Leka Halasima celebrates scoring against the Wests Tigers. Photo / Photosport
A few days before the Warriors season opener in Las Vegas, an Australian journalist cornered coach Andrew Webster.
He wanted to ask about Leka Halasima, whom he described as a “real chance for the NRL rookie of the year”. It was a big call – given the 19-year-old had only made four interchange appearances the season before – but the scribe was spot on.
The Warriors gun has been a sensation, with the excitement around him comparable to the likes of Sonny Bill Williams, Benji Marshall, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Shaun Johnson when they started out. Halasima has become an instant cult hero; the humble Tongan kid from Mangere East Hawks and Southern Cross Campus, who can seemingly do anything on a league field.
No teenager has made a greater impact on the competition in 2025 and his breakthrough has become one of the biggest storylines of the Warriors’ campaign. He has grabbed 12 tries – a team high alongside Tuivasa-Sheck – which is remarkable for a second rower. But it is also the way he has scored them, often in critical moments, under immense pressure, when the Warriors needed something big.
There was the improbable 70m burst down the sideline away to the Tigers for his first NRL try, the bomb taken in traffic in Melbourne, then the step, shuffle and speed in the round-seven win over the Broncos. The late change of direction to wrongfoot four defenders against the Rabbitohs, the soaring leap at Cronulla and a power try in the home win over the Tigers.
That was all before the miracle finish at Newcastle, seven seconds that defied league logic and confirmed a new Warriors legend. His sensational run – from 45m out – following a Knights charge down – took the Halasima hype to new levels. But he has continued to perform, while the Warriors have done their best to shield him, as he hasn’t been made available for a single media session all year.
His only interview in New Zealand came after the round-seven win over Brisbane, when the Herald managed to catch up with him in the club gym. He said starting a match for the first time was “pretty amazing… but the lungs were out there. Going to fulltime and extra time, I had to empty the tank.”
He was modest about his try: “I kind of ran up, saw [Adam] Reynolds in front of me, had to do footwork and got through” – before joking that it was “a fluke” that he had scored in three consecutive games at that stage.
What was it like becoming a first-grade regular?
“I’m still learning, still got things to work on, hopefully I nail that. It’s pretty challenging, everybody is fighting for spots, so you have to earn that starting spot.”
With his girlfriend waiting patiently beside him, the Herald finished by asking about his parents’ reaction to his impressive deeds.
“The family is proud. I always try to put a smile on their face, especially to get a try, and then they are loud as.”
The first thing you notice standing next to Halasima is his broad, beaming smile. The second is that he is not actually that big, compared with many of the man-mountains in the NRL. The third is that you wouldn’t want to attempt to tackle him. He is an explosive ball of lean muscle, with the strength of a prop, the power of a second rower and the speed of a centre, a dazzling combination.
While we haven’t heard much from Halasima this season, his teammates have been effusive. Co-captains Mitch Barnett and James Fisher-Harris have both described him as a “freak”, while roommate Erin Clark had a similar perspective.
“He’s just so talented, he’s so young, but he’s got a footy brain on him beyond his years,” said Clark. “He’s only fresh out of high school – it’s exciting to see what the future holds for him. He keeps developing and he’s eager to learn. He’s going to turn into a great.”
Clark added that Halasima would stay grounded. “He’s quite level-headed and humble,” said Clark. “Anyone else, their head would blow up, but he’s the same Leka he was at the start or even before he debuted.”
Wayde Egan told the Herald Halasima’s relaxed nature could be the making of him.
“He doesn’t take the game too seriously,” said Egan. ”It’s pretty cool to see. He just has fun with it and backs himself, backs his ability and all the boys back him as well, and that’s what shines [through] – just his natural athletic ability and his footy playing."
Ahead of Saturday’s elimination final against Penrith (6.05pm), Halasima is no longer the unknown quantity. He is one of the Warriors’ biggest weapons, a genuine game breaker who could fuel an unlikely victory. But the Panthers will be ruthless, aiming to surround him on attack and send plenty of traffic his way on defence.
Halasima isn’t the type to get overawed, though this will be his greatest test so far.
“It’s crazy, you know, a 19-year-old coming out and performing like that,” said Tuivasa-Sheck on Tuesday. “I’m really happy for him, really proud of the way he’s going. But he’s earned all that and I’m looking forward to seeing him this weekend.”
As is everybody else.
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.