– Written By Devils Intern: Joseph Maranta
It’s been a welcome homecoming for two-time Devils premiership prop Jerome Veve.
Debuting in the Queensland Cup with the Souths-Logan Magpies in 2019, Veve first donned the sky blue and gold in 2021.
After stints with the Ipswich Jets and Tweed Seagulls, Veve is overjoyed to be back at Bishop Park and is eager to assert himself within the Devils’ pack in 2025.
“Coming back here has been everything I expected it to be.” Veve said.
“It’s been great having Rohan (Smith) here as the coach. He’s someone who sees the team as more than just a collection of footy players. He’s also really clear with his messaging to us. He doesn’t beat around the bush at all and he’s very specific with his expectations of the squad.”
An international man, Veve was born in American Fork, Utah with Samoan heritage. As a boy he spent his early years in Auckland with his three brothers and sister, before moving to Brisbane and attending Brisbane State High School. Despite his claims to different nationalities, in Veve’s eyes, he’s always seen Brisbane as home.
“I definitely consider Brisbane home; I came here at a young age. I’ve always been a massive fan of rugby league too.” Veve said.
Veve has reunited with coach Smith who enticed him to the Devils in 2021 after they had worked together at the Gold Coast Titans. At Bishop Park, Veve played alongside then Devils prop Michael Molo who had been a teammate in Queensland junior teams with the likes of Kalyn Ponga and Jaydn Su’A.
Veve became an established Cup player in his first stint at Norths, culminating in his strong work through the finals in the 2021 and 2022 premiership seasons.
Veve, 27, now wants to build on his record. His last season with Tweed featured an average of over 100 metres a game, with a 90.6 per cent tackle efficiency. He has taken positive steps in the pre-season, slashing 30 seconds off his previous best in the traditional 1.2km Bronco drill.
“I want to make sure that I’m on the field longer this season. I’d like to see more quality in my play, and I’m focused on keeping my legs moving as much as possible.” Veve said.
The competitive juices don’t stop flowing once Veve arrives home. His wife, Hulita is one of the most successful Polynesian netball players of all time. She is the captain of the Tongan netball team and a Queensland Firebirds frontline player almost a decade after she was part of their 2016 championship squad.
Jerome and Hulita met in high school and their two young boys are starting to follow in their footsteps showing great interest in sport.
“Oh, she’s everything to me,” Veve said.
“We’re very competitive, but she really sets the standard. We always try and chase each other but she’s set the bar very high. But I still have one premiership over her.” Veve joked.
“My kids have just started playing footy recently as well. I’ve been trying to take on more of a fatherly role than a coaching role with their footy, I just love seeing them take the field and playing the sport I love.”
Veve figured in the Devils’ pre-season match against Sunshine Coast Falcons last week and is looking forward to a blockbuster season opener against the Redcliffe Dolphins.
