'Like Origin': Kangaroos vow not to be bullied by Tongan pack

Kangaroos forwards have vowed not to be “bullied” by Tonga’s powerhouse pack as they prepare for Australia’s first Test in Sydney for seven years to be played in front of a hostile crowd.

With star forwards Jason Taumalolo and Addin Fonua-Blake leading the way, Tonga stunned defending Pacific Cup champions New Zealand 25-24 and the Sea of Red is expected to flood CommBank Stadium for Sunday's final.

Taumalolo’s North Queensland team-mate Reuben Cotter said the Australian camp expect Tonga to employ a similar power game and admits that they will have a size advantage.

However, Cotter said the Kangaroos believed they could win the forward battle and vowed to match Tonga’s physicality.

“They have got some great players, obviously Jason, and AFB as well. It is going to be a tough job this weekend,” Cotter told reporters at Kangaroos training on the Central Coast.

“You have got to give them their credit, they have been playing great footy and we would expect nothing less this weekend.

“They are hard to tackle, they are big boys and you have got to throw everything at them. It will be a tough game and it will be won through the middle, I reckon, so there is going to be a big focus on our defence.

“Playing in the middle you have to be physical, and you have to come out with that intent, otherwise you just get bullied. We will be coming out physical. We have just got to go hell for leather.”

Cotter was only 18 and battling to overcome a series of injury setbacks when Taumalolo led the Pacific revolution that changed international rugby league after he turned

his back on the Kiwis to play for Tonga at the 2017 World Cup.

Tonga beat New Zealand in the 2017 World Cup and enjoyed wins against Australia and Great Britain in 2019 but this will be their first appearance in the final of a major tournament.

“It was very bold, but obviously for those boys representing their culture at this level is the highest honour so it is so great to see the success that he has had in that jersey over the years and again in a final this weekend,” Cotter said.

The Cowboys co-captain also praised Fonua-Blake, who scored a try and carried the ball for 224 metres in a performance that confirmed the Sharks 2025 recruit as arguably the best prop in the game.

“He has had a big year, he has been playing great at club level [for the Warriors] and in the Pacific tournament he has played great, as well, so he is capping off a great year,” Cotter said of Fonua-Blake.

“He is tough to handle, he is a big boy and he has got good feet as well. We saw that in the first game against them, he played pretty well, and he played extremely well on the weekend.”

The Kangaroos beat Tonga 18-0 in the opening game of the Pacific Championships three weeks ago, before a 33,000 Suncorp Stadium crowd in which the Sea of Red outnumbered Australian fans.

With five nations involved in the four matches across the finals day, that is again expected to be the case for the finals day, which features five nations playing four matches at CommBank Stadium.

“I think it is great for the game and for this level of footy,” Cotter said. “We saw it at Suncorp when we versed them and the showing they had there from the community.”

Australian team-mates Zac Lomax and Ben Hunt also said the Kangaroos would embrace the Sea of Red, even if they are supporting Tonga.

“I can’t wait, it’s going to be packed out with Australian fans, obviously, and Tongan fans as well,” Lomax said.

“They travel in numbers and it is really cool to see the support they get. They have done so well to get to where they are. I am really looking forward to it.”

Hunt, who has been 18th man in Australia’s wins against Tonga and New Zealand is expecting an Origin-type atmosphere for the final.

"It will be a sea of red again. I think they are expecting a pretty big crowd there, close to a sell out," Hunt said.

"I reckon it's awesome, I really do. The Tongan community love supporting their team. It's going to be amazing, the noise and the whole atmosphere. 

"It's going to be like an Origin match I reckon. They love cheering and being loud.

"It's amazing for the game, really exciting. The Tongan fans really love getting behind their team."