Warriors star Leka Halasima reveals touching promise to mum amid NRL rise
Warriors sensation Leka Halasima has gone from taping up his torn footy boots to closing in on fulfilling the childhood promise he made to himself - read his inspirational story here.
David Riccio
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7 min read
August 17, 2025 - 8:39AM
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Not so long ago, the NRL’s next big thing would wake early on Saturday mornings, climb out of bed, and reach for a roll of electrical tape.
Born in the town of Tofoa in Tonga, before moving into state housing with his mother and father and four older sisters and brother in Mangere East, South Auckland, as a baby boy, Selumiela Halasima grew up with not that much.
“I had footy boots, but if they were ripped I would just tape them up,’’ Halasima, 19, said.
“Growing up was a struggle, to be honest.
“Our family didn’t have that much. We’d buy our shorts from Warehouse (a department store chain in New Zealand) and we’d buy shirts by fundraising at the footy club.’’
That was just over 10 years ago, around the same time his father Selu, began calling his youngest boy, Leka.
“Growing up my dad called me that, because Leka means junior in Tonga,’’ Halasima said.
“If you’re named after someone, like I was my dad, then you’re Leka. Everyone started calling me that when I was about five or six and it’s been that way ever since.’’
Leka Halasima wants to buy his mother a house. Picture: NRL Images
What has also been with Halasima ever since is a promise.
A personal goal so close to his heart, he held it tight at training, in matches, and as he laid down to sleep each night.
What his sports teachers at his Mangere East suburban school of Southern Cross Campus wouldn’t have known as they watched the tearaway beat teams on his own.
Nor his coaches from Mangere East Hawks, who watched him run laps of their home ground Centre Park, as an eight-year-old before he played in matches.
The shy and softly-spoken Halasima was running towards fulfilling a promise to his family.
With immense speed, power and presence on the wing, at centre or in the back row, Halasima was chosen to play in SCC’s most senior school team while he was still in Year 9.
It didn’t take long for Halasima to become too good for school footy.
He would leave SCC in Year 12 after accepting a development contract with the Warriors, while also rejecting the overtures of Super Rugby franchise, the Auckland Blues, in the process.
https://www.codesports.com.au/stats/nrl/players/leka-halasima-120201
“I was always headed for rugby league,’’Halasima said.
“I just played rugby union for fun with all my mates at school, but league was always for me.’’
When he signed that first NRL deal at 17, Halasima turned to his greatest supporter, his mother, Fetongi and revealed his vow.
“I promised my mum when I first entered the Warriors development team,’’ Halasima told this masthead in his first major newspaper interview.
“I promised her that I would buy her a house and I’m going to keep that promise.
“That’s my goal to buy her a house.
“I’m very confident I’ll be able to give her that.’’
Outside of the black book of the game’s best judges and talent scouts, few knew of the name Halasima just over 12 months ago.
It speaks to his devastating impact on the NRL, that after just 24 games - four-games in 2024 and 20 this season - he is now
one of the leading favourites to claim the prestigious Dally M Rookie of the Year award.
Prior to tackling the Dragons on Friday night, Halasima had scored the most tries of any other Warriors player with 10, ahead of NRL seasoned tryscorers including Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (nine), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (five) and Charnze Nicol-Klokstaad (one).
Halasima sits in the top two for most tackle busts (52) by a forward at the club, just seven behind Erin Clark, while his six line breaks ranks number one.
At just 19, Halasima has attracted a lucrative sponsorship deal with Asics.
He has 36,000 followers on Instagram.
Not a week goes by that the Warriors media department doesn’t politely decline requests from journalists wanting to interview Halasima.
“I have social media, but I don’t read articles or newspapers (about me) or really look into it,’’ he says.
Of course, there’s also that try.
Halasima’s on-the-final siren matchwinner against the Knights last month has clocked 200,000 views on YouTube - and even more on TikTok.
Halasima, who turns 20 next month, sparked a torrent of memes and social posts with his runaway try in Newcastle.
‘Halasima? More like Hala-saviour,’’ one fan posted.
