From working behind the bar together at Sylvan Road to now standing opposite each other in different club colours, best mates Ben Navosailagi (Wests) and Shea Lalagevesi (Easts) will put their friendship to the test in Round 12 as Wests host Easts at Sci-Fleet Stadium.
Since playing together in Premier Colts at Wests, wingers Navosailagi and Lalagavesi have essentially been joined at the hip, but with Lalagavesi making the move to Tigerland in the off-season, the duo will go from forming two-thirds of the same back-three, to opposing each other on the same wing.
“It’s going to be weird,” said Lalagavesi ahead of his first game back at ‘The Kennel’.
“My whole senior career up until now we have been the two wingers on the same team, it will be strange to look up and see him across the field, there will be plenty of chat and competition.
“There has been plenty of banter all season, but especially this week as we get close to the game in terms of who is going to take out who and all that silly stuff.
“I’m expecting plenty of chat from the crowd, it just makes me want to get the win more.”
The duo are best known for their joint Instagram account – The Fijian Cripples – which the duo formed in 2019 after season ending injuries saw them go through months of rehab together.
“Fijian Cripples started in 2019,” said Navosailagi.
“We were both injured and had nothing to do so we thought – why not make an Instagram account about two injured Fijians? We were basically two bored guys with not much to do.”
Whilst the duo made fun of each other and made light of their injuries, they’re thankful that they had each other to help get them through what can be a lonely and challenging time for players.
“It was really good, we had season ending injuries one-week apart in our first year of Premier Grade, just to have each other and to make light of what can be a bleak situation is always good,” said Lalagavesi.
“I remember us having this conversation back then,” said Navosailagi.
“The downside is being injured but the upside was being injured together, the waiting game to get back seemed shorter. We were both wingers so we were doing the same exercises etc.”
While the duo now play and train on opposite sides of Brisbane, they’re adamant that their friendship is strong as ever, although Navosailagi believes he currently has bragging rights on the field.
“The friendship is still there,” said Navosailagi.
“I don’t know how but we probably hang out more now than we did last year, nothing has changed for us away from Rugby.
“We had a little stint against each other in the trials, I like to think I’m one up on him, not to mention the corporate tens last year, it’s winner takes all this Saturday.”
With Wests sitting at the top of the Storelocal Hospital Cup ladder, Navosailagi believes the team still have a series of hard challenges ahead as they prepare for their run into the finals.
“It’s not an easy run these next few games, if you lose one game, it’s a massive catch up to get back into the top four, you can’t count anyone out, especially Easts.
“The way they’ve been improving, it’s crazy. The boys at ‘The Kennel’ know where we stand, but no one thinks we’re home free, we’re taking this very seriously.”
Catch the match between Wests and Easts LIVE and on demand via Stan Sport, kick-off at 3:05pm Saturday, 16 July.
