Feeling like he was part of the family was the key factor in Agapei Eukaliti's decision to stay with the Hastings Valley Vikings.
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In what was only ever meant to be a brief 12-month stay which would cover the 2019 season, Eukaliti is approaching the end of his third season with the club.
There was a 12-month stint in England in 2020 before he returned home to New Zealand when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
But he was straight on the plane back to Oxley Oval as soon as the borders reopened.
"Family is everything to me and I feel like when I'm here at the Vikings I'm not alone," he said.
"Everyone is always there for me if I need something or if I need to chat. It's not just the boys, it's their partners as well. We're just one big club."
The second-youngest of six kids puts it down to the family atmosphere created at Oxley Oval which resonated well with him having been born and raised on the north island of New Zealand.
"Family is everything to me (and) I wouldn't be where I am now without my family," he said.
"I've always been so close to them so it's tough leaving them behind, but when you come to a place like Port it's like a home away from home so you don't really get homesick."
Eukaliti also attributes the "brotherhood" around the club as one of the key factors in his decision to stay - and then return - to Australia.
"It's definitely family-orientated (at the Vikings) and that's another one of the main reasons why I'm still here," he said.
"I set my mind on leaving and I wasn't going to turn up to any training, but decided to go to one and that's all it took."
Off the field, a relationship with partner Alexis was another key factor in his decision to stay in the Hastings although he admitted it did start "awkwardly" when he was living with teammate Pete Segol.
Alexis thought Agapei was just being the friendly neighbour who lived two doors down.
"I just gave her an awkward wave when she walked past," he said, laughing.
"We were just seeing each other at the start and weren't really a thing, but she was part of the reason why I stayed as well."
A scaffolder by trade, the 24-year-old doesn't think he is any different to most of his teammates when he's not terrorising fullbacks, centres or wingers.
"To be honest, I'm nothing special," he said.
"I'm not a serious person, I go to the gym once or twice a week and enjoy being around my mates at the pub with a beer."
With Tongan and Kiwi heritage, Eukaliti admits there is never any question who he supports when the two teams clash on the rugby field.
"My parents are Tongan and I'm proud to be both, but I'll always go for Tonga first," he said.
With the Vikings still one win away from qualifying for the grand final, he feels there remains some unfinished business from 2021 when the competition was cancelled after the major semi-final.
"With the season being called off early you can't be satisfied," he said.
"We wanted to win the grand final and it got cut short and we could only claim the major semi so that was (another) part of the reason why (he stayed)."