Shows / Nesian Footy
Nesian Footy
Bringing you the Pacific Islander stories on and off the Rugby League and Rugby Union field.
Episodes
Nesian FootyAsh Marsters: Smile-crying through Cook Island dance classes to Wallaroos records
Ash Marsters is the only sibling in her family born in the Cook Islands and has had a close relationship with her culture all her life despite growing up in…
- Nesian Footy
Bula round and more footy in the Pacific
Sam put on his reporter hat to find out the latest news around Super Rugby's proposed Bula Round in Fiji, Toutai chats a potential call up for the Pasifika…
Nesian FootyAdiana Talakai's imposter syndrome nearly tainted her Wallaroos debut
If it wasn't for her brothers and friends in the team, Adiana Talakai's Wallaroos debut might have been missed by her own parents. Sam & Tinirau chat to the…
- Nesian Footy
Has Sam turned into a good tipster?
The gang is back together again so you'll be treated to some NRL previews with Sala Togatuki and Super Rugby action with Toutai Kefu. The Super W season is…
Nesian FootyStefano Utoikamanu doesn't take his footy career for granted
Stefano Utoikamanu learned how precious footy can be after his brother's neck injury and wants to have more cracks in both the Samoa and NSW blue jerseys in…
- Nesian Footy
Sala's stories from Vegas
The Las Vegas superstar Sala Togatuki is back in the house so we hear about that epic trip and going viral for her dancing skills. Toutai Kefu previews all the…
- Nesian Footy
Understanding the Mana Pasifika NRL bid with Muliaga Geoff Brown
Muliaga Geoff Brown helped create the Mana Pasifika bid to join the NRL, so we ask him all the questions you'd want to know about this potential team. Where…
- Nesian Footy
Tinirau's tales from Vegas
Fresh off the plane and straight into the studio, we get the lowdown on the NRL in Las Vegas from Tinirau and a look forward to the rest of round one…
- Nesian Footy
Albert Hopoate chose his first born over Vegas
With Albert Hopoate's first born on the way and his wife encouraging him to go to Las Vegas to play with the Raiders, Hopoate went with his gut (and the advice…
- Nesian Footy
Nesian Footy Friday heads to Las Vegas (sort of)
Tinirau is in Las Vegas so his cousin Tupou Sopoaga steps in and we cross live to Sin City to see how the NRL opening round is shaping up. It's also 'Culture…
- Nesian Footy
Loraini Senivutu was inspired by the Drua, now she plays for them
Loraini Senivutu is about to kick off another Super W season with the Fijian Drua as they look to avenge last year's Grand Final loss to the Waratahs. Senivutu…
- Nesian Footy
Nesian Footy Fridays are back!
And we wouldn't be doing it right without the great Toutai Kefu dropping by for all the rugby union preview chat you'll ever need. Plus, Tinirau throws out…
- Nesian Footy
Warriors forward Demitric Vaimauga has had to grow up fast
Life is moving fast for the NZ born, Samoan-Niuean-Tongan NRL player who is impressing plenty and hoping to head to Las Vegas with the Warriors. Signed to the…
Nesian FootySam & T's Summer Sitdowns with Nemani Nadolo
Nemani Nadolo went the long way around. Despite playing over 250 games of top-level rugby across the world and representing Fiji 30 times, his late bloomer…
- Nesian Footy
Tongan speed coach Michael Fualalo is making top NRL players faster
He didn't play NRL and not many footy fans would know his name, but Tongan Michael Fualalo is the go to guy at the moment for fitness and speed training for…
Nesian FootySam & T's Summer Sitdowns with Keith Peters
Born in Port Moresby with Papua New Guinean and Samoan heritage, Keith Peters played for Penrith and represented PNG, rewarding all the sacrifices his parents…
- Nesian Footy
Onitoni Large had a cooler school holidays than you ever had
With one year left of school, Onitoni Large is already signed to the Manly Sea Eagles and spent his Summer school holidays doing an NRL pre-season instead of…
Nesian FootySam & T’s Summer Sitdowns with Jade Coates
Jade Coates has had to convince people she’s Fijian her whole life due to her fair skin, but all that matters is what she knows in her heart about her family…
Nesian FootySam & T's Summer Sitdowns with Sala Togatuki
Sala Togatuki has gone from skipping church and sneaking behind her parents back to play footy to representing both Samoa and Australia at the highest level…
- Nesian Footy
Eddy Pettybourne on embracing the rugby league journey
With a resume as colourful as Eddy Pettybourne's, he's not joking when he says, "Take opportunities with two hands." The former Samoan rugby league player…
Nesian FootySam & T's Summer Sitdowns with Sione Katoa
Sione Katoa went from All Blacks dreams to A Tongan world beater. Having never played rugby league, Katoa took a shot and moved from NZ to Australia and the…
- Nesian Footy
Dave Tuinauvai is helping the next Jordan Mailata make the NFL
Dave Tuinauvai knows what it takes to make it in the NFL and thinks that Pasifika athletes are made to thrive in the sport. Sam & Tinirau ask Tuinauvai how he…
Nesian FootySam & T's Summer Sitdowns with Jazmon Tupou-Witchman
If it wasn't for a forged permission slip, Jazmon Tupou-Witchman thinks she wouldn't be where she is today - playing NRLW and representing Cook Islands on the…
- Nesian Footy
Who will get the 'Nesian Footy' tattoo on their bum?
