The Wearing Of The Green

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday June 10, 2005

Ben Kimber

When the back begins to ache, the injuries get him down and the desire to run around just one more year begins to wane, Randwick prop Fosi Pala'amo draws strength from family and, in particular, his younger brother. Ben Kimber reports.

As Fosi Pala'amo's family watched yet another Randwick game last year, and yet another Randwick win, the crowd roared when centre Morgan Turinui made a break downfield. But not everyone was focused on the action.

Norman Pala'amo, Fosi's 24-year-old brother, was instead fixated on the other end of the field. It took the rest of the family a while to realise what Norman was looking at.

Big Fosi, the 130 kilogram prop who has long been a fixture in the Galloping Greens first-grade side, was down injured. But Norman, who had not taken his eyes off his brother, could not tell the rest of the family what had happened because he cannot talk.

Confined to a wheelchair and without the muscular control needed to speak or walk, Norman is Fosi's biggest fan, and also a staunch supporter of Randwick and the game of rugby union.

"He hates rugby league," Fosi says with a smile. "We often watch TV together and if it's the league, he's just not interested, he just doesn't pay attention."

Fosi says Norman suffers from Smith and Weaver's syndrome, a condition that affects the brain's signals to the body, and while he remains mentally alert, he lacks the control he needs to live the kind of life his brother enjoys.

Fosi is an enormous man, strong and hearty, while his brother has long been confined to a mechanically assisted life.

Norman may never have played the game as his brother does but when the sun is shining he is a regular on the sidelines at Coogee Oval. He watched most of his brother's games last season as the Galloping Greens drove through to an undefeated Tooheys New Cup title.

Fosi, in return, devotes time to visiting his brother at his workshops and school, and the sheer pride the larger Pala'amo son has in his family, and his commitment to them, is obvious as he speaks of his younger brother.

"It's like there's an unwritten language between us and I always understand him and try and give him what he wants, within reason of course," Fosi smiles. "There have been stages in his life where he was critical but he came through strong and we had a lot of faith and our prayers were answered with our brother.

"For me, my family is very important to me. I'm very proud of where I come from and I'm very proud of Randwick and my association there. Randwick is basically my family as well, and my family is important to me, and my brother is a big part of that."

Fosi's concept of family, so obviously embodied in his love for his brother, is a part of the reason the man mountain has once again donned the green jersey this year, despite thinking long and hard about hanging up the boots in the wake of last season's success.

There are two simple reasons Fosi will run out against the Canberra Vikings tomorrow. First, the juxtaposition of his brother's life, in which options are limited compared with his own, means he wants to live his to the full, and make sure he milks every moment he can out of the joy he has in playing for Randwick.

"It [his relationship with Norman] does make me appreciate things. Things that a lot of people might take for granted. I get to see a lot of disabled people through my brother's workshops and the school he goes to, and when you see a lot of them, you just can't help but feel that out of respect for these people, I'm going to do all that I can in my life."

Second, as he says often, family is important to him, and Randwick is part of that family.

"I was really questioning whether I could still play with the injuries I had, but I went down to a few Randwick games and it's very disheartening when you watch a team when they're suffering and you want to help out," he says. "So I went down and helped out and there's always a good feeling around there. It's home for a lot of us, we've all been brought up in the area, and I'm sure that's the same for a lot of other clubs, but Randwick's home for us."

Fosi will shift across the scrum to the loosehead side this season, with new recruit Dayna Edwards now in the team and shouldering the burden of packing in as the linchpin of the scrum at tighthead.

Wearing the No.1 jersey may mean that Fosi's injuries, which have sidelined him for lengthy periods in recent years, should not be as much of a problem.

Pala'amo has long been holding up the Randwick scrum, with the set piece of the Greens usually targeted by visiting teams keen to avoid the rapier-like back line. His hamstring has been stretched, his achilles has been strained and his back has ached.

One more time this year Fosi will look to hold it all together, helping out a young Randwick team in their defence of the title. But if the big man does go down again, you can bet Norman will the first to see it.

THE FIXTURES

TOOHEYS NEW CUP - ROUND ONE

FRIDAY

Parramatta v Eastwood, Granville Park, 7.40pm

SATURDAY

Warringah v Sydney University, Pittwater Rugby Park, 3pm

Southern Districts v West Harbour, Forshaw Rugby Park, 3pm

Canberra v Randwick, Vikings Park, Wanniassa, 3pm

SUNDAY

Northern Suburbs v Eastern Suburbs, North Sydney Oval, 3pm

Manly v Gordon, Manly Oval, 3pm

Teams - Details, Page 36

© 2005 Sydney Morning Herald

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