Norths’ 94th season begins on Saturday night with the return of a treasured player who has been waiting 12 years for his first win in a Devils jersey.
Kalolo Saitaua’s journey is unlike few of the 1373 men who have represented Norths since that first season in 1933.
He made his debut for the Devils in 2014, a few months after his 18th birthday. He played his second and third games in 2017 before leaving for stints at Souths and Wynnum Manly.
Now he’s back at Nundah and ready to play in Saturday night’s opening Hostplus Cup clash with Mackay Cutters.
Saitaua’s is a story worth celebrating.
He is Devil No. 1197 – a blast from the past almost 60 numbers before triple premiership winner Jack Ahearn.
And Saitaua is another Devil to hail from Auckland’s Otahuhu Leopards, the club that produced the 1980 premiership connection of coach Graham Lowe and powerful forwards Mark Graham and Stan Napa.
He is a self-described “late bloomer”, switching between hooker, lock and now to the edge where he has been selected by coach Rohan Smith for Saturday night’s home clash.
Saitaua’s Devils connections run deep – as a teenager, he had a Broncos contract alongside Norths premiership forward George Fai.
At Wynnum Manly, he played alongside Matthew Milson, Tony Tumusa and Connor Broadhurst who will play for the Devils on Saturday night.
Saitaua says his rugby league teammates have become a key part of his family during a life that began in Samoa almost 30 years ago.
At age eight, Saitaua moved to New Zealand and began living with his grandparents, not seeing his mother again for 18 years.
In that time, his league talents shone and sparked a move from Auckland to Wavell High for his final year of schooling in 2013.
That rolled into his Devils debut the next year and the start of a senior rugby league career driven by Saitaua’s constant search for improvement.
“I have so many great family friends I met through rugby league who I now call family for life. They have helped me through my journey as young kid to where I am in life right now,” Saitaua said.
“The current Norths Devils family is part of my story now and I’m excited to learn more on and off the field from current staff and players.”
Saitaua credits his partner Elissabeth Ross as being one of the positive influences on a career that included a grand final appearance for Wynnum Manly against Norths in 2021.
The Devils won that game under coach Rohan Smith, who spoke to Saitaua last summer about a return to Norths.
Fai and Tumusa also encouraged him to come back to a club that has changed since that 2017 season when Saitaua’s hopes for a win with the Devils were blotted by a late Tweed Seagulls comeback in his last appearance for Norths.
“I’m really enjoying being a part of this environment. There is a real togetherness here and I feel very connected,” Saitaua said.
“I’m excited to be back here. I understand more now of what it takes to get better as a player. I really enjoy being coached by Ro. He lets players play the way they feel comfortable and it works.”
