On a sunny autumn day back in March at Aubrey Keech Reserve, the Western Suburbs Magpies put out a challenge to a Belmore team’s claim of being the number one “family club’’ of rugby league.
For the first time in decades, Wests fielded a team comprising three brothers, with Tala, Junior and Veiru Mapesone lining up in the black and white in a throwback to their junior days when taking the field for Eagle Vale-St Andrews.
For Tala, whose family links continue to Eagle Vale-St Andrews today, it’s all about preserving the family link to the famous black and white.
“My dad got us into football,’’ he says.
“We like contact so it was fitting for us boys.
“I played for Eagle Vale-St Andrews growing up from the under eights to the under 17s, and now my son has started his career there in the under sixes.”
As for the game itself, Tala jumps at the chance to answer that question ahead of his brothers.
“We had never played together at once but it was a good feeling,’’ he recalls.
“The old man came to watch with some other family members, but although I’m the eldest out there it felt like I was the youngest because Veiru plays in the halves and he takes control of the game more than I do.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“I had Junior on my wing so it was good playing alongside him talking and having fun out there, plus I got an 80 metre intercept try in that game and Junior ran with me the whole way.”[/social_quote]
For Junior, his journey through the grades started a bit later but saw him progress a little further through the Wests junior program.
“I played from the under 10s until I was 19 and it is still the best junior club,’’ says Junior Mapesone.
“I achieved a fair bit as I was coming through the junior system.
“I played SG Ball for Wests and got a start in the Wests Tigers cubs system with their 17s and 19s squads so I got to play with NRL players like Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses.”
Although Tala secured a position with Penrith’s NSW Cup squad in 2014, it appears to be Veiru who is currently leading the sibling rivalry, with his contract to the Wests Tigers ISP side convincing Tala of his merits as a future star.
“Junior and Veiru have plenty of potential and they are still young, and Veiru has been with the Wests Tigers for some time now, so they both have the chance to kick on in the future,” Tala said.
Magpies Ron Massey Cup head coach Nathan Waters said the club was focused on rebuilding local pathways for juniors and ensuring young footballers in the Macarthur had a pathway through to the NRL.
“The story of the Mapesone boys is one we want to try and emulate as a development club in the future,” says Waters.
“With the growth in the Macarthur, Western Suburbs and the Wests Tigers can ensure our junior development system is amongst the best in the world if we provide the right opportunities to local talent.”
Not to mention taking on Canterbury Bulldogs as the family club in rugby league.
