Tahu's tumble in gym a tonic -  28 January, 2005
TIMANA Tahu is looking to the Olympic sport of gymnastics to help him prepare for the tumble – if not the rough – of the new rugby league season. After two seasons hampered by injury, the NSW State of Origin winger hopes gymnastics may provide the missing ingredient enabling him to return to the international scene.
Tahu is among a group of Parramatta backs developing a special type of structural strength, stability and flexibility through weekly gymnastics sessions. "With the intensity of the game, you need the 'core' [torso] strength and flexibility," Tahu told The Daily Telegraph. "These days you can't afford to run around tight. That's been the problem with me. I tore my hamstring three times last year [playing with the Newcastle Knights]. The year before I tore my quad. It's lack of flexibility, so it's a good thing we're doing this."
For several months selected backs have worked each Tuesday with Robert Hong, the NSW Institute of Sport boys gymnastics coach at the State Sports Centre.
"Robert works on the little muscles and mobility through the joints as well," Tahu said. "Now I'm running freely. When I go out on the field I feel heaps different. I used to feel tight and take ages to get loose. Now I feel good. "I snapped a ligament in my ankle four months ago and had to get a screw put in it. I had to just sit around. Now I do these stretches at home."
Exercises include single-leg squats, rolling routines primarily using stomach and back muscles, tumbling for proprioception (spacial awareness) and various stretching and mobility drills. Over the years coach Hong's class has attracted some highly successful athletes including Olympic sprint finalists Darren Clark and Kylie Hanigan, last year's national high jump champion Josh Lodge, and Kings captain Jason Smith.  "I think the footballers are fantastic," Hong said. "So far they are very co-operative and keen. They bring a lot of stimulation."
Parramatta strength and conditioning coach Hayden Knowles said gymnastics had become "an important part" of regeneration for his players. "The tests have come back showing these players are going better than ever," Knowles said. "The players are telling me they feel better and as long as they keep telling me that, I'll keep sending them." 

Tahu said if the Knights came to him with a reasonable offer, he would re-sign with the club. "I really want to stay with the Knights," he noted. "All my mates and my family are here (in Newcastle). But at the end of the day I have to think about my three kids."

10 April 2005 -  Former Test winger Timana Tahu has put his hand up for Test selection following an encouraging start as a centre at Parramatta.  Tahu played in the corresponding match last season and said he would be happy to move back to the wing if it meant getting a jersey against New Zealand.  "It will be a bonus if I make it," Tahu said.  "All I'm really worried about is playing good for Parramatta and myself.  It will just be a good achievement to make the Australian side. I haven't got any problem if I get picked on the wing."

Tahu prompts medicals rethink -  May 6, 2005
THE Australian Rugby League last night took responsibility for an oversight that led to injured Parramatta centre Timana Tahu skipping the Country medicals.  Tahu's no-show at Monday's initial gathering of the Country team in Sydney was raised by coach Craig Bellamy in Lismore yesterday.  Bellamy used a media conference ahead of tonight's match against City to call for compulsory medicals for all players selected in representative teams - a policy the ARL said was already in place. "We want all players to come to medicals in the future," ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said. "We wanted it this time.  If a player doesn't come (to the medicals) and he plays (for his club), it sullies the process. We're pretty keen not to sully it. Tahu should have been there." 
Tahu suffered a back injury during the Eels' match against the Bulldogs on Saturday night, information that was relayed by the club doctor to ARL chief medico Hugh Hazard. However, Bellamy felt Tahu should have turned up on Monday as Storm halfback Matt Orford made the trip from Melbourne even though he was no chance of playing with a hamstring injury.  Tahu has been selected for the Eels' home game against North Queensland on Sunday.  "We had one instance with one of the players who dropped out of our team earlier in the week and basically he didn't come to the medical," Bellamy said. "They seem to be a little bit inconsistent there because I know Matt Orford didn't think he'd be right to play. They actually made him come up to the medical, which I think is the right thing to do. I think everyone should be made to come to the medical and go from there." 

