By MARK CASHMAN

Eastwood coach Ben Batger knows a good one when he see one and he’s more than willing to go out on a limb for his hulking winger Fabian Goodall.

Batger reckons that one of the five Australian Super Rugby franchises should take a punt with the 125kg outside back and have the patience to see him develop.

The 26-year-old Goodall was one of the form wingers of the Shute Shield season before the pause in the competition because of the Sydney lockdown, scoring four tries but having some pretty major statistics in his favour like tackle busts and try assists.

“Fabian’s the type of player you would like to see a Super franchise take a risk with,” Batger told Rugby News.

“He is a unique beast with unique skill sets, so with some extra training and guidance he could be anything.

“I played with Nemani Nadolo (the Fiji Test winger now at the Leicester Tigers in the UK) and he reminds me a lot of him.

“It took Nadolo a long time to realise how good he actually was but when he did he became a world beater.

“‘Fabs’ is the same, some days he is best winger in competition other days you wonder wether he played, but we have been working really hard to bridge that gap and credit to him he was going really well this year.

“If we can unlock that part of his game I don’t think there is another winger in Australia that can offer what he has.”

Goodall’s story has been one of opportunities lost and major injury stifling his progress in a couple of codes.

As a teenager he was seen as one of the next big things in rugby league playing in an SG Ball side for the Sea Eagles with Clint Gutherson and Jake Trbojevic.

Goodall was also named in a future State of Origin Blues squad in 2011 that featured those two as well as Jack Wighton, James ‘The Jet’ Roberts, Luke Brooks and Mitch Moses.

He also played three Test for the Fiji Bati, the national rugby league side of the island nation scoring an intercept try against Papua New Guinea in a 22-10 victory.

The NRL looked to be at his feet but as Goodall said “his head just wasn’t in it at that stage”.

“I had opportunities in league but I never realised my potential and mentally just wasn’t ready,” Goodall told Rugby News.

“Before I knew it the opportunities had slipped away and a whole raft of up and coming juniors were in front of me.”

The Woodies came along and they got the former Hills Sports High student on board towards the end of the 2017 season.

But two games into his rugby career (in the NRC for the Western Sydney Rams) he broke his leg – snapping both the tibia and fibula – in a collision with Wallaby James Slipper.

That meant close to 10 months rehabilitation but towards the end of 2018 he was able to get four games under his belt for the Woodies.

Injury struck again in 2019 when he tore his pectoral muscle and missed all of that Shute Shield season.

Thankfully last year he remained injury free and the benefits of consistent training, plenty of game time and the odd Batger rev-up has seen him blossom.

“Ben’s (Batger) really pushing me to strive for bigger things,” Goodall added.

“This year he has allowed me to roam around a bit and get involved in any way that I can and it’s been quite enjoyable.”

At the moment, like a lot of us, he holed up at home, waiting for the lockdown to end and get back to work as a landscaper.

That does have its benefits as it means plenty of more time with partner Samantha and young family – two year-old Carter (named after his favourite rugby player Dan Carter) and six-week-old Zali.

The last word goes though goes to Batger.

“Fabs has unlimited potential and I don’t think I’ve seen a guy as big as him with so much skill,” he said. “Add in the fact he is 125kg – with speed – and you’re talking about a seriously good athlete.”

IMAGE: SERGE GONZALEZ / EASTWOOD RUGBY