How Sunday church services turned AFL prospect into one of the NRL’s best forwards
By Adrian Proszenko
March 26, 2025 — 6.30pm
The AFL is described as a religion in Melbourne, but another house of worship led Fonua Pole to the “Greatest Game of All”.
Pole is establishing himself as one of the best young props in the NRL after a strong start to the season for Wests Tigers. Yet when he first moved from New Zealand to Melbourne at the age of six, his foray into football began with local Australian rules club Craigieburn Eagles.
“I was a bit inactive when I was a child,” Pole said. “I wasn’t playing any sports and my parents wanted me to just get some physical activity, so my mum just took me to AFL training.
“I used to play it in school, too, years five and six, and I loved it. I was playing midfielder, I was running around the middle, tackling, kicking the ball. Whenever I got the ball I just used to bomb it towards our goal-kickers, straight down the field.”
However, his stint in Australian rules was short-lived.
“It started clashing with our church schedule on Sundays because in Melbourne they play footy on Sundays,” Pole explained.
“I grew up in a Christian household. My parents are always strong in our faith and on Sundays you always must go to church.
“There were really no arguments with that. It’s a big thing in our family and our culture.”
That led Pole to the Craigieburn Phoenix rugby league club, the first step on a journey that eventually took him to the NRL. The final destination was Wests Tigers, an opportunity that required him to leave his close-knit family at the age of 18.
It’s a move that almost didn’t happen. Just as Pole shifted to the Tigers, the Melbourne Storm tried to change his mind.
“When I left, it was funny because they started contacting my manager and they wanted me to come back straight away,” he said of the Storm.
“But it was already too late, I had already committed to the decision. I moved because I didn’t think they were looking at me, I didn’t think they gave me much of a chance. So I took the chance to come here.
“And then when I was having my contract negotiations again, when I was free, they wanted to talk to me again, but it didn’t really work out with their salary cap space.
“I’m still happy where I’m at right now.”
The Storm may have missed out on Pole, but they didn’t make the same mistake with his younger brother. Suli Pole, 19, announced himself as a player of great promise when he debuted for Melbourne in a pre-season trial.
“Everyone asks me about how he plays and I say he’s a bigger version of me,” Pole said. “I think he’s six-foot-seven, he plays as a forward as well.
“I know they’re a bit slow to debut younger players over there, but I think if he sticks over there under the [Craig] Bellamy system, he’ll develop into a good player and his time will come.
“It’s always a dream of mine to play with my little brother.
“We always talk about it even to this day, how nice it would be to play together.
“We grew up competitive against each other. If we get to play together, it will be a big dream of mine, a big accomplishment. Not only for me, but I think my family as well.”
The loss of Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu – “we’re blood related” – to the Storm has allowed Pole the chance to become a starting prop this season.
“I just want to establish myself more,” he said.
“I think I could be, and I know it’s a big shout, one of the best props in the game. I want to make myself known as one of the better forwards in the game that can be damaging, especially with my attack and defence.
“I want to play consistent footy and put my name out there, and be a leader for this team.”
Growing up in Melbourne, it’s no surprise that Fonua Pole gravitated towards Australian rules. Then something unexpected changed everything.
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