The Mole: Manly Sea Eagles hooker Manase Fainu opens up over private struggle

Manly's jack-in-the-box hooker Manese Fainu is entering the final series with mixed emotions.

While delighted at being in the big end-of-season games for the first time in his short career in the top grade, Fainu is feeling the pain of his two cousins who won't be able to go to Lottoland on Saturday night - because they are locked in jail.

Fainu grew up in Sydney's west, where times were tough and some youngsters fell through the cracks.

Football and a good family kept him on the straight and narrow path, but his cousins Nasa Nayaca and Jimmy Tongamoa were not so lucky.

The 21-year-old even sent them a cheerio when he scored one of his two tries against Parramatta last weekend, holding his hands together as if they were handcuffed.

"I just wanted to know I was thinking of them and love them," Fainu explained to Wide World of Sports with a heavy heart.

"They got into the wrong crowd and lost their way.

"They are my cousins but I call them my brothers - that's how close we are.

"Their troubles put football and everything in life in perspective for me and make me so grateful for what I have.

"People say we are doing the hard yards on the field but believe me, they are the ones who are really doing the hard yards.

"I believe they realise the error of their ways and they are young enough to turn their lives around once they get out again."

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