Tonga welcome Manase Fainu into camp on day release from jail

Former Manly and Tonga representative could return to the NRL if the league registers a contract

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published27 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources2 outlets

Manase Fainu made a surprise appearance at Tonga training on Tuesday while on day release and wearing an ankle monitor, days before he is set to be freed on parole after almost four years behind bars.

Fainu, 28, is due to be released on parole on Friday and will spend his first days of freedom watching his younger brother Latu and his former Tongan teammates play Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup on Sunday.

The former Manly and Tonga representative was found guilty of stabbing a Mormon youth leader at a church dance in 2019. He was welcomed at Wentworth Park by Tongan fans who turned out in force to watch the team train.

John Hopoate, a regular on the Tonga backroom staff for the past decade, was one of the first to greet Fainu. "We don't forget our people who have been here before," Hopoate said. "He made a mistake, he knows that, we know that, but we won't forget about him, he's family. He's done his time and we won't keep judging him, we'll embrace him. He certainly looked fit."

Fainu is eager to return to playing rugby league. His three brothers, Latu, Sione and Samuela, are all contracted to the Wests Tigers. Fainu attempted to play in the South Sydney A-grade competition when granted weekend release earlier this year, but was denied by the NSW Rugby League, which cited among other reasons the safety risk he would pose while playing with a bulky ankle bracelet.

Whether Fainu plays in the NRL again, his last game a semi-final appearance for Manly in 2019, is now up to the NRL, which will rule on whether to register any contract offered to him. Hopoate pointed out that his son Jamil had served time in jail in 2014 for assaulting a man in a Sydney pub, but had later played in the NRL after spending time in reserve grade while on probation.

Meanwhile, players have been swamped with requests from family and friends for tickets to Sunday's match between Tonga and Samoa at CommBank Stadium, which sold out weeks ago. Some players have been offered up to $400 to source tickets. Hopoate questioned why organisers did not move the fixture to Allianz Stadium, where another 10,000 fans could have been accommodated. Officials wanted to play the game at Accor Stadium, where at least 60,000 fans were expected, but were denied because K-pop act Bigbang will perform a night earlier in front of at least 70,000 fans, with no time to prepare the pitch.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

Fainu's possible NRL return depends on the league's decision on registering any contract, a test of how the game handles players returning from prison.
Tonga's World Cup campaign has drawn sold-out crowds, and the community's embrace of Fainu highlights the team's family-focused culture.
The stadium and ticket issues show the scale of demand for the Tonga-Samoa clash, one of the tournament's key matches.

Background

Fainu is a former Manly and Tonga representative who has spent nearly four years in jail after being found guilty of stabbing a Mormon youth leader at a church dance in 2019. His last NRL game was a semi-final appearance for Manly in 2019.

He attempted to play in the South Sydney A-grade competition earlier this year while on weekend release, but the NSW Rugby League denied him, citing safety concerns over his ankle bracelet. His three brothers are contracted to the Wests Tigers, and he is eager to resume his playing career. The NRL will decide whether to register any contract he is offered.

Key Perspectives

John Hopoate: Says Tonga will not forget Fainu, calling him family who has "done his time" and should be embraced rather than judged.

NSW Rugby League: Denied Fainu's attempt to play in the South Sydney A-grade competition, citing among other reasons the safety risk of playing while wearing a bulky ankle bracelet.

What to Watch

Whether the NRL registers any contract offered to Fainu, which would allow him to play in the NRL again.
Fainu's release on parole on Friday and his first days of freedom at the Tonga-Samoa World Cup match on Sunday.
Whether organisers respond to Hopoate's criticism of the stadium choice, given the match sold out weeks ago.

Sources

‘We don’t forget our people’: Tonga welcome Manase Fainu into camp on day release from jail · The Age
‘We don’t forget our people’: Tonga welcome Manase Fainu into camp on day release from jail · The Sydney Morning Herald

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.

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SupportedTonga welcomed Manase Fainu into camp while he was on day release from jail.The Age - Latest News: “‘We don’t forget our people’: Tonga welcome Manase Fainu into camp on day release from jail.”
SupportedFainu could return to the NRL if the league registers a contract offered to him.The Age - Latest News: “Whether Fainu plays in the NRL again – his last game was a semi-final appearance for Manly in 2019 – is now up to the NRL, who will rule on whether to register any contract offered to the player.”
SupportedFainu made a surprise appearance at Tonga training on Tuesday while on day release and wearing an ankle monitor.The Age - Latest News: “Manase Fainu made a surprise cameo at Tonga training on Tuesday while on day release and wearing an ankle monitor.”
SupportedFainu was due to be released on parole Friday after almost four years behind bars.The Age - Latest News: “Fainu, 28, is set to be released on parole on Friday after spending almost four years behind bars”
SupportedFainu planned to spend his first days of freedom watching his younger brother Latu and his former Tongan teammates play Samoa on Sunday.The Age - Latest News: “and will spend his first few days of freedom watching his younger brother, Latu, and his former Tongan teammates play in the World Cup against Samoa on Sunday.”
SupportedFainu was found guilty of stabbing a Mormon youth leader at a church dance in 2019.The Age - Latest News: “The former Manly and Tonga representative was found guilty of stabbing of a Mormon youth leader at a church dance three years earlier in 2019.”
SupportedHopoate said, “We don't forget our people who have been here before.”The Age - Latest News: ““We don’t forget our people who have been here before,” Hopoate said.”
SupportedHopoate said Fainu had made a mistake, was family, had done his time and would be embraced; he also said Fainu looked fit.The Age - Latest News: ““He made a mistake, he knows that, we know that, but we won’t forget about him – he’s family. He’s done his time and we won’t keep judging him, we’ll embrace him. He certainly looked fit.””
SupportedFainu was denied permission to play in South Sydney’s A-grade competition while on weekend release, partly because of the safety risk posed by his ankle bracelet.The Age - Latest News: “Fainu attempted to play in the South Sydney A-grade competition when he was granted weekend release earlier this year, only to be denied by the NSW Rugby League – who cited, among other reasons, the safety risk he would have posed while playing with a bulky ankle bracelet.”
SupportedFainu’s last game was a 2019 semi-final appearance for Manly, and the NRL will decide whether to register a contract offered to him.The Age - Latest News: “Whether Fainu plays in the NRL again – his last game was a semi-final appearance for Manly in 2019 – is now up to the NRL, who will rule on whether to register any contract offered to the player.”
SupportedSome players were offered up to $400 to source tickets for the sold-out Tonga-Samoa match.The Age - Latest News: “Some players have been offered up to $400 if they can source tickets.”
SupportedOfficials wanted the match at Accor Stadium, where at least 60,000 fans were expected, but Bigbang’s concert the previous night—with at least 70,000 fans expected—left no time to prepare the pitch.The Age - Latest News: “officials wanted to play the game at Accor Stadium, where at least 60,000 fans were expected, only to be denied because K-pop sensation Bigbang will perform a night earlier in front of at least 70,000 fans, with no time to prepare the pitch.”