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Via Telegraph Sport [emoji438]
By Fatima Kdouh and Michael Carayannis ✍
Canterbury has beefed up its forward pack after handing Zane Tetevano a surprised NRL lifeline
Zane Tetevano has been handed an NRL lifeline just months after suffering a stroke while training in England last year.
It is understood the Bulldogs have agreed to sign Tetevano, who won a premiership with the Roosters in 2018, despite the 33-year-old having not played in the NRL since 2020.
Tetevano’s last NRL match was a 2020 grand final loss for Penrith against Melbourne where current Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo was part of the Panthers coaching staff.
Since then he played three seasons at Leeds but his rugby league career looked over when he needed surgery to repair the hole in his heart which caused a stroke.
He did not play another game for Leeds, instead he moved back to New Zealand. However, he made a successful rugby league return and played two games for the Cook Islands at the end of season Pacific Champions in PNG.
That clearance has enabled Tetevano to push for an NRL return.
“I was trying to communicate in the warm-up and I started slurring my words,” Tetevano told AAP in October.
“My strength and conditioning coach Rich Hunwicks asked ‘have you been on the piss?’
“Then I started kicking my feet and (assistant coach) Chev Walker realised I was having a stroke.
“They tried not to scare anyone at training and then they called for an ambulance.”
The Bulldogs have been looking for props as they aim to add some much-needed depth to that position.
Tetevano was linked with a move to Wyong Roos before Christmas. He has played 121 top grade games during his stints at Newcastle, Sydney Roosters and Penrith.
Tetevano has also played three Tests for New Zealand and 10 games for the Cook Islands.