NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / League / Warriors

League: Watch out for Taia if Kiwi coach calls

Andrew Alderson
By Andrew Alderson
Reporter·Herald on Sunday·
14 Aug, 2010 05:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Zeb Taia. Photo / Getty Images

Zeb Taia. Photo / Getty Images

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Warriors should take heed when the Knights number 11 barrels at them today.

The last time Zeb Taia had a heads-up from Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney he went off like King Kong in New York, helping Newcastle destroy the Broncos 30-22 in April.

On that occasion Taia played his
first full 80 minutes of the season offloading, tackling and shrugging off opponents. It earned him the Kiwis jersey he missed last year through a shoulder reconstruction.

Since the Anzac test in May, a rib and medial ligament problem has affected his form. Only in the last few games has he returned to his robust best, notably saving a couple of tries on the line in his game-high 47 tackles when the Knights were thrashed 52-18 by the Raiders.

It will not have helped that he has been on a largely losing team. Newcastle, placed 10th, now have only a slim chance of making the play-offs.

Kearney has spoken again. He says the 25-year-old has plenty to prove from what he has seen in the second half of the season.

"It has not gone as well as the start [of the season] for Zeb. There was a pretty ordinary patch at one stage. Fortunately his form over the last few weeks has picked up, in line with the performance of his team. I'm well aware of what he is capable of - just look at his strong Anzac test workload.

"However the back row is one area we have depth with Frank-Paul Nu'uausala running wider rather than just up the middle for the Roosters as well as the Warriors' Ben Matulino and Simon Mannering, and the Storm's Adam Blair and Sika Manu."

Bronson Harrison should also be part of that mix with 20 straight 80-minute performances this season in the second row for the Raiders.

Knights coach Rick Stone is counting on Taia to step up.

"Zeb's a good listener and learner. He is articulate and professional about his game. He's learnt to be a hard marker. This is a time where his experience [69 first grade games] is valuable as the only strike back-rower we've got left after Steve Simpson's retirement [last week] and Cory Paterson's shoulder reconstruction."

Matulino played with Taia in the Anzac test and against him in the round 14 win over the Knights by the Warriors.

"He's a good all-round player whether he's passing, running or tackling. There's never just a dud run when he gets the ball. He regularly breaks the line which is something we've got to look out for, along with his short passing game.

"He's developed that well over the last couple of years - it can sting you."

John Zebulon Taia - the Zebulon comes from the name of an Israeli tribe descended from the sixth son of Jacob in the Bible - has not heard from Kearney since the Anzac test, but has still taken his advice.

"It's been an up-and-down season but the last four games I've played 80 minutes and have slowly got my fitness back.

"Making the Kiwis was on my mind 4-5 weeks ago but I've got my priorities back to thinking solely about the Knights. If the Four Nations happens, that's a bonus because I still need to get my form to where it has been.

"At this stage last year I was getting confident week-by-week and matching it with some big names. It made me realise I could play test footy."

Taia had the option of declaring his New South Wales allegiance for State of Origin but would rather play for the Kiwis. He was born in New Zealand and went to Australia as a toddler.

"My decision was based around Mum and Dad who followed New Zealand, so that's who I followed."

Taia is of Cook Islands origin where he has become a bit of a folk hero, fronting a government tourism campaign to help out a parliamentarian uncle.

"He's made me an ambassador for tourism to try to get people there from Australia and New Zealand. I just put word around that it's a fun place to go through word-of-mouth and some ads in various papers."

For now Taia will settle for simply getting his NRL team back to Australia and into the play-offs.

Discover more

Warriors

NRL: Warriors need help of a few other teams

14 Aug 05:30 PM
NRL

NRL: Anderson's future down to Eels

14 Aug 05:30 PM
NRL

NRL: 'SSS' a blow for halfback

14 Aug 05:30 PM
Warriors

NRL: Duo happy in their work

14 Aug 05:30 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Warriors

Warriors

Warriors outclassed by Roosters in NRLW return

06 Jul 02:30 AM
Sport|league

Juggling jobs and family: Warriors Women tackle challenges of top sport

01 Jul 03:33 AM
Warriors

Boyd makes case to fill Warriors halfback void following Metcalf injury

30 Jun 11:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Warriors

Warriors outclassed by Roosters in NRLW return

Warriors outclassed by Roosters in NRLW return

06 Jul 02:30 AM

The Warriors showed promising signs, but were no match for the defending champions.

Juggling jobs and family: Warriors Women tackle challenges of top sport

Juggling jobs and family: Warriors Women tackle challenges of top sport

01 Jul 03:33 AM
Boyd makes case to fill Warriors halfback void following Metcalf injury

Boyd makes case to fill Warriors halfback void following Metcalf injury

30 Jun 11:00 PM
Warriors struck another major blow as Metcalf set to miss season

Warriors struck another major blow as Metcalf set to miss season

30 Jun 05:38 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP