Halasima’s Late Call-Up Triumph

Young Gun Halasima Steals the Show as Warriors Clock Dominant Win

The New Zealand Warriors have kicked off their season with a bang, securing a commanding 40-6 victory over the Canberra Raiders on Friday afternoon. This impressive win marks the second consecutive home victory to open the season, a feat that has only been achieved three other times in the club’s history. The standout performer in this dominant display was undoubtedly 20-year-old second-rower, Leka Halasima, who was thrust into a full 80-minute role with less than a minute’s notice.

Halasima, initially named on the bench in jersey number 16, was unexpectedly promoted to the starting lineup following a calf injury sustained by veteran forward Kurt Capewell during the pre-game warm-up. The young forward was tasked with immediately filling Capewell’s shoes in the second row and delivered one of the finest performances of his burgeoning career. In just his second season in the NRL, Halasima produced a powerhouse display, amassing two tries, 14 runs for 117 metres, a line break, six tackle breaks, and an impressive 35 tackles. He was second only to teammate Jackson Ford in the tackle count, who notched up 37.

This exceptional performance is even more remarkable considering Warriors coach Andrew Webster had recently spoken about carefully managing Halasima’s game time at the elite level. Just a week prior, Webster had commented, “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. He just needs to own his little time and have that impact.” That day, it seems, arrived much sooner than anticipated, and Halasima seized the opportunity with both hands.

The Warriors’ injury woes, however, did not end with Capewell’s late withdrawal. Just nine minutes into the match, playmaker Chanel Harris-Tavita was forced from the field with a concussion, necessitating another significant reshuffle of the team’s structure. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was shifted into the halves, while Taine Tuaupiki was brought into the game from the bench. The adversity continued later in the match when Nicoll-Klokstad himself underwent a head injury assessment, further testing the Warriors’ resolve. Despite these compounding disruptions, the home side maintained their composure and continued to build relentless scoreboard pressure throughout the game.

Forward Pack Dominance and Tactical Adaptability

Jackson Ford was another key figure in the forward pack’s dominant performance. He showcased his power and unwavering determination with a robust defensive effort and also contributed a try of his own.

Following the match, Coach Andrew Webster elaborated on the team’s swift adaptation to Capewell’s untimely injury during the warm-up, showering praise on Halasima’s ability to rise to the immense challenge.

“Honestly, we were all just talking in the sheds about how proud we were of Leka,” Webster stated. “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. Happy, super happy.”

Webster also revealed that the team had comprehensive contingency plans in place to manage unforeseen circumstances, such as the series of injuries they encountered.

“We have something organised for every situation,” he explained. “‘Capey’ went down in (the) warm-up with a calf, so straight away, we knew that Leka was going to start. We knew, if we got an outside back or half injury, we would activate Taine, and Charnze would move to the halves or centre or wing. We had the plan, and then Chanel went down, so we activated Taine, and then ‘Nuck’ went down, so we put Wayde Egan at half.”

Despite the on-field chaos, Webster highlighted the remarkable calmness and clarity displayed by his players as one of the most satisfying aspects of the victory.

“The best part was the boys were so calm and so clear during adversity,” he remarked.

Halasima’s Future with the Warriors

The question now remains whether Leka Halasima will be given another opportunity to play a full 80 minutes next week, or if he will revert to the bench should Kurt Capewell be fit to return. Regardless of the immediate future, the 20-year-old has emphatically demonstrated across the opening two rounds that he is more than ready for a permanent and impactful role in the Warriors’ first-grade side. His breakout performance against the Raiders has undoubtedly put the club, and the wider NRL competition, on notice.