AS THE Kangaroos were preparing to fly to Manchester, rugby league's most destructive forward, Andrew Fifita, was making his way to Bali for Anthony Tupou's wedding.
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As he was boarding the plane he was in a strong frame of mind, despite the ongoing Kieran Loveridge drama hanging over his head, and a request from the NRL for his police record.
Fifita is considering providing it, but access to his conversations with Loveridge may be another thing, not because he is concerned by anything he said, but because he's looking after his mate.
It's still hard to understand why Fifita can't play for Australia, but he has come to terms with the NRL's decision not to allow him to be selected for the Four Nations tournament in Britain despite his stirring performances in the Sharks title charge.
Despite accepting the situation, Fifita is still looking at rugby options in Europe, and one offer in particular is proving tough to ignore.
Fifita had a training session with the Sharks on the day he left to go to Bali and also a long meeting with coach Shane Flanagan.
Fifita fears he may be in strife and he put one simple question to Flanagan: "Will you fight for me?"
In other words, will Flanagan do what Fifita has done for so many of his mates, including Loveridge; will he vouch for him in his toughest hour?
Will the Sharks stand by him, as Andrew did for his brother David, supporting him when David met with Knights coach Nathan Brown recently.
Andrew made the long trip up the freeway to show his brother he had his back.
Andrew Fifita says Flanagan confirmed he would fight for his star front-rower, who scored one of the most determined tries in grand final history.
One of Flanagan's favourite phrases is "my word" when he wants to make a strong point, and I can hear those words coming out of the coach's mouth when Fifita put it to him.
Flanagan didn't have to remind Fifita that Jesse Bromwich had scored a try for the Storm in the grand final.
Fifita set himself the task of matching the Storm enforcer and delivering a telling blow, and now he wants the club to do the same for him.
And that means a lot to Fifita.
Nice guys don't always finish last
THE Sharks' premiership win is the victory that keeps on giving, and for many it was life-changing.
It meant more than we know to the Brookes family. Jon Brookes wrote this column a letter after some heart-warming support from the Sharks.
"They may be NRL premiers on the field, but true testament to their respective characters is what Luke and Sonia Lewis, together with Paul Gallen, did off the field prior to and post-grand final," Jon wrote.
"My otherwise perfectly healthy nine-year-old daughter Sarah was recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer.
“After the initial diagnosis, subsequent prognosis and a sold-out game in round 22 between her beloved Sharks v the Raiders [prior to her admission to hospital for commencing treatment] it became apparent she would not only forgo the opportunity to attend any more matches, but also including the grand final that I had organised tickets for.
"Immediately upon becoming aware of these circumstances Luke, Sonia and Paul not only extended their family allocated tickets to Sarah and our family to attend the sold-out game but also organised for her to meet the players post-match.
“Despite a loss that night, all players and coach Shane Flanagan were most accommodating and extended nothing but encouragement to our Sarah.
"While the rest of the Shire partied post-win, Luke and Sonia were kind enough to visit Sarah with the premiership trophy, his [Luke's] premiership ring and the Clive Churchill Medal.
"For a football code that invariably attracts bad press I am now impartially convinced it is the minority that tarnish the game and not the majority.
“I will remember them not only for winning a maiden premiership but ... for keeping that indelible smile on my daughter's face despite adversity."
The story, Andrew Fifita seeks assurance that Cronulla Sharks will back him in toughest hour, first appeared on the Sydney Morning Herald.