KEY POINTS:
Kiwis and North Queensland rugby league player David Faiumu came full circle when he trained at Wise Park in Wainuiomata today.
The 24-year-old hooker, who spent his school days training at the Lower Hutt suburb's main rugby league ground, returned to the ground with his Kiwis teammates as they prepare for the centenary test against the Kangaroos in Wellington on Sunday.
Faiumu, who was named on the interchange bench for the test, has played more than 70 games for North Queensland, recently in temperatures well over 30degC.
He was thrilled to be back on the soggy Wainuiomata field today, surrounded by his old school, friends and family.
"Coming back and training at Wise Park is a bonus to it all," he said.
"I grew up here and it's where I played all my football, training here Tuesdays and Thursdays.
"I lived a 10-minute walk away and all my whanau is here so it's comfortable surroundings."
Faiumu said he had plenty of takers for his allotment of complimentary match tickets for the test at Westpac Stadium and was going to do the rounds with his teammates to scrape up any more that were on offer.
"I might also have to go online and see what Ticketek has to offer," he said.
Faiumu has played one league match at the stadium - better known for hosting cricket, rugby and soccer matches - for the Junior Kiwis against the Junior Kangaroos in 2001.
He said he was looking forward to playing against the world champions in home surroundings - and that his team knew what to expect.
"It's always a fierce competition against Australia. It doesn't matter what sort of a lineup they've got, it's always a good one."
Faiumu said the key matchups would be in the forwards and that the backs' ability to score would depend on their forwards' ability to muscle up to the Australians.
The Kangaroos are expected to be able to keep the intensity up with help from a strong interchange bench, including inspirational Warriors captain Steve Price and Bulldogs enforcer Willie Mason.
"They have a good interchange but so have we," Faiumu said.
"We may be young and inexperienced but there's plenty of enthusiasm there.
"I think if we stick with them and be patient and disciplined, it's only 80 minutes of football and reputations are out the window after that."
Faiumu said it had not taken long for the Kiwis to gel after being spread over Australasia for the National Rugby League season.
"That's the good thing about the Kiwis camp, as soon as we get in there we mingle in well and straight away get to know each other.
"The clubs are all out the door and we are one team."
- NZPA
