When Lagi Setu reported for Melbourne Storm pre-season last year after his Mormon mission, the silence spoke volumes.

After two years in Birmingham pursuing his faith, the back-rower had stacked on 22 kilograms and playing NRL again looked a mile off. He considered giving up and going home to Brisbane, but the Canberra Raiders recruit used the life lessons from his mission as inspiration.

Fit and firing ... Lagi Setu has lost 22kg since his return to the NRL and is confident he can deliver for the Raiders. Credit:Graham Tidy

''I came back a little bit sloppy and it was hard to get the body from 125 kilograms to 103. It was tough,'' Setu said.

''The silence said it all. As soon as I walked through the door to meet Bellyache [Storm coach Craig Bellamy], he thought, 'What are we in for?'