A year after his death, New Zealand Warriors rugby league player Sonny Fai was remembered by family and friends at a memorial service at west Auckland's Bethells Beach on Monday.

The promising player drowned on January 4 last year while saving his 13-year-old brother Gillespie who was caught in a rip.

His body has never been found.

About 200 people attended the service, including family and members of the Warriors.

Coach Ivan Cleary said it helped provide a sense of closure for the team.

An inquest last year heard Fai had been exercising on the beach as part of his pre-season training, before he got into the water with some of his relatives.

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