Sione Faumuina organising Rotorua rugby league event in support of Māori and Pasifika men’s mental health

Sione Faumuina (from left), Wera Aotearoa Charitable Trust employment team leader Morks Edwardson and Wera Aotearoa Charitable Trust chief executive Israel Hawkins. Photo / Stephen Parker

Former Warriors and Kiwis league player Sione Faumuina hit “rock bottom” when he retired from professional sport 15 years ago.

“When you go from making hundreds of thousands of dollars to $19 an hour, if you haven’t planned or prepared for the transition, it’s very hard,” he told the Rotorua Daily Post.

Faumuina is raising awareness for men’s mental health by organising the inaugural “League Legends” event on October 12 at Puketawhero Park in Rotorua.

Twenty-one former NRL and Kiwi players will play three matches in support of Māori and Pasifika men’s mental health. Among them are Ben Matulino, Dean Whare, Chase Stanley and Kevin Locke.

The players will spend October 11 visiting Rotorua businesses with a high number of Māori and Pasifika males in their workforces.

The end of professional sport ‘a tough road’

Faumuina is a former Kiwis, Warriors, Canberra Raiders and North Queensland Cowboys player. His career was plagued by a string of highly publicised alcohol-fuelled incidents.

“We all experienced the highs of professional sport, and then when that all ends, it’s a tough road,” the 43-year-old said.

“For me, that was rock bottom.”

After retiring in 2009, Faumuina worked at a bottle shop in Brisbane for about six months in 2010.

After that, he worked in the mines in central Queensland and started a cleaning and laundromat business.

Faumuina moved back to New Zealand in 2019 and to Rotorua that same year. He is married with four children aged 9, 7, 3 and 1.

He said the birth of his first daughter was “when the lightbulb went off”.

“It wasn’t about me now – I’ve got a person now to take care of.

“Once I started to have a bit more direction and purpose for my life, that sort of really put things into perspective.”

Sione Faumuina is a former Kiwis, Warriors, Canberra Raiders and North Queensland Cowboys player who now lives in Rotorua with his family. Photo / Andrew Warner

Faumuina said regular training and exercise helped him stay on top of his mental health.

“I have a bit of a reset at the end of every day before I head home.”

He runs a small business in Rotorua which helps businesses with their promotional products and does public speaking.

‘It’s okay to seek help’

Faumuina said he wanted to “give back” to the Rotorua community by organising the League Legends event.

The inspiration came from his experience being on the TV show Match Fit last year.

“At the end of that show, we played a game against the Australian side, and just that whole atmosphere of those last two days’ filming – I wanted to try to replicate that.

“When I was finally able to bring it all together, the kaupapa around raising awareness for men’s mental health and wellbeing just seemed to align with a lot of us as former NRL players.”

Wera Aotearoa Charitable Trust chief executive Israel Hawkins (from left), Sione Faumuina and Wera Aotearoa Charitable Trust employment team leader Morks Edwardson. Photo / Stephen Parker

Faumuina said statistics showed Pasifika and Māori men were overrepresented in mental health and harm statistics.

“If men are struggling emotionally, it’s okay to speak up. It’s okay to seek help. That’s a sign of strength and power, in my opinion.

“I think gone are the days... for men to feel embarrassed talking about how they’re feeling... it’s time that we start to look after ourselves, and one of the best ways to do that is to seek professional help if we need it.”

He also encouraged men to look after their physical health – getting check-ups and “vital” tests such as blood pressure readings done.

“If it’s not where it needs to be, there’s heaps of people, especially in and around Rotorua, [who] can help you achieve those physical goals as well.”

Faumuina said he planned to make it a yearly event in different regions around the country.

About 2000 free tickets to the event would be released soon due to “limited” capacity, he said.

The team will be coached by former Kiwis league international David Fa’alogo and NRL premiership winner Roy Asotasi.

They will take on a Bay of Plenty invitational side. The match will be livestreamed.

Mills-Tui managing director Dean Purves. Photo / Stephen Parker

Several local businesses and organisations are also backing the event, including Mills-Tui – a heavy transport truck and trailer manufacturer.

In a press release, managing director Dean Purves said the company has placed a huge emphasis on mental health since the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In our industry... people see talking about their issues as a weakness – but in reality, it’s the complete opposite and something that should be encouraged.

“Rugby League Legends XIII is a great opportunity to do that - we’re talking about really tough guys putting themselves out there to raise awareness for others. Plus, we get to enjoy a game of footy. It’s a win-win.”

Purves said the stresses of life and work could take a “huge toll” on people’s mental health.

“Whether it’s keeping up with rent, paying a mortgage or even just having enough money for groceries, our guys are out there working hard for their whānau in what is a difficult time for many.

“The footy pitch is a familiar place for most of our guys, and when talking about men and their feelings, it’s the perfect place to have these discussions.”

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.