They may be NRL rivals but Melbourne back-rower Felise Kaufusi says he will draw inspiration from the Warriors as the Storm bide their time in Albury ahead of the competition’s re-start.
Unable to train together in Victoria due to government restrictions, Melbourne have been forced to relocate to the NSW border town away from friends and family to begin preparations for the NRL’s May 28 resumption.
Melbourne are hopeful it will only be for one week but are prepared if their stay extends further into May.
While players can make the three hour drive back to Melbourne for weekends, Kaufusi said it was tough being so far away from loved ones.
The Storm have hardly been made welcome either with the local council holding an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday night to ban them from using facilities managed by them.
But Kaufusi said the Warriors’ plight had provided much needed perspective.
The New Zealand side made a tearful goodbye on Sunday after being granted government exemptions to fly out to Australia and base themselves at Tamworth, not knowing when they would see their loved ones again.
“I am going to miss my family being stuck here in Albury,” Kaufusi said.
“But in the back of my mind I think about what the Warriors are feeling, having to leave their families.
“To put things in perspective I always think about the Warriors and what they are going through, what they have had to sacrifice to come over.”
Kaufusi said the Storm’s Kiwi internationals Brandon Smith and Ken Bromwich had kept in touch with their New Zealand teammates at the Warriors, further ramming home how much worse it could be for Melbourne.
“I know a couple of players who are close to the (Warriors) boys, have spoken to them, especially our Kiwi boys Brandon Smith, Kenny Bromwich,” he said.
“We think we have it bad leaving our families and driving up to Albury.
“(But) when we are feeling down and missing our families I just know that they are doing it a lot tougher.”