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Jonnie Hughes has made the most of his opportunities to be picked for the South Island rugby league team. Photo by Craig Baxter. |
Being at the right place at the right time can mean so much.
Jonnie Hughes knows all about that.
Earlier in the year the 25-year-old Dunedin man was in
Queenstown playing for the South Pacific Raiders when he was
spotted by South Island selector Tai Arona.
Arona was there to watch four of his team-mates when Hughes
caught his attention.
After the game, Arona walked up to Raiders coach David Reedy
and asked him who the guy was in the No 7 jersey.
"He played a really good game and was the best player on the
park", Reedy said.
In August, Hughes played in the trial in Christchurch and was
sitting in a car with his team-mates when he was given the
news he had been picked in the South Island 25-man squad.
Hughes played centre in the trial but is very much a utility
and prefers stand off most of all.
He said he was proud when he knew he had made the South
Island side but was also disappointed for his team-mates who
missed out.
The first thing Hughes did was text his partner, Amanda Gray,
and give her the good news.
"There was a lot of exclamation marks, it was full of
happiness, he was really proud," she said.
Hughes said there was no way he would have been picked if it
was not for Reedy and his Raiders team-mates, who had helped
him out immensely in his first full year of rugby league.
Reedy said Hughes was the type of player anyone would want in
their side.
"He has a good skill set and is a competitive person. He is
driven to succeed."
Hughes was born in Dunedin but moved to Auckland when he was
9 after his parents separated.
He went to live with his mother and attended Northcote
Intermediate and Northcote High School.
While in Auckland he developed a taste for basketball and was
forever playing at school or on the street in his spare time.
To this day he still enjoys shooting hoops, whether it be
with his Raiders mates or on computer games.
Hughes moved back to Dunedin in 2003 and lived with his
father.
He went to Logan Park High School and played rugby for the
first XV before going on to play for the Otago Maori colts in
2003-2005 and Otago Maori seniors in 2008-2009.
He began playing for the Harbour rugby club in 2006 and was a
member of its premier side until 2010 before playing for the
Zingari Richmond premiers this year.
He played first five-eighth, second five, centre and
fullback.
Hughes credits former Harbour coach and long-time friend Doug
Manu with developing his skills.
"He kept me under his wing and knew I was passionate about
sport. He taught me to think on my feet."
Manu is coaching the Raiders in the Dunedin spring
competition, while Reedy is coaching the Otago Whalers.
He said Hughes was a gifted athlete with a fierce competitive
streak and the type of player who could win a game.
Dunedin personal trainer Adam Keen has been writing up
programmes for Hughes for the past two years.
He said Hughes was very committed, loved to compete and would
not take a backward step.
He was a "genetic freak" with tons of power and agility.
Hughes said he would stick with rugby league and if he could
get higher honours then that would be pleasing, but his
priorities were to finish his studies at Otago University.
He is taking anthropology and Pacific Islands studies, which
he hopes will lead to a job in the social services sector.
Hughes and Gray welcomed a boy into their lives three months
ago and he is determined to give baby Ezra the best of
opportunities to succeed in life.
"Family and education are the focus."
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