Growing up in Auckland as a passionate rugby league fan, Poasa Faamausili dreamed of playing for the NZ Warriors.
The barnstorming prop was overlooked by the club, before being snapped up by the Sydney Roosters in 2018.
The reigning two-time NRL champions rate the 24-year-old as a long-term replacement for fellow Kiwi Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 31, who is entering the back end of his career.
That's part of the reason Roosters coach Trent Robinson was keen to loan Faamausili to the Warriors for an extended taste of first-grade football.
Faamausili will be part of the Auckland club for at least the next three games, after the NRL allowed the injury-depleted club to sign a loan player.
The move works for all parties, particularly Faamausili, who used to hang posters of Warriors greats in his bedroom.
"I was a Warriors fan," Faamausili says. "I used to be a massive fan of Ruben Wiki and one of the centres, [Jerome] Ropati.
"Growing up, I was a massive fan and putting on these colours was a real special honour.
"I was hoping for an opportunity with the Warriors, but I don’t think I was really looked at, to be honest. I didn’t really get the chance to play for them in the juniors.
"The Warriors are the only New Zealand team and obviously I can relate to the Warriors, because that’s where I grew up, that’s where my hometown is and there's that pride in wearing the jersey."
The former Glenora Bears standout was pleasantly surprised when Robinson approached him about the temporary move to the Warriors.
While he holds out the ultimate goal of becoming a Roosters enforcer, he's open to extending his loan period at the club he followed as youngster.
"I'm a fan of it [loan players], especially if you can't get games at your primary club and other clubs are looking for certain players. I think it's a really good initiative.
"There's a chance to impress your coach from your primary club, but there's also that other aspect of proving yourself in the NRL.
"Trent Robinson pulled me aside after training, and said there was an opportunity to come here and play some games. There was no way I was going to turn that down.
"If everything goes to plan, everyone at the Roosters is well and no-one is injured, and everything here is going well as well, then I’ll be open to extending it," he says.
Faamausili played 33 minutes off the bench in the scoreless loss against the Penrith Panthers last Friday night.
The 1.88m powerhouse hopes he impressed coach Stephen Kearney enough to earn more game time when the club looks to bounce back against North Queensland Cowboys on Friday.
"It's been a good transition," he says. "Obviously on the weekend, we couldn't get that win, but that's the beauty of the game.
"We've got another week and we'll definitely be taking our lessons from Friday night."
