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Olsen Filipaina ill

Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,547
Kiwis legend Olsen Filipaina has been hospitalised in Australia due to kidney failure, his brother says.

Auckland councillor Alf Filipaina revealed his brother was in the ICU in a New South Wales hospital in a Thursday night Facebook post.

“On the 13th of January 2022 Olsen was taken to hospital with a stomach infection and on arrival went into ICU,” he wrote online.




“His condition improved over a few days regarding the infection, but [the] kidney problem that he has had for many years worsened, to the extent that he had to be transported to Westmead Hospital, where he was to be seen by the kidney specialists.


“Over the past few days he's been up and down and as a result is now in ICU.”


Olsen had been put on a ventilator, he said.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with him and the whānau as I know yours will be too,” Alf Filipaina wrote online.







Olsen Filipaina played in the NRL from 1980 to 1987.

He famously, and almost single-handedly, dismantled a Wally Lewis-led Australian team in the 1985 series which cemented him as one the country's greatest ever players.

He was also part of the Auckland team that beat Great Britain, Australia and France in the space of 20 days in 1977.

 

Chippy73

Bench
Messages
4,716
Very sad about Olsen passing so relatively young...as a kid growing up in the 80's he was my favourite non Manly player, devastating 5/8 in the NSWRL for Balmain and then grew an extra leg when he pulled on the Black Jersey for the Kiwis (got selected from reserve grade on one occasion if my memory serves me correct ....and then proceeded to tear the best player in the world at the time, one Wally Lewis, a new asshole).

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League guru

Juniors
Messages
446
Never saw him play, but loved the stories. I’ll be going to buy his book

I’ll have an O for Olsen

RIP
His book is one of the best I have read in relation to rugby league. Especially his insight into islander culture and their fit in rugby league. A great read from an obviously very talented player.
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,660
Never saw him play, but loved the stories. I’ll be going to buy his book

I’ll have an O for Olsen

RIP

Yep, that's me too. Heard stories about him, but never actually got to see him play.

Will buy his book for sure. A trailblazer, evidently
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,194
I would've gone to Olsen's memorial service at Leichhardt Oval but I was working. By all accounts it was beautiful.
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,194
Warnie's death is knocking me around a bit. Look, Rod Marsh was at that 'childhood hero' age for me, and I'm saddened by his death, but Shane Warne was my age! And I liked him more than I realised.

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