Former Junior Kiwi and one-time Wests Tigers prospect Etuale Lui will aim to follow the path of Jordan Mailata after he was handed a spot in the NFL’s international combine.
New Zealand-born Lui, 21, who attended Auckland’s De La Salle College before linking with the North Queensland Cowboys, will be one of 44 athletes aiming to impress NFL talent scouts at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 3 and 4.
Listed as both an offensive and defensive lineman, Lui played Jersey Flegg Cup for the Tigers before moving to Queensland Cup side Wynnum Manly this year where he featured as a prop.
Mailata followed a similar path when he left South Sydney’s youth ranks in 2017 and has gone on to feature regularly for the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Established league players Valentine Holmes and Jarryd Hayne have also had cracks at forging a gridiron career in recent years but both were forced to return to the NRL.
"Hosting the international combine in London for the second year provides tremendous exposure for our great game," Roman Oben, NFL vice president of football development, said.
"The combine allows us to evaluate new talent globally, shine a spotlight on our sport and provide an opportunity for participants to compete at the highest level."
Two Australians were included in the combine, Melbourne-born defensive lineman Tali Amosa and offensive lineman Brendan Oswin.
AAP
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