SOUTHS pre-season training sessions are notoriously intense.

Former Bunny Lote Tuqiri reveals the white lie he told Michael Maguire to avoid them, while rugby league stars pitch in for a worthy cause.

All that and more in this week’s NRL Confidential as we take a look at the lighter side of the game.

HOW LOTE OUT-FOXED MAGUIRE

Round 19

Lote Tuqiri has revealed he played mind games South Sydney coach Michael Maguire to get out of pre-season training ahead of their premiership winning season.

Having finished his deal with the Wests Tigers at the end of 2013, the former Test and Origin flyer was being courted by Maguire for one last year in the NRL.

Lote - I lied to get out of the hardest part of preseason "Rabbitoh's coach Michael Maguire doesn't know this but for about a month I pretended I wasn't sure if I wanted to come back to the NRL so I didn't have to do the hardest part of the preseason."Lote Tuqiri recounts hilarious story where he told Rabbitohs coach he wasn't sure if he wanted to come back to the NRL for a whole month just so he didn't have to do the hardest part of preseason. Posted by The Locker Room on Monday, March 7, 2016

The veteran revealed to The Locker Room podcast that he always intended on taking up the offer but strung Maguire along so he wouldn’t have to do the most difficult stage of the pre-season.

“I held Madge off until January,” Tuqiri explained.

“I didn’t want to do the December part of (pre-season).

“I said ‘mate I’m tossing up (whether to play)’. I always knew I was going to come back.

“Madge doesn’t know I was foxing for about a month so I didn’t have to do the hardest work of the year.”

When asked how he kept Maguire at bay for the best part of three months Tuqiri explained he used “I just don’t know if I’m up to it” as his excuse to prolong his return to training.

Lote Tuqiri scores for Souths. Source: News Corp Australia

“I’ll give you a call next week,” he said of what he told Maguire.

But when he finally arrived at Redfern Oval his time at home quickly caught up with him.

“Some of the Souths boys will tell you I trained well that week and it came to a Friday — the last session before we broke up (for break),” he explained.

“It was one of the harder weeks but not as hard as the start. They started in October or something.

“We were doing coathangers and four laps in under five minutes. I was struggling.

“We had to do about three of them and after the first one I was gone. Even if I was in tip top fitness after the second (I’d struggle).

“I was gone. The guys will tell you they were thinking ‘what’s he doing? Get him back in the wheelchair’.”

JUNIOR’S HELPING HAND FOR FIJI

Cronulla’s Junior Roqica is pitching in with the Fiji relief effort, linking with the Red Cross to raise much needed funds for those affected by Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Having represented Fiji Bati, Roqica has linked with a number of stars across the game to assist the estimated 35,000 affected in his homeland.

Roqica has set up an online e-bay auction with plenty of NRL memorabilia on offer, including a pair of signed boots from Wests Tigers skipper and NSW prop Aaron Woods and a signed Marvel Super Hero Roosters jersey from Jared Warea-Hargreaves.

Also lending their support to the cause are Kevin Naiqama (Tigers), Chase Stanley (Bulldogs), Todd Murphy (Broncos), the Sims brothers Korbin and Tariq (Knights) and Kane Evans (Roosters), who have all donated individual jerseys.

The auction closes this Sunday, March 13 — to bid CLICK HERE.

BROWN NEEDS NU PHONE

Still at the Sharks, we simply have no words for this effort from young playmaker Fa’amanu Brown. We trust his teammates are giving him plenty.

Nu Brown: No words. Source: Supplied

DOUGLAS’S DAY OFF

Titans ironman Luke Douglas was more than entitled to put his feet up last week when he was forced to sit out round one due to suspension.

Instead he and injured halfback Kane Elgey decided to make the day of one Titans fan celebrating his 21st birthday.

The only thing good about not playing this weekend was getting to go to this legends 21st bday. Isaacs a massive @gctitans supporter and me @kaneelgey7 we're stoked to be part of his big day. A photo posted by @lukedougie on Mar 6, 2016 at 6:17pm PST

FAMILY TIME AT THE FOOTY

With the footy back, a couple of stars took a minute after their first games for a bit of family time.

Special moment tonite making my WT debut and a win! To top it off had the nephews enjoy the win on the field after the game 😊🐅🐅🐅🐅 A photo posted by Tim Grant (@timgrant464) on Mar 5, 2016 at 4:12am PST