King Vuniyayawa details how Salford are ready to pounce in ‘meerkat season’

KING Vuniyayawa hopes Salford stand taller than their rivals as Super League’s ‘meerkats’ compare themselves.

For a new phrase has been adopted as the play-off battle heats up – now is meerkat season.

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The Red Devils have surprised many by sitting in fifth position going into this round of fixtures, when many tipped them to struggle.

Today, though, sees a huge test as Paul Rowley’s men face Catalans in Perpignan as the posturing begins.

Prop Vuniyayawa said: “Brad Singleton used the term ‘meerkat season.’ He said they used it at Leeds when they kept winning championships.

“I’d never heard it before but he said Jamie Peacock would say, ‘It’s meerkat season now, mid-season. It doesn’t matter who we’re up against, everyone’s going to turn up. We’ve got to get ourselves on the front foot.’

“Everyone wants to be at the top and showcase what they can bring. Meerkats always want to be at the top and sides want to test themselves against us.”

Fijian Vuniyayawa is in a better position to help his team-mates this time around after being turned back at passport control last year.

And after growing jealous of those who followed their team as he could only look on social media, he is determined to give them reason to be beaming in the sun.

He added: “There was something wrong with visas and stuff but it’s all sorted now.

“I was literally stood at the airport for 20 minutes and was like, ‘Damn, I’m going back.’ I looked at social media and everyone was in the sun enjoying it. I couldn’t help but laugh, things happen.

“I love it, though. It’s more like my climate there. It was 30 degrees when I played for Fiji in Papua New Guinea and I absolutely loved it.”