Player Jacob Laban

[mt.wellington]

Jacob Laban

Vodafone Warriors invest in future with two more hot prospects
Richard Becht & photosport.nz
Thu 29 Apr 2021, 12:19 PM

The Vodafone 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 Vodafone 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,” he said.

In my opinion they're the best two young second rowers in the country

“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.”

Laban, a Randwick Kingfishers junior, moved to Auckland from Wellington this year to complete his year 13 studies and prepare for the next step of his rugby league career with the Vodafone Warriors.

“Both boys live together as we wanted a good family home for Jacob and can’t thank Paula and Toma (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.”

Laban, who attended St Bernard’s College before moving to Auckland, was named College Sport Wellington’s rugby league player of the year in 2019. He was selected in the New Zealand Resident 16s squad last year.

JACOB LABAN

Born: April 17, 2004
Birthplace: Samoa
Junior Club: Randwick Kingfishers (Wellington)
Position: Second rower
Height: 188cm
Weight: 100kg
Rep Honours: New Zealand Resident 16s (2020)

Vodafone Warriors invest in future with two more hot prospects

The Vodafone Warriors continue to plan for their future after signing exciting young second rowers Zyon Maiu’u and Jacob Laban.

www.warriors.kiwi

 

[mt.wellington]

𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧 - 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐘 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐮𝐠𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏
November 24 2021

Jacob Laban started with us at Kelston Boys' High School this year, He's an exceptional athlete & a very talented sportsman who has played outstanding for his first year in the red jersey. He has been a pivotal member of our 1st XIII team who were runners up in the Auckland College Sport Rugby League season. He was also a member of the winning Auckland 1A 1st XV Rugby Championship team this year. He has also made a handful of representative teams this year.

Representative Achievements 2021
NZ Māori’s U17s Champions 2021
NZ Māori’s MVP Of The Tournament 2021
Warriors U17's 2021
NRL Warrior's Full time Contract 2022 to 2024 (3 year deal)
We wish Jacob Laban all the success next year and years to come and no doubt he'll be making moves in the NRL, we are very proud of you and very fortunate to have you apart of our Kelston Family.

 

[mt.wellington]

Jacob Laban was born in Moto'otua near Apia in Samoa before his family moved to New Zealand when he was four years old. Related to Wellington rugby league identity Ken Laban, he played his junior rugby league for the Randwick Kingfishers, a club synonymous with New Zealand rugby league great Stephen Kearney.

He was educated at St Bernard's College, which boasts former Kiwis and One New Zealand Warriors Ben Matulino and Issac Luke among its former pupils. Sam Tagataese, Earl Va'a and Sione Katoa also went to St Bernard's.

In 2019 Laban was named College Sport Wellington's rugby league player of the year before moving to Auckland in 2021 to complete his year 13 studies at Kelston Boys' High School and to prepare for the next step of his rugby league career with the Warriors. While at Kelston Boys' High, Laban was named the College Sport Auckland 2021 Young Sports Person of the Year for rugby league.

He was based in Redcliffe with the One New Zealand Warriors in 2022, making appearances for feeder club Redcliffe in the Queensland Rugby League's under-18 and under-20 teams.

He started this season with the club's SG Ball Cup (under-19) team and also appeared in the NRL trial against the Wests Tigers in February but has been developing his game in the New South Wales Cup. In 15 games he has scored four tries while averaging 77 metres and 24 tackles a game.

For the Warriors' final match of the NRL regular season against the Dolphins, Laban was initially named as 19th man.

Jacob Laban

The NRL profile of Jacob Laban including career statistics, season stats, games, tries, goals, tackles and fantasy scores.

www.warriors.kiwi

 

[mt.wellington]

Laban will debut next year...

 

[ndp26]

Laban will debut next year...

I thought he was quite promising, but a few lapses in the NZ A game has me a little worried as they were effort-related (e.g., Finefeuiaki strolling past him). Appreciate though that he hasn't played for a few weeks and was likely gassed after putting in some work, but think he's still a wee bit off his debut. probably rate Halasima over Laban, but both likely to be 2025 prospects.

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

I thought he was quite promising, but a few lapses in the NZ A game has me a little worried as they were effort-related (e.g., Finefeuiaki strolling past him). Appreciate though that he hasn't played for a few weeks and was likely gassed after putting in some work, but think he's still a wee bit off his debut. probably rate Halasima over Laban, but both likely to be 2025 prospects.

Speaking of him, how'd he play?

 

[Up the guttz]

Speaking of him, how'd he play?

