Konrad Hurrell

Konrad Hurrell
Personal information
Full name Konileti Hurrell
Born 5 August 1991
Nukuʻalofa, Tonga
Height 187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 110 kg (17 st 5 lb)
Playing information
Position Centre, Wing, Second-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2012– NZ Warriors 60 38 0 0 152
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2013 Tonga 3 1 0 0 4
Source: [1]

Konrad Hurrell (born 5 August 1991) is a Tongan professional rugby league player who currently plays for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League competition. Hurrell primary plays at centre. Hurrell is a Tongan international representative.

Background

Born in Nukuʻalofa, Hurrell moved to New Zealand in late 2009 on a rugby union scholarship with Auckland Grammar School.[2] He played for their first XV, earning vice captain in his second year, and represented Auckland Secondary Schools as a centre and second five-eighth.[3] Hurrell was also a member of the athletics team and was national champion in Olympic weightlifting for the open weight category in 2010. Hurrell switched to rugby league in 2011.[4] In 2011 he played for the Junior Warriors in the Toyota Cup. In this, his first year of playing rugby league, he scored 22 tries in 21 games and was named in the competition's Team of the Year.[5] At the end of 2011 Hurrell was selected for the Junior Kiwis but was ineligible due to not having New Zealand Residency.[3]

Playing career

2012

In 2012, Hurrell was promoted into the first grade squad by new coach Brian McClennan and played in all three trial matches.[6] Hurrell signed a contract extension until the end of the 2013 season.[7] Hurrell made his NRL debut for the New Zealand Warriors in Round 1 of the 2012 NRL season against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, beating out incumbent Krisnan Inu but moved to the interchange bench to put other debutant Ben Henry at centre, impressing off the bench in the Warriors 26-20 loss at Eden Park.[8][9] In Hurrell's next match in Round 2, Hurrell scored the first try of his NRL career in the Warriors 36-20 win against the Parramatta Eels at Parramatta Stadium.[10] In Round 18 in the Warriors 32-14 win against the Gold Coast Titans at Cbus Super Stadium, Hurrell scored his first hat-trick in the NRL, which made it twelve tries from twelve games at that stage in the 2012 season.[11] On 15 July 2012, Hurrell re-signed with the Warriors till the end of 2015.[12] On the day before the Warriors Round 24 home clash against the Penrith Panthers, Hurrell was dropped from the 1st Grade Team to the Auckland Vulcans NSW Cup team, following a poor defensive display in the Warriors embarrassing 52-12 loss against the North Queensland Cowboys at 1300SMILES Stadium.[13][14] Hurrell, along with Shaun Johnson and Manu Vatuvei finished the 2012 New Zealand Warriors season as top try-scorer with 12 tries (48p) 17 matches in a promising debut year.

2013

Hurrell finished the Warriors 2013 NRL season with him playing in 20 matches and scoring 13 tries (52p). In 2012, the Tonga-born Hurrell allegedly signed a letter of intent with the New Zealand Rugby League, stating that he wanted to represent the New Zealand Kiwis after qualifying on a residency basis.[15] Despite this, he was named in the preliminary Tonga squad for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, [16] playing in 3 matches and scoring 1 try (4p) against the Cook Islands in Tonga's 22-16 win.[17]

2014

In February 2014, Hurrell was selected for the Warriors inaugural 2014 Auckland Nines squad.[18] Hurrell was overlooked for Round 1 and 2 matches against the Parramatta Eels and St George Illawarra Dragons playing in the NSW Cup then returning in Round 3 match against the North Queensland Cowboys at 1300SMILES Stadium, scoring a try off the interchange bench in the 20-16 win.[19] A week before Round 9 Women in League week, On 8 May 2014, Hurrell was fined $5,000 over a social media sex tape on Snapchat involving Shortland Street actress Teuila Blakey.[20][21] Hurrell was later allowed to play the Round 9 match against the Canberra Raiders at Eden Park, scoring a try in the Warriors 54-12 win.[22] Hurrell finished off the Warriors 2014 NRL season with him playing in 19 matches and scoring 12 tries (48p). On 9 September, Hurrell was selected for the New Zealand Kiwis Four Nations train-on squad.[23] but later didn't make the final 24-man squad.

References

  1. ↑ RLP
  2. ↑ http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/6995454/Warriors-Konrad-Hurrell-commits-to-NZ
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Hurrell vying with idol for centres spot New Zealand Herald, 10 February 2012
  4. ↑ "Warriors hold on in nail biter". OneNews. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  5. ↑ Adrian Proszenko (18 March 2012). "Hard-headed rookie faces huge challenge". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  6. ↑ Debutant Konrad Hurrell impresses coaches The Dominion Post, 16 February 2012
  7. ↑ Warriors add teen Palavi on three-year deal stuff.co.nz, 16 February 2012
  8. ↑ Hurrell preferred to Inu sportal.co.nz, 28 February 2012
  9. ↑ http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/live-coverage-of-round-one-nrl-clash-between-new-zealand-warriors-and-manly-sea-eagles/story-e6frep5x-1226288459685
  10. ↑ http://m.tvnz.co.nz/sport/league/4773009
  11. ↑ http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-rd-18-titans-v-warriors/story-fndujljl-1226419828618
  12. ↑ http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/7280725/Konrad-Hurrell-signs-on-until-the-2015-season
  13. ↑ http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-rd-23-cowboys-v-warriors/story-fndujljl-1226448204641
  14. ↑ http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/7504019/Konrad-Hurrell-dropped-for-Warriors-clash
  15. ↑ Warriors' Konrad Hurrell commits to NZ stuff.co.nz, 27 May 2012
  16. ↑ http://www.rlwc2013.com/rugby-league-world-news/article/1118/tonga-name-star-studded-initial-train-on
  17. ↑ http://www.skysports.com/rugbyleague/match_report/0,,11070_3539254,00.html
  18. ↑ http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/squads-auckland-nines/
  19. ↑ http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/new-zealand-warriors-hold-off-late-effort-from-north-queensland-cowboys/story-e6frf3ou-1226861975974
  20. ↑ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/new-zealand-warriors-star-konrad-hurrell-fined-5000-over-social-media-sex-tape-controversy/story-fni3gs8m-1226907872749
  21. ↑ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/ive-lost-respect-teuila-blakely-opens-up-on-nrl-warriors-star-konrad-hurrell-sex-tape-scandal/story-fni0cx4q-1226910006958
  22. ↑ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/canberra-raiders-no-match-for-a-rampaging-new-zealand-warriors-in-nrl-round-nine-action/story-fni3gmmu-1226912868185
  23. ↑ http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/kiwis-nations-train-on-squad/

External links