INTERVIEW: Mele Hufanga

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

The Flava Breakfast Podcast.

Mele Hufanga (0:05)

Hello.

Azura (0:06)

Oh, there she is.

Mele Hufanga (0:08)

Kia ora.

Azura (0:09)

Kia ora.

Mele Hufanga (0:10)

Good morning, everyone. Good morning.

Azura (0:12)

Good morning to you. Man, how are you feeling going into finals, Mele?

Mele Hufanga (0:18)

Oh, it's pretty overwhelming at the moment. Haven't really thought about the game just yet, but I guess knowing that it's our day off today, so it's pretty cool that we get to just clock off 44 for now. But it's really exciting and obviously being back in Brisbane, it's on a whole other level. So it's really good.

Charlie (0:38)

Man, you know what I loved last week when you scored your try, right? I know you're representing the Kiwis, and I'm going to just get this out there.

Azura (0:45)

I know what he's going to say.

Charlie (0:46)

On behalf of all the Tongans, but how did it feel when you threw out the Tees gang, baby?

Mele Hufanga (0:52)

Oh, man, it was honestly like I didn't even know that I was going to do that. But just knowing that we got there. It's a mafana. Like I feel like as soon as we got there, we ran out to warm up and just seeing the red flag, I was like, holy, that was unreal. So when that happened, I was like, you know what? I'm a Kiwi, but I got Tongan in my blood.

Charlie (1:12)

Yeah, let's go. Did you get in trouble? Did you get in trouble?

Mele Hufanga (1:17)

No, I didn't get in trouble.

I was like, I wonder if I'm going to get in trouble. Surely they'll understand. So it's funny because as soon as that happened, like I came off the field and our media people are like, oh, you're going to love the post that we posted. As soon as I seen it, I was like, did you just have to just do one post of just me?

Azura (1:38)

Well, it's funny because, you know, here at Flava, that's what we've moved into doing is, you know, it's like the Avengers assemble because now it's just all of us against Australia. And I mean, for us, that's a very easy common goal to have as countries from the Pacific. So it's really cool to see even Charlie over here, he's been chanting, the key is in the way, the key is in the way. And I'm like, oh my days.

Charlie (2:05)

I mean, to my defense, Mele, you know, Tonga is out, Samoa is out. So who do we back? We back our Kiwis. We back the Kiwifers.

Mele Hufanga (2:13)

What do you mean our Kiwis?

Azura (2:15)

The thing is, we got to remind them, what passport you got, bro?

Mele Hufanga (2:18)

What passport? New Zealand passport.

Charlie (2:20)

Just so that, you know, I was born at National Women's Hospital, Green Lane. I mean, I'm just putting it out there, but you know, we're backing the girls and you guys are, this is a very important game for you guys, you know, and we just want you guys to know, I know that, you know, there is a lot of talk around the Kiwis, but we want to embrace you guys as well, heading into this finals, man. And just give me an honest opinion.

What's the vibe like in the camp? You guys confident going into this game?

Mele Hufanga (2:48)

Oh, 100%.

I feel like we've been building for this very moment coming up on Sunday. And I feel like everyone in this campaign, we're all willing to be right now. So I 100% believe. And I think that's it. It's just the word itself, believe. If we believe as a collective, as a club, as us girls, that we can go out there and smash it out there and play our best footy, then the result will be on top. So I'm very confident in my team and I believe that we can get the job done.

Azura (3:19)

Even hearing you say that, I was getting goosebumps.

Mele Hufanga (3:21)

Gee up. I'm gee up, man.

Azura (3:23)

I'm like, yeah, look, go out there, like you said, smash and we believe in you. And I'm glad to hear that you guys, you guys have that confidence, that quiet confidence. And it's like, you know, Ozzy, they're good. They're both good. They're both good teams, you know. But at the end of the day, the key is in the we. And what's the saying? It's an us. It's an us.

Mele Hufanga (3:45)

It's an us.

Azura (3:46)

Hey, Mele, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us and all the best for this weekend's game.