Props Royce Hunt, Bunty Afoa shed weight, form ‘Crash Bros’ duo at Wests Tigers
Afoa grew up on the tough streets of south Auckland and has since moved to Greenacre. He joked that the Western Sydney suburb reminded him of home, with a good sense of community and “good kebab shops around the corner”.
For Afoa, who dropped to 115 kilos, kebabs, carbohydrates and his favorite sushi were kept to a minimum throughout the summer. Hunt dropped to 113 kilos after ballooning north of 120 kilos.
Impact: Royce Hunt made the move against his former club the Sharks last year.Credit: Getty Images
By his own admission, Hunt fell short of expectations when he arrived from Cronulla last year and Marshall has made it clear that he needs to be in peak physical fitness for this season.
He trained almost every day with former Cronulla team-mates Sione Katoa, Oregon Kaufusi, Sifa Talakai and Perth-bound Chris Vea’ila, stopped eating after 8.30pm, spent time doing Pilates at his wife Shavaun’s studio in Blakehurst and even completed an anti-inflammatory diet in which he stopped eating for four days.
“There was a bit of hype when I came here, but I didn’t live up to that expectation, and that’s on me,” Hunt said.
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“I’ve grown a lot. Benji and I had some nice words at the end of the year and he wanted me to achieve some goals. I came back in a much better shape and when you run you notice how your knees feel better and your body feels better.”
“The quality and intensity of the training has been extreme. Fonia Pole is quite strong for her age. But it’s Bunty and I who like to jump the back fence.”
Hunt, Afoa, powerhouses Terrell May and Pole, along with Alex Twal, Sione Fainu and Alex Seyfarth, another forward who excels at tight ends, give the Tigers much-needed depth.
Another member, Ethan Roberts, will keep Samuela Fainu and former Newcastle Knight Kai Pearce-Paul on their toes in the second row.