Not great. A couple of good runs but no effort in D. Hopefully he will change but at this stage I’d say he likes doing the fun stuff but not the hard work.

 

[ndp26]

Not great. A couple of good runs but no effort in D. Hopefully he will change but at this stage I’d say he likes doing the fun stuff but not the hard work.

I thought he was much better on D in NSW Cup - had a much more balanced game, but yesterday the D was definitely a worry. However, he's still young and will benefit from a big preseason.

 

[j_p]

Laban's Jersey presentation.
Sounds like a very humble kid with a great head on his shoulders.

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5Z3iuyPanP/

 

[Ever Hopeful]

The best we have in our reserves by some distance. No flash leg tats, no blonde hair, pure line breaking high output beastmode performance.

Better than even Ali if you ask me and way better than Zyon Maiu’u and Halasima.

Just teasing.

Great debut. I'd like Halasima to get on the field and enter the argument though.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Halasima struggles in NSW cup to make an impact, he is a fan love child due to age and size for his age, otherwise he is barely at par for the NSW cup.

Zyon Maiu’u gets love because of his leg tats. the Bear...or Pe....ah...phonetically spelt Pe'a....

Neither of those guys have anywhere near the workrate nor fitness of Jacob laban who is a tackle busting big engine no flashy type stepper and game breaker.
Laban is a monster.

We'll see. Halasima is a baby, who has barely got out of SG Ball yet. I'm pretty excited about him, but obviously not expecting him to be a serious contender for a couple of years.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

We will see indeed.
I am not writing him off.
Merely pointing out how stupid it is to rate him above a guy like Laban who is actually destroying NSW cup from a relative unknown position and unflavored profile.
Performance over stats and dreams of big kids continuing to get bigger and better at a club where more often than not they do not.

The Key to who makes it at the Warriors if people really are interested in learning something...is reading Jacob Laban rated hardest trainer in the off season.

That means his mental make up is better than Zyon Maiu’u and Leka end of.
Better than Ali even.

For sure, no arguments on potential vs a bloke who has earned his spot on attitude and results. Surely no one is actually arguing that Leka is a better player? I think we are all hoping he becomes a type of player we haven't had for many moons though. Hopefully he has the work ethic that Laban has shown to take the next step.

 

[Pop Dukez]

Happy for Laban, wait till he fills out and gets more FG time.

Well done young buck, make your Aiga…..and us proud

 

[Rick O’Shay]

Making your NRL debut is special but playing for the Warriors is everything.

Says it all

 

[Cces]

The difference between Zyon Maiu’u, Halasima, and Laban is the former are rated based off fans looking at their weight on the scales, their height, and their age.

This is such a hot take.

Laban - 19 years old, 189cm, 110kg
Halasima - 18 years old, 185cm, 100kg
Zyon Maiu’u - 20 years old, 183cm, 106kg

Do you rate Laban the best prospect because of his height & weight?

Laban had a very good introduction at NRL level last night. To use it as a springboard to say Halasima, who was picked ahead of Laban multiple times at the back end of 2023 & was their SG Ball sides Player of the Year, is barely a par NSW Cup player is an odd angle to take.

 

[snake77]

He got some time in first grade yesterday. Sometimes these debuts late in the game feel like go out there get a run and a feel for first grade.

They will build up his time.

I'm not going to get into the debate on who the better prospect is. After the pandemic I'm just glad we are in a position where we have promising guys coming through. We want to be a development club so hopefully they get opportunities here and succeed here.

 

[BabylonPink]

Jacobs basically flown past the lot of them by flogging the offseason. Looked good in the trials, good last night, spose Ï should be happy those other boys are pretty decent too....and I am.

Those three boys are all fairly talented, the hardest worker is always gonna end up the best of them.

Sifakula still exists too.
Next generation looks good forward wise.
The comparison to SK with laban someone made felt right for some reason.

 

[Noitall]

Sifakula still exists too.
Next generation looks good forward wise.
The comparison to SK with laban someone made felt right for some reason.

Was talking to a young guy on a work site last week who went to school with Sifakula. Reckons he is such a hothead and Leiataua has amazing skills. Sifakula has enforcer written over him

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Was talking to a young guy on a work site last week who went to school with Sifakula. Reckons he is such a hothead and Leiataua has amazing skills. Sifakula has enforcer written over him

Interesting Dylan Walker in an interview said Sifakula is captain material.

 

[Noitall]

Interesting Dylan Walker in an interview said Sifakula is captain material.

Seems a leader. Can watch his highlights with that last effort as a young guy chasing down and dragging that bigger body over the sideline all day