Patrice Fa'amasi

Patrice Fa'amasi is a Ni-Vanuatu football player from Port Vila who plays as an attacking midfielder for A-League club Newcastle Jets.

At the age of 9, after moving from the island of Malakula to Port Vila with his brothers Nere and Michele, Fa'amasi began playing football with other village children. According to friends, it was immediately apparent that he had real talent, but as no one was around to notice, it seemed all for naught. But by chance, in 2004 FIFA Goal Programme official Nathan James saw Patrice playing and recommended that he enroll in an Australian football academy.

In 2006, while part of the Broadmeadow Magic U-18 squad, he was noticed by Jets manager Gary van Egmond and was given a place on their youth side. Fa'amasi made his debut with the first team during Round 15 of the 2008-2009 A-League season, on 7 December against Queensland. He showed great pace during the match and delivered the great through ball that allowed Tarek Elrich to equalise in the 71st minute, though Jets went on to lose.

He scored his first goal during a Round 19 win over Adelaide at home. He scored the only goal of the match in the 56th minute after being subbed in for Jobe Wheelhouse. Manager van Egmond commented after the match that he felt the Ni-Vanuatu player had been "instrumental" in the result.

He made his first starting appearance for Jets during Round 2 of the 2009-2010 A-League season. The match was at home against Perth, a fixture Jets emerged from victoriously, with Fa'amasi scoring both goals in a 2=1 result.

The highlight so far of Fa'amasi's career is his performance in the second leg of the major semifinal of the 2010 A-League Playoff Series, which was also against Perth, during which he scored the goal to force extra time in the 89th minute. A brilliant touch on a short lob from Stuart Musialik sent Fa'amasi tearing through the defense. After finding a bit of space in the box he deftly hammered the ball into the top far corner, past keeper Aleks Vrteski. Later in the match, he scored one of Newcastle's three penalties in a shootout which they won.

His second full year at Jets went far worse. A reckless driving charge on 11 September, followed by his arrest for [...] possession a few days later resulted in suspension, as well as personal problems. Though he has talked AbOUT it little, a battle with depression kept him out of the first team far past the end of his suspension.

However, he made an appearance in the home leg of the major semifinal against Melbourne, and though he was not involved in either of the match's two Jets goals, he played well. He has been very vocal since about his improved focus on life, and his desire to play next year. "I'm dedicated to Jets completely now. I have decided that, my personal challenges notwithstanding, I owe it to this club and its fans to dominate the A-League next year. I know I can."

Reportedly, he was asked on multiple occasions to play for the Australian U-17 side, but refused repeatedly, citing his allegiance to the country where he grew up.