The Queensland Maroons community is in mourning following the death of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui’s father, Fereti. Fereti passed away after a battle with cancer, just days after his son broke down in tears while discussing the situation.
Fereti had been battling cancer, and Tino chose to remain in Queensland to be with his family rather than travel to Melbourne with the rest of the team on Friday.
Titans Confirm Tragic News
The Gold Coast Titans released a brief statement on Saturday confirming the sad news. “The Gold Coast Titans extend our deepest condolences to captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and the entire Fa’asuamaleaui family following the passing of Tino’s father, Fereti,” the statement read.
“A beloved member of the Titans family, Fereti was an inspiration for his three children - Olivia, Tino and Iszac - alongside loving wife Dianne.” The club highlighted Fereti’s unwavering support, noting he was regularly at Cbus Super Stadium and club events, and watched Tino with pride at both Origin and international levels.
The Titans added, “Our thoughts and prayers are with entire Fa’asuamaleaui family at this incredibly difficult time.”
Billy Slater’s Tribute
Maroons coach Billy Slater addressed the media on Saturday afternoon, stating that at this stage, they expect Fa’asuamaleaui to play in Wednesday night’s State of Origin clash at the MCG.
“Unfortunately, this morning we received the sad news that Tino’s father, Fereti Fa’asumaleaui had passed away,” Slater said. “Fereti had been battling an illness for some time, which Tino spoke about publicly earlier this week. Like many fathers, Fereti was and always will be an inspiration and a hero for Tino.”
Slater continued, “On behalf of myself, this footy team and the state of Queensland, our love and condolences go to the Fa’asuamaleaui family - particularly Fereti’s wife Dianne, his daughter Olivia and sons Iszac and Tino.”
“Although Tino has already indicated to me that his wish is to play on Wednesday night, I think we can all appreciate the importance of him being with his family right now. That will be his priority, and he’ll be given all the time he needs with his family.”
Tino’s Emotional Tribute
Earlier this week, Fa’asuamaleaui became emotional when reflecting on his father’s journey from Samoa to the Sydney Roosters, and eventually to Gympie in Queensland, which set the stage for his son’s rugby league career.
“He is very sick and I will be playing for him more so to put a smile on his face at home in bed,” Tino said. “He is always in my heart, no matter what. Every day off I go up and see my dad. It could be a day trip or I go the night earlier after training at the Titans, just to make sure I spend time with him.”
The 26-year-old, set to play his 17th Origin match, expressed pride in his surname. “He’s my hero, he’s my rock,” Tino said. “It’s hard to talk about publicly but he’s everything to my family. He’s the man.”
Fereti’s Legacy
Fereti blazed a trail on the football field, moving from Samoa to the Sydney Roosters after being scouted by the great Arthur Beetson. He lived with Beetson and played reserve grade for the Tricolours before moving to Gympie, where he worked as a boilermaker to support his family.
Fa’asuamaleaui has played 16 games for the Maroons since his debut in 2020, becoming a key figure in the team’s success.
His decision to make himself available for the MCG clash draws a parallel to Maroons captain Cameron Munster, whose father Steve Munster passed away during preparations for game three of last year’s State of Origin series. Munster grieved with his family before returning to play a magnificent match, leading the Maroons to a 24-12 win in the decider.
