Emotional haka farewells teen

Students of Auckland Grammar School perform a haka as Jordan Kemp's body is brought out of the wharenui at Otamatea Marae yesterday. Photo / John Stone

Hundreds gathered in stormy weather to say haere ra to a young Northland rugby player - four days after he died from a head injury he suffered while playing for his club.

Mourners and vehicles lined up the road leading to the Otamatea Marae where a karakia was held yesterday before Jordan Kemp's body was taken to a nearby cemetery.

Pallbearers, which include Jordan's cousins and uncles, walked along a footpath in front of the marae before turning right on to the main road and on to the urupa.

The marae and several outbuildings were packed with mourners, leaving many to brave torrential rain outside during the hour-long service.

Students of Auckland Grammar School performed a haka just as his coffin left the wharenui at the marae and his team-mates at Otamatea Hawks repeated the act before his body entered the urupa.

Northland MP Mike Sabin, representatives from the Northland Rugby Union, including Jeremy Parkinson, Andrew Golightly, Greg Shipton, and Ajit Balasingham, and former NRU chair Wayne Peters were among those present.

Otamatea Hawks player Zane Phillips participated in the emotionally-charged haka which he reckoned befitted the high regard Jordan's teammates held him in.

"It (haka) shows how much mana he had. That was our powhiri. He's our bro," Mr Phillips said.

He said Jordan was an "awesome dude" who he had known since childhood.

Danny Morgan of Kaiwaka was also at the funeral and described Jordan as an "up and coming" rugby player. He and Jordan's father Aaron are first cousins.

Mr Morgan and his daughter used to run a kapa haka group for Otamatea High School which Jordan and his sisters were members of.

"He was very quiet but got down and did his job. Very polite boy ... it's a big loss," said the quarry worker.

Mr Morgan said he was present at the Otamatea Hawks vs Wellsford match in Kaiwaka early this year when Jordan received his first head knock.

He said Jordan got up after the knock and walked a few metres before he was seen by St John ambulance paramedics.

Jordan, 17, died from suspected brain bleed on Sunday suffered during a match between his Otamatea Hawks premier reserves and Old Boys Marist at Kensington Park the previous day.