Roosters winger Isaac Guba on track to be first Ugandan in NRL with 10 tries in seven Jersey Flegg games this season

Should his form continue and the NRL dream become reality, Guba would become the first Ugandan to play in rugby league’s top flight.

“Both my parents are Ugandan and I came out here when I was about five,” Guba said. “Hopefully I can become the first Ugandan player in the NRL.”

Guba’s family and friends in the Ugandan community in Australia were far more likely to take up football or basketball than rugby league.

His own trajectory changed when he was seven years old.

“The whole thing started when I saw something in the school newspaper,” he said. “I spoke to my parents about playing rugby league, but they were a bit hesitant.”

Guba linked up with local legend Steve Warwick, who founded Africa United Rugby League, an organisation that aims to introduce kids from African nations in western Sydney to rugby league.

With Warwick’s friendship and guidance, Guba played his junior footy in the Parramatta and Penrith competitions. He “didn’t get selected, and didn’t a chance” so he moved east to the Roosters.

“There are plenty of guys to look up to here,” he said. “Joseph Sua’ali’i, even though he’s younger than me, he’s a good player. I’ve been learning off some of the boys in this Flegg team as well as getting stuff off Daniel Tupou. Just his movement and all of his hard carries out of his territory.”

His mates and family still prefer the Premier League and NBA to the NRL, but Guba is slowly turning them on to the greatest game of all.

“It’s a different thing,” he said. “I’m not, like, the founding guy, but hopefully I can set a standard and push for more Ugandans to get into the sport.”

Guba, who is working towards becoming a teacher’s aide outside of footy, said his close-knit family has been a constant source of motivation.

“My family knows all the other Ugandan families in the area as well through community events, so we keep connected and keep the culture going,” he continued.

“Heritage and family keeps us going.

“My parents, my dad, my cousins and aunties – they all get around me and drive me to keep working.

“Hopefully I can make it one day so I can make them proud and so it wasn’t a sacrifice for nothing.”

Guba’s impressive knack for finding the tryline has been a huge factor in the Roosters winning six of their seven games to sit atop the table.

But ask coach Dean Feeney how likely that outcome would’ve been at the start of the season, and the rugby league veteran is blunt.

“People would’ve laughed at you,” Feeney said of Guba’s try-scoring feats. “And he knows that, but he’s been really good this year. He’s worked hard and he’s holding his own.”

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Guba, who turns 21 this year, is powerfully built and runs hard, but freely admits he was coasting last season.

“Last year I didn’t really work hard,” he said. “But this year I’m trying to get those extras at training. I’m putting in that extra work off the field and off camera.

“I want to make a career out of this, so it’s about getting there early and putting in all that extra effort.”