Former Melbourne Storm flyer Suliasi Vunivalu has confirmed his intentions are to stay put in Super Rugby after speculation surfaced that the premiership winning winger was looking for an early exit.
Signed to the Queensland Reds till the end of 2022, Vunivalu planted down five tries in seven games in his maiden Super Rugby season.
The former Fijian International, however, suffered a series of hamstring injuries that required two surgeries, derailing his 2021 season and sidelining him until the Reds' Round 8 matchup against the Rebels on April 15.
With both the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Wayne Bennet's Dolphins expected to have had a keen interest in the try-scoring machine, Vunivalu's decision to focus on his Rugby endeavours puts a halt to these return rumours.
“I’d like to stay in rugby but I’m not going to make any decision (on 2023) until I’m back on the field and have played three or four games,” Vunivalu said.
“I ran at full pace last week. I’m back in the main training group with contact and I’ll be fit to play after the Brumbies game on Saturday.
“I had a lot of scans on the hamstring before the doctors gave me the thumbs up in January to run fast again. It’s exciting.
“I never want to be talking about my hamstring again. Scoring tries, catching kicks...that’s my job.”
Scoring tries has always been Vunivalu's job, and he showcased his talents weekly during his five-year tenure on the wing for the Melbourne Storm.
Vunivalu made 111 first-grade appearances for the Storm between 2016 and 2020 and totalled 86 tries during that time, on his way to two Premierships.
Winger
Tries
All Run Metres
Tackles Made
Vunivalu likely has more to prove in his cross-code switch than he's been given the chance to in his first two years, however, a return to rugby league is certainly not off the tables with the star only contracted until the end of this season and still only 26-years-old.
While no decision has been made as of yet, Vunivalu is currently in the Wallabies wider squad and is a real possibility to represent Australia in the 2023 World Cup in France.