When Toa Samoa head coach Ben Gardiner called Francis Manuleleua to tell him he had been selected for the World Cup squad, the young forward could hardly believe what he was hearing. Having made his NRL debut earlier this year and played only a handful of first-grade games, the prospect of representing Samoa on the international stage was something he had never imagined would come so soon. “I didn’t think it was real,” Manuleleua admitted. “Obviously, this is my first year in the NRL. I’ve only played like a handful of games, so I never expected a call like that to come my way. But I’m just real blessed, real grateful.”
As he arrived at camp for the first time, any nerves he carried quickly faded as he was welcomed warmly by the playing group. Surrounded by teammates who embraced him from the outset, Manuleleua found himself settling into an environment he had once only dreamed of being part of. But his journey to the blue jersey began long before that phone call. It is a story shaped by sacrifice, perseverance and a willingness to put in the work, even when the dream still felt a long way off. After completing his schooling and playing football in New Zealand, Manuleleua moved to Australia at just 18 years old to pursue his rugby league ambitions with Penrith. While developing through the Jersey Flegg and SG Ball competitions, he also took on work with the club’s groundskeeping staff to support himself. Before he was running out onto elite rugby league fields as a professional, he was helping prepare them for the players who would. That journey has since taken him from the grounds at Penrith to the biggest stage in Australian rugby league. In his first NRL season with the Newcastle Knights, Manuleleua earned his place in the side that faced the Sydney Roosters in the 2026 NRL Grand Final, even scoring the Knights’ opening try in the decider. For a young player who once helped maintain the fields on which professionals played, reaching the Grand Final marked a special milestone in a journey built on patience, hard work and belief.
It is a chapter of his journey that has since become a memorable part of his story, one he now looks back on with a laugh. “If you are wondering if that video is true, it is true,” he laughed. “I used to cut the grass for the boys. That’s why they won heaps of premierships, because of my lawnmowing.”
Behind the humour is a powerful reminder of how far he has come. His journey serves as an example for young Samoan players who may be working towards the same dream, regardless of where they begin or how long the road ahead may seem. “Hopefully that story can inspire little Samoan kids trying to chase this dream of wearing the blue jersey,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you come from or where you start from. As long as you put your head down, know what your why is, and why you’re doing what you want to do, then you’ll get there one day.”
The path to the NRL was not always straightforward. There were moments when the dream of reaching the top level felt out of reach, but through the uncertainty, his faith and family remained constant. With the support of his parents and siblings, who continued to believe in his ability and potential, Manuleleua found the strength to keep pushing forward. His connection to Samoa remains at the heart of his journey. Through his father, his family traces its roots to Vaimoso, Falefa and Leauva’a, while his mother’s side connects him to Amaile, Samusu and Mutiatele. Carrying those village connections with him onto the international stage is an honour he does not take lightly. For Manuleleua, representing Toa Samoa means carrying the pride of his family, his villages and the generations who came before him. The significance of this moment is made even more special by the memories that first inspired him to dream of wearing the jersey. In 2022, Manuleleua watched the Rugby League World Cup from his room in Papatoetoe, South Auckland. When Stephen Crichton kicked the field goal against England to send Samoa into the final, he ran into the streets, waving his flag and celebrating alongside his community. At the time, he was a young player watching history unfold from afar. Now, just four years later, he finds himself in camp alongside the very players he once cheered for from his screen. The opportunity is one he intends to embrace with humility, recognising the experience and knowledge surrounding him as he continues to develop his own game.
“I’m just going to be a sponge,” Manuleleua explained. “There are heaps of players in this team that not long ago I was just watching on TV… Now I’m in the same camp, maybe playing side by side with them. So I’m just going to learn from each and every one of them.” For Manuleleua, pulling on the blue jersey represents far more than an individual achievement. It is a moment shared with the people who supported him throughout his journey, the communities that shaped him and the Samoan supporters around the world who see a part of themselves in his story. “You can’t describe it,” he said. “This jersey represents not just me, but the village behind me that supported me, all the people back home in Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, and all around the world.”
As Toa Samoa prepares for the challenges ahead at the World Cup, Manuleleua knows what the jersey demands of him. His journey from maintaining the grounds at Penrith to scoring in an NRL Grand Final for Newcastle and earning a place in Samoa’s World Cup squad is a reminder that the road to the highest level does not always follow a straight line. Sometimes, the dreams that begin far from the spotlight can lead to the biggest stages in the game. Now, with the blue jersey on his back, he is ready to give everything he has for the people who helped him get there and the supporters who will stand behind him every step of the way.
“If you see me with this jersey on, you’ll know that I gave my full 100 percent and that nothing is going to get left on the field.”
