Article by David O'Neill on afl.com.au
When your father is arguably Tonga’s greatest ever Rugby Union player, falling in love with Australian football might sound a little strange.
But Peni Mahina isn’t worried about what other people think, especially when he’s busy carving out his own path as captain of Tonga's AFL International Cup side.
Mahina's father Malakai is one of the Pacific nation’s most respected sporting figures, but in the footsteps of Sydney Swans skipper Kieren Jack – whose father Garry was a champion rugby league player – the 22-year-old is now leading a red and white army in a very different code.
“My Dad is proud because I have an opportunity to play and captain Tonga,” Mahina said.
“People ask him why I’m playing football and not rugby, but my Dad says ‘it’s his talent not ours’.”
After taking to the game as a teenager and getting an opportunity to represent the AFL South Pacific U16 side in Brisbane, Mahina now lives in Sydney and pulls on the boots for the Cambelltown Blues.
Such is his involvement with football that even his father has been converted.
Malakai now heads up the AFL's development programs in Tonga, helping youngsters learn the skills of football at a young age and developing the local competition.
He was also behind Tonga's fundraising effort to bring a team to Melbourne for the 2014 edition of the International Cup.
Facing an uphill battle to find the money to take both a women’s and men’s team to the tournament, Malakai took the whole side to the Country’s parliament to ask the Prime Minister for support.
Tonga’s motto is ‘OUA E LOTO FO’I’ which translates to ‘never give up’ and according to Mahina Jnr, the team is keen to take a step up after their first International Cup appearance in 2011.
“We hope we win a few games and both the men’s and women’s teams have fun,” the key defender said.
“For 90 per cent of our team this is the first time they travel to Australia and they very excited.”
“Just seeing the big buildings and the AFL in person, but they also think it’s very cold.”
The Tonga Thunder kick started their International Cup campaign with a big win over India on Sunday but face a tough test against South Africa in Round 2.
The Women’s team, nicknamed the Storm, lost to Canada (Midnight Suns) in Round 1 and meet Ireland on Wednesday in what promises to be another difficult encounter.
Last Modified on 14/08/2014 14:55
