Wakefield Trinity winger Jorge Taufua vows to continue hard-hitting approach after recovering from 11th operation

Taufua forged that fearsome reputation during a 10-year stay at Manly Sea Eagles in the NRL and created an impressive highlights reel along the way.

Wakefield Trinity supporters have yet to see Taufua in full flight after the 31-year-old suffered a nasty arm injury in only his second Super League game.

Taufua is no stranger to injuries, featuring just once in his final 18 months at Manly.

Wearing the scars of almost a dozen operations, the big-hitting outside back admits Trinity fans may not see peak Taufua.

He is, however, hoping to give the supporters a taste of his destructive side after vowing to stick with the style that has got him this far, albeit with a contemporary twist.

"We'll see if the body holds up," Taufua told The Yorkshire Post with a smile.

"It's a gift and a curse in a way. I enjoy the game and play it very hard, maybe not the smartest at times.

"Off the field, it definitely takes its toll. Unfortunately, that's just the way the sport is.

"I'll keep doing it how I do it. It's who I am and who I've been this whole time.

"If I can keep doing that but a little bit wiser and smarter, hopefully I've got a few good years ahead.

"It's definitely hard to get up and get prepared. The body is hanging in there - just."

Taufua's latest injury was as cruel as it was sickening, coming shortly after the former Tonga and Samoa international had scored his first Super League try against St Helens.

A collision with good friend Konrad Hurrell left Taufua with a broken arm and a dislocated wrist but there were no histrionics from the Wakefield man.

"It was just a bad tackle," he said. "I clipped his shin and my arm was dangling when I got up. I just chucked it in my jersey and walked off.

"They chucked a plate in and realigned my wrist too so it was two for one. If you're going to do it, you may as well break the whole thing.

"It was my 11th surgery so I've had a few. I've built that mental resilience around coming back from an injury.

"I definitely know how to deal with them. I just keep getting broken from time to time.

"It was tough at the time. It was a big move for myself. I was looking to come over and do my best over here.

"It was unfortunate that it happened but it's healed up and I'm ready to go for next year."

Given his lack of game time since arriving in July, it is little wonder that Wakefield regard Taufua as a new signing for 2023.

The player himself is targeting a big year after making just three first-grade appearances in two seasons.

He believes he has the tools to be a success in Super League.

"I want to play top-level football and definitely stay injury free," said Taufua, who scored 88 tries in 164 NRL games for Manly.

"The fact I came here and got hurt straight away, I definitely want to be available as much as I can next year and go hard.

"I watched a lot of games when I was out and it is a little different to back home.

"At the end of the day, it's still football. If I can just focus on playing my own game, hopefully I'll go well.

"We've seen similar players in my position come over and go pretty well. I feel like I can still provide something and be a strong player over here."

Not for the first time, Wakefield are being written off heading into 2023.

Taufua is optimistic that Trinity will defy the odds again next season.

"The vibe I get is that it's an old foundation club that has always battled, a battling team with a strong community around it," he said.

"There's a new breed of players in the squad and a lot of experienced players have moved on. I just hope we do our best for each other and this community.

"I don't want to be seen as a bottom-four team; I want to push for finals with this squad."

After spending a decade in a competition that operates on a single-tier system, the threat of relegation was a new experience for Taufau in 2022.

He is desperate to steer clear of the associated drama during the rest of his stay in England.

"As soon as I got here, that was what all the buzz and talk was about," said Taufua.

"The hype around it all was new to me and how it affects people in the organisation and the community.

"I really hope we do our best to make sure we're not talked about at all in that conversation."