Tough edge forward Marata Niukore is shaping as one of the buys of the season.Niukore was all power and fear factor out wide against the Dolphins on Saturday, denting the line on a number of occasions as he carved out 146 running metres.The Eels are sorely missing Niukore's experience in the engine room and were desperate to keep the tough forward - but he decided to go home - and the Warriors are glad he did.
When Marata Niukore needs inspiration in his football, he only needs to look to his wife Nikki.Nikki was one of New Zealand's most promising swimmers a few years ago when struck down by a devastating illness.She contracted a severe but rare disease known as ulcerative colitis, which put her life in the balance.Emergency surgery resulted in her having her colon removed and she was forced to wear a colostomy bag to drain her bodily waste.She survived and was told she was out of danger, before the disease returned, reducing her life to a nightmare series of recurring visits to hospital and multiple operations.Setback after setback has only brought the pair closer - and they are soon expecting their third child."She is my rock, my inspiration," Niukore told Wide World of Sports."We had a dream - me playing NRL and her going to the Olympics."Hers was cruelly taken away and she has fought so many brave battles."She has also given up a lot to make my footy dreams come true and I can't thank Nikki enough."She has her tough days and I try to help her through them and ease her pain.""Away from family and friends in New Zealand, the Niukores have found themselves a couple of willing babysitters in Eels coach Brad Arthur and his wife Michelle."They have been a godsend for us," Niukore says.
The two benches will be crucial in next weekend's Eels-Cowboys grand final qualifier, and the Eels have an ace up their sleeve in tough Kiwi Marata Niukore.Usually starting on the bench, Niukore was given a starting spot and was superb in the Eels' 40-4 thrashing of Canberra last Friday night, scoring two tries in the final 10 minutes and coming up with 168 run metres.Niukore gives the Eels real thrust and the Raiders had no answer to his power running game.The Warriors would have loved watching him rip into the Raiders - the big forward is off to Auckland next season.The Eels literally ran the Raiders off their feet in a remarkable bounce-back from the previous week's loss to Penrith to get into their first GF qualifier since 2009.Some 13 Eels ran for more than 100 metres, with four of those getting over the 200 metre mark.Those are remarkable statistics - but the Eels will find the going a lot tougher against the well-drilled Cowboys defence in the heat and humidity of Townsville.
