Tongan forward Felise Kaufusi has revealed his funky hairdo has cost him more than $1000 to maintain, and how it all started as a dare from a rookie Dolphins’ teammate.
Kaufusi will be easy to spot when the Tongans start crowd favourites against the Kangaroos at a packed CommBank Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The NRL has featured plenty of eyebrow-raising hairstyles in recent years, including New Zealand Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s perm, Viliame Kikau’s bleached mohawk, and Canberra’s Josh Papalii’s mullet.
Kaufusi has now explained why he has opted for the random strip of hair across the back of his head, or the “Kaufusi fade”, and what he has planned next.
The backrower started regularly shaving his head after realising he was going bald, but was then inspired by a TikTok video shown to him by Redcliffe winger Jack Bostock in April.
Felise Kaufusi explains rugby league’s quirkiest haircut.
“It started as a joke – and it still is a joke – when Jack showed me this TikTok video of this bald fella who had started growing out his hair at the back,” Kaufusi said.
“He dared me to do it, and because I don’t take myself seriously, I did it, copped a lot of crap, then kept it, only to still cop a lot of crap.
“The hair was already gone, but it continued to grow around the back. In the video they had called it an ‘eclipse fade’. I’m calling it the Kaufusi fade.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s perm.Credit: Getty Images
“The most embarrassing part was when I walked into the barber in Nudgee [Roman Kellys], showed them the TikTok video, then they asked if it was a joke.
“I still have to get a fresh fade once a week. It costs me $40. I try to do it sometimes at home, just to save money.
“My wife [Rebecca] thought it was funny at first, but now she’s like, ‘what are you actually doing?’
“I’ll keep growing it for now, then I want to try and plait it at the back when it gets long enough. I’ll have some fun.”
Viliame Kikau loves his bleached mohawk.Credit: Getty Images
Wayne Bennett has finished at the Dolphins, but forced players in the past to cut their hair if it was not up to his standards, yet somehow turned a blind eye to Kaufusi’s look.
“For some reason Wayne let this one slide,” Kaufusi said. “I cheekily told Wayne he should try and follow suit.”
Kaufusi rated Watene-Zelezniak’s Coming To America Soul-Glo inspired look at the best in rugby league.
As for toppling the Australians on Sunday, Kaufusi said it would be special for the players, but mean even more to the fans who are expected to outnumber the green and gold fans in the stands.
The Tongans were easily the most popular at a fan day in Parramatta on a warm Friday.
“I’ve won NRL grand finals, played in finals campaigns, but this feels like it’s right up there, if not more – this game is bigger than us,” Kaufusi said.