Penrith Panthers winger Brian ‘Bizza’ To’o topped his 14-12 grand final win over the Rabbitohs by proposing to his girlfriend on the field at the full-time whistle.
He ran to the sidelines to pop the question to Sala Moesha Crichton-Ropati who is also team-mate Stephen Crichton’s cousin.
Grinning with the joy of winning on the field and in love, To’o, 23, asked her to make him even happier by accepting – and sealed the deal with a kiss.
He pulled out a ring as Moesha immediately said yes and she burst into tears as he put it on her finger.
He turned to his celebrating team-mates and shouted: ‘She said yes!’
Penrith Panthers winger Brian To’o topped his grand final win by proposing to his girlfriend on the field at the full-time whistle
Grinning with the joy of winning on the field and in love, To’o asked her to make him even happier by accepting
He ran to the sidelines to pop the question to Moesha Crichton-Ropati who is also the cousin of team-mate and match-winning try scorer Stephen Crichton
He pulled out a ring as Moesha immediately said yes and she burst into tears as he put it on her finger
The couple sealed the deal with a kiss.
After sealing the deal with a kiss, To’o turned to his celebrating team-mates and shouted: ‘She said yes!’
‘I thought he was just coming up to give me a hug like he usually does,’ admitted Ms Crichton-Ropati afterwards. ‘It was unexpected.’
To’o added: ‘I want to thank my beautiful family for saying ‘Yes’ and the boys for getting the win and so lucky to be here.
‘I’m just really speechless, not only because of the year that I have had, especially with Origin. Also just finishing off the year with the Grand Final ring. It is special.’
Earlier this year he paid tribute to his partner for taking game to the next level this season.
‘I always speak to my missus about how I can improve my game. She’s my biggest fan and she’s always making sure I’m doing the little things right,’ he said.
‘This year she wanted me to take my game to a new level, and I think that’s what is really pushing me to become better than last year.
‘Sometimes we’ll have little dates and the first thing she says is, “Can we please watch a replay of your game?”
‘She always wants to watch a replay and will tip me off on the little things that I can work on. It’s like having my own personal coach at home, I’m really grateful for her.’
Born and raised in Mt Druitt in Sydney’s west, religious family man To’o gave his State of Origin pay cheque to his parents, dad Fale and mum Fati, to go towards a new home
Born and raised in Mt Druitt in Sydney’s west, religious family man To’o gave his State of Origin pay cheque to his parents, dad Fale and mum Fati, to go towards a new home.
With his first NRL contract in 2019, To’o also forked out $10,000 to pay for a headstone for his sister Dannielle, who lost her battle with cancer in 2008.
The family were previously unable to afford a headstone for his sibling when she died.
To’o prides himself on making a difference. He often acknowledges growing up in Mt Druitt, a suburb in western Sydney notorious for gangs and violent crime.
As a grand final winner, Brian To’o, pictured here celebrating with his team-mates, will also get a ring today as well as his fiancee
‘I’m proud of where I came from,’ he said last year.
‘My life has been a rollercoaster, but I want to keep happy, I want to keep smiling.’
He and Moesha set the red carpet on fire at the Dally M Awards last week when she wore a traditional Samoan-style dress made from tapa tree bark cloth shipped in specially.
Designer Vaeluaga Luse added: ‘This dress is symbolic of our culture and how she wanted so much to make our culture part of her and her boyfriend’s special night.’
To’o – notorious at the Panthers for his eye waxing and breakdancing – had already cemented his position as the mother’s favourite of all the players in the team.
His pink Panthers jersey from the semifinal proved to be the most in demand jersey of the last week – and the demands keep flooding in for him.
‘The requests we get from mothers is staggering,’ Pathers CEO Brian Fletcher told the Daily Telegraph this week. ‘Brian To’o is by far the most requested.
‘They ask for jerseys with his name on him, they ask for him to do dances for them, cheerios, visits. They just love everything he does.
“The number of females that are now following us because of the pink jersey and because of players like Brian is unbelievable.
‘Young girls love the pink and they love the young players.’
Sorry ladies though – he’s all Moesha’s now.