Andrew Fifita

The 27-year-old is a true believer - that what you give comes back to you - and makes time every week for the youngsters he coaches while also making regular pilgrimages to hospitals and the like to help in any way he can.

Fifita also believes it's important to never forget where you came from and his time growing up in poverty in western Sydney and some tough times after deciding to make the trek out to Griffith as a 16-year-old have paved the way for his current determination to always give back wherever he can.

He has also been warned that any further material breach of the NRL rules is likely to result in his registration being cancelled.

The 27-year-old NRL prop for the Cronulla-Sharks arrived in Christchurch from Sydney with his wife, Nikki,​ and two young children on Wednesday morning.

Fifita, who is Tongan and Aboriginal, was invited to speak to whanau in east Christchurch ahead of a Pacific Series 2016 tournament at Wainoni Park on November 11 and 12. 

Fifita did not hold back as he talked candidly about his upbringing in a state house in Western Sydney, his "troubled teenage life", the harsh realities of his professional football career, battles with weight gain and his descent in to depression. 

Fifita said last week he was exploring the possibility of a switch to rugby union because he feared the NRL could rip up his playing contract at any moment.

The Sharks premiership winner was banned from selection from coach Mal Meninga's 24-man Australian Four Nations squad because of off-field issues.

Despite leading his side to grand final glory earlier this month, Fifita was not selected for the Kangaroos Four Nations squad for publicly supporting convicted one-punch killer Kieran Loveridge. 

Fifita said he hadn't spoken to Loveridge since their friendship became public. 

The 27-year-old condemned Loveridge's actions, labelling them as "wrong" and said that it had taken him two-and-a-half years to forgive him.

Speaking on Sky News on Tuesday night, the Sharks front-rower said he felt his future in the game was in jeopardy. 

Fifita and Parramatta winger Semi Radradra were both ineligible for selection in the 24-man squad after management expressed concern the pair's indiscretions could prove a distraction.

Fifita was a glaring omission from Mal Meninga’s 24-man Four Nations squad announced on Tuesday ahead of the Four Nations against England, New Zealand and Scotland.

ARL Chairman John Grant confirmed the decision was part of a new stance which will see players overlooked for representative honours for bad behaviour.

''There is not a contract to play with the Kangaroos, it's a privelege and honour,” Grant said earlier this week.

Radradra's absence from the Parramatta club has been heavily scrutinised in recent weeks with rumour rife the Australia international may yet walk out on the club to take up a deal in French rugby. 

Barba and Fifita have had contractual troubles of their own throughout their careers and could understand where Radradra was coming from after his decision to travel back to his native Fiji. 

Barba has battled homesickness in the past – with it being the reason behind his move to the Broncos in 2014 – and couldn't blame Radradra for any decision he ends up making.