After a year of 'Nesian Knowledge' questions, it all comes down to this week to find out whether Sam, Tinirau or maybe both the boys will get a 'Nesian Footy'…
Nesian FootySam & T's Summer Sitdowns with Siokapesi Palu
Wallaroo Siokapesi Palu has Samoan and Tongan blood and she's somehow lived with both feet in both camps, embracing her culture while still having pride in…
- Nesian Footy
Incredibly, Will Skelton is the "shortest and lightest" of his brothers
Samoan Australian Will Skelton wasn't always a giant of the rugby union world and didn't make many rep teams growing up, but all of that has changed. Skelton…
Nesian FootySam & T's Summer Sitdowns with Joe Galuvao
NRL legend Joe Galuvao lost his Mum when he was seven years old and was mostly raised by his sisters, so when he returned to Samoa in 2019 it was an emotional…
- Nesian Footy
Faith Nathan and the Cook Island cousins leading the Aussie Sevens girls
Faith Nathan is one of three Cook Islands cousins in the Aussie Sevens team and footy is most definitely in her blood. Ahead of the Dubai Sevens tournament to…
Nesian FootySam & T's Summer Sitdowns with Melanie Kawa
One rugby training session changed Melanie Kawa's life forever and since then Kawa has represented Papua New Guinea, captained the Melbourne Rebels and become…
- Nesian Footy
Samoan De La Salle Va'a is the Roosters latest debutant
Described as Payne Haas but with headgear, 19-year-old Samoan giant De La Salle Va'a is a star on the rise. Brought up on a healthy diet of boxing and rugby…
Nesian FootySam & T's Summer Sitdowns with Will Hopoate
Will Hopoate left Rugby League at age 19 after winning an NRL premiership to go on his Mormon mission and he doesn't regret it one bit. In the first episode of…
- Nesian Footy
Even a gruelling year won't stop Lachlan Lam repping the PNG Kumuls
If it was any other game, Lachlan Lam says he might turn it down, but playing for the PNG Kumuls is something Lam never wants to miss. Having captained Papua…
- Nesian Footy
The final Nesian Footy Friday of 2024
Ahead of the massive weekend of Pacific Championships finals and promotion/relegation games Sam, Tinirau and special guest Jillaroo Sala Togatuki break down…
- Nesian Footy
Christian Pio runs extra hard for Fetu Samoa to honour her Dad
Just as Christian Pio was about to debut for Fetu Samoa in 2023 her Dad tragically fell ill and passed away, so her first game in blue in the Pacific…
- Nesian Footy
The Pac Champs heats up!
There's plenty at stake this weekend in the Pacific Championships with spots in the finals and in the World Cup up for grabs! Sam & Tinirau look ahead to the…
- Nesian Footy
Kevin Naiqama's journey and the 'unspoken language' of Fijian footy
Kevin Naiqama has been playing for the Fiji Bati for 15 years and as he lines up for the final time in Fijian colours in the Pacific Championships, we look…
- Nesian Footy
Emmanita Paki and Tegan Dymock take us inside the Tongan camp
From 'walk the line' to devotion to new leaders emerging, Tongan stars Emmanita Paki and Tegan Dymock give us a close look at their camp this year for the…
- Nesian Footy
A weekend in Fiji: The best of the Pacific Championships in Suva
We take you to Suva to hear all the best bits from the Pacific Championships weekend in Fiji including chats with Nene Macdonald, Monalisa Soliola, Sunia…
- Nesian Footy
The first ever Nesian Footy episode live from Fiji!
