New Zealand rugby league great Olsen Filipaina has died at the age of 64

Pioneering rugby league great Olsen Filipaina has passed away at the age of 64. 

Filipaina was a trailblazer, becoming one of the first Polynesian players to play in the NSWRL, where he enjoyed stints with North Sydney, Balmain and Easts.

He was famously plucked from reserve grade in 1985 to play for New Zealand, leading the Kiwis to a historic win over a Wally Lewis-captained Australia.

The former five-eighth had been battling kidney failure and was admitted to Westmead Hospital in January.

«He was a fighter and fought for 16 days in ICU but our heavenly father needed a stand-off for his rugby league team, and now he has the best,» his family said in a statement.

«A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered and we will announce more details on celebrating his life in the coming days.»

Filipaina left his native Auckland in 1980 to join Balmain following the abolition of international transfer fees.

He worked a day job away from the football field as a bin-man for Ryde Council. That, coupled with his heavy hits and rampaging runs, meant he was given the nickname of 'the Galloping Garbo'.

An avid squash and tennis player, Filipaina credited the racquet sports for helping his hand-eye coordination on the field.

He left for Easts and enjoyed his finest hour when he was picked by coach Graham Lowe from the reserves to take on New Zealand.

Filipaina led the Kiwis to a historic win over the Kangaroos at Auckland's Carlaw Park.

They beat Australia 18-0, condemning Lewis' side to their first scoreless loss in 29 years.

He would later represent his father's country of birth, Western Samoa, in their inaugural test match in 1988.

Filipaina scored 108 points in 29 tests for the Kiwis from 1977-86 and was named a NZRL Legend