League: Hit-man from the school of hard knocks

David Fa'alogo was not expecting his call-up for the Kiwis - but he isn't complaining. Chris McGrath / Getty Images

David Fa'alogo
Born: September 9, 1980, in Auckland
Auckland club: Mt Albert
NRL debut: May 18, 2003 for South Sydney
Record: 60 NRL games, 10 tries

David Fa'alogo was not told he was a new Kiwi selection until his Souths side finished playing Newcastle late on Sunday afternoon.

Given the talent available to the Kiwis he hadn't rated himself a show.

"Dave Kidwell, Ali Lauitiiti, Tony Puletua, Dave Solomona - people were telling me I had the form to get picked.

"But I thought about it and reckoned I was less than a 50/50 chance with those guys there," he said this week.

"It's a huge honour."

Souths boss Shane Richardson, who had pushed Fa'alogo's case not least because he was damaging other teams while the Rabbitohs were putting together a string of losses, conveyed the big news and Fa'alogo was straight on the phone home to proud parents Fu'a and Elisara.

It was because of Solomona's late elimination over a passport issue that the 25-year-old was brought in. He'll likely come off the bench, coach Brian McClennan priming him for the role expected from British-based Solomona.

Solomona scares the Australians with his wide running in the backline and ability to bust holes and off-load - as well as for his fearless smashing defence.

That is exactly the type of game Fa'alogo has been producing for Souths. "I like being out in the backline." Unlike others in the Kiwis, he did not go through the rep grades. He was playing for the Mt Albert Lions under John Ackland, who has since been re-hired as an assistant at the Warriors, when he decided to try his luck in Sydney.

Five games at the Newtown Jets and he was offered a run at Souths, who have signed him through to the end of 2008.

"There's been a big change at the club and it's good to get in some people who know what they are doing business-wise, so we're all looking forward to a big future at Souths," he said of the buy-in by Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe.

In in-house competitions at the club he loves "beating the Aussies" - and that's the approach he's taking into tonight's game in Brisbane.

He and brother Sala, a centre who had trials at the Warriors and has played in England, grew up in Otara and went to Tangaroa College, which Fa'alogo describes as "the school of hard knocks".

So he is not worried about the physical nature of a game the Aussies see as offering revenge for the Tri-Nations loss.

At 13 he played one year of rugby as a second-five. It wasn't hard enough for his liking.

Hopefully there would be lots of New Zealanders in the Suncorp Stadium crowd, he said, because vocal support pumped him up.

"It makes me want to run harder and hit harder.

"It keeps me motivated through the game."

He does admit to having to keep focus on his game, given the company in which he finds himself, the likes of Ruben Wiki and Nigel Vagana, who he has watched in these big games for years.

As is the Samoan way, more motivation comes from wanting to make his family proud, both his parents and his brother, his partner of five years, Melissa, and their 5-month-old son Bailey, as well as another son, 7-year-old Warren, back in Auckland.

"I want to put my name in New Zealand rugby league's record books," he said.