Foketi brings father's unfinished rugby league dream to grand final
Roosters forward Salesi Foketi plays his first grand final aiming to finish his father's unfinished journey in New Zealand.
Salesi Foketi takes the field tonight hoping to finish what his father, Solomone, started. The older Foketi left Tonga in his twenties to chase a rugby union career in New Zealand but hit a language barrier that ended his chance with the Warriors.
"Almost had a crack with the Warriors system but he had a language barrier and that ended up falling through," Salesi explained about his father. Solomone passed his dreams to his son, the only boy among four children.
From the time Salesi could walk, football was constant: backyard training on five metres of grass, tackle pads held by his three sisters, everything drilled. Now 22, Foketi is one of the Roosters' breakthrough forwards.
"This is not only my dream," he told media before Sunday's match at Accor Stadium. "It's my dad's dream as well."
Tonight, he carries both.
- 22
- Foketi's age
- Tonga
- Solomone's origin
- five metres of grass
- Backyard training space
- three sisters
- Foketi's siblings
Why it mattersA first grand final matters to any player, but for Foketi it closes a family circle his father could not reach.
AustraliaFoketi's story is one Australian rugby league fans will follow tonight, a Tongan-Australian family's journey playing out on the NRL's biggest stage.
Corroborated by1news.co.nz
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 45 min ago
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