To serious criminal charges
water when he tweeted he was at the cinema during the Warriors 50-16 thrashing from the Wests Tigers, instead of watching the game on TV.
When he left the club for Salford in 2017, the Warriors renamed Mt Smart Stadium to Manu Vatuvei Stadium for his farewell.
Injury cut his Super League stint with Salford short.
It wasn’t just Warriors fans who fell in love with Vatuvei, for a decade or so he was one of the biggest personalities across the NRL and not always for the right reasons.
A polarising figure, Vatuvei was unstoppable at his best but error-ridden at his worst.
That was something the 29-test Kiwi, who also played two tests for Mate Ma’a Tonga, acknowledged in his retirement post on social media in 2019.
Post his playing career, Vatuvei’s weight ballooned for a short time before he made the move to professional boxing a career that lasted just one fight following a pre-fight brain scan revealing a brain cyst.
Vatuvei made a tentative beginning to a new career in real estate last year but his employer noted at a court appearance in November that a loss of name suppression would cause it to ‘‘reconsider’’ the 35-year-old’s employment.
Vatuvei was charged alongside two others. One faces two counts of importing methamphetamine, and one count of possession for supply. Another man is also facing charges.
The accused are set to go to trial this year.
For a decade or so he [Vatuvei] was one of the biggest personalities across the NRL and not always for the right reasons.