GIANT clinic for Folau and Tonga
GWS GIANTS recruit Israel Folau has been reunited with his Tongan cousin for the first time since they were kids.
Folau met 19-year-old Penisimani Mahina on Tuesday while at a multicultural clinic with the Tongan IC11 team at Doonside High School.
Mahina has recently been signed by GWS on an international scholarship and will be looking to run out alongside his cousin in the orange and charcoal in the future.
“He’s going really well,” Folau said.
“Hopefully he keeps learning the game and continues to improve.”
While at the clinic, the Tongans taught Folau the traditional haka, known locally as Sipi Tau, which they performed in front of the students.
“It’s pretty exciting for me, I’m pretty close with my culture and it’s just good to be a part of it and see the game grow out to the Pacific, it’s wonderful,” Folau said.
“The boys had to quickly teach me a few of the moves before we went out and performed it [the Sipi Tau].
“I was struggling a bit. That’s one thing I’ve got to learn more is the Tongan culture.”
Tonga is competing in their first International Cup with the majority of the side picking up the game after Folau joined with Greater Western Sydney.
Around 2000 kids play Australian football in the Pacific island nation through primary and high school clinics, while there are 200 senior players.
“A lot of kids, most of them are playing rugby, but since AFL started over there a lot of them changed over and had a crack at playing the game,” Folau said.
“I think it’s great for the sport that they are giving them a go and the guys here are pretty excited to get the chance to come to Australia.”
Mahina has been playing the game for a number of years now and even suggested Israel switched to AFL because of him.
“I moved to AFL before Israel … so he followed me,” Mahina said.
“Izzy is a great promotion [for AFL in the country.] When he moved from rugby league to AFL a lot of Tonga’s youth moved into AFL.”
Tonga are competing in division one and have won one of three matches of IC11 thus far.