PNG Kumuls captain, Paul Aiton bounces back ahead of world cup
Paul Aiton would prefer to forget about his ill-fated night in Spain last year - a brief holiday that left the Caboolture rugby league product with a smashed jaw and his fledgling UK footy career in doubt.
Not only would the 27-year-old like to move on, his recollections of the July incident are, not surprisingly, vague.
It happened about midnight, on the first day of a three-day break from his UK Super League club Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Alone, the former NRL player was mugged by two men for the contents of a small bag on his shoulder.
Aiton says he was hit from behind, possibly with a bat or an iron bar. His attackers took his phone, wallet and sunglasses and left the one-time Morayfield State High School football star with a shattered jaw.
``Looks like these cowards have put me out for the season and four plates in my jaw,'' Aiton posted on Twitter after the incident.
It happened about midnight, on the first day of a three-day break from his UK Super League club Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Alone, the former NRL player was mugged by two men for the contents of a small bag on his shoulder.
Aiton says he was hit from behind, possibly with a bat or an iron bar. His attackers took his phone, wallet and sunglasses and left the one-time Morayfield State High School football star with a shattered jaw.
``Looks like these cowards have put me out for the season and four plates in my jaw,'' Aiton posted on Twitter after the incident.
For Wakefield coach Richard Agar it meant the loss of his side's most consistent player of the 2012 season Aiton's first in the UK after an NRL career spanning six years at Cronulla and Penrith.
Paul Aiton playing for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, UK Super League, 2013. Source: Quest Newspapers
``(It) must have been a brave person to do that to him, or a dark alley,'' Agar told a press conference.
Aiton could not eat for 12 weeks, and was sidelined for four months. He lost about 10kg and told the Times this week that recovering at home alone left him depressed.
``I was pretty peeved off. I was playing good footy at the time,'' he said.
``I was angry. I'm glad it's over now.''
The wide grin and warm nature, trademarks of the Caboolture Snakes junior's character, are back.
So is the determination that has made him an integral part of his Yorkshire club's Super League plans for 2013, and which will undoubtedly make him central to Papua New Guinea's hopes at this year's rugby league World Cup in England and Wales starting late October.
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