Rob Lui Continues His Account Of His Career Which Has Resulted in His Joining Salford
Having made his NRL debut alongside Benji Marshall at half back, Rob, still aged only twenty, spent most of that season playing in the National Youth Competition, alongside former Salford fullback, Jake Mullaney. Well above all expectations, the previous season, they had won their way through to the semi-final stage of the play-offs, and it was during this period that he had found himself up against the great names mentioned above.
“We really exceeded all expectations,” he explains, “but the way we played was very similar to the way we play here at Salford – a really good brand of footy – and that helped us on our way.”
In 2009, the team went one better by making the Grand Final itself, before losing to Melbourne Storm. Rob, complete with Afro hairstyle, got his teammates off to a most encouraging start by scoring their first try, under the posts, having been set up by Mullaney. During his time with the Tigers, he played a total of forty-five games, and featured in two major semi-finals, which, sadly, they lost.
His time with the West came to an end in 2012, with a move back up to North Queensland instigating his half back partnering of Johnathan Thurston, with the Cowboys. The end of his two year spell there, however, coincided, very sadly, with the passing of his grandmother, in 2015, and, with that, the loss of any family connections on the mainland of Australasia, which led almost directly to his journey half way around the globe to join us here, at Salford.
Understandably, after much of his life having been spent living in the Tropics, he has found the weather, here, the most significant change with which he has had to cope, not least in the way the game is played.
“The differences in the styles of play between the NRL and Super League, are all down to the weather,” he maintains, “and it has really taken some getting used to. Despite this, I have settled here very well, and feel really at home, thanks to all the players, and fans, here who have made me feel so welcome.
“Now, all we want is to continue in making the A J Bell an absolute fortress, against all comers. GO SALFORD – ALL THE WAY.”
