SOUTHS coach Andrew Ryan simply puts it down to "the way Frank rolls".
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Having indicated retirement was on the cards at the end of last season, NRL premiership-winner and New Zealand international Frank-Paul Nu'uausala will now line up with Souths again in the Newcastle Rugby League competition.
Attending a trial against his former club Kurri Kurri earlier this month, Nu'uausala approached Ryan after the game and the following week he was back out in the middle.
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"It's pretty much the way Frank rolls," Ryan told the Newcastle Herald.
"We had a trial up at Kurri and he brought his kids up for a look.
"He must of got a bit of itchy feet because he said after the game he was keen to have a run [in 2023].
"I said 'well if you're keen to have a run, I'm keen to try and get you to play for us'.
"Pretty quickly, within a few days, we spoke to him and he said he'd enjoyed his year [at Souths] and was keen to stay.
"He came to training on the Wednesday and then played a trial [v Wests at Raymond Terrace] on the Saturday."
Ryan describes the prop's inclusion as a "big plus for us".
Souths' forward pack has also been bolstered by the off-season signings of Central pair Uiti Baker and Lochlan Piper.
The likes of Jarom Haines and Ngangarra Barker join the Lions' roster after returning to the Hunter region.
Souths open their campaign against the Goannas at Cessnock on Sunday in a replay of last year's elimination semi.
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
