Demolition worker, Bulldogs junior and aspiring engineer – that’s who Jethro Rinakama was eight months ago.

He would haul scrap, debris, concrete and rebar around construction sites for a living, pocket $1200 a week from his NRL train-and-trial deal and put his maths prowess to work in his studies at Macquarie University.

Rinakama is still an aspiring engineer, but that part of his identity has taken a back seat to “NRL player”as he prepares for the Bulldogs’ elimination semi-final against the Panthers on Sunday.

“I’m studying civil engineering at Macquarie, so just juggling that part-time with footy,” he said. “I do it online, so it’s probably the best for me to just do it online and chip away at it.

“I was kind of good at maths at school and my dad had done a little bit of engineerin

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