“Leka for Prime Minister,’’ another fan wrote with an attached video of his living room celebration that has attracted 21,000 views.
Asked for his own reaction to the fan adulation for the matchwinning try that went viral, Halasima gave a stunning insight into his mindset and ambition to be known for something more than an Instagram reel.
“It was good, but my defence is what I want and need to work on. I need to keep moving, knowing the ball is never dead,’’ Halasima said.
Yet it must be said, Halasima isn’t all business.
Leka Halasima has been a revelation for the Warriors this season. Credit: NRL Images.
You only have to look as far as his cheeky grin and sweet photos together with his girlfriend to know that beneath the jersey, is a teenage boy living his dream.
Not that he is overawed by his stunning arrival.
“I’ve been enjoying it a lot, playing first grade, I’m definitely enjoying it,’’ he said.
Asked about how he manages the grind and brutality of managing his still-developing body through the NRL, Halasima answered ever so casually.
“To be honest, I don’t really mind it,’’ he said.
“It is hard doing it week in, week out with your sore body and trying to find the balance of it all. But my body, so far, hasn’t been that sore other than little niggles.
“My recovery on my days off have helped a lot.
“I just love everything about it. I love the game. I love playing with my mates.’’
In fact, his teammates cheekily claim Halasima is so relaxed about his meteoric rise that his favourite pastime is sleeping.
“Who told you that,’’ he says through fits of laughter.
“No, they’re lying. That’s not true.’’
However, Halasima was given an early and stark insight into life as a professional athlete at a young age.
After turning up late for SG Ball training with the Warriors a couple of seasons ago, Halasima was sent home to his parents.
“That’s true,’’ Halasima said.
“When I was at SG Ball I didn’t know it would be that strict. Turning up on time for training, the meetings, so I got a strong warning from them.
“The schedules now are fine with me.’’
Warriors coach Andrew Webster chimes in to offer further insight.
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“He was just so relaxed that he didn’t understand the difference from local footy to professional environment. He wasn’t being rude or anything like that,’’ Webster said.
“Once it clicked, he has never been late again. It was just learning the professional environment.
“He’s on time all the time now.’’
Halasima isn’t naive to understand what is happening around him.
He’s heard commentators comparing him to cross-code legend Sonny Bill Williams and former Warriors cult figure Ali Lautititi and he sees the growing number of “Holy Heka” signs that are spawning around Mt Smart Stadium each home game.
Halasima is also being reminded by the prospect of his greatest fear by his unrelenting teammates.
“I’ve heard about the Dally M (rookie of the year) talk, but I haven’t looked any further into it than that,’’ he said.
“The boys have spoken to me about it and I’ve just gone ‘nah...’
“I would be shaking if I had to give a speech.’’
“I haven’t looked too far ahead. Winning a comp with the Warriors is my number one.’’
Halasima has a passion to represent his beloved Tonga and is still coming to terms with the fact that he shares a dressing room with his heroes in Tuivasa-Sheck and James Fisher-Harris.
“They’re been so important to me,’’ Halasima said.
“Learning from them. Fish (Fisher-Harris) hardly speaks, but he leads with his actions.
“I’m kind of similar to him. I don't talk that much, but I try to lead with my actions.’’
Be it jokes about his sleeping habits from his teammates or his humble response to questions from journalists, you get the sense that, as at home as Halasima appears on the football field, he’s at his happiest around friends and family.
Give him the chance and you’ll find Halasima back where it all began, cheering on the Hawks, alongside his best mates.
“Footy was a dream of mine and it was for my friends as well,’’ Halasima said.
“Seeing them with real jobs working but having the talent to play NRL, I wish they got their dream as well.
“I really enjoy going back and watching junior reps footy, especially the young ones coming through at the Hawks.
“I can see they’re happy to see me when I go to watch and they come up to me and say how inspired they are by me.
“The thing I like to do is go back and see what I can do for them to reach their goals.
“It’s important they have their goals.’’
Just like Halasima, who is on a personal mission to achieve his own.
