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She has established herself as a formidable dual-code talent, but Broncos sensation Shalom Sauaso has not considered where her long-term future lies.
For all the 18-year-old’s abilities – including becoming one of the NRLW’s most daunting prospects in defence – she showed her tender years when informed of the size of the crowd she just played in front of at Suncorp Stadium to reach the grand final.
“Wow, I didn’t even realise how many people were there,” the Brisbane utility forward gasped, when told more than 21,000 fans were there.
Shalom Sauaso of the Broncos scores a try.Credit: Getty Images
Despite starting in just one of her nine appearances en route to Sunday’s decider against the Sydney Roosters, only strike centre and teammate Julia Robinson betters Sauaso’s tackle bust count for the season across the competition (85 to 84).
Third on that list sits Robinson’s centre partner Mele Hufanga with 60. But while they play full games, their teenage ally has amassed her tally averaging just 41 minutes off the bench.
Sauaso presents as a humble and softly spoken athlete, but her aggression has her set to become a game-changer against the Roosters. She missed the last encounter between the two sides – the only loss of the Broncos’ campaign.
A life spent battling her brothers in the backyard honed her for this stage.
“Ever since we were younger, we always had this system. I’m the middle child, so dad would be like, ‘the little one is going to tackle me, I’m going to tackle the older one, and the older one is going to tackle my dad’,” Sauaso said.
“My dad said the more you’re used to tackling bigger bodies, the better you’ll be in your own age group. I’m from an islander family, so when you’re with an islander dad who’s yelling, ‘Why are you tackling like that?’ it kind of pisses you off when the older sibling is like ‘You’d better do it properly’.
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“Dad was my first coach, he used to play as well but ever since he started having me and my siblings he had to stop to focus on us.
“I guess we’re living his dream as well as living our own.”
Sauaso arrived at Red Hill after playing in the Super Rugby Women’s competition for the Queensland Reds. Now she’s comprehending playing in front of the biggest crowd of her career at Accor Stadium.
“I couldn’t even tell you how I’ll do it, I’ll just do it. This group is very clinical and very focused when it comes to big games, so cancelling out the crowd will be [part of it].
“I play the way I play because I’ve always had pressure in my face, so I’ve just gotten used to it.”
Rugby union continues to vie for Sauaso’s services long-term, and she has already garnered a Wallaroos extended squad selection. Rugby Sevens has also been an option since she represented Australia at schoolgirls level.
But Sauaso declared she was yet to make a call about which code would be her main focus.
“It does get overwhelming, but I’ve always had this thing where when I’m playing for a team I stay committed to it, and I won’t think about anything else until that season is finished,” she said.
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“Princey [Broncos coach Scott Prince] has been so understanding with letting me do both codes because he knows I enjoy it, and I’m still a young kid.
“I get fitness from Sevens, I get mongrel from union and then in league I gain IQ from the game.”
Broncos co-captain Ali Brigginshaw stressed the squad had not gotten into Sauaso’s ear about committing to the NRLW cause for the long haul.
“I know other sports are always going to ring her, and that’s the meaning of making it and being so good,” Brigginshaw said.
“I feel she’s really finding her feet here, and she’s only young so we don’t know what we’re going to see, but I hope she sticks with us.
“I’ve seen her play from a really young age. She was playing in the halves and I saw her chip and chase to score tries. Sometimes we don’t even know what Shalom’s going to do, but that’s what I love about her.
“She’s young, she’s got no fear, and I don’t think she’s going to be nervous about Sunday at all.”
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