A FULLY fit Ben Murdoch-Masila is undoubtedly one of Super League’s biggest weapons.
Since his arrival at Warrington Wolves, however, fans have been used to seeing him sent out heavily strapped up for brief stints.
It has been a source of great frustration – even moreso for the man himself – but the signs are that we could be about to see what he is really capable of.
The second rower dazzled for Tonga in historic post-season victories over Great Britain and world champions Australia.
That got pulses racing back on this side of the globe and with his Wolves contract about to enter its final year, there is no better time to get back to his devastating best.
“I think our head physio has had enough of me,” he said.
“He’s stuck by me and helped me get through it, but it was incredibly frustrating.
“I think my family copped the full whack of it – I’d come home and I’d be miserable.
“I’d be hearing people talking about me and the injuries and all I wanted to do was make things right.
“I’m just glad I came out on top of it and started playing some decent footy and good minutes – I think I got up to 80 minutes at one stage.
“To be honest, I didn’t really get fully fit until the back end of the season.
“I was carrying a lot of niggles and every time I got close to full fitness, something else happened.
“I’ve trained very hard in the off-season and I’m at my goal weight now.”
A strapped-up Ben Murdoch-Masila in action during 2019. Picture by Mike Boden
Given his performances for Tonga, which were more akin to the kind of displays which convinced The Wire to part with a six-figure transfer fee to sign him from Salford in 2018, Murdoch-Masila is rightly on Cloud Nine.
The island nation are arguably the hottest property in world rugby league at the moment and received a hero’s welcome in the country after their exploits last year.
With the 2021 World Cup draw having just been made – Tonga are in Group D alongside Papua New Guinea, Wales and the Cook Islands – could they be taking the trophy back there next time?
“It’s up there in my sporting career for sure,” Murdoch-Masila said of the wins over the Lions and Kangaroos.
“I think it’s the first time a Tier 2 nation has beaten all of the Tier 1 nations.
“It was a proud moment not only for me but for Tonga as a country.
“I’ve tried not to rub it in with the GB lads. We’re all good mates.
“I swapped shirts with Chill (Chris Hill) after the GB game and we had a photo with a Warrington flag.
“It’s good to have bragging rights at training, though.
“I probably could have done with a longer rest, but I missed pulling on the red jersey. I couldn’t say no to it.”
Having started and played long minutes in both of the internationals, calls are growing among the Wire fanbase for Murdoch-Masila to do the same at club level.
He did just that in four of The Wire’s last five games of 2019, including the Challenge Cup Final, and admits he would like to play more from the off.
However, he says dislodging a man he rates as “the best player in the team” will be a stiff test.
“As long as I’m playing my part for the team, I don’t mind but I would like to start,” he said.
“Having said that, I’ve got Jack Hughes in front of me and I rate him as the best player in our team.
“I look up to Hughesey a lot – he’s the type of player you want in your team.
“He’ll fill in anywhere for the team and I’ve got a good friendship with him. I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“After Wembley I was talking to his Dad and I told him his son was the best player in our team. He said that was really nice coming from me."
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