Talatau 'Junior' Amone, the 24-year-old playmaker deregistered by the NRL over a hammer attack on a roofing contractor almost four years ago, is poised to return to international football when Tonga name their squad on Tuesday for Friday night's World Cup clash with Lebanon.
Amone, a five-eighth, thought he would never play international football again after the NRL deregistered him over the incident in Wollongong at the end of 2022. He was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company, destroying property and intimidation. He pleaded not guilty but was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to a two-year community corrections order and 300 hours of community service. His father, also named Talatau, was jailed for two years and six months, with a non-parole period of 12 months.
The NRL deregistered Amone and his $500,000-a-year deal with St George Illawarra was spiked. The governing body has so far refused to consider registering a new contract to allow his return to the top flight.
Tonga, however, were given the green light by World Cup organisers to select him after he impressed coaching staff in the Queensland Cup this season with the Wynnum Manly Seagulls. Coach Kristian Woolf confirmed Amone is in the mix to play Lebanon at CommBank Stadium on Friday night.
"It will be outstanding for him to play again. It will be a great step in the right direction. There's been a fair pause on his career the last few years," Woolf said. "He came into camp with us in 2022 as a young man. He's come back into camp this time and I can tell there's a different focus, there's a real maturity about him, and it's been a pleasure to have him in camp."
International Rugby League chairman Troy Grant said there had been no reason to block the selection. "He was only subject to an NRL competition stand-down. He's done a heap of work in the community. He's been playing Queensland Cup, and there were no grounds for his exclusion. It's a good redemption story."
Whether Amone starts or comes off the bench depends on Woolf's halves combination. No.7 Isaiya Katoa has carried a heavy workload but is keen to play, while Tui Lolohea came off the bench after Latu Fainu injured his pec in Tonga's 30-12 win over England in Perth. Woolf said Fainu, cleared of a ruptured pec, had likely re-aggravated an old injury and would be available for selection this week.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Amone's selection tests the boundary between the NRL's deregistration powers and the international game, since World Cup organisers approved him while the NRL still refuses to register a new contract
- It puts the question of redemption and second chances for players convicted of violent offences back on rugby league's agenda
- A strong World Cup campaign could force the NRL to revisit its stance, with Amone still only 24
Background
Amone was an NRL five-eighth at St George Illawarra when the events at the end of 2022 derailed his career. He first came into Tonga camp in 2022 as a young man, then was deregistered and lost a contract worth $500,000 a year. Since then he has rebuilt his football in the Queensland Cup with Wynnum Manly while doing community work. The World Cup is organised separately from the NRL competition, which meant a decision on his eligibility sat with tournament organisers rather than the NRL.
Key Perspectives
Kristian Woolf, Tonga coach: Woolf sees a player with a "different focus" and "real maturity" compared with the young man at camp in 2022, and believes a return would be a big step after a long pause in his career. He acknowledged the uncertainty that comes with decisions made by others, but said Tonga pursued the inclusion because of the positivity around Amone.
Troy Grant, International Rugby League chairman: Grant described Amone's ban as an NRL competition stand-down rather than grounds for exclusion from the World Cup, pointing to his community work and Queensland Cup form. He called it "a good redemption story".
The NRL: The governing body has so far refused to consider registering a new contract for Amone, so international selection would not restore his eligibility for the NRL. The seriousness of the original offence, a hammer attack on a roofing contractor, remains the backdrop to any future discussion of his career.
What to Watch
- Tuesday's Tonga squad announcement, and whether Amone is named to start or as a bench option in the halves
- Friday night's World Cup clash with Lebanon at CommBank Stadium, his first chance at the big stage since deregistration
- Woolf's selection call on Isaiya Katoa and the fitness of Latu Fainu, and whether a strong Amone performance shifts the NRL's position on his registration