Taupau was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He is of Samoan descent. Taupau moved to Sydney, Australia as a 10-year-old.

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He played junior rugby league for the Padstow Panthers and Greenacre Tigers. Taupau attended Endeavour Sports High School and represented the Australia Schoolboys team in 2008.

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Martin Taupau was name the Bulldogs NYC Player of the Year in 2009 and as a result he was rewarded and trained with the top grade over the off-season.

Taupau was a late inclusion for the Bulldogs and made his first grade debut against the Warriors on April 10 following an injury to Jarrad Hickey which kept him out of the game.