Hunter Paisami

The former Melbourne Rebels centre Paisami blitzed his second rugby chance at the Reds, making his Super Rugby debut and playing every test under Dave Rennie in a huge 2020.

Leaving the squad for the birth of his first child this year, Paisami was unseated when Samu Kerevi was drafted in and the Japan-based No.12 starred to earn a World Player of the Year nomination.

When Kerevi didn’t tour the United Kingdom, Paisami was slotted straight back in and was among the Wallabies’ best in the the four-test Spring Tour.

It was, as Paisami says, “The size of a family car”.

Not wanted at the Melbourne Rebels – the city he and his family had moved to only a few years earlier from Auckland – Paisami packed his bags and moved into agent Anthony Picone’s office at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane.

“I was a bit ashamed. I was a bit lost at the start when I lost my contract with the Rebels,” Paisami tells rugby.com.au. 

“I made the move here with no family, didn’t know anywhere. Had to restart all over again. 

Paisami, 21,was born in Samoa but grew up in Auckland before moving to Melbourne with his family as a 17-year-old.

"My favourite player was Ma'a Nonu because he could do everything ... ball-carry, pass, kick, he was unreal," he told Brisbane's Courier Mail this week ahead of Friday night's game against the Crusaders in Christchurch.

The Courier Mail claimed Paisami - 1.80m and 92kg and devoid of dreadlocks - is no "mini-Ma'a" yet, but the tyro midfielder's first memory of rugby was watching Nonu at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia.