Pioneering rugby league great Olsen Filipaina has died at the age of 64.
Filipaina was a trailblazer, becoming one of the first Polynesian players to play in the NSWRL where he enjoyed stints with North Sydney, Balmain and Easts.
He was famously plucked from reserve grade in 1985 to play for New Zealand where he led the Kiwis to a historic win over a Wally Lewis-captained Australia.
The former five-eighth had been battling kidney failure and was admitted to Westmead Hospital in January.
"He was a fighter and fought for 16 days in ICU but our heavenly father needed a stand-off for his rugby league team, and now he has the best," his family said in a statement.
"A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered and we will announce more details on celebrating his life in the coming days."
The West Tigers said Filipaina was "a much-loved member of the club".
"Wests Tigers would like to extend its condolences to the family of Olsen Filipaina following his recent passing," the club said in a statement.
"A much-loved member of the club, Filipaina played 82 games across five seasons for the Balmain Tigers in the early 1980s - scoring 19 tries and kicking 83 goals."
The North Sydney Bears said it was devastated by the loss.
"It is with great sadness that we hear of the passing of league & Bears legend Olsen Filipaina, the Big O."
Filipaina left his native Auckland in 1980 to join Balmain following the abolition of international transfer fees.
He worked a day job away from the football field as a binman for Ryde Council. That, coupled with his heavy hits and rampaging runs, meant he was given the nickname of 'the Galloping Garbo'.
An avid squash and tennis player, Filipaina credited the racquet sports for helping his hand-eye coordination on the field.
Not all was rosy in his career and he was often dropped at Balmain for turning up to training in his work clothes or not meeting certain weight targets.
He left for Easts and enjoyed his finest hour when he was picked by coach Graham Lowe from the reserves to take on New Zealand.
Filipaina led the Kiwis to a historic win over the Kangaroos at Auckland's Carlaw Park.
They beat Australia 18-0, condemning Lewis' side to their first scoreless loss in 29 years.
He would later represent his father's country of birth, Western Samoa, in their inaugural Test match in 1988.
He scored 108 points in 29 Tests for the Kiwis from 1977-86 and was named a NZRL Legend of League in 2007.
In a statement, the NZRL said: "New Zealand Rugby League extends its deepest sympathies to Olsen's family, friends and legion of fans as they farewell a truly extraordinary individual."
The Rugby League Players' Association said current and former players have been shaped by Filipaina's achievements and story.
"All current and former players are enormously grateful for his contribution to the game and the path he carved out for Pasifika players will keep creating opportunities for many generations to come," the group said in a statement on Twitter.
Fans posted their own tributes on social media.
Olsen Filipaina
Born: Kaikohe, New Zealand, April 23, 1957
Age: 64
Position: Centre/five-eighth
Auckland Rugby League career
- Played for Mangere East Hawks
- Became first Hawks junior to represent New Zealand in 1977
- 1988 Rothville Trophy winner as Auckland Rugby League's Player of the Year
NSWRL premiership career
- Balmain: 82 games (1980-84) - 19 tries, 83 goals; 225 points
- Eastern Suburbs: 9 games (1985) - 21 goals; 42 points
- North Sydney: 18 games (1986-87) - two tries, 24 goals; 56 points
Representative career
- New Zealand: 28 Tests (1977-82, 1984-86) - six tries, 44 goals; 108 points
- Six World Cup appearances (1977, 1985/86)
Honours
- Inducted into New Zealand Rugby League's Legends of League in 2007
