Mali’s (Kyle Shilling) brother Iluka (Dion Williams) arrived in Summer Bay earlier this month, making an unconventional entrance as he broke the lock to the farmhouse and sat on the sofa waiting for Mali to return.
Mali was delighted to see his older brother, but he was curious as to why Iluka had suddenly decided to pay him a visit, especially considering he has a history of getting on the wrong side of the police.
Not believing his brother’s story that it was solely a social visit, Mali called his sister Elandra, who confirmed that Iluka was having to lay low.
Iluka eventually confessed that he’d been ‘hanging out’ with a group of dodgy guys known as the Allens, but when the police rocked up and arrested them all for stealing car parts, a misunderstanding led the Allens to believe that Iluka had snitched on them.
He was innocent, but with the Allens out for blood, he was forced to hide away, and Summer Bay was the perfect location.
When Justin’s (James Stewart) ute was ‘stolen’, Mali was quick to accuse his brother of having taken it, especially as Iluka had been questioning Theo (Matt Wilson) on Justin’s garage business shortly before.
In the end, the car ‘thief’ was revealed to be Leah (Ada Nicodemou), who had simply borrowed the ute for some errands, but the damage was done.
Iluka was furious that Mali had accused him of being behind the theft, and revealed that he had no need to steal cars – pulling out a bag full of cash, he revealed that he was sitting on his own fortune of $8,000.
It’s then that Iluka was forced to confess that he wasn’t on the run because the Allens thought he’d snitched on them – he was on the run because he’d stolen $8,000 from the dangerous men!
“Look, it’s not that big of a deal,” Iluka insisted. “I needed the money, so I borrowed it!”
When Mali asked what Iluka needed the money for, he replied: “The trials in Queensland. When I get signed with the NRL contract, I’ll pay the Allens back every scent.”
We’d previously learnt that Iluka was a keen rugby player, and intended to try out for the National Rugby League (NRL).
While Mali had his doubts that his brother was good enough to make it as a pro, Iluka was certain that he had a great future ahead of him.
Mali was furious, telling his brother that he was deluded if he thought the Allens would let the theft go.
He later had a heart-to-heart with Iluka, telling him that he was too old to be trying out for a professional sporting league, and that it was time to let the dream die.
Iluka eventually accepted that his brother was right, and realised that he needed to find a way to pay the gang back without facing the consequences.
In the final episode of tonight’s Australian triple bill, we learnt that Mali had called the Allens, offering to give the money back, but days had gone by without a response.
As Levi (Tristan Gorey) and Mackenzie (Emily Weir) hung out at the Surf Club, they were approached by a woman who overheard them talking about Mali. Pretending she was a Mantaray Boards customer looking to pick up a surfboard, she ended up talking them into giving them the address of the farmhouse.
The woman – aka Nat (Claire Lovering), the leader of the Allens’ criminal gang – then headed outside where she told two burly men that she’d got hold of Iluka’s address, and it became clear that the Allens had arrived in Summer Bay looking for revenge.
In the final moments of the episode, it was Mackenzie and Levi who bore the consequences of Iluka’s actions.
The Allen trio turned up at the farmhouse, but nobody was home. They decided to wait, with ringleader Nat ordering Campbell (John Harding) to track down the money, and Gordie (Brandon McClelland) to get her a beer.
With Iluka, Mali and Tane (Ethan Browne) all otherwise preoccupied, Mackenzie and Levi decided to cut their afternoon short and head back to the farmhouse for some alone time – but they didn’t expect to come back to a trashed house, packed full of crooks.
Before long, the loved-up pair found themselves tied to chairs, mouths bound.
In the final minutes of the episode, Mali returned to the farmhouse to find Mackenzie tied up. As he went to rescue her, Nat and her heavies came around the corner, demanding to know where Iluka was.
The episode finished with Mackenzie and Levi both freed, but Levi was in a bad way after suffering multiple punches to the abdomen after lunging on one of the Allen brothers.
Next week, Levi continues to be in a bad way, as he, Mac and Mali try to convince the Allens to let them call an ambulance.
Teaser spoilers for next week’s episodes reveal that “Mackenzie struggles to forgive Mali” for inviting a criminal gang into their house.
A promo for next week’s episodes also reveals that Iluka will be taken by the Allens, prompting Mali to call in reinforcements as he tries to track him down.
Just who will he call on to help?