Tahu wary of Hagan's influence
Newcastle Knights player Timana Tahu says he expects the weaknesses of himself and team-mates Matt Gidley and Danny Buderus will be exploited by Queensland in next week's second State of Origin clash in Brisbane. Tahu, who has been side-lined for six weeks because of injury and personal leave, said he was well aware that the Maroons would benefit from having Knights coach Michael Hagan guiding them and imparting valuable knowledge about the Newcastle trio.
"Him (Hagan) being the head coach, I think he'll slip out a couple of weaknesses from me, Bedsey (Buderus) and Matt Gidley so it is going to be strange," Tahu said. "He knows our weaknesses and strengths, so we've got to be on top of our game and make sure we don't make those mistakes."
Tahu said he was surprised to be included in the Blues squad for the second State of Origin clash, as he was not expecting a line-up change after their one-point win over the Maroons two weeks ago in Sydney. He said he was glad to have returned from injury in time for the crucial match. "With the Blues winning in the first Origin, I thought they'd want to keep the same team but a few players got injured and it was just probably the right time for me to come back from my hamstring injury," Tahu said. "I feel pretty lucky, but I'm really excited and can't wait until next Wednesday."

Tahu sidelined by broken hand -  August 16, 2005
PARRAMATTA centre Timana Tahu may be sidelined until the second week of the NRL finals series with a broken hand. Tahu will miss the blockbuster against St George Illawarra at Oki Jubilee Stadium on Sunday after x-rays yesterday revealed a small break to his right hand. The former New South Wales Origin star does not yet know how long he will be out of action, but the initial prognosis suggests a four-week stint on the sidelines. Tahu joins fellow backs Matt Petersen and Wade McKinnon and front rower Michael Vella in the Eels casualty ward.

Tahu fear at Hagan appointment -  December 11, 2005
STAR Eel Timana Tahu has declared the potential signing of Michael Hagan could have a major bearing on his future at the club. Tahu, who won a premiership with Newcastle under Hagan, walked out of the Knights a year ago after his repeated requests to play in the centres were ignored.  "The main reason why I left Newcastle was because I wanted to play in the centres," Tahu said. "If he (Hagan) does get selected for the job it's going to become a major issue for me. I most definitely don't want to be playing out on the wing again." 
Should Hagan join the Eels in place of the axed Brian Smith at the end of next season, Tahu will demand an immediate meeting with the Eels hierarchy. Tahu's $1.2 million, three-year deal with the Eels expires after season 2007. "If Denis Fitzgerald thinks he (Hagan) is right for the job then we'll all have to sit down and sort something out," Tahu said. "It took me a while to firstly get the opportunity to play in the centres (at the Eels) and then get used to playing there. I loved last season and think I'll only get better with more time there." 
Tahu said it was after a meeting with Hagan in 2004 that he realised he would be forever bound to the wing at Newcastle. "He obviously had other centres lined up in front of me like George Carmont, Anthony Quinn and Brad Tighe, but wing was a position I just didn't want to play," Tahu said. "But he (Hagan) thought I was better off playing on the wing."  Tahu added that he left Hagan and Newcastle on good terms but believes a return to the wing would bring undone his most enjoyable season to date. Parramatta chief executive Denis Fitzgerald said that he and his board members wouldn't be rushed into making a decision. "Hopefully whatever coach gets the nod will be good for the job, because Brian Smith has put a lot of work into building this team," Tahu said. 

Blues tight lipped on Tahu - May 23, 2006 
NEW South Wales officials last night refused to reveal what was troubling Timana Tahu as the classy centre joined his captain Danny Buderus in the casualty ward leading up to tomorrow night's State of Origin game. Tahu sat out most of the Blues' penultimate training session at Sydney's Aussie Stadium, initially working alongside Buderus in the gymnasium before playing a minor role in the team's field session, which was held behind closed doors. Penrith centre Luke Lewis, the 18th man for tomorrow night's game at Telstra Stadium, trained in Tahu's place. Blues doctor John Orchard has been gagged by senior officials, while coach Graham Murray declined to say what was troubling Tahu, although it's understood the Parramatta centre had a stomach virus. Tahu's ailment continued a jinxed preparation for the Blues, who have lost centre Matt Cooper to a hamstring injury and could be without Buderus, who has a problem with his back. Buderus, who endured a back spasm at the weekend, was rated only a 50-50 proposition by Murray yesterday. "Obviously, if you don't train today, you're in a bit of doubt," Murray said of Buderus. "He's better than he was yesterday and that's the positive side of it but he's certainly not out of the woods at this point in time. "I'll give him as much time as I think is necessary. He is the captain, he is one of the elite players. Luke Priddis is a good player and a good back-up but I would like to give him (Buderus) every chance."   

