The footballer whose image has been tarnished in the past 12 months for his public display of support for one-punch killer Kieran Loveridge.

Fifita is a complex human being. Those closest to him are still trying to work him out. But there's one thing about the NSW enforcer that can't be denied: his connection to where he came from and those who helped him get out.

"I lived on the streets and I loved it," he says.

Fifita will have to live with the consequences of his actions last year, and there will be many whose perception of him will never change.

But there's more to this larger than life "westy" than meets the eye.

"I feel like I have to give to get," Fifita says.

"If I see someone homeless, I'll pull over and give them 50 bucks because, at the end of the day, I was once a kid with no money trying to get somewhere. I know how it feels ...

"The night before the Cowboys game this year I heard there was an ex-Sharkie in hospital and I grabbed [Joseph] Paulo and we saw this boy named Sage. He's got real bad leukaemia. I didn't know who he was until I went into the hospital and he was one of the old 20s players for the Sharks.

"I went and sat with this kid and couldn't believe my eyes. Two years ago I was scrimmaging against this kid and the only reason he [didn't kick on] was because he was a bit smaller than the others. I feel that bad for him I gave him my Test jersey. The next day I came out and had a really good game against the Cowboys. It's that little bit of gratitude. I give and I get something in return. I just have that mentality."

Not many knew Fifita checked himself back into rehab at the end of last year following his snubbing from the Australian team because of his actions in support of Loveridge.

He wasn't depressed. He wasn't in need. He was just keeping a promise to himself that he would finish off a mental health course that he hopes will lead one day to him working with troubled children - just as he was growing up in Griffith as a teenager.

"I had to do it," Fifita says. "I went into rehab a happy chappy. It was an eye-opener for me. To go back in there and to realise how far I've come.

"I always said from two years ago I was going to go back in and complete that course. I did my family proud. For me it's opened doors up for what I want to be and I'm studying a diploma in mental health and I want to work with kids with struggles and in hard times.

"I really want to work in juvenile justice. I want to do the hard kids. I think I would earn their respect from who I am and my accomplishments as a player. It would mean the world to me."

The fact Fifita is already planning for life after football says a lot about how far he has come since making his debut for Wests Tigers in 2010.

Take, for example, his spur of the moment road trip to Griffith after winning last year's grand final with Cronulla - taking the premiership trophy on a tour of his old town, which also included a stopover at the burial site of one of his close friends.

"For a country town, they'll never ever get to touch that trophy," Fifita says.

"I got around to every school. I just know as a kid growing up, they see it on TV, but they were in disbelief when I brought it down. Some of the teachers were saying it's a replica, but I said I want the real deal. Cronulla gave me the real trophy. I went on a tour."

This was all Fifita's doing. There were no cameras, just a desire to give back to a town he still holds close to his heart.

He asked Cronulla officials for the addresses of some of the club's diehard fans, and made surprise visits with the trophy to say thank you for their support.

However, not every visit was met with great excitement.

"Me and my little cousin rocked up to a house and a guy got out with a bat," Fifita recalls.

"I said 'wait, wait'. He saw this guy walking up with a big suitcase around twilight. He was out hosing and he ran in and grabbed [the bat]. He just saw two big dark guys. I explained who I was and he dropped everything and couldn't believe it.

"He came in a bit closer and he couldn't speak. He called his wife and his kids came running out. He took us inside, gave us a drink and feed. He was in disbelief. Just to see how much it means to people."

After hearing some of these stories, some might wonder how he could make an insensitive decision to support Loveridge last year.

But that's just Fifita.

In his own mind, he wouldn't have seen anything wrong with that because he's the type of person to do things not many others would contemplate, even if everyone around him can see the madness in it.

Like taking the NRL premiership trophy to the homes of complete strangers six hours from Sydney.

"I try and keep that side to myself," Fifita says.

"I know those people who I have been out to or work with in my club, they have families who tell other families 'you wouldn't believe it, he's here'. I go out to hospitals, the nurses see me and they know he's good. By giving back and doing my family stuff - there's nothing better. I grew up in western Sydney where we've had nothing. I moved to Griffith and that was all by myself - a 16-year-old boy. Who's going to tell their 16-year-old boy to go to Griffith?

"It was my choice. I thought I was a man and I made the better of myself out of it, too. I always give back to those people because I know where I come from. It's something players need to do. You see those players who are on top of the world and don't give a rat's arse, but for me and my family we know where we come from and we know what to do."