The U-17 captain may have left Samoa as a three-year-old, but he hasn’t forgotten his roots.
“This is my country. I’m full-blooded Samoan so whatever I do out there, I tell them I’m Samoan,” the proud youngster states.
Mariner has played a starring role for Samoa at the OFC U-17 Championship and was integral in their historic 5-1 victory over Cook Islands.
And with both football and Samoa close to his mum’s heart it’s no surprise the young Australian-based midfielder has taken up the sport and the beautiful game.
“I was born in Samoa but when I was three years old I left for New Zealand. From there we moved to Australia and that’s where my football career started.
“Because my mum played football she really pushed me to play too and that’s why I’m really strong in it, because of my mum, so all thanks to her.”
Back in the day Mariner’s mother, Sally Perise Afa-Mariner, played in a New Zealand representative team which, funnily enough, once toured Samoa.
“It’s all come a bit full circle in the family,” Mariner jokes.
His path to the Samoan side was once again thanks to his mother, who made contact with the Samoa Football Federation.
“Mum made contact and I just came out to try it out and I don’t know, just performed really well and they chose me. Then because I’m really good at communication they picked me to be captain.
Taking on duel roles hasn’t been an easy task but Mariner is proving himself up to the challenge.
“At first it was difficult because of the language. I wasn’t really very good at Samoan and communicating with the boys.
“I got better because we’ve spent maybe a month and a half together and now I’m not fluent, but I can do the basics,” he says.
“It’s a really hard job bring captain and trying to, I don’t know, cheer up the boys.
“This is Samoa and we’re hosting and we have to try our hardest.”
Mariner is elated that with Saturday night’s win the side has been able to give Samoa a reason to get behind them.
“Firstly I’m happy with the boys. They tried their hardest and trained their hardest to come to this point. We wanted to win first, and secondly, we wanted to do it for Samoa.
“I’m really happy we won for Samoa. I want to make the country proud, that’s it.”
Samoa have two matches left in Group A of the OFC U-17 Championship, against Papua New Guinea at 7pm tonight (Monday 19 January) and against Fiji on the final day of action at 4.30pm on 21 January.

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