Fa'amanu Brown has had plenty of days to remember though his 10-year, eight-club career in rugby league, but the past week was something new, even for him.

After securing a release from Hull FC, he flew from England on Sunday, landed in Australia on Monday, signed with St George Illawarra on Tuesday, trained with them on Thursday and played in the club's 30-12 win over the Warriors on Friday.

"I didn't think I'd play on Friday but Flanno (coach Shane Flanagan) said he'd throw me in the deep end," Brown said.

"It was surreal to get a win against a quality side like the Warriors and it was the first time we won back-to-back in a couple of years, so that's important.

"Nobody is ever going to turn down an offer to play in the NRL, even if you're straight off the plane."

Brown's move is the latest chapter of a long, winding journey that started in Christchurch and has taken the 29-year-old from Cronulla, to Canterbury, to Featherstone Rovers in the English second division, to North Sydney Bears in NSW Cup, to Wests Tigers, back to Canterbury, then to Newcastle, Hull FC and finally the Dragons.

That's nine different stints at eight different clubs across two continents and four different leagues in 11 seasons, for those of you playing at home. The Dragons are the fourth team he's played for in 18 months.

Throw in his appearances for Samoa, his belated debut for New Zealand – where he played in last year's record Pacific Championship final belting of Australia – and the fact he overcame a leg injury that left doctors telling him he'd never walk again let alone play, and it's one of the most remarkable careers in modern rugby league.

Some players might take being described as a journeyman as disparaging. Brown uses it as a sign-off on Instagram and wears it as a badge of honour. Few can match his journey, on the field or off it.

Plenty of people who have faced Brown's hardships would have retired long ago. The uncertainty of life as a rugby league vagabond isn't for everyone but Brown has been making the very most of what he's got his whole life.

"It's from my upbringing. We all face adversity on our own journeys but I grew up in a three-bedroom state house as one of nine kids. We just had to deal with what we had," Brown said.

"It's the hardships I've had to go through. I grew up in a home with domestic violence. I grew up in a house where you had to deal with what you had and I've carried that with me.

"When you're chucked in the deep end it's swim or drown and I've been put in that position my whole life.

"That's what built my resilience and my character. I'm so lucky with my family and my support base, my fiance Jordan has been with me through everything. She's been right there on the rollercoaster with me.

"There have been plenty of times when I've wanted to retire but I'm so lucky."

Brown got his first shot at the top grade back in 2014 with Cronulla as the club struggled in the grip of the ASADA scandal.

The Sharks were outscored 56-0 in his first two matches. But, as he's done so many times, Brown kept at it and Cronulla, somehow, won their following two games – overturning 22-0 and 24-0 deficits in the process.

He stayed at the Sharks until the end of 2017 – that's where he worked with Flanagan, who was instrumental in bringing him to the Dragons this season — before he headed to Canterbury and began his wandering.

"It sounds like a cliché, but I love giving back. For me, the only way out of the hood was rugby league. That was all I knew. So I have to represent people who do it tough," Brown said. 

"There's a lot of kids, some kids who come from nothing, who might be unlucky with injuries or they're down and out and think there's no way back, that's who I represent. If I can do it then, bloody hell, anyone can.

"I never left a stone unturned. You can have all the achievements in the world, but you know in your heart if you gave it your all, if you never stopped fighting."