Olsen Filipaina

{{Short description|NZ international rugby league footballer (1957–2022)}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Olsen Filipaina

|fullname = Olsen Orekewa Filipaina

|nickname =

|image = OLSEN FILIPAINA.jpg

|image_size =

|caption = Filipaina in 2021

|country =

|position = {{rlp|CE|FE}}

|birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1957|04|23}}

|birth_place = Kaikohe, New Zealand

|death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2022|02|10|1957|04|23}}

|death_place = Westmead, New South Wales, Australia

|height = {{convert|184|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}

|weight = {{convert|130|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

|club1 = Mangere East

|year1start = 19??

|year1end = 79

|appearances1 =

|tries1 =

|goals1 =

|fieldgoals1 =

|points1 =

|club2 = Balmain Tigers

|year2start = 1980

|year2end = 84

|appearances2 = 77

|tries2 = 19

|goals2 = 83

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 225

|club3 = Eastern Suburbs

|year3start = 1985

|year3end =

|appearances3 = 8

|tries3 = 0

|goals3 = 21

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 42

|club4 = North Sydney Bears

|year4start = 1986

|year4end = 87

|appearances4 = 18

|tries4 = 2

|goals4 = 24

|fieldgoals4 = 0

|points4 = 56

|teamA = Auckland

|yearAstart =

|yearAend =

|appearancesA =

|triesA =

|goalsA =

|fieldgoalsA =

|pointsA =

|teamB = New Zealand

|yearBstart = 1977

|yearBend = 86

|appearancesB = 28

|triesB = 6

|goalsB = 44

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 108

|teamC = Western Samoa

|yearCstart = 1988

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Olsen-Filipaina/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}

|new = yes

|updated =

}}

Olsen Orekewa Filipaina[http://nzleague.co.nz/kiwis/player_profile.php?letter=F&id=529 FILIPAINA, Olsen Orekewa 1977 – 86 – Kiwi #529] nzleague.co.nz (23 April 1957 – 10 February 2022) was a professional rugby league footballer who represented both New Zealand and Western Samoa. He played for the Balmain Tigers, Eastern Suburbs, and North Sydney Bears during his New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) premiership career from 1980 to 1987.

Early life

Filipaina was born in Kaikohe, New Zealand, on 23 April 1957.{{cite news|title='He was a fighter' – Kiwis great Olsen Filipaina dies, aged 64|url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/02/10/he-was-a-fighter-kiwis-great-olsen-filipaina-dies-aged-64/|date=10 February 2022|access-date=10 February 2022|agency=Australian Associated Press|publisher=1News}} His mother was Māori and his father was from Samoa.{{cite news|title=Rugby league-'Galloping Garbo' Filipaina dies aged 64|url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/rugby-league-galloping-garbo-filipaina-dies-aged-64-2022-02-10/|date=9 February 2022|access-date=10 February 2022|work=Reuters}} He was raised in Māngere,{{cite news|title=Kiwis rugby league legend Olsen Filipaina has died in a Sydney hospital|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/300514963/kiwis-rugby-league-legend-olsen-filipaina-has-died-in-a-sydney-hospital|date=10 February 2022|access-date=10 February 2022|publisher=Stuff}} and started his career with the Mangere East Hawks in the Auckland Rugby League competition.{{cite news|title=New Zealand rugby league great Olsen Filipaina has died at the age of 64|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-10/rugby-league-pioneer-olsen-filipaina-dies-aged-64/100821504|date=10 February 2022|access-date=10 February 2022|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}

Playing career

While playing for the Hawks, Filipaina was named the best back in the competition in 1977, before winning the Rothville Trophy as player of the year the following season.

Filipaina moved to Sydney in 1980, joining the Balmain Tigers. He spent five seasons at the club, playing in 82 games and amassing 225 points. After a one-year spell at the Eastern Suburbs Roosters in 1985, he played for two years with the North Sydney Bears. During his time in the NSWRL Premiership, Filipaina claimed he suffered from racial abuse and sledging.[http://news.ninemsn.com.au/sport/98393/racism-ruined-career-nz-league-great Racism ruined career: NZ league great] 9 News, 3 May 2006 He later captained Ryde-Eastwood to victory in the inaugural Metropolitan Cup final in 1990.[http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=31742 YDH Feature: Olsen Filipaina] rleague.com, 22 October 2008

