TROUBLED Huddersfield Giant Paul Whatuira will soon be back in action with the team.
The 28-year-old has spent time in a specialist mental health unit after he was arrested by police investigating attacks on two men near Huddersfield town centre.
But the Examiner can exclusively reveal today that the New Zealand international will be back for rugby league pre-season training with Huddersfield Giants next week.
Head coach Nathan Brown has revealed that the New Zealand Test centre will join the rest of the Giants’ Super League squad for the start of official training on Monday.
Whatuira’s playing future had been cast in doubt when he was arrested last month after two men were attacked in Longroyd Bridge.
It is understood Whatuira – nicknamed Fatz by his teammates – was being treated at St Luke’s Hospital in Crosland Moor at the time, but had left the hospital shortly before the incidents.
Police took the player to a mental health unit in Bradford after his arrest, but a spokeswoman for West Yorkshire Police has confirmed Whatuira was released on October 26 and that no further action will be taken against him.
Although the former Wests Tigers star in the Australian NRL underwent a series of tests during his time in Bradford, it remains unclear what sparked such a dramatic change of behaviour.
But Giants chief Brown did reveal earlier in the year he was worried about a series of headaches Whatuira was suffering and which caused him to miss a couple of Super League fixtures.
Head knocks picked up during earlier games were believed to be the cause.
And Brown is hoping Whatuira’s hospital stay will have helped solve the problem and that one of his star players can successfully resume his playing career.
“Fatz is going well and we’re looking forward to welcoming him back to pre-season training,” said Brown.
“It’s obviously been a very difficult time for him and what happened came as a shock to everyone.
“The main thing is that he’s been where he had to go and is now happy with himself.
“He feels he’s recovering well at the moment which is very good and we hope he can move on.”
Whatuira is the most capped player at the Giants having made 16 appearances for New Zealand.
He signed for Huddersfield from Australian NRL club Wests Tigers at the start of last season.
He has also had spells in the NRL with New Zealand Warriors, Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers.
Last season he made 28 appearances and scored 15 tries while this season which has just ended he played 28 times and scored seven tries.
He was in the Giants side that was beaten 25-16 by Warrington Wolves in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley on August 29 and was also in the team beaten by Catalans Dragons in the play-offs in Huddersfield’s last game of the season.
