He played representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand Secondary Schools, the New Zealand Junior Kiwis, New Zealand and Samoa, and at club level for Auckland Warriors and the Warrington Wolves, as a wing, centre, stand-off, or second-row,[2] he switched codes in 2007, and played representative rugby union (RU) for Samoa, and at club level for Biarritz Olympique, Leeds Carnegie and Connacht Rugby, as a wing, or centre.

[5] He made his début for the Auckland Warriors in the Australasian National Rugby League in round 8 of the 2000 NRL season against the Sydney Roosters.

In the 2001 NRL season, he played 27 games as the newly rebranded New Zealand Warriors side qualified for the finals in what was the first time in their history.

After scoring 38 tries in 94 games for the Warriors, Fa'afili netted 72 in 92 at the Warrington Wolves and was Super League's top try scorer for the 2007 season, he was signed by Harlequins RL.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/mobile/rugby_league/super_league/london/6980403.stm However he was tapped up to sign for Biarritz and left manager Brian McDermott and chairman Ian Lenagan furious.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7045072.stm Fa'afili agreed what was initially seen as a short-term deal with French rugby union side Biarritz.

He left after one season Fa'afili has also represented New Zealand in rugby league at international level on several occasions, scoring a hat-trick against Great Britain in 2003 at Ewood Park, Blackburn during the Tri-Nations.

[4] He revealed he had undergone double hip replacements, but collapsed after finishing the first Bronco agility test due to breathing difficulties.

[8] On the final episode, however, he revealed that he was declared unfit to play due to risk of cardiac arrest and his lack of full contact training.