Rugby League, the NRL and Super League in England and France has been Samisoni Langi’s life for more than 20 years.
And growing up the fifth born in a family of 10 siblings in Sydney’s south-western suburbs to Tongan parents, ‘Soni’ wasn’t sure he would make it.
But he now calls Perth home and he’s about to lead the South Perth Lions into the 2025 NRLWA Fuel to Go and Play Premiership campaign and the former Sydney Rooster and Catalan Dragon is happy to take on a senior mentoring role, because like many aspiring young players, he knows how hard it can be to stay focused to achieve the dream.
For Soni that dream started out at seven years of age at a junior club in Sydney’s rugby league-mad suburbs.
“I started at Berala Bears, a junior club in the Canterbury-Bankstown district of Sydney. Peter Hislop Oval. From there to the Bulldogs,” Soni said.
And from that beginning on Chisholm Road in Auburn he worked his way through the Dogs pathway – Harold Mathews and SG Ball teams before finding himself at the Roosters in the eastern suburbs in mid 2012.
His brothers were also decent players – some Harold Matthews and SG Ball – but didn’t make it to the big time. Soni however did, in a career that has had its ups and downs as well as a fair share of injuries along the way.
“One ACL one year, the other a year later, yeah, it was tough to stay focussed,” he admitted as we discussed his career over a coffee after he’d completed a training session mentoring high school players at Baldivis Secondary College, where he now works, alongside South Perth legend Isaac Thomas.
But focussed he stayed as his career began to take off at the Bulldogs where he played with Dale Finucane, Josh Jackson, David Klemmer and Moses Mbye before he moved from the Dogs pathway to the eastern suburbs and the Sydney Roosters (three first grade games).
“First grade debut in 2013. Three-and-a-half years at the club. 2015 was probably my best year and then the left ACL injury. My contract came to an end and North Sydney Bears was next in 2016. Then I did my right ACL. I guess I didn’t really reach my full potential.
“It was hard coming off the back of two ACL injuries, but my manager got me a train and trial deal with Penrith.
Through adversity comes strength.
“I did my rehab again and was playing some good footy – and then got an approach to go to England to the Leigh Centurions, as they were then called, in 2017.
“I was there during that million pound game against Catalan.”
For the record Leigh lost that game for a Super League spot 26-10, but a top flight role was soon to come his way.
And ironically, he got a move to France to sign for the Dragons – a career switch he loved.
“The culture was amazing and by then I was married and our two daughters Lilah and Kaia were both born in France.”
An amazing experience there working under coach Steve McNamara, who Soni knew from his time at the Roosters, first in the halves and then in the centres.
“Great beaches and lifestyle, the Catalans are wonderful people but they would soon let you know if they thought you weren’t playing well. ‘You’re only here for a holiday’, we Aussies would get from some of them, so there was always a bit of extra pressure to perform.
Soni, wife Azai and their two girls loved France – so much that he switched international allegiance and played four times for the nation.
But visiting teams were not so enamoured. A south of France summer is, as most students of geography will know, a lot warmer than a British one and for many Super League clubs training before an evening game at the Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan was a challenge.
100-plus games in France in the halves and centres. He learnt the language, “understand it more than I could speak it” and loved the five years.
A highlight? “Playing in Barcelona at the world famous Camp Nou against Wigan, that was amazing. Old Trafford in Manchester another unbelievable experience.
“Three World Cups, two for Tonga and one for France – and – winning a Challenge Cup in 2018 with the Dragons.” ( 20-14 against Warrington).
When his contract came to an end it was clear another was not on the table, so Soni had to look elsewhere.
Back to England and to Yorkshire and the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. Another cultural experience.
“A different culture for sure, colder but we enjoyed our time there. Great scenery and people.”
But a relegation season saw the club tear up all the player contracts, so Soni saw it as the chance to come home.
His wife’s family were based in Perth and they both wanted quality time with them for their daughters.
He joined South Perth midway through last season – a season that only saw one win – but a year of rebuilding and Soni believes that experience has been learnt and those young players blooded in 2024 will be better for that in 2025.
“We’ve recruited well during the summer, pre-season has gone well and a new coach – his father-in-law Duane Gwiazdinski.
How does that work? “It works well. He’s the coach and I’m a player,” Soni said.
“As with any other coach, I’m just a player in the team so we have a professional relationship at training and on game day. It works well.
“He has some good ideas and this season it’s about improving and stabilising the club.”
Pathways for young players is something Soni hopes will happen once Perth gets the nod for an NRL franchise. It’s something he has benefited from.
So what advice would he give to any aspiring young player?
“You have to sacrifice a lot, commitment – no partying at weekends and take everything onboard from the coaches,” he said.
“There’s a lot of good talent here in Perth, some quality kids, they just need the chance to step up to the next level.
I came here in 2011 in SG Ball – at half-time I think we were only winning 6-0. WA had some good players, so it can be achieved.
‘As I said, listen to the coaches, they are there to help build young players.”
And after a year back in Australia and in WA in particular, where does Soni see the standard of the game?
“That’s a tough one,” he admitted.
“ We need to be playing more footy – in attack move the ball more, and get structures right.
“ A perfect example of that was last year when the Community Lions came over to play. They were well structured and it showed, it made a big difference.”
Soni then admitted that there is also a need for that spontaneous play or player – someone who can make something from nothing.
“If we had pathways now, I think we would be able to stop player movement east and develop them here.”
“And six teams in the premiership this season, no byes, everyone’s playing football every week.
So keeping fit and injury free is key – gym work and managing your body as you get older.
“Yes, of course, I’m in the gym and working out and I’m really enjoying working at Baldivis High. We work with kids from Year 7 to 12. There’s some good talent – but most play rugby union at weekends -so an NRL announcement will help stem that and help us grow the pathways.”
For Samisoni Langi it’s almost full circle. He’s now back where he started, except he’s now the tutor, the mentor for league-mad kids.
And after 20-plus years, many playing on the game’s big stage, around the world, he’s still in love with rugby league.
Still lacing the boots every Saturday, and as his daughters say, “daddy’s going to work” .
Not a bad way to earn a living.
