Panapa played his club football in Auckland as well as England, where he won several titles with the champion Wigan side of the 1990s.
A Ponsonby Pony Junior and Ponsonby-Maritime Senior from 1969 - 1982, joined Glenora Bears in 1983 for two season before signing an off-season contract with UK club Sheffield Eagles 1984–5.
Returning to NZ in 1985 signed with Te Atatu Roosters in the Auckland Rugby League competitions,[3] He represented Tokelau at the 1986 Pacific Cup,[4] and later for New Zealand.
During the 1992–93 Rugby Football League season Panapa played from the interchange bench for defending RFL champions Wigan in the 1992 World Club Challenge defeat by the visiting Brisbane Broncos.
Sam Panapa played as a Substitute (replacing loose forward Phil Clarke on 9-minutes) in Wigan's 15–8 victory over Bradford Northern in the 1992–93 Regal Trophy Final during the 1992–93 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Saturday 23 January 1993,[5] and played as a Substitute (replacing second-row Neil Cowie on 30-minutes) in the 2–33 defeat by Castleford in the 1993–94 Regal Trophy Final during the 1993–94 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Saturday 22 January 1994.