It would be easy to call Hunter Paisami the forgotten man of Australian rugby except for so many names being in that bucket this week.
The good news Saturday for the 24-Test Wallabies centre was his first 80-minute hit-out for more than five months.
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Paisami was a highly influential midfield figure for his club Wests in the 40-26 major semi-final victory over Bond University at Crosby Park in Brisbane.
The six-try performance from the Bulldogs propels them into the Queensland Premier Rugby grand final at the new Ballymore on August 27.
That the premiers have a shot at back-to-back titles for the first time since the Canberra Vikings’ hat-trick of 2001-02-03 owes plenty to Paisami.
He was a commanding presence in midfield. He took the excellent overhead pass from chunky centre partner Vilikesa Raboiliku for a try to establish an early 12-7 lead.
Better was to come just after half-time when the Bulldogs were down to 14 men with prop Cabous Eloff in the sin bin and Bond pressing to reduce a 23-14 deficit.
Paisami received the ball on the right hand side of the field, was alert enough to see David Vaihu raising his hand for attention on the left touchline and banged a pinpoint 35m kick into his arms for a key try.
The 28-14 lead was too much for Bond to erase.
“That’s my first full 80-minute game for a while. It was good to get the carries and confidence up and tick over the legs,” a satisfied Paisami said.
“It’s been a tough year. I missed a lot of weeks with a knee injury, re-did it against the Fijian Drua and I’m just two games back for my club.”
The medial ligament damage to his left knee grounded his shot at the World Cup after his strong-running and hammer-hitting had been a regular feature of the teams picked by former Wallabies boss Dave Rennie.
Just six games for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby Pacific was never enough to press a case for World Cup selection to France.
“It’s always tough missing out. It is what it is. You keep moving forward and I’m really looking forward to Wests playing in the grand final,” Paisami said.
Wests had plenty of high achievers but none more so than the Vaihu brothers, winger David and fullback Glen.
David bagged a classy hat-trick and threw the sharp pass for the Ethan Dobbins try as well.
Glen’s explosive counter-attack from the back emphasised why the Melbourne Rebels rate him so highly.
Glen set the tone early when catching a high kick and sweeping onto attack in a blink. Mason Gordon’s long kick was chased downtown where David’s pressuring yielded a try from a Bond mistake.
Glen ignited another raid for David’s second try.
Young David, 20, relished playing on the end of a quality backline with halfback Moses Sorovi, Junior Wallaby Mason Gordon, Paisami and the bullocking Raboiliku.
“Hunter just put that kick on a platter for me for the try,” David enthused.
“He definitely brings experience and voice to keep us on the one path.
“Going back-to-back is the big thing now because we know how long it has been for any club.”
For Bond, backrower Jake Upfield was non-stop, including a massive second half tackle on Paisami which shut down a dangerous try-scoring threat.
Bond halfback Spencer Jeans made a darting run to set up his side’s first try and was always a handful.
WESTS 40 (D Vaihu 3, H Paisami, E Dobbins, C Eloff tries; M Gordon con, 2 pen goals, H Paisami con) bt BOND UNIVERSITY 26 (K Nasoko 2, K Taliga, H Roberts tries; H Roberts 3 con)
