Source: Radio New Zealand
Leka Halasima had no idea he was about to start, as he warmed up against Canberra. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
NRL: NZ Warriors v Wests Tigers
Kickoff 8pm, Friday, 27 March
Go Media Stadium, Auckland
Live blog updates on rnz.co.nz
Over his short, but spectacular NRL career, NZ Warriors star Leka Halasima has made a habit of excelling when the spotlight burns brightest – but nothing like this.
The powerful second-rower was an overnight sensation during 2025, producing incredible play after incredible play to stamp his mark on the competition.
He missed out on Dally M Rookie of the Year honours – they went to Auckland-born, Sydney Roosters centre Robert Toia, who catapulted directly into the victorious Queensland State of Origin side – but he was clearly the top debutant at his club, as well as a popular People’s Choice.
Halasima was the Warriors’ leading tryscorer, and produced the season’s most spectacular effort, when he collected a charged-down field goal attempt and galloped 40 metres for a last-gasp gamewinner against Newcastle Knights.
So far, his second season has been a continuation of his first, with one notable exception – he has finally fronted media.
Throughout his exploits, Halasima – something of an exhibitionist on the field, but apparently painfully shy among strangers – has been largely protected from reporters’ prying questions.
One Aussie TV interviewer managed to intercept him on the field for some post-game analysis, but like so many before him, nothing particularly insightful was forthcoming.
Another local scribe spent an entire season faithfully collecting teammates’ impressions of the young prodigy, without ever having a chance to front the manchild himself.
Sadly, he was missing this week, when ‘Leka the Reka’ finally made an appearance at the weekly Warriors gaggle.
“Give Leka some space and breathing room, and let him speak,” media manager Richard Becht instructed. “Just give him a chance to be himself and, yeah, nice questions.”
To be honest, the gathered media were probably more nervous than the player or his minder. Now we had him, what were we going to ask him?
“We’ve been waiting to talk to you for a while,” came the first offering.
“I know,” he smiled. “I’ve been hiding.”
Media: “How’s it going, bro? Good start to the season?”
Halasima: “It’s going really good, hopefully it continues like that.”
Leka Halasima scores a try against Newcastle Knights. David Neilson/Photosport
After the season-opening win over Sydney Roosters, coach Andrew Webster was mildly scolded for keeping his budding superstar on the bench until the second half. Halasima responded by scoring a try with his first touch of the ball.
“The day will come when Leka will play 80 minutes and I’m looking forward to that day, because it will be awesome, but he doesn’t need to do it right now,” Webster answered. “He just needs to own his little time and have that impact.”
Seven days later, Halasima got that chance, when veteran Kurt Capewell tweaked a calf in warm-ups and his protégé was thrust into the starting line-up before kickoff. He scored two tries.
Media: “You’re stacking up the tries. You must be pretty happy with crossing the chalk a few times?”
Halasima: “Yeah, pretty happy… hopefully there will be more to come and I can keep the streak going.”
Last week, Halasima was named to start in Capewell’s spot, but again faced a last-minute switch, when centre Adam Pompey stayed in Auckland for the birth of his daughter and the youngster was shifted to the midfield, where he scored another try.
Media: “The last couple of weeks, you’ve had a couple of 80-minute performances. How have you found it out there, putting in a little bit more from the tank, I guess?”
“I’m still getting used to it,” he responded. “I’ve been playing small minutes, especially round one, then jumped straight into 80 minutes, so still getting used to it.”
Last season, Halasima’s conditioning was cruelly exposed when he was required to play a full game against the Dolphins at Mt Smart and lay on the ground writhing with cramp, as the visitors ran in their gamewinning try.
Media: “You also got thrust into centre on the weekend, how was that for you?”
Halasima is not totally unfamiliar with the midfield. He played there during his first-grade debut against Canterbury Bulldogs in 2024.
With specialists Rocco Berry and Ali Leiataua spending much of the 2025 campaign injured, Webster was forced to try a variety of solutions in the No.3 jersey, before eventually moving his second-rower there in the playoff loss to Penrith Panthers. He scored his team’s only try.
Halasima: “It was pretty fun… I’ve been practicing at training and I had help from Roger [Tuivasa-Sheck] on my edge, talking to me.”
Media: “Webby’s been talking about not forcing you into these 80-minute games, but what have the conversations been like between you guys about your role and growing your minutes slowly to the point where you feel comfortable playing 80?”
Halasima: “We don’t really talk about it, it’s pretty much just doing your role and empty out the tank.”
Media: “What are the big things you want to work on in your own game this season?”
Halasima: “Efforts, the little things that everyone may not see… just efforts.”
After Halasima’s two-try performance against the Raiders, those intangibles caught Webster’s eye more than the touchdowns.
Leka Halasima at the 2025 Warriors Awards ceremony. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
“He got a minute’s notice, knuckled down, scored two tries, but his tackling, his defence, his effort areas were the best parts of his game – and he did it for 80 minutes.”
Media: “You’ve jumped around a few positions to start the year – interchange, second row and centre. Does that change your mentality and preparation for Friday, or is it that you just want to play your game, no matter what number is on your jersey?”
Halasima: “Yeah, no matter what number’s on, just stay the same. Mindset is still the same.”
Media: “I’m not sure if you know this, but you’re up there with a lot of outside backs as top tryscorer at the moment. Is there a bit of that going around the boys, seeing you up there with a few of those names?”
Halasima: “No.”
Media: “The last couple of weeks, you’ve been thrown in at the last minute into unexpected roles. What sort of adjustment do you have to make when those unexpected opportunities land on you?”
Halasima: “It’s just about staying ready. Expect the unexpected, because you never know what’s going to go down, so stay ready.”
Media: “Do you take that as a bit of a challenge?”
Halasima: “Yeah.”
His eyes lit up, when he was finally asked about Pasifika Night at Go Media Stadium and he was able to speak about his Tongan heritage. Halasima was born in Tofoa on the kingdom’s main island of Tongatapu and came to Auckland as a child, settling in Mangere.
“It is pretty important to all the boys to represent the country you’re coming from and representing your family as well. It is pretty special.”
Media manager: “Will you have many family here?”
Halasima: “Yeah, heaps. My family are coming from home as well, from Tonga, to watch.”
With that, after about four minutes, his ordeal was over and he left to scattered applause – mainly from his coach at the back of the grandstand foyer.
“How did he go, good?” Webster enquired. “He’s come a long way, he’s done well.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
