Olsen Orekewa Filipaina[2] (23 April 1957 – 10 February 2022) was a professional rugby league footballer who represented both New Zealand and Western Samoa.

He played for the Balmain Tigers, Eastern Suburbs, and North Sydney Bears during his New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) premiership career from 1980 to 1987.

[4] He was raised in Māngere,[5] and started his career with the Mangere East Hawks in the Auckland Rugby League competition.

[3][6] While playing for the Hawks, Filipaina was named the best back in the competition in 1977, before winning the Rothville Trophy as player of the year the following season.

[9] Filipaina was first picked for the New Zealand national rugby league team in 1977, becoming the first junior player from the Hawks to be selected.

[4][15] His biography, The Big O: The Life and Times of Olsen Filipaina, was published in April 2020 and recounted the racial abuse he endured throughout his career.

[17] He has five children: Louise, John, Alysha, Quin and Jazmine, and five grandchildren: Tamati, Matahi, Ignatius, Kaimana and Octavia.