Footy star reveals shattering moment he broke down in tears while ‘high on drugs’: ‘I hid myself so my partner wouldn’t see me cry’
NRL star Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has revealed the heartbreaking moment he broke down in tears while ‘high on drugs’ while he was struggling to recover from a serious injury.
The Gold Coast Titans skipper, 24, only played three games last season – and once scans confirmed he’d suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, the hard-nosed prop endured some dark days.
‘I was laying in bed one night, probably a bit high on drugs because the pain was so bad, I couldn’t sleep, and I just broke down,’ the representative front-rower told News Corp.
‘I hid myself under the blanket. I didn’t want anyone to see me cry.’
Fa’asuamaleaui also struggled with his injury rehabilitation – so he asked the Titans if he could fly to the US to work closely with reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles, who previously has aided NRL stars Latrell Mitchell, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Tom Trbojevic in their respective recoveries.
The key difference was Fa’asuamaleaui got Knowles all to himself for two weeks.
NRL star Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (pictured with his partner and daughter) has revealed the heartbreaking moment he broke down in tears at home while ‘high on drugs’
The Titans skipper was ruled out for the season after rupturing his ACL against the Bulldogs in round three last year (pictured)
Fa’asuamaleaui later flew to the US to work closely with reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles
‘Usually he has three or four athletes from around the world but I was lucky that it was just one-on-one. Instead of him focusing on four guys, he was just with me,’ he said.
‘He is full-on. He keeps it simple and brings the energy every day.
‘He gets you excited to learn about the body and how the knee works and improving it during the journey.’
The Titans documented Fa’asuamaleaui time in the US with a film – Keep Moving Forward.
A three-part documentary, episode one will be available in full from 7pm on Wednesday, February 5 via titans.com.au, 9NOW and YouTube.
Fa’asuamaleaui – who is contracted with the club until 2033 – is on track to feature in the Titans’ second trial against the Dolphins at Redcliffe on February 22.
Already a premiership winner with the Melbourne Storm in 2020, Fa’asuamaleaui would love a second ring, this time beside his teammates on the Glitter Strip.
He was a frustrated spectator last year – and is convinced Gold Coast can challenge for a top eight spot in 2025.
Des Hasler’s men have the bye in round one, with their first match on the road at Belmore versus the Bulldogs on March 16.
