Kiwi rugby league great Olsen Filipaina has been hospitalised with Kidney failure.
On Thursday, Alf Filipaina took to social media to reveal his brother had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in a New South Wales hospital.
"On the 13th of January 2022 Olsen was taken to hospital with a stomach infection and on arrival went into ICU," he wrote in a Facebook post.
"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."
Filipaina, 64, etched his name in NZ rugby league folklore by leading the Kiwis to victory over Great Britain and a highly vaunted Australia in 1985.
Affectionately known as 'The Big O', he played over 100 games in the NRL, predominantly for Balmain Tigers.
Of Samoan heritage, Filipaina also briefly represented Western Samoa, before hanging up his boots in 1990.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with him and the whānau as I know yours will be too."
The news has drawn a flood of well wishes, among them messages from All Blacks wing Inga Tuigamala and Filipaina's Kiwis teammate Howie Tamati.
"Thanks for the post Alf. Give my love and best wishes to Olsen," writes Tamati. "My love to the Filipaina W’anau my brother. Arohanui".
"Much love prayers n thoughts to the family," adds Tuigamala. "Olsen uso u are a fighter uso ... Faamalosi uso .. Alofa Tele mo oe".
