'Mates for life': Faataape reveals close-knit bonds Tigers have formed
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One of the first conversations Brisbane Tigers centre Solomona Faataape had with incoming coach Matt Church upon his arrival at the club was around culture.
Church had overseen the PNG Hunters’ Hostplus Cup side for the past three seasons before he joined the Tigers as head coach for 2023.
And he knew immediately what he wanted to bring from the Hunters to the Tigers.
“Him coming from PNG, they have a very strong culture,” Faataape said of Church.
“The first thing he said to me was, ‘we want to build a strong culture here', because he knows if we build a strong culture, we’ll pretty much build a family and we’ll do whatever we can for each other.”
For Faataape, an Easts junior, that family-feel is definitely evident today among the Tigers.
As the club prepare for this Sunday’s Hostplus Cup grand final clash against the Burleigh Bears at Kayo Stadium – with the Tigers also in the Hastings Deering Colts premiership decider – Faataape admits this has been his favourite season yet in orange and black.
“There’s a feeling in the group,” Faataape said of the squad.
“I don’t know how to explain it but it’s a pretty cool feeling. Win or lose (on Sunday), I’m proud of the boys and how far we’ve come.
“I’ve made mates for life this year. It’s by far been my favourite year. We’re a real tight-knit group.
“Every year you get a connection with the boys but this year it just seems to be different. We’re a lot closer. Everyone just gets along with everyone. Everyone has the same mentality.
“They say to surround yourself with like-minded people and I feel like we just have that group right now. No matter if you’re old or young, everyone is trying to make it and play their best footy.
“There’s just a feeling that I can’t explain. I don’t want the season to end. I wish there were more games because I’m actually enjoying the season a lot.”
On the field, Faataape has been enjoying yet another impressive year, with the explosive centre key to the Tigers’ finals push.
After experiencing a pre-season with Melbourne Storm – a Tigers affiliate club – he has continued to go from strength-to-strength, averaging 157 run metres a game with a stunning 91 tackle breaks in total.
He said a lot of his success this year was thanks to the experience that surrounded him now.
Skipper Ryley Jacks – also an Easts junior – returned to the Tigers in 2023 while two-time Cup premiership-winning forward Leivaha Pulu and former NRL star Corey Thompson also both signed on, bringing experience to be envied.
Pulu: 'This is all the hard work we've put in'
“We have a good mixture of old heads and young heads,” Faataape said.
“You can’t buy experience and what they bring to the team, it just shows. They’ve taken us to the grand final and they’ve set a high standard we all needed to meet.
“We’ve come together enough to make it there and hopefully we get the job done on the day. What they bring, you can’t buy it.
“I’m going to say my whole left side – Ryley Jacks, Leivaha and even our fullback Corey Thompson, there was a time when he was playing on the wing – they’ve helped me a lot.
“They’ve got that much NRL experience it’s crazy. I was just soaking it all up and it gave me so much confidence that I was able to do my job and focus on my role.
“Whenever I need help, I go straight to Ryley. He just talks me through any little bit I need help with and it’s improved my game entirely. I can’t thank those guys enough.
“The best piece of advice they’ve given me for on the field is probably just stay calm. I can be a hothead sometimes but Vaha is probably the calmest guy I’ve ever met in my life.
“There will be times I just want to blow up but between Vaha and Ryley they just say to stay calm, stay composed and it will all work out. That’s probably the best advice – just stay calm and keeping a level head.”
Off the field, Faataape holds a different role – one that he believes is key for team morale.
“I’m the guy always on the music,” Faataape said.
“I have to bring the energy and the music and that will either make or break our gym sessions. If someone else is on the music and they don’t like it, they kick them off straight away and I go grab my phone.
“That’s the little one per cent I bring to the team besides footy – it’s good music and that’s my role.
“It’s just about creating good energy and good vibes. It’s just upbeat music that gets our personal group. I don’t think Ryley really likes it, being an older head, but he cops it because it’s about 30 players to one and he takes it as it is and goes with it.
“Our group as a whole just loves that upbeat, loud, party music before a game or any training session. It just gets us going.”
Faataape has only played in one grand final before, when he was in under 17s – a loss he struggles to forget.
The Tigers as a club have gone 32 years without winning a premiership and have never won in the Cup era.
For Faataape, it means a lot just to make it to grand final day after a long and tough season. But if they manage to win it, he knows it’s a trophy that would hold a lot of meaning for a lot of people.
“There’s so many emotions going through,” he said.
“It’s hard making a grand final on its own at any age group but doing it in the Hostplus Cup is an awesome achievement.
“I’m trying to embrace everything, soak everything up and not play the game before I get there. Play it on Sunday and not on Tuesday. But I’m super excited.
“I don’t even know (what it would mean to win). It would be… I can’t explain how much it would mean. The club is so rich in history and everyone has been waiting for one.”
To snap up your seats to the 2023 Hostplus Cup and Hastings Deering Colts grand finals, click here.
For more information on grand final day, click here.
The Hostplus Cup grand final will be shown live on Fox League and Kayo Freebies from 5pm.
The game will also be live on SENQ radio from 4pm.
