By Matt Findlay

Boom Eastwood recruit Tayler Adams has been through the wringer in the last couple of years, the 25-year-old five-eighth’s reached some dazzling highs but his resolve has been tested with some shattering lows too.

But through it all, his goal’s never changed – “it was Super Rugby, it always has been and it still is.”

Adams, a former Junior All Black, achieved that goal in 2018 after being picked up by and making two appearances for the Melbourne Rebels too, but just as his career looked to be taking off he was crippled by injury.

Following that Super season Adams returned to New Zealand to direct traffic in the Southland Stags’ Mitre 10 Cup campaign, but didn’t make it through the pre-season.

An ankle injury and resulting surgery cost him his spot on the Rebels’ roster this year.

“I was really looking forward to the Mitre 10 Cup season, getting back to that level and taking control of a team, but I got hurt in our last pre-season game, had surgery, that’s why I couldn’t do the pre-season with the Rebels,” he said.

“I always wanted to get into a Super Rugby program and it was an awesome experience getting that chance last year, being able to work on things day-in, day-out as a full-time player. Being able to get a couple of games with them was really special, so it was really disappointing to not be able to build on that.

“The first few games of the Shute Shield have been my first in seven or eight months and yeah, my end goal is to try and get back into a Super Rugby squad now.”

Despite coming back from that ankle operation Adams has looked every bit a pivot capable of doing just that too, having led his new side to a top two spot through four rounds.

He admits it has taken him a few games to “find his feet” though, but after his spell-binding showing in the Woodies’ 27-21 upset of reigning premier Sydney University at Mudgee on Saturday, it’s tough to suggest he hasn’t.

Adams played an instrumental role in all of Eastwood’s points, scoring a try, laying on the other three and also booting two conversions and a penalty goal.

His outrageous, behind-the-back, bullet flick pass to set up Kiti Ratu’s second was an irresistible piece of individual skill too.

“It was easily my best game since coming to Woodies,” Adams said.

“The first three rounds I think I was still trying to find my feet and might have been pushing things a little bit, trying to do a bit too much. But I sort of let that go a bit on the weekend and I was able to fit into the game and it all started to flow. Hopefully that’s the standard I can stay at now.

“With that pass, I saw someone shoot out of the line and maybe I thought I’d have more time going around the back and in front but you’re never really thinking about it, it’s more just instinct. It’s nice it came off and it is pretty cool to look back on.

“It felt like there was a real shift in attitude against Sydney University last weekend. We’d got two wins then been outclassed by Norths but we weren’t doing the little things all that well.

“There’s obviously a lot of rivalry between the two clubs and we knew it was going to be a huge game out there at Mudgee, so it was good to put it together and the win was a real boost after the loss the week before.”

Adams said his ankle’s holding up “really, really well” too, a huge positive considering he’s still working his way into a new club, one that’s putting a lot of faith in him as their marquee recruit in 2019.

“I’m really happy with how the ankle’s feeling, it’s all good and a performance like last weekend’s gives me confidence in those terms too,” Adams, who won the 2017 Ken Catchpole Medal during his stint with West Harbour, said.

“Coming back to the Shute Shield after the injury, I wanted a bit more stability and I knew a couple of the guys from West Harbour were leaving the club.

“It was nothing against West Harbour obviously, I just needed to do something for myself to find that stability and give myself the best chance.

“I spoke to the Eastwood coaches and knew a few guys that were going to be in their side too, I thought it would be a good fit for me playing behind a really experienced forward pack.

“That stability is there and there’s a really good culture at the club, I actually think the playing group we’ve got now definitely has the chance to do something and potentially go all the way.

“Eastwood has been there and won before so they know how to do that and I would really love to be a part of something like that, but it is still a bit too early on to be thinking about that just yet.”

Adams and his Woodies travel to Lidcombe Oval this weekend to take on the winless Western Sydney Two Blues.