David Leapai thrown a lifeline by Melbourne StormTEN months of turmoil have finally ended for David Leapai, the innocent teen whose rugby league career was put on life support last year.
Leapai became the face of wild brawls during Brisbane's junior rugby league grand final day in September although he never threw a punch.
His career has been given new life by a two-year deal with the Melbourne Storm.
"His family were in tears when they found out about the Storm offer," Leapai's manager Shaun Pyne told The Sunday Mail.
In the wake of last September's fights, which involved spectators and made national news, Leapai was one of 57 teenagers handed 12-month bans by the Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League.
While the punishments were later cut to suspended sentences, Leapai lost his Canberra Raiders contract because the initial ban meant he was excluded from playing in Raiders' under-18 trials.
Pyne said the ban left Leapai angry and questioning whether he even wanted to play the game anymore.
However, an opportunity out of the blue from Intrust Super Cup club Northern Pride restored his confidence and a standout season for their Mal Meninga Cup team eventually reaped rewards.
Leapai's former Marsden teacher and now Pride development manager Joe O'Callaghan was the link behind the move north and brought the 18-year-old under his Cairns roof.
"He needed to get out of Logan because there he was always going to be the Raiders kid who got banned," O'Callaghan said.
"There was a lot of pressure on him there. It is a great reward for him because he moved out of his comfort zone and took a lot of risks and it paid off for him.
"He was pretty disillusioned for a while and he just needed to have a fresh start.
"When he first came up he was pretty homesick but he's great around the house and is an excellent trainer. He has an opportunity and it is up to him whether it pays off."
Storm recruitment manager Paul Bunn spotted Leapai in the Mal Meninga Cup semi-final and will bring him to Melbourne in October.
For the next four months, Leapai will play against men in the Cairns A-Grade competition once graced by Todd Carney.
"The Storm view him as a hooker and he has another two years of Holden Cup left to be part of their great system," Pyne said.
Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/david-leapai-thrown-a-lifeline-by-melbourne-storm/story-fni3gpfh-1226660652469
Topic: Banned innocent Raiders junior thrown Storm lifeline
