Kiwis league star Martin Taupau, who found himself stranded twice at Denver International Airport, has bitten back at an online troll who made fun of the prop's situation.
After having his flight delayed for a second time following mechanical issues, Taupau lashed out on Twitter at United Airlines.
"Another F***ING delayed flight which is highly likely to be cancelled due to mechanical issues. Now the last player stuck at @DENAirport with staff that has been patiently waiting for over 8hrs on the back of a cancelled flight yesterday! @UNITED is by far the worst airline ever!" he wrote.
But it was one troll who made fun of his NRL side's poor form and Taupau's airport plight that sent the hulk prop into social media rage.
"Your flight is going as well as Manly are this year," one league fan tweeted.
Your flight is going as well as Manly are this year
— TransportForNSWVlogs (@TFNSW_VLOGS) June 26, 2018
This prompted Taupau to engage in a twitter war with the troll.
Taupau responded: "Yeah, well we're going a lot better than your @YouTube channel on the scale of things. I appreciate your irrelevant input sir."
Yeah, well we’re going alot better than your @YouTube channel on the scale of things.
— Martin Taupau (@MartyKapow) June 26, 2018
I appreciate your irrelevant input sir.
The troll then took the war of words one step further, bringing Manly's salary cap breach into the conversation.
"Thankfully there's no salary cap breaches on YouTube," the troll wrote.
Thankfully there's no salary cap breaches on YouTube
— TransportForNSWVlogs (@TFNSW_VLOGS) June 26, 2018
The hulk prop then bit back praising Manly's supporters and taking a stab at the troll's ego.
"Thankfully we have great supporters nationally and internationally that help keep our great club alive. You're subscribers barely keep you afloat too help feed your ego [sic]," Taupau wrote.
Thankfully we have great supporters nationally and internationally that help keep our great club alive. You’re subscribers barely keep you afloat too help feed your ego.
— Martin Taupau (@MartyKapow) June 26, 2018
The troll responded, saying: "My YouTube doesn't feed my ego. Shameful you think someone's ego should bigger with the number of fans they have."
My YouTube doesn't feed my ego. Shameful you think someones ego should bigger with the number of fans they have.
— TransportForNSWVlogs (@TFNSW_VLOGS) June 26, 2018
But the final word was left for the Kiwis prop.
He responded saying: "It's also shameful that your not-so-empathetic self would elude to an issue that my respective employer is dealing with, that could affect many employers livelihoods and stakeholders involved."
It’s also shameful that your not-so-empathetic self would ellude to an issue that my respective employer is dealing with, that could affect many employers livelihoods and stakeholders involved.
— Martin Taupau (@MartyKapow) June 26, 2018
Three hours after the twitter war of words, Taupau's flight left Denver, destined for Australia.
It's not the first time a Kiwis league player has hit out at online trolls. Three weeks ago Warriors hooker Issac Luke hit back at a troll who criticised his kind gesture to a young fan at halftime during the Warriors' win against Manly.
Running out the tunnel to return to the field, Luke put his hands out to high five excited young league fans who formed a guard of honour for the Warriors.
However, the hooker accidentally missed out one young boy, so he turned around and ran back to give the fan a personal high five before running back out on to the field.
While many fans took to social media to praise Luke for his kind gesture, one fan decided to take a pot shot at the 31-year-old saying the hooker's gesture didn't mean anything and criticised his fitness levels at the Warriors.
"Doesn't mean much to him... Don't get defensive. That kid probably means as much to you as your fitness levels did in year one at the Warriors," the disgruntled fan wrote.
The comment grabbed the attention of Luke who responded, defending his gesture and taking aim at the disgruntled fan.
"It means something to me bro. Why wouldn't it?
"I'm not getting defensive I'm telling you how it is. At all games, I make sure I try and touch all kids' hands. Like you said might mean heaps to him but it does to us players.
"You would know if you got the chance. I'm sorry what do you do???"
But the disgruntled man's potshots didn't end there after he replied to Luke, saying he didn't think the hooker has earned his Warriors salary.
"I'm a finance broker. I get a percentage of my income on performance. The kind of contract that the Warriors wish they had put you on for the last few years," he wrote.