Suliasi Vunivalu called home in the midst of celebrating the Melbourne Storm’s National Rugby League grand final victory on Sunday night.
The winger thanked his immediate and extended family in Bagasau, Toorak, for their prayers and support for him and his team after their scintillating win at the ANZ Stadium, Sydney.
Vunivalu helped his side scoop the prestigious Provan-Summons Trophy when he scored a try after a 90 metre run to edge the Penrith Panthers 26-20.
For the Vanua Levu lad, the try and win was his swansong. It marked the end of a six year career in the NRL and what better way to signal his entry into rugby union as Vunivalu prepares to join the Queensland Reds Super Rugby team next year.
With both parents in the United States, Vunivalu’s post grand final celebration began with a call to relatives in Suva where he thanked them for their support throughout the season.
His cousin Ana Batidravu said they didn’t expect him to call after the game but when he did, everyone was over the moon and proud that “Suli gave his time to call us even though they were still celebrating in Australia.”
“Suli called straight after the game just to say thank you to us at home and to the Bagasau community for always supporting him in every match no matter the outcome,” said Batidravu.
“We are so proud of him and he was really happy and so thankful to everyone at home for always supporting him especially in this grand final NRL game, the most important match of his rugby league career.”
Batidravu recalled the atmosphere in Bagasau when Vunivalu scored the winning try and how the whole of the community erupted into cheering after the final whistle.
“We celebrated even before full-time when Suli scored as if we were at the venue in Australia because at that stage it had been a tough match but he ran the length of the field to dive for one of the best tries we have ever seen him make.
“After the full-time whistle, everyone was just cheering and smiling because we felt we were part of the Melbourne Storms victory.
“Suli sent some money the same night after he called and said that it’s for the boys at Bagasau to enjoy and celebrate their victory.”
Apart from this year’s win Vunivalu did the same for his Bagasau family in 2017 when they thrashed the Queensland Cowboys 34-6.
The family in Bagasau celebrated for days when Vunivalu won his first NRL grand final.
