Lovestruck Gold Coast woman’s hunt for mystery man takes unexpected turn when internet sleuths identify a sports star: You’ve seen the viral TikTok, now we reveal the truth
A Gold Coast woman's search for a mystery man she met on a night out went viral on TikTok, only for internet sleuths to quickly identify him as an NRL player—before online commentary took a less lighthearted turn. Maddie Griffith met the man at the Pink Monkey bar in Burleigh Heads, and when a photo of the pair was posted online by her friend seeking help identifying him, it took less than an hour for social media users to name him as Gold Coast Titans player Arama Hau, 22.
Once identified, some commenters speculated Hau was already in a relationship and criticised Griffith for approaching a stranger without exchanging details, prompting her to clarify online that she had simply asked for a photo before parting ways. The confusion deepened when Hau himself commented on the post claiming a teammate, Luke Sommerton, was the man pictured, before deleting the remark—a move friends put down to him joking around rather than any guilty conscience. The Daily Mail has confirmed Hau is single, was single at the time the photo was taken, and, according to friends, did nothing untoward.
- Woman's viral search for a mystery man identified him as an NRL player.
- Arama Hau, 22, of the Gold Coast Titans was named within an hour.
- Hau confirmed single; denies any wrongdoing despite online speculation.
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Maddie Griffith, a woman from the Gold Coast in Australia, went viral on TikTok after asking for help identifying a man she had met on a night out at the Pink Monkey bar in Burleigh Heads. A friend posted a photo of the pair online, and social media users worked out within an hour that the man was Arama Hau, a 22-year-old rugby league player for the Gold Coast Titans.
Once his identity became known, the story shifted from a lighthearted romantic search into something more contentious, with some commenters making assumptions about Hau's relationship status and criticising Griffith's approach. Hau also briefly posted a comment suggesting a teammate, Luke Sommerton, was the man in the photo, before deleting it, adding further confusion to the story.
The episode illustrates how quickly a personal, light-hearted post can escalate once it reaches a wide audience, drawing in public figures and prompting speculation that those involved then have to publicly address or correct.
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