Yet another star player has defected from the Kangaroos to join a Pacific nation Test team ahead of next year’s Rugby League World Cup.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 24, has confirmed he will represent Samoa at the 2026 tournament in what is a huge boost for the side which went down 30-10 in the last World Cup final against Australia.
Tabuai-Fidow isn’t playing representative football this season due to a knee injury, but will line up alongside the newly defected Payne Haas in 2026.
‘We’re thrilled to welcome Hamiso into the Toa Samoa family,’ Samoa coach Ben Gardiner said.
‘He’s an incredible talent with representative experience at the highest level.
‘Hamiso is eager to contribute to the team’s future success, and we can’t wait to see him wear the blue jersey on the world stage in 2026.’
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow played six Tests for Australia but will now play for Samoa (pictured, after scoring a try against Tonga in 2024)
Strike centre Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow will still be able to represent Queensland at Origin level
The Dolphins fullback represented Samoa in 2022, but since then has played six games for Australia.
Daily Mail reported in July that the speedster was strongly considering changing his international allegiance.
The development also comes after Tabuai-Fidow ended his relationship with NRLW pin-up Jaime Chapman this year.
Daily Mail exclusively revealed an explicit sex video featuring the Queensland Origin x-factor was central to the bust-up.
The footage features a young woman known to Tabuai-Fidow filming herself performing a sex act on him.
Samoa will add Tabuai-Fidow, Stephen Crichton, Spencer Leniu and Taylan May to their squad after the quartet were ruled out of this year’s Pacific Championship.
They lost to New Zealand 24-18 to start the tournament on Sunday in what was a high-quality game of Test football.
Tabuai-Fidow was with the Samoan squad at a fan day in Queensland on Tuesday, as 8,000 fans turned up ahead of their match against Tonga at Suncorp Stadium on October 26.
Tabuai-Fidow has been one of the form fullbacks in the NRL in recent seasons after joining the Dolphins from the Cowboys
Addin Fonua-Blake and Jason Taumalolo will lead a star-studded Tonga outfit this weekend, while State of Origin centre Robert Toia will make his Test debut, as will Storm prop Stefano Utoikamanu.
For Samoa, ironman prop Terrell May has been listed among the reserves as he races the clock to overcome the hamstring injury that kept him out of the last Test.
Brother Tyrone May has been called into the squad on the back of winning the Super League Grand Final with Hull KR.
The match kicks off at 4pm on Sunday in Brisbane and is expected to be a near sell-out.
