Wigan Warriors star Frank Paul Nuuausala has '˜point to prove'

The big prop, nicknamed the ‘Wrecking Ball’, arrived at Wigan midway through the 2016 season, and admits he

hasn’t yet scaled the heights which earned him one of rugby league’s most memorable nicknames.

The 30-year-old, who was the subject to speculation of a move back to Australia last month, has impressed coach Shaun Wane during pre-season training, but says that will count for nothing until the season starts at Salford on Friday night.

“I can’t talk about it much because it’s not what

you do at training, it’s what you do on the field,” he said.

“I feel I’ve got a good head start and some weeks of pre-season under my belt. I’m frustrated because I just want to play and see if it pays off.

“To be honest there’s a point to prove.”

And Wane has taken the responsibility of helping Nuuausala recapture the form which made him a hit at previous club Canberra Raiders.

“Frank is top drawer on his day, and it’s my job as a coach to make sure he rediscovers that form,” he said.

“I’ve seen enough signs - in training and in the Leigh game – to convince me he’s got the bit between his teeth.

“Against Leigh, he carried the ball strongly, his contact was good.

“If I see the Frank of 2016 – aggressive, confrontational – we’ll be happy.”

Nuuausala was only player to figure in all of Wigan’s games last year. Asked if props suffered from complacency, Wane reluctantly admitted that was partly to blame for the prop’s below-par form last term.

“It’s human nature, when you’re under no pressure – I don’t like admitting it, but I think there was some of it,” he said

“We won’t have that now, we’ve no injuries, we’ve got some numbers in the middle.”

Wigan’s season opener against Salford at the AJ Bell Stadium kicks off at 7.30pm on Friday and the match is not being shown on Sky Sports.