Kiwi legend Olsen Filipaina is fighting his toughest battle after his kidneys failed recently.
The former Balmain and New Zealand Test star is in ICU at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital on a ventilator.
An enigmatic player who would often play football after working on a garbage run the previous night, Filipaina was taken to hospital with a stomach infection two weeks ago.
Filipaina’s brother Alf told fans of his plight on Facebook:
“His condition improved over a few days regarding the infection, but [the] kidney problem that he has had for many years worsened, to the extent that he had to be transported to Westmead Hospital, where he was to be seen by the kidney specialists.
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“Over the past few days he’s been up and down and as a result is now in ICU.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with him and the whānau as I know yours will be too.”
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