Samoa's hopes of engineering a Tongan-style upset at this year's Rugby League World Cup have taken a fresh blow with Gold Coast Titans forward Tino Fa'asuamaleaui opting to play for Australia.
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The 22-year-old, who was announced as the club's captain last month, won his first cap for the Pacific nation in 2019.
Samoa have never had such a wide array of talent at their disposal and were hoping to emulate the feats of the Jason Taumalolo-led Tonga who overcame New Zealand, Great Britain and the Kangaroos for the first time in their history in the last five years.
Despite the likes of Jarome Luai, Josh Papalii, Payne Haas and Fa'asuamaleaui all qualifying for Samoa, their progress under coach Matt Parish has been underwhelming.
There have been calls for Parish, who has been in charge since 2013, to quit ahead of this year's World Cup.
While he indicated a strong passion for his father's country, Fa'asuamaleaui said he was committed to earning a spot with Mal Meninga's Australian side.
"I'd love to play for Australia if I have the chance and if I'm good enough to make it," Fa'asuamaleaui told AAP. "I'm born and raised here and I love my heritage and Samoa.
"I'd love to be playing good enough to be in a position where I have to make that decision.
"I actually used to sit there with my dad and my brother and write up a potential Samoan team. I've always done that since I was young.
"But the Australian team is obviously the best of the best, that's nothing against Samoa because Samoa means so much to me.
"But I grew up watching Darren Lockyer and Greg Inglis and they all played for Australia and when I retire I want to say I have played for Australia too.
"I can actually play for England too, my pop's English and my nan's Danish too."
Fa'asuamaleaui will become the youngest captain in the history of the NRL when the Titans kick off their season away to Parramatta next Sunday.
The Gold Coast forward said he was overawed when he was offered the role by Titans coach Justin Holbrook.
"He came up to me after our footy camp and asked how I'd feel about it," he said.
"I said if I got the role I'd take it with both hands and do my best and he just said 'well, you're our captain now'.
"I got a bit emotional because I never thought I'd be an NRL player let alone a captain."
Australian Associated Press
