Queensland are holding its breath over Tino Fa'asuamaleaui's availability for Game 2 of the State of Origin series, after the Maroons enforcer made the difficult decision to stay behind when his teammates flew to Melbourne on Friday.
He stayed behind so he could remain close to his gravely ill father rather than boarding the plane with the rest of the squad.
Fereti Fa'asuamaleaui was battling cancer for a second time and was undergoing fresh treatment at Sunshine Coast Hospital on Friday, a reality that made the decision easy for his son.
It was confirmed by Billy Slater in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon that Tino's father has passed, and said Tino intends to play on Wednesday night.
While the Maroons checked out of their Twin Waters base on the Sunshine Coast and headed to Melbourne to begin their MCG preparations in earnest, Tino quietly drove north to Gympie instead, to the family home, to be with his dad.
In an interview with The Courier Mail, Tino spoke about his dad, whom he describes as a "hero", and said that is all the motivation he needs.
"He is always in my heart, no matter what," he said.
"Every day off, I go up and see my dad. It could be a day trip, or I go the night earlier after training at the Titans, just to make sure I spend time with him.
"In life, you never know what is going to happen, and I cherish every moment with my dad."
The story of Fereti runs deeper than most fans would know.
In the early 1990s, he was spotted by NRL Immortal Arthur Beetson and brought to the Sydney Roosters, living with Beetson and playing reserve grade for the Tricolours before eventually settling in Gympie, where he raised his family and built a life as a boliermaker.
"You always think your parents are invincible, and when something knocks them around a bit, it does rattle you," Tino said.
"You don't want to think of the worst case, but we're just trying to cherish every moment.
"He is my inspiration and always will be."
For Queensland, there will be a lot to play for, and for Tino, his biggest reason for playing will be at the forefront of his mind as the Maroons hope to even the series on Wednesday.
