Page 23 - Grassroots Issue 3 - March 2016

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“It has changed dramatically, there are three clubs now
sharing the central pool and unfortunately Richmond is
the biggest loser here,” Fepuleai said.
“The demographic of Grey Lynn is changing and we do
realise that, so we need to engage more with the new
community.
“We have started running sessions with the community,
our members and supporters in Grey Lynn to explain
our vision for the club and what we are all about, which league field were coming to an end, as the game and
is success, performances and cultural harmony in the
neighbourhood.”
Considering rugby league has dominated a big part of
his life, it’s surprising to learn that Fepuleai’s first
passion was the other rugby code.
“My early years were about watching the All Blacks on
black white TV screens back in Western Samoa. I
idolised all of them but by big idol in the 1970s was
Bryan Williams,” he says.
“I started off with rugby, making the 1st XV at Seddon
High School (now Western Springs College) playing
fullback. I enjoyed playing that position as there was a hammered, our coach Joe Gwynne sent one of our
lot more room for you to do your stuff from the back.
“It was mostly friends and those that I was associated
with who were telling me to come over to rugby league
because it was a much better game, and for me it was.”
Fepuleai went on to be named on the wing for the Kiwis
in 1978 and the next year helped lead Richmond to the
Fox Memorial Premiership with victory over Otahuhu.
That same year he was selected to play for Auckland
against Great Britain, proving a strong performer in an
eventual 18-10 loss to the visitors who were winding up
a tour which saw them swept 3-0 by Australia in their
Test series.
Another Fox triumph followed in 1980 for Fepuleai and
Richmond, in a period which he singles out as his
favourite memory in rugby league.
“Winning the Fox Memorial trophy against Otahuhu
two years in a row is my standout memory, and I’m still
friends with the lot of those players who are alive,” he
says.
“Back in my day it was undoubtedly the Otahuhu
Leopards who were the toughest to come up against,
their side was just about all representatives; Mark
Graham, Hughie McGahan, Gary Prohm, the Wright
brothers (Owen and Nick), Roger Rota and on and on.”
By the 80’s the most brutal times to be on a rugby
technology evolved to make it harder to get away with
too many unsavoury acts.
“Olsen Filipaina was one of the hardest. The Thompson
brothers from Manukau too,” Fepuleai adds.
“Back then it was about putting your opposition on the
ground no matter what, so that involved some nasty
stuff that went on and getting away with it. You wouldn’t
now with the cameras everywhere.
“In one of our games we played against Mt Wellington
in a final, their team included James Leuluai and some
other great players. At half time we were getting
players out with special instructions, he did the job
eliminating the danger man. Enough said.
“But there was some spectacular league played in that
era too. Freddie Ah Kuoi was something special for
Richmond, a great leader and motivator of groups.
“I thought Byers Beazley from Mangere East was a great
thinker of the game at first five, it’s a pity he didn’t go
on to further honours.
“But the people with you in the trenches, battling with
and against them, are still good friends now and always
will be all because of our great game, it taught me a lot
about life, the good times and the not so good,
especially at the mighty Richmond Rovers.”
Want to read more New Zealand league stories? From
grassroots through to the Kiwis go to Kiwi League
Central at www.kiwileaguecentral.com and follow
@kiwileaguecentral on Facebook and Twitter.
2016Issue 3 - March /