‘It’s time I give something back’: Heartache driving Penrith cult hero’s title bid

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Sunia Turuva will kiss a photo of his mum on his way out the door on grand final day. However, from that moment on, it’s all footy.

Reflecting on the past three years – in which his mother Salote Vatuinaruku passed away and his family’s Glendenning home burnt down – would run the risk of overwhelming Turuva leading into the biggest game of his life.

So Turuva will focus on the Broncos and Selwyn Cobbo, the Queensland Origin winger with nine centimetres and 11 kilograms on the Dally M rookie of the year.

However, Cobbo also has a bit of chirp in him, too. Doesn’t mind a sledge. Which is when Salote’s words will be ringing large and loud in Turuva’s ears.

“Mum hated my chat,” Turuva said with a grin. “[Growing up] she would worry about me not being the biggest guy out there – especially because I was a little chirpy bloke and I’d make myself a target.

“I didn’t help myself, and she hated that I was like that. I was the guy who’d say something, get people pushing and shoving and then sneak around the back.

Sunia Turuva with his mother (left and centre) and his younger brother (right).

“Even now, sometimes I’ll have to pull myself into line. I still have a chirp now. I try not to do it so much, but that’s what I’ll be thinking: ‘Mum hated this, better shut up’.”

Turuva might be trying to keep a lid on things, but what’s been dubbed the loudest personality in a team full of them is emerging with every minute he spends in the NRL.

When larger-than-life teammates Jarome Luai and Brian To’o are away on Origin duty, it’s Turuva who takes charge of the club’s ubiquitous boombox. Should Luai end up moving on from the club, his “chief energy officer” duties will fall Turuva’s way, too.

Fast emerging as a fan favourite with Penrith supporters, Turuva gives away all his club gear after games, but leaves his boots out in the middle of the field when he does a lap of the ground after full-time.

“I’m not like these big-shot players with sponsors,” he said with a laugh as Dylan Edwards walked by.

“I’ve only got one or two pairs [of boots] and I hate saying no to kids, it kills me. So I have to leave them out in the middle. I give away the shirts and shorts.”

Turuva comes off contract on November 1 and is in line for a healthy contract upgrade as Penrith balance their roster around Luai’s plans.

The Fijian international has already knocked back lucrative three-year offers from the Dolphins and Wests Tigers. He has made it clear he wants to stay at Penrith once again and plans to build his family a new house after flames ripped through the Turuva house in a matter of minutes.

Sunia Turuva with Panthers fans during grand final week.Credit: Rhett Wyman

“Giving back to them, that’s the most important thing for me,” he said.

“My faith and my family are my most important things. What my family’s done for me, how they’ve looked after me, I think it’s time I give something back to them.

“I stop and think about where I’d be without them, and I honestly don’t know. We’ve had to stick together.

“Going through it all together, that’s how we got through it, knowing that we have each other’s back.”

The Turuva family home in Glendenning that was burnt to the ground in 2020.

Given the hardships he and his family have endured, you can understand Turuva trying to keep his emotions in check come kick-off. Or his 1000-watt smile dimming, just a bit, every now and then.

“It’s been tough, don’t get me wrong, but there’s still so much to be grateful for,” Turuva said.

“Like seeing my family after the prelim [final] last week, that was special and emotional.

“When I’m at the game, I’ve got to keep it about footy. After the game I think it’ll all hit me and there probably will be some emotion then. Knowing that Mum would’ve loved to be here, that’s always a pretty close thought for me.”

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