Player review: Felise Kaufusi

With the 2012 Telstra Premiership season wrapped up for the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys, we take a look back at each player's performance throughout the year and preview what's in store for 2013.

FELISE KAUFUSI

Season 2012

GAMES: 6 out of 24 NYC games
TRIES: 1
POINTS: 4
AVERAGE TACKLES: 13.2
AVERAGE RUN METRES: 70.3m
AVERAGE HIT-UPS: 7.7

A pectoral injury sustained during a pre-season match just about ruined the young front-rower’s final year in the Toyota Cup.

After playing every game of the 2011 campaign that ended in the grand final, he was only able to make six appearances in 2012.

He played the full 80 minutes in three of those games and cracked the 100-metre mark against the Dragons in Wollongong.

What's ahead in 2013?

Kaufusi will follow a similar program to what Sam Hoare did this year in his first year out of Toyota Cup.

The front-rower will train fulltime with the Cowboys NRL squad and start the season in the Intrust Super Cup where the coaching staff will keep a close watch on his progress.

He should benefit greatly from increased exposure to Test props James Tamou and Matthew Scott.