Playing at fullback it's part of your role to get up and take those high balls.
— Israel Folau
There are a lot of messages in my books which I have specifically targeted for children, based on my own experiences growing up: the importance of healthy eating and being active, playing fair, setting goals, working together and anti-bullying.
I've just got to be a little bit cautious with my technique and all that sort of stuff, going into tackles. But I'm not going to change the way that I go into it. I'm going to be aggressive.
There are different reasons why I wanted to try AFL - some of them family reasons and others were more personal ones.
I think probably all of my determination and eagerness to want to play professional sport came from my family.
I get a huge excitement from seeing the other guys cross the line. It really is a team game rugby, so if we are getting points on the board I am still very happy.
I was lucky enough to play with great platers Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Darren Lockyer and that's where I learned about leadership.
The whole AFL experience was important for me not only as an athlete but as a person.
Billy Slater was one I used to see do extras after training and his catching technique was unreal, so I really looked up to him and followed.
I grew up as a Mormon.
I really want to be a mentor to other Islander kids, because I understand the pressure they are under from their parents.
Mum didn't have shoes. She was the eldest of 10 kids, and some nights they went without food. That's why, from a young age, I wanted to work hard and change that cycle, to provide not only for my parents but my siblings, too.
I had purpose in my heart that I would stand up for the truth regardless of what I might lose in life.
League was everything to me, I put that in front of God, and He took me away from that to go to AFL.
You want to try to play the game in a really good positive way, not just on the field but off the field as well in being a positive person and getting good vibes out to the community.
Most people don't realise there's certain things that players go through off the field. Most times, guys are good at hiding things.
I'm thankful I have my faith.
Growing up, I never imagined my journey would pan out as it has, but the one thing I always knew was that I believed in myself.
Struggling with confidence and self-doubt are things that everyone goes through, especially kids, but I set goals, worked hard and leant on the people around me.
I enjoy watching the NFL, but you've got to have a real passion to make that transition and have a real crack at it.
I get excited when the ball goes up in the air. I try to always get up there... I get a buzz out of it.
I'm very confident in my own ability but I'm not guaranteed to get a starting spot.
If I am playing the game freely, and those opportunities come up to cross the line, then I get enjoy that a lot. But when I try to force things, I am not playing my best footy.
For me speed and power is the most important thing on the footy field as well as agility which I work on everyday.
It was a really tough transition going from rugby league to AFL.
We used to do a lot of kick-catch work with Carlton, and it really taught us some great skills catching above our heads, off our chest. Those things I've carried throughout my career and I'm really thankful I got the opportunity to learn that.
All the success I want is to inspire and impact on people that I come across that watch the game.
Coming to the Waratahs was the first time I felt I gained some independence. I was telling my parents I had to go out on my own, and learn and grow, and if I made mistakes, then so be it.
The way Satan works is he offers you stuff that could look good to the eye and makes you feel comfortable, and if you follow that path all the worries and troubles will go away.
Obviously the gospel was offensive to a lot of people and it was offensive to me at one point but that caused me to have a change of heart, to come to repentance and realise I was a sinner and needed a saviour.
God's word says for a man and a woman to be together, one man and one woman in the covenant of marriage to be together.
My two younger brothers play football as well and they are obviously pretty talented and my two older brothers like to sing and I obviously can't do that.
I got caught up in all the party things and I guess I'd say my head was above the clouds.
The goal for me is to stand up for the word of God which is so important to me. It means more to me than what I have.
It's really important for kids to read right through childhood but I know sometimes it's hard to get them to read. The key is finding something that they're passionate about, and for me it was, and still is rugby, and being healthy and active, and a lot of kids are like that too.
As a playing group you don't go into the game thinking about whether you're the underdog or not.
I'm extremely proud to have represented my country. It's truly an honour.
I probably realized when I was maybe 13 years of age that I could make a living out of playing professional sport and from that time on it was really a goal for me do that as soon as I can.
I've been watching a whole heap of video footage of different players on different teams and how different players get the football. But the best way I learn is getting out there and playing.
The last thing I want to do is force tries to happen.
I do a lot of core strengthening exercises and the plank push up is a great one that you can do anywhere and anytime.
You don't want to do sevens just for the sake of going to the Olympics. its something you've got to want to do.
All the changes that have happened in my career have been since I left the Mormon faith.
Just my relationship with people - my teammates, my family, my partner everything. I don't really know how to explain it, it's just a peaceful feeling inside.
If I'd had my way, I would still have been playing NRL.
All the materialistic things I have been able to have over the last number of years are slowly being taken away from me. It's been really challenging but also it's been encouraging to myself to see what my God is actually doing.
I never had a special social media clause, I had a standard contract, the same as every other player.
In a Polynesian family it's not always about yourself, you've got to look after your parents and your younger siblings.
I just got caught up in the alcohol, women and all that sort of stuff.
I was taught some very good life lessons and morals as a young kid growing up.
