Anzac outing has meaning

Published date26 April 2021
As a kid growing up in the Victorian capital, Taunoa-Brown was not interested in AFL and had eyes only for rugby league.

He would religiously attend Storm games at AAMI Park and none were bigger than the Anzac Day clash with the Warriors, which often attracted their largest crowd of the season.

“I’ve been going to the Anzac game since I was a little kid, so to be a part of it, it’s pretty special,” said Taunoa-Brown. “It was something I always wanted to play in.”

Taunoa-Brown, who has Māori heritage through his Napier-born father Brandon, wasn’t bothered about facing his childhood favourites.

“Being born and bred in Melbourne, I guess [I followed] the Storm more,” said Taunoa-Brown. “But I’m happy to be here on this side now.”

The game doubled as his first NRL appearance in Melbourne, after the Covid shutdown saw the 2020 Anzac fixture scratched, but Taunoa-Brown is used to waiting.

In an era when first-grade players seem to get younger, Taunoa-Brown, 24, is a late bloomer.

He represented the Storm at under-18 and under-20 level, then moved to Newcastle in 2016. He played New South Wales Cup and had an NRL trial but ended up in the local competition, before spending two seasons with Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup.

That looked to be the end of the road, before he picked up a train and trial contract with the Warriors, making his NRL debut in round one last season. He played 19 matches in 2020, taking his chance as the Warriors squad was hit by injuries and withdrawals, and has swiftly become one of the club’s most important middle forwards.

“Given what happened last year, I probably played and got a lot more games earlier than expected,” said Taunoa-Brown. “I was better for it, helping me improve my game and just learn the flow of the game a bit. That’s helped a lot this year...

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