Magic Round might be the main talking point in the NRL this week, but at the Roosters, it's humble giant Daniel Tupou who has the chance to achieve two career-defining milestones this week.
Ahead of the Roosters' mouthwatering clash with the Sharks in Brisbane, the fan-favourite winger has the opportunity to etch himself further in Club lore with his 250th appearance and potentially his 150th try.
And all along the way, he's done it his way.
The Quiet Achiever
A man of few words, Rooster no.1130 has carved out one of the great careers in Club history, despite admitting that the thought of standing in front of the media banner strikes more nerves in him than running out to play a Grand Final.
In his 249 games in the NRL, Tupou has become a three-time Premiership winner (2013, 2018, 2019) and World Club Challenge winner (2014, 2019, 2020), while currently holding the Club's try-scoring record with 149 - having done so all in the Red, White and Blue.
An astounding 22 finals appearances places him in esteemed company alongside the likes of fellow current and former teammates Mitchell Aubusson, Boyd Cordner, Jake Friend and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
Don't let his achievements give off the impression he has only performed at Club level either; the 32-year-old veteran has pulled on the jerseys of Australia and Tonga, coupled with 10 State of Origin appearances for NSW and two for City.
Tupou Makes History
Mr Reliable
Coaching staff, teammates and Roosters diehards alike understand the long-lasting impact that Tupou has had on the left flank over the last thirteen seasons.
From his no-nonsense work in the backfield to his acrobatic feats in the air and reliability in try-scoring situations, the 196cm giant is one of the first picked by Trent Robinson each week.
You only have to look at his performances in 2024 so far to get a glimpse of his consistency across his career - in eight matches so far, he has scored six tries, made ten linebreaks, averages 173 metres, and has an 83.3% tackle efficiency.
There hasn't been a more reliable try-scorer in Roosters history either, as he sets his sights on the elusive 150 milestone.
Should he achieve that record in Magic Round, it will cement his place as the 16th player in NRL history to do so, at an astounding 60% strike rate every time he takes the field.
Standing Tall in the Big Moments
Despite being one of the most unheralded wingers in the competition's history, Tupou has been a key figure in some of the Club's biggest moments.
One of his most iconic moments came in just his first full season in the top grade, leaping to the heavens above opposition winger David 'Wolfman' Williams in the 2013 decider to score an unforgettable four-pointer.
Fast-forward five years later and it was Tupou at the end of a looping pass from five-eighth and Clive Churchill Medallist Luke Keary to set the tone for one of the most dominant performances in a decider.
The following season the towering winger was instrumental in the final four-pointer of 2019, which ultimately crowned the Roosters as back-to-back Premiers after putting James Tedesco away to seal the famous Grand Final victory.
A True Clubman
As a specialist winger, Daniel Tupou has achieved it all; the unsung hero is a Roosters mainstay that will be spoken of among the Club's all-time greats when it's all said and done.
Tupou stands tall alongside the likes of Anthony Minichiello, Bill Mullins, Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Dave Brown as far as tryscorers, and Luke Ricketson, Mitchell Aubusson, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Jake Friend and Boyd Cordner as clubmen.
While personal accolades and awards have eluded him, that matters little to his coaches, teammates and himself.
All that matters is that each-and-every time he takes the field, you know exactly what you'll get from Daniel Tupou.
