Teammates were lining up to congratulate Leka Halasima on his new haircut. Photo: NRL Photos/Photosport
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Kickoff 7.30pm Saturday, 10 May
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Over the past month, NZ Warriors sensation Leka Halasima has certainly caught the eye with his barnstorming performances for a team currently occupying a top-three spot on the NRL ladder.
The teenage second-rower has become a key contributor to the side's gritty 6-2 start to their campaign, earning promotion from the interchange bench to the starting line-up, yet somehow that wasn't enough.
When the Warriors took the field against North Queensland Cowboys at 'Magic Round' last weekend, Halasima, 19, unveiled a peroxide blonde hairdo, complete with dark ponytail, that had tongues wagging among fans and teammates.
Leka Halasima at Warriors training. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
"Young people today, mate, seriously," coach Andrew Webster rolled his eyes. "They've got to be themselves and dinosaurs like me don't judge them.
"They've just got to turn up and enjoy themselves and be themselves - that's what we try to do here. As long as they're not trying to be something they're not, that's fine.
"We certainly knew where he was for 80 minutes on the weekend, because you could spot him quite easy. He's a great kid."
Captain Mitch Barnett chuckled at the transformation.
"Young kids - I shouldn't call him a kid - young men, they go through it," he said. "I guess he wanted Webby to be able to see him on the video.
"Back in the day, we got roasted, especially when I was coming through. If I had done it, I probably wouldn't be playing NRL now.
"Young men now see people they look up to with their hairstyles and think that would look cool, but when he looks back at it, he'll probably shake his head at it."
One who knows a thing or two about experimenting with his hairdo - not so much these days - is veteran forward Marata Niukore.
"It was a bit of a laugh around the joint and we got into him about being in the kick-chase, because obviously he can't hide now," he said.
"I've had a few haircuts in my time, and it's probably something you look back a couple of years down the track and cringe.
"Hopefully, we don't see those photos again."
Niukore should be so lucky...
Marata Niukore and his dye job for Junior Warriors 2014. Photo: Anthony Au-Yeung/Photosport
Halasima's dye job earned the enthusiastic approval of at least one teammate.
"I was actually watching his highlight reel from 2023, he was playing against the Tigers [SG Ball Cup] and he had his hair blonde then," winger Taine Tuaupiki said.
"I was literally going to tell him that morning I thought he looked good with it, then he pulled his beanie off and had it.
Taine Tuaupiki's mohawk look, 2023 NRL pre-season. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
"It was pretty funny, because I was just about to say it to him - it looks good."
Tuaupiki, 25, has previously tested new hairstyles, if not hues, but rejected any possibility of him emulating his colleague.
"You can't be doing that and playing on the wing, or you've got to be playing as good as Leka's playing to get away with that."
With even more eyes now upon him, Barnett warned the young buck needed to stay humble, despite his early success, but was confident the Warriors environment provided just the right amount of encouragement and humility to keep him grounded.
"You can see the talent he's got and he's got a really good work ethic behind it," the skipper insisted. "We've got to be good at supporting him, and showing him the right way on and off the field, which I think we're doing a good job of.
"He's just got to keep buying in, keep learning and taking the lessons, but keeping a level head as well. He's got one of them for sure, although you might not see it with his try celebrations."
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