Cessnock’s Kerrod Holland.

Only once, in his debut against Souths, has he failed to cross the chalk.

‘‘The boys in the team have been doing all the hard work,’’ Tuha said. ‘‘When I get the ball it just happens for me.’’

In recent seasons there has been little for Belmont footy fans to get excited about as Lakes finished last season without a victory.

But the sight of Tuha using his pace and sidestep to ignite a young Lakes squad’s attack has raised hopes.

Tuha scored the winning try in Lakes’ drought-breaking 20-18 victory over Kurri Kurri in May, the club’s first since July 29, 2012.

That has been followed by a 42-0 whipping of Port Stephens and a shock 30-28 win over second-placed Souths at Townson Oval which included two tries from Tuha.

Tuha hails from the Mangere East Hawks in south Auckland, the same club that produced Kiwi internationals Tea Ropati and Lesley Vainikolo. All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu also grew up in Mangere.

After being part of the NZ Warriors under-20s system, Tuha moved to the Knights 20s last season before returning home to Auckland.

When former Knights NSW Cup assistant coach Dean Noonan took over at Lakes he lured Tuha across the ditch.

‘‘He’s very much off the cuff, which is something we’ve been working on as well,’’ Noonan said.

‘‘We’d sometimes like him to play more structured.

‘‘Having said that, we don’t want to shackle him too much as he has some ability there that we’re happy to show.

‘‘It’s about finding the balance for Neti, between playing touch footy and with some structure.’’

This season Tuha has made six appearances for the Knights in the NSW Cup.

He scored two tries on Saturday in the club’s 44-10 win over Manly.

Not surprisingly, Lakes struggled in a 54-18 loss against Cessnock in Tuha’s absence.

‘‘It’s probably no secret he’s a pretty big part of our attack,’’ Noonan said.

‘‘We play to that strength, and the thing with Neti is he’s capable of pulling something off on his own bat.

‘‘Defence was our problem against Cessnock on Saturday, but we did look a little disjointed without him and as a team we’ve probably come to rely on him too much.’’