Fa’asuamaleaui’s Origin Quest Fueled by Father’s Brave Cancer Battle
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, a formidable presence in the Queensland Maroons camp, has revealed the deeply personal and emotional battle his father is currently facing. With the State of Origin series on the line, the star enforcer’s motivation extends far beyond the field, driven by the courageous fight his father, Fereti, is waging against cancer for the second time.
Speaking candidly for the first time about his father’s diagnosis, Fa’asuamaleaui, whose father resides in Gympie, not far from the Maroons’ Sunshine Coast base, didn’t hold back in expressing the profound impact Fereti has had on his rugby league career. He affectionately referred to his father as his “hero,” a sentiment that clearly resonates deeply.
“He’s very sick at the moment. He’s got cancer – he had it a few years ago, he’s a strong man and got through it,” Fa’asuamaleaui shared, his voice thick with emotion as he visibly struggled to contain his tears. “It’s something I don’t really want to speak about.”
The Maroons forward, wiping his eyes, continued to articulate the immense strength and inspiration he draws from his father. “He’s a strong man, he’s my hero, I love that guy,” he stated. “You don’t want to think of the worst case, but we’re just trying to cherish every moment. He’ll get through this – I pray every day and pray to God that he gets through the sickness, but he’s got a lot of support and staying really strong.”
This personal struggle adds an immeasurable weight to Fa’asuamaleaui’s upcoming appearance at the MCG. His vow to perform in honour of his father is a pledge that echoes the powerful display of Queensland skipper Cameron Munster in last year’s decider, who played with immense heart after his own father’s passing during the camp.
The Fa’asuamaleaui family has rallied around Fereti, with relatives travelling from Samoa and “across Australia, New Zealand and the world” to be by his side. Tino himself has been making regular trips back to Gympie, even during the intense Maroons camp, to be with his father.
The bond between Tino and Fereti is a testament to a lifelong connection forged through rugby league. Fereti, who played reserve grade for the Sydney Roosters after being scouted by the legendary Arthur Beetson, has always been a guiding force in Tino’s career.
A Father’s Wisdom, A Son’s Drive
“He’s always got tips on what I can do better, and that’s something that I’ve loved about my dad – he’s always spoken truthfully about my game and just me as a man and how I can be better,” Fa’asuamaleaui explained. “I’ve always played for my dad, he’s my hero whether he was sick or not, and is someone I look up to and love so much.”
The inability of his father to attend games in person has, paradoxically, amplified Tino’s motivation. “Obviously, my dad can’t come to the games any more, so it gives me that extra motivation to play well for him so he can have a smile while he lays in bed,” he said.
An inspired performance from the Maroons’ leading forward will be paramount as Queensland aims to level the State of Origin series following a heart-wrenching and controversial loss in Game I in Sydney.
“If I play bad, he’s not smiling,” Fa’asuamaleaui added with a touch of humour, “so I have to play good to make sure he has a smile. I’m honoured I get to wear his last name on my back for Queensland, and represent what he’s done for me.” He further lauded his father’s resilience: “He’s very brave, anyone who’s gone through that it’s nothing easy, and for him to every day battle it in a lot of pain, it’s quite remarkable.”
Facing the MCG Hoodoo
The Maroons face a significant historical challenge at the MCG, having not secured a victory at the iconic Melbourne venue since 1995. Their last Game III win in 2006 was at Marvel Stadium. Among the current Queensland squad, only Cameron Munster and Kurt Capewell were alive when that 1995 victory occurred.
However, Fa’asuamaleaui remains unfazed by the historical statistics. “We’re not worried about it – if you’re worried about that stat now, you’ve obviously beaten yourself already. No one was born yet, so does it matter?” he questioned, dismissing the relevance of past results.
Reflecting on Game I and Moving Forward
Reflecting on the contentious Game I loss, Fa’asuamaleaui acknowledged the impact of Kalyn Ponga’s sin-binning in the 57th minute, which occurred while the Maroons were dominating the forward battle. Despite the prevailing sentiment that the decision swayed the game, Fa’asuamaleaui, who contributed 116 running metres and 27 tackles, stressed that such thoughts are not dominating the Queensland camp.
“We’re not looking into it – it’s football, stuff happens. If we were looking at it like that, we’ve already beaten ourselves,” he stated. “I’m very proud of the boys, there were a lot of good efforts, and we were really working hard. Even when we went down to 12 men, we still had that Queensland spirit, and it came down to a flip of the coin. We got a lot of learnings from that, and it’s time to move on.”
The focus for Fa’asuamaleaui and the Maroons is now squarely on the task ahead, with the unwavering support and inspiration of his father driving him to achieve a crucial victory.
