Only one game into his NRL career, Cooper Bai got to experience first-hand the pride and passion of Papua New Guinea fans, commanding huge support as he made his international debut.
The boom Titans rookie featured for the home side in Port Moresby firstly in the Prime Minister’s XIII game, before making his PNG Kumuls debut in the Pacific Championships, helping the team retain the Pacific Bowl.
While he carries a famous PNG rugby league last name, the Gold Coast-born forward has been forging his own path in the game, exciting fans with his powerful style of play.
“It felt amazing just to feel the love and support over there and just how much they love you from when you hop off the airplane and then you go through customs and walk out,” Bai said.
“There's a bunch of people there, they've heard that you're coming and they're just there waiting for you so just to greet you.
“It's really good to just to that feeling when you're there.
“I think rugby league's really important there just because it brings everyone together.
“With the community and everyone throughout, it's probably the one thing that brings everyone together even though there's a lot of dividing factors.
“Rugby league is just so massive … It really brings the country together because they just they just love it.”
The Burleigh Bears junior – who is studying criminology at university – also highlighted the power of rugby league to make a positive difference throughout PNG.
“It's really big just to bring the community together and it really helps keeps kids at school.
"That's the most important thing, that they get a good education.
“If we're able to use rugby league to be a conductor of that, then that's a massive thing.”
Bai recently re-signed to the Titans, eager to keep learning from Gold Coast skipper and Queensland and international representative forward Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.
Last year featuring for the Kangaroos at the Ashes, Fa’asuamaleaui - who is also eligible for Samoa – said he was proud of the way the Titans acknowledged the diverse cultures of the players and their families during Multicultural Round and beyond.
With three young daughters and another baby on the way with his fiancé Jordan, being able to explore culture was a high priority for Fa’asuamaleaui.
“We're pretty diverse ... we've always had a real multicultural club and it's something to be proud of,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“For me, being a Samoan man, I get to look into my culture a bit more and understand it a bit more.
“Then also all the boys around me, all the brothers around me that have other cultures – who they are and who they represent.
“It's cool to learn their culture and where they're from and where their family's from and their heritage.
“Then another big piece is also the Indigenous boys too. The land we live on, it's a place I get to raise my kids in. It's beautiful country, so it's good to see that that side of things too.
“Also (in the region) the Māori people, my kids are Māori, my partner's Māori, so I get to learn about that too. It's awesome and it's something our club do really well.”
The club also hold an annual multicultural evening where players and staff across the NRL and NRLW squads share food, song and dance.
Cultural performances are important to Fa’asuamaleaui, with his eldest Alina attending the King’s Siva Academy (Samoan performing arts school) to learn dances she then shares with her dad.
“They're learning around their culture, their heritage, and just all the dance moves; not just the dance moves, but what comes with it and the meaning around it and they perform at the end of the year,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“She is teaching me, to be honest. Growing up in a country town (Gympie), we didn't have access to a lot of that, and much as we went to Samoa a lot of times, not living over there (permanently), you don't get to learn as much.
“It's good to see my daughter have access to that, and I'm so grateful.”
With this being a Rugby League World Cup year where games will be held across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, a number of Titans players including Fa’asuamaleaui were in contention for international honours.
“It's really exciting it's a World Cup year; I've been a part of one already and hopefully I can be part of it again,” Fa’asuamaleaui – who previously played a Test for Samoa in 2019 – said of the upcoming tournament.
“I don't want to look too far ahead, but it will be pretty cool if we see a lot of Titans boys in rep football.
“It's going to be cool, but don't look too far ahead, we need to get through the season healthy and then see what happens.”
PNG: A Rugby League Nation emerges
Bai was one player who was eager to add to his international caps.
“Yes, 100% (would like to be part of the Kumuls team) again,” Bai said.
“(For now I am) just trying to play my footy and play as consistent as I can and hopefully get picked.
“But the World Cup would definitely be a dream of mine to play in.”
For this week’s Multicultural Round match, the Titans travel to Townsville do their Round 3 match, with both sides looking for their first win.
Match: Cowboys v Titans
Round 3 -
home Team
Cowboys
16th Position
away Team
Titans
17th Position
Venue: Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
