Whyte Hot: Naufahu on JWH, Hairstyles, Eli Katoa, and Ambitions to Become the Game’s Top Prop
Payne Haas is widely regarded as the best front-rower in rugby league. The player set to replace him as the top prop will face him on Sunday.
Early Days with the Roosters
Naufahu Whyte, a powerful front-rower for the Roosters and New Zealand, has lost track of how many times he’s been compared to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. He vividly recalls their first encounter.
At the end of 2020, during the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, 18-year-old Whyte arrived from New Zealand on a train-and-trial contract with the Roosters. One day, while watching the NRL team train, Roosters coach Trent Robinson singled him out to join a drill.
“I remember feeling honoured and starstruck seeing the likes of Jared, Isaac Liu, and Sio Siua Taukeiaho,” Whyte said recently. “I took my first carry and got absolutely pumped. I didn’t know who hit me at first, but it was Jared. He just stood over me, gave me that look, and didn’t say a word. I thought, ‘did that bro just hit me?’ He hit me so hard — pretty sure it was shoulder to mouth.”
Realizing the Level
Whyte had trained against players his own age and knew what to expect, but this moment made him realize he was now playing with the best.
“None of the boys helped me up. Then during recovery, Jared came over, shook my hand, and said, ‘nice to meet you, bro.’”
Summary
Naufahu Whyte’s introduction to elite-level rugby league underlined the physicality and respect at the top tier, fueling his drive to become the leading prop in the game.
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