For the very first time, Sam & Tinirau bring you Nesian Footy direct from Suva in Fiji where the Pacific Championships are on this weekend. Featuring the men's…
- Nesian Footy
Tongan Australia Esei Haangana is weighing up representing Japan in rugby
After being the youngest player to debut for the Rebels, Esei Haangana left Australia to play rugby in Japan for a new experience and to provide for his family…
- Nesian Footy
Pacific Championships team news everywhere we look
We look at how the PNG Orchids and Kumuls can take it to the Australian PM's XIII teams as well as dive into all the Pacific Championships teams that have…
- Nesian Footy
Felise Kaufusi was once related to every Tongan in Bundaberg
Two time premiership player Felise Kaufusi tells us what it's like to be a Tongan kid growing up in country QLD and why he never takes representing Tonga…
- Nesian Footy
It's Grand Final time
The biggest weekend of the year in the NRL and NRLW worlds is upon us and Tinirau and Sam give us everything we need to know about each game with a big focus…
- Nesian Footy
Pani Hopoate was always treated like "one of the boys"
Being coached by your dad in a team of boys just meant Pani Hopoate had to go harder and with footy in her blood, that wasn't a problem. The NRLW star and…
- Nesian Footy
NRL & NRLW finals frenzy and season endings
While Sam is away in Japan, Tinirau and Will Hopoate dive straight into all things NRL as the finals kick off tonight. Toutai joins us for his last episode on…
- Nesian Footy
Eli Katoa plays for the Kingdom of Tonga every time he steps out
Melbourne Storm star Eli Katoa lived in Tonga until his late teens and everything he does is for his family and his country. We hear from the man who'd played…
- Nesian Footy
Sala is in winning form and Keftetsu FC launches
It's the final round in the NRLW and Sala has her second win in a row, NRL finals get a bit more cut throat and Fiji has the chance to win another Pacific…
- Nesian Footy
How Rugby Union saved Sally Fuesaina after postpartum depression
After having her second child, Samoan Australian Sally Fuesaina suffered serious mental health struggles and it was a return to the sport she’d played as a…
- Nesian Footy
Your NRL finals and Pacific Nations Cup preview
Finals footy is here in the NRL and the Pacific Nations Cup so with the help of our Japanese onsen boar hunter Toutai Kefu, Sam & Tinirau give you everything…
- Nesian Footy
Cassie Staples learned a new way to play by representing Fiji
Having played for Australia in Rugby Sevens, Cassie Staples embraced the Fijian style when she code hopped to League and represented Fiji Bulikula during the…
- Nesian Footy
We've been deserted!
Toutai Kefu succumbs to bad Japanese internet, Sala Togatuki is boarding a flight to Nth Qld, so who is going to save us?! Shellie Long, that's who. There's a…
- Nesian Footy
Samoan Jeffery Toomaga-Allen is building community across continents
New Zealand-born, Samoan rugby union player Jeffery Toomaga-Allen has over 200 caps playing in England, Ireland, NZ and Australia and understands the power of…
- Nesian Footy
The Pacific Championships have a juicy new feature
We have details of The Pacific Championships that will follow the NRL season which will see games in PNG, Fiji, NZ and Australia and include a brand new…
- Nesian Footy
"I'm home." Toru Arakua on switching allegiances to Cook Islands
"I'm home. This is it, this is me. I was meant to be here." This is how Toru Arakua felt when she represented her homeland of the Cook Islands in 2023 in the…
- Nesian Footy
Kefu in Japan and Tinirau back full time
The Pacific Nations Cup is finally here so we dial in Toutai Kefu from Japan to give us the final tips and analysis. We also get a mid season NRLW report from…
- Nesian Footy
Tuipulotu family pride is on the line
Manly Mermaids coach Ben Tuipulotu and his daughter and captain Georgina will take on Sydney Uni in the Women's Premier Rugby Competition GF and there's big…
- Nesian Footy
Sala returns and Toutai is Japan bound
Our gun NRLW co-host Sala Togatuki returns to the show after a few weeks M.I.A. and with the Tigers 0/3 we ask what the mood is like in the group and how close…
- Nesian Footy
Lehi is the latest Hopoate to play the family game
Growing up, Lehi Hopoate flew under the radar when it came to footy, but he's now become the most recent Hopoate to debut in the NRL. With Will Hopoate also…
- Nesian Footy
NRL season survival and Rugby Championship preview
As NRL finals loom Tinirau gives the rundown on which teams he thinks can keep their season alive for a little bit longer. The boys chat to Toutai Kefu ahead…
- Nesian Footy
Allan Alaalatoa on understanding leadership and service through his Samoan culture
One of the most familiar faces in the Wallabies squad is Samoan superstar prop, Allan Alaalatoa. Debuting with the Brumbies in 2014, it wasn’t long before he…