Representative career

An Auckland representative, Filipaina was part of the Auckland side that defeated Great Britain, Australia and France within the span of 20 days in 1977.[http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=28965 Warriors To Mark 30th Anniversary Of Auckland's Unique Grand Slam] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211215659/http://rleague.com/db/article.php?id=28965 |date=11 February 2010}} rleague.com, 19 August 2007

Filipaina was first picked for the New Zealand national rugby league team in 1977, becoming the first junior player from the Hawks to be selected. In 1983 and again in 1985, he was picked for the Kiwis despite playing in the Sydney reserve grade competition. On both occasions, he played a pivotal role in the Kiwis defeating Australia. He was named the man of the series in 1985.{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/3883270/Olsen-bumps-off-racism-over-the-Tasman|title=Olsen bumps off racism over the Tasman|author=Umbers, Lee|date=4 July 2010|work= Sunday News|access-date=1 November 2011}} He also made six appearances at the 1977 and 1985–1986 editions of the Rugby League World Cup. He eventually retired from the Kiwis in 1987.{{cite news|title=Kiwis legend Olsen Filipaina finished with nothing after playing career|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/115152918/kiwis-legend-olsen-filipaina-finished-with-nothing-after-playing-career|first=Jackson|last=Thomas|date=25 August 2019|access-date=10 February 2022|publisher=Stuff}}

In total, Filipaina played in 50 matches for New Zealand, including 28 tests where he scored 108 points. As of 2010, his 108 points places him sixth on the point scoring list.[http://www.nzrl.co.nz/playing-records.aspx Playing Records] nzrl.co.nz

Filipaina subsequently changed his national representation to Western Samoa, his father's country of origin. He captained the team in the 1988 Pacific Cup,{{cite book

| last =John Coffey, Bernie Wood

| title = 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908–2008

| publisher =Huia Publishers

| year = 2008

| pages = 252–255

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=nklWo8vw-iIC

| isbn = 9781869693312}} as well as its inaugural test match that same year.

Later years

Filipaina remained in Sydney after his retirement, living in Ryde. He worked the same garbage run the Balmain Tigers helped him get when he first moved to Australia.[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/21/1058639734008.html Olsen the premier inspiration for picking Talau] Sydney Morning Herald, 22 July 2003 From this job he received the nickname “The Galloping Garbo” during his playing days.

Filipaina was named one of New Zealand Rugby League's "Legends of League" in 2007.[http://www.nzrl.co.nz/legends-of-league.aspx Legends of League] nzrl.co.nz His biography, The Big O: The Life and Times of Olsen Filipaina, was published in April 2020 and recounted the racial abuse he endured throughout his career.{{cite book|title=The Big O: The Life and Times of Olsen Filipaina|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MisAzQEACAAJ|publisher=Upstart Press|date=9 April 2020|last=Skene|first=Patrick|isbn=9781988516844}}

Personal life

Filipaina was the son of a Samoan boxer and a Maori mother. He was born in Kaikohe, New Zealand.{{Cite book|last=Skene|first=Patrick|title=The big O|publisher=Mower|year=2020|isbn=978-1-988516-84-4|location=Auckland|pages=30}} He has five children: Louise, John, Alysha, Quin and Jazmine, and five grandchildren: Tamati, Matahi, Ignatius, Kaimana and Octavia. Two of his brothers, Jerry and Alf, are involved in politics in Auckland.[http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0710/S00258.htm Christian Party to Target South Ak Electorates] scoop.co.nz, 17 October 2007 Filipaina's son, Quin, played in the Harold Matthews Cup side for the Tigers.[http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/sons-of-legends-step-up/story-e6frexnr-1111113000411 Sons of legends step up] The Daily Telegraph, 16 February 2007 Another son, John, was arrested in 2006 and charged with robbery.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=10388346|title=League great's son on hijack charges|date=26 June 2006|agency= NZPA|work= The New Zealand Herald|access-date=1 November 2011}}[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/police-foil-armoured-van-heist/2006/06/24/1150845419316.html Police foil armoured van heist] Sydney Morning Herald, 25 June 2006

In mid-January 2022, Filipaina was admitted to Westmead Hospital with a stomach infection. His condition slowly deteriorated and he died of kidney failure on 10 February 2022, 72 days short of his 65th birthday.{{cite news|title=New Zealand rugby league legend Olsen Filipaina dies after battling kidney failure|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/new-zealand-rugby-league-legend-olsen-filipaina-dies-after-battling-kidney-failure/news-story/8596b9996975040ae2d9d512996cf0a1|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=10 February 2022}}