Tahu comes in from the cold and turns out for the Blues 
Timana Tahu was a teen headed for trouble. But a baby made him grow up fast, writes Jessica Halloran. 
He REMEMBERS the screams from the Luna Park rollercoaster and "the hookers" parading up and down the St Kilda streets. He remembers being scared of the needles that would sometimes litter the gutter on his way to school. Timana Tahu's childhood memories are of frosty Melbourne winters, kids kicking the Sherrin around the primary school playground and his craving to play rugby league at lunch-time. It was visiting relatives in Bourke and crowding around the TV at Origin time watching the delayed telecast of the big match that piqued Tahu's interest. On those nights, he fell asleep dreaming he was an Origin footballer. "But now I'm living that dream," said Tahu, who will play his ninth game for the Blues tonight. "It was just rugby league drummed into my head. We never really watched AFL." 
Tahu's Maori dad, Tom, and his mates would play league in the local park, and Tahu liked to watch them play. When he was 12 his mum and dad separated and Tahu moved to Bourke with his mum. His mum, Linda, married a policeman and his job meant moving from town to town. Tahu's life became unsettled. He lived in five different towns in three years. It was tough," Tahu said. "I lived in Bourke, Wilcannia, Grafton, Byron Bay. I just got sick of moving around." 
He was a quiet kid and starting new schools was painful, he said. "I had to stick up for myself a lot of times," Tahu said. "When you're the new kid at school you seem to get picked on in the first few days. They were the toughest, being by yourself and knowing no one. It was hard. You'd settle in, make new friends and then you've got to pack and go again and try to make new friends again. Changing schools, teenagers can be very spiteful, it was very hard to make friends. I learnt to go along with it, but then I got sick of it. That's why I went to Newcastle." 
At 14, Tahu told his mum he wanted to live at an Aboriginal boys' hostel in Newcastle. A few of his mates from the bush were there and he wanted to live there as well. He also admitted boredom was pushing him into "mischief".  "I asked my mum if I could move down there [from Bourke] and she said, 'Yeah'," Tahu said. "I felt comfortable there." 
He was eventually kicked out of the hostel for wagging school at Cardiff High. He'd started going steady at high school with a girl called Kasey Faulkner. Her family took him in, then he started to settle down. Several years later Tahu became a dad, just after he turned 18. "That was scary," he said. It wasn't until he was holding his little girl, Leketa, that he finally realised he had to grow up. "I was a pretty irresponsible person," Tahu said. "I was just a young kid. I was playing under-19s for Newcastle then and that's when I sort of had to grow up a lot faster. I really didn't know what I was going into but once I had her I had to make a better future for her." 
His football came together under then Newcastle coach Warren Ryan. "He was a tough coach, but he taught me how to be mentally tough," Tahu said. "He would ring me and say, 'You've got to start three or four weeks before the whole club starts'. When he left, I felt he'd done a lot for me and my career there." 
Tahu's career flourished at the Knights and he was picked up by Parramatta in 2005. Recently he has been working with teammate Dean Widders, helping out Aboriginal children. With his combined heritage it could sometimes be tricky pleasing everyone, he said. "I do bits and pieces with the Aboriginal community but I identify myself as a Maori as well," he said. "I don't choose sides. I find it very lucky having been Aboriginal and Maori. They are two very strong cultures. A lot of Maoris do get angry with me because of my name, but I play for Australia and NSW. It is hard with rep football because they all want you to play for them - but I made my decision. New Zealand are a little bit filthy, but it's just who I am. I was born in Australia and reared in Australia so I play for Australia." 
Since the birth of Leketa, Tahu has had two more children. The 25-year-old likes being a young dad. "I'm a family man now," he said. "I'm a person who stays at home. All my mates now, some are still single and partying, but I'm happy. I really don't want to be like everyone else. I am different." 

Tahu granted centre wish - November 11, 2006 Daily Telegraph
NEW Parramatta coach Michael Hagan has smoothed over his first potential problem at the Eels by guaranteeing Timana Tahu a starting centre spot and opening new contract talks with the NSW Origin star.  Hagan's move has quashed any possible pre-season tension after the Eels officially returned to training duties yesterday for the 2007 season. Tahu initially flagged the signing of Hagan as a possible problem last December after being restricted to spending most of his time on the wing when the pair were in Newcastle. But the former Novocastrians were both all smiles at Parramatta Stadium after a meeting last week dissolved any underlying tension.  "We've had a meeting last week, I met with all the players individually," Hagan said. "I got a fair idea of what their expectations are and Timana wants to establish himself as an outright centre in the game.  Even at rep level he's been used on the wing a fair bit but I think he's looking to establish himself more in the centres. We're certainly happy to accommodate his wishes."
Hagan revealed the Eels had opened new contract talks with Tahu, whose current deal expires at the end of this season, with the club seeking to extend terms with the NSW star until the end of 2009.  Tahu suggested he was happy to adopt a wait-and-see approach to negotiations into next season as he eases his way back into the NRL after major knee surgery.