AIMS Games: Ali Lauiti'iti's two daughters follow in father's footsteps in netball
Joseph Pearson in Tauranga
September 10, 2018 • 4:34pm
Ali Lauiti'iti's two daughters, Ivana (left) and Salome (right), at the 2018 AIMS Games in Tauranga.JOSEPH PEARSON / STUFF
Ali Lauiti'iti's two eldest daughters are starring for Holy Cross School Papatoetoe's champion netball team at the 2018 AIMS Games with the same smile and step their father illustrated during his fruitful rugby league career.
Lauiti'iti's playing days came to an end after one final year with the Warriors in 2016 - and now the once formidable New Zealand and Samoa second-row forward is driving daughters, Salome, 13, and Ivana, 12, to and from netball training and games every week.
Salome said her father, who had the finest handling skills of any league player in the world in his heyday, often practises netball passing with them in their backyard in Papatoetoe.
Lauiti'iti's family moved back to New Zealand after his glittering 11-year playing stint in England ended with Wakefield Trinity in 2015 and Salome and Ivana have started following in their father's huge sporting footsteps by taking up rugby as well as netball.
Salome, who played goal keeper and goal defence, is more keen on netball but Ivana, a wing defence, said with a cheeky smile she prefers rugby "because you can hit people".
Their school coach, Sarah Hann, said you can see their father's traits in both girls after they took up netball when the family returned home.
Lauiti'iti, who made 115 NRL appearances for the Warriors between 1998 and 2003, represented New Zealand (2006-10) and Samoa (2007-10) on the international stage and he was once labelled the Michael Jordan of rugby league by Australian media when the Warriors reached the 2002 Grand Final.
He won trophies galore in his seven years with Leeds Rhinos (2004-11), becoming the English club's most decorated overseas player, and Salome and Ivana are playing for reigning AIMS Games netball champions Holy Cross School Papatoetoe in Tauranga this week.
Once labelled the Michael Jordan of rugby league, Lauiti'iti pictured in action for the Warriors in 2002.SUNDAY STAR TIMES / Sunday-Star-Times
Neither were involved in the triumphant team that last year claimed their second title in three years, but they're playing their part in 2018 as the South Auckland school aims to become champions again.
Salome and Ivana, who both grew up in Leeds while their father played for the Rhinos and Wakefield, were playing in defensive roles and they often demonstrated assured footwork and fine handling as their team finished Monday unbeaten.
The two girls are Lauiti'iti's eldest of five children, with the 39-year-old and partner Janina having two more younger daughters and one younger son.
"All of our family are here, so we wanted to spend more time with them. We had fun [in England] and it was a bit of a change when we came back here," Salome said of the family's return to New Zealand.
Holy Cross Papatoetoe punches well above their weight in the AIMS Games and beat Auckland rivals Glen Eden in the 2017 decider.
Hann, who's been working at the school for seven years, said they have only 80 intermediate girls to face the likes of Glen Eden, who she believes have approximately 1000.
On Monday, their title defence started with three wins against a Tauranga invitational team (36-5), Northcote Intermediate (19-13) and Mokoia Intermediate (22-10).
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