Leigh's Dream Team prop Tom Amone has silenced critics who labelled him too small - and now hopes to make it big with Tonga.
The hard-hitting front-row, 27, successfully appealed a one-game ban so is free to take on Hull KR in Friday’s elimination play-off. Having already helped the Leopards to Challenge Cup glory, he earned Dream Team recognition this week following his stellar Super League displays and now has Old Trafford in his sights and even perhaps a potential Test debut. It’s a real turnaround for a player who was released by South Sydney 18 months ago having only played a handful of NRL games for them and Wests Tigers.
Amone said: “I speak to my dad back home all the time and moments like this, we used to talk about. A lot of people doubted me when I was younger. They said I was too small. They didn’t believe in me. If it wasn’t for my parents, my dad especially, I wouldn’t be here.
“He never gave up on me and kept pushing me. I’m extremely blessed and grateful to be given this opportunity and with us doing so well as a team at Leigh, a lot of people are getting noticed.”
And Amone, who was born in New South Wales and represented Australian Schoolboys but is of Tonga descent, hopes Tonga boss Kristian Woolf has noticed his barnstorming performances. They arrive in the UK soon for their historic three-Test series against England and uncapped Amone has been talked of as a potential wildcard. His uncle Asa represented Tonga in the 1995 World Cup and later played for Featherstone and Halifax.
Leigh boss Adrian Lam has already endorsed Amone's qualities and said he hopes to see the player earn a cap. Amone said: “I haven’t heard anything from Kristian. But, of course, I would love to. It’s always been a dream of mine to play for Tonga. Hopefully this year I do get the chance to do that.”
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But first it’s Hull KR who will look to avenge their painful Wembley loss when they were agonisingly beaten by Leigh in Golden Point extra-time. Amone added: “They are a good team. They all play for each other.
“But the last time we went down to Hull KR - a couple of weeks after the Cup final - we got a hiding 52-10 so we have to be on. I hope we can go all the way. It’s finals footy so anything can happen.”