Dyldam Parramatta Eels player Tyrell Fuimaono has recently taken part in the NRL’s annual Rookie Camp held at Bond University, Gold Coast.
Fuimaono is one of more than 250 future Rugby League stars that took part in an extensive induction programs earlier this month and one of 14 Eels who participated, aimed at teaching some important issues to players who will feature in the Holden Cup in 2016.
The programs were presented by former and current NRL players including Brett Kimmorley, Dene Halatau, David Solomona and Nigel Vagana, putting Fuimaono and his Blue and Gold teammates through training in media, cultural awareness, drugs and alcohol, social media, money matters, community work, social responsibility and personal presentation.
The fourteen Eels to participate were Tom Amone, Sean Anderson, Dane Aukafolau, Troy Dargan, Michael Doolan, Thomas Field, Anthony Layoun, Zac Masters, Jonathan Mose, Faimanifo Seve, Jamie Stowers, Denzal Tonise, Joseph Tramontana and Tyrell Fuimaono.
For Fuimaono, the Camp was a beneficial one.
“Rookie Camp was over the weekend and it was really informative,” Fuimaono said.
“They went through a lot of topics like alcohol and drug use, social media use, media training and domestic violence issues. “
“There were some pretty important topics, and you definitely come out a better person from it.”
The Rookie Camp program underlines the NRL’s ongoing commitment to player education and career training, issues that are close to Fuimoano’s heart.
Fuimaono is a success story of the NRL Indigenous School to Work Program, with the 19 year old currently enrolled in a Bachelor Business & Commerce at Western Sydney University. Fuimaono attended the NRL Indigenous Leadership Camp earlier in the year and is part of a developing leadership and mentoring program at the Eels.
“To think that we are footballers with a really big influence on our community, I think that it is good that we can take that knowledge back to our own community and hopefully make a difference,” Fuimaono said about the camp.
