North Queensland Cowboys star Jason Taumalolo will mark his 300th NRL game this weekend, joining an elite list of the code's 55 legends who have reached the triple century. What makes it even more special is that the Tongan wrecking ball will celebrate it in front of his friends and family in Townsville when the Penrith Panthers come to visit on Saturday.
Taumalolo joins Johnathan Thurston as Cowboys greats who will reach the milestone, and will run out as a one-club legend with his beloved Cowboys.
Let's have a look back at ten of Taumalolo's greatest moments that shaped his career.
8. Redefining the middle forward role
Taumalolo was truly ahead of his time in his breakout during the early 2010s. Never had the 13-man code seen a player so skillful, agile, and athletic for his size. It broke physics and was the blueprint for forwards today such as Payne Haas, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Haumole Olakau'atu. The expectation of a lock in a team dramatically changed as Taumalolo developed his game.
From a traditional defensive workhorse, whose job it was to make tackles, shifted to a damaging, hard-hitting and explosive middle who bends the line with late footwork. His powerful running game and explosive leg drive meant the "third prop" title was changed forever. Now, the expectation remains with ball-playing, post contact metres and footwork, re-establishing the importance of a 13.
