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Player Zyon Maiu'u

Date of Birth
Jun 29, 2003
Birth Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Nationality
  1. 🇳🇿 New Zealand
  2. 🇼🇸 Samoa
Height (cm)
183 cm
Weight (kg)
104 kg
Position/s
  1. Second Row
Signed From
Kelston Boys High School

mt.wellington

Contributor

Warriors sign talented youngsters Zyon Maiu’u, Jacob Laban to help secure club's future​

17:16, Apr 29 2021

The Warriors have secured two of New Zealand’s hottest young prospects Zyon Maiu’u and Jacob Laban on three-year contracts to add more quality to the club’s playing depth for the future.

The 17-year-old Kelston Boys’ High School students are regarded by Warriors recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan as New Zealand’s best young second rowers.

“We are very excited to lock up Zyon Maiu’u and Jacob for the next three years,” O’Sullivan said.

“Both boys complement each other beautifully, Zyon Maiu’u with his competitiveness, skill and toughness and ability to play edge and middle equally as well as the other while Jacob is a gifted, athletic edge back rower with a huge motor.”

Zyon Maiu’u was named the MVP after the recent NZRL National 20s competition.

“Both boys live together as we wanted a good family home for Jacob and can’t thank Paula and Tooma (Zyon Maiu’u’s mum and dad) enough for taking Jacob in and giving him a great environment to live in,” said O’Sullivan.

“They are thriving and pushing each other in their training, playing and general life skills. It’s also a great story for Kelston Boys’ High School and our working relationship with the school.

“Both boys made a huge impression on the staff when they joined the New Zealand-based top squad in the preseason last year.

“They both looked very much at home and despite their age mixed it with the big boys.

“I can’t wait for them to join the top squad in November and get their NRL dreams into action as I have no doubt the boys will go on and become Warriors in the next few years.”

Zyon Maiu’u, a Te Atatu Roosters product, played for the Warriors in last year’s Covid-shortened SG Ball Cup competition while he has also played for Kelston’s First XV rugby union side. He was named in the New Zealand Under-18 Schools team last year.

ZYON MAIUU

Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Junior Club: Te Atatu Roosters (Auckland)
Position: Second rower
Height: 183cm
Weight: 104kg
Rep Honours: New Zealand Under-18 Schools (2020)

 

Captaincy helps Zyon Maiu’u hit MVP heights​


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While his side fell just short of their ultimate goal in the competition, Auckland Blue skipper Zyon Maiu’u was recognised as the country’s top domestic U20 player last weekend.

The runaway winner in the NZRL National 20s Most Valuable Player race, which saw votes given out after each game, Zyon Maiu’u put his strong campaign down to a desire to lead by example after being named team captain.

"Being captain was something pretty new for me. I wasn’t the type of leader to be super vocal, but Al [coach Alan Ettles] said to lead by my actions, so I just tried to do that,” Zyon Maiu’u said.

“It helped me be better. I am usually an aggressive player but the captaincy calmed me down a bit.”

Zyon Maiu’u, who at 17 was among the competition’s youngest players, was named at second row in the Team of the Tournament alongside Auckland Blue teammates Ali Leiataua, Jeremiah Schuster, Albert Fifita and Stanley Iongi plus Doux Kauhiva and Elam Payne from the Auckland White team.

Article added: Monday 12 April 2021

 
How ready for first grade to people think Zyon Maiu’u is? I haven't seen much of him. Think he has plenty of opportunity for game time if he can handle it.
I think he'll debut this year as a bench back rower. He played prop for the NSW Cup team but I don't know that he has the size for an NRL prop. He could do short minutes at prop though.

I don't think he was playing in the forwards in school rugby, I'm sure he was 12 or 13 because he has good speed for a bigger boy.
 
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I think he'll debut this year as a bench back rower. He played prop for the NSW Cup team but I don't know that he has the size for an NRL prop. He could do short minutes at prop though.

I don't think he wasn't playing in the forwards in school rugby, I'm sure he was 12 or 13 because he has good speed for a bigger boy.
He is listed at 1cm taller and 1kg lighter than Moses Leota. Be nice if he could do what Spencer Leniu did for the Panthers although at 20 that will be asking for too much. With his speed and footwork at the line would be nice to see him come on at the same time as Walker. Could do some damage. Likely he will get limited FG time unless he has a breakout year,
 
He is listed at 1cm taller and 1kg lighter than Moses Leota. Be nice if he could do what Spencer Leniu did for the Panthers although at 20 that will be asking for too much. With his speed and footwork at the line would be nice to see him come on at the same time as Walker. Could do some damage. Likely he will get limited FG time unless he has a breakout year,

The Panthers have unlocked the code on mobile forwards hey.

With the Warriors I always worry when I see developmental pathways for Props that chop and change our young guys to other forward positions rather than help these guys specialize.

Bunty and Papalii spring to mind, and ALE has had a few role changes.

Be good to see the Warriors make calls early and develop guys in one role.
 
He is listed at 1cm taller and 1kg lighter than Moses Leota. Be nice if he could do what Spencer Leniu did for the Panthers although at 20 that will be asking for too much. With his speed and footwork at the line would be nice to see him come on at the same time as Walker. Could do some damage. Likely he will get limited FG time unless he has a breakout year,
Don't don't take too much notice of physical stats. He didn't get to show it much this year playing prop but Zyon Maiu’u is naturally a lot faster than Moses. He doesn't have the same engine as Moses though. It's give and take. You can't be a great sprinter AND a great long distance runner. You can be great at one and decent at the other though.
 
Thought it was a bit odd they played going ahead of him last year- final round against the dolphins seemed the perfect time to give him a taste.
 
Does anyone remember if he was playing prop when he played in that Tigers trial last year?

There's one run from that game in his highlights package above and it looked like it was up the middle of the field.
 
Any person over 100kg is big enough to play prop in the NRL. Depends on his playing/running style and how he utilizes his body weight.
Big enough to run for 60 to 90 metres per game sure, but most elite props, barring JFH who gets a massive leg up with the lax ten metre rule applied to penrith, are much much bigger than 100kgs,
 
Pre season will do him a lot of good. Hopefully AFB will put some time and advice into him. A young middle can not dominate and his workload and minutes will have to be managed he needs to be coached in what angles to run and defensive requirements. Given proper development he looks the goods. Then you have Sifakula, Laban, Stowers-Smith and Halasima among others coming through.
 
Everybody has to start somewhere. On the past the young guys were thrown to the sharks and had to sink or swim. There seems to be better development now. We cannot expect these young guns like Zyon Maiu’u to hit the ground running. With good coaching he will build into it over a season or two. Different expectations will be made of Ale and Bunty. Different stages of development. To be fair I don't think development ever stops if the coaches and support staff are being proactive.
 
Everybody has to start somewhere. On the past the young guys were thrown to the sharks and had to sink or swim. There seems to be better development now. We cannot expect these young guns like Zyon Maiu’u to hit the ground running. With good coaching he will build into it over a season or two. Different expectations will be made of Ale and Bunty. Different stages of development. To be fair I don't think development ever stops if the coaches and support staff are being proactive.
This is a exactly why we need to replace afb with another experienced prop- these young guys need mentors.
 

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