Wests Tigers rising star Samuela Fainu has spoken about the “pact” he and his family made following the imprisonment of their eldest brother, Manase, in 2022.
Manase, once considered one of rugby league’s brightest prospects during his time with Manly, was convicted for stabbing a man at a church dance in an incident dating back to October 2019. He was handed an eight-year prison sentence.
At the time, Samuela was part of the Sea Eagles system but had yet to make his NRL debut. He later joined the Tigers and has since established himself as a regular first-grade player.
He now plays alongside his younger brother Latu and older brother Sione at Concord.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, the 21-year-old was asked how he and his siblings coped with Manase’s incarceration.
“Sticking together,” Samuela said.
“When it all happened, we made a pact to keep pushing forward and not let it break us.”
Samuela shared that both his parents and Manase critique every game, with his older brother still offering feedback from behind bars. He also reflected on the influence Manase had on him from an early age.
“Everyone watches, especially my brother inside,” he said.
“He listens to the games and gives us his thoughts. I remember back when he was doing his first-grade pre-season — we were only 10 years old, and he was already teaching us things he was learning.”
Despite the challenges they’ve faced, the trio at the Tigers are making impressive strides in their NRL careers.
Latu, who Samuela admitted often got the better of him in their backyard footy battles, recently suffered another injury setback, undergoing surgery for a broken thumb.
“I feel for him,” Samuela said.
“He’s been through so much in recent years … I really do feel sorry for him.”
