‘Significant moment’: Star duo earn longest Warriors contracts as club locks up young guns

The Warriors have locked up young guns Leka Halasima and Jacob Laban with the pair to own the longest contracts on the club’s roster through until 2029.

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“Exciting pathways products Leka Halasima and Jacob Laban have today become the One New Zealand Warriors’ longest-contracted current NRL players after signing extensions to the end of the 2029 season,” the club said in a statement.

Halasima (19) wasn’t off contract until 2027 and Laban (21) in 2026 but the Warriors have moved early to lock in two of their most promising young players.

After they both made their first-grade debuts last year, Halasima has progressed to play all 10 games so far this year to boost his career tally to 14 while Laban has been back in the side for four of the last five matches to lift his total to 11 appearances.

They are among a group of elite players the Warriors are building their future around.

“Signing Leka and Jacob on long-term deals is a really significant moment for us,” said One New Zealand Warriors general manager recruitment, pathways and development Andrew McFadden.

“It reinforces what we are working towards in making this a development club, building it around players we are bringing through from the local game.

“Leka and Jacob are terrific examples of the talent in New Zealand while also showing off the opportunities available through our pathways.”

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Leka Halasima and Jacob Laban have been re-signed until the end of 2029. Source: Getty Images

The contract extensions for the pair follow fellow pathways product Demitric Vaimauga being signed until 2028 while centre Ali Leiataua and prop Tanner Stowers-Smith – who debuted last weekend – underline the Warriors’ commitment to local talent.

“It’s so exciting for us seeing Leka and Jacob signed for so long,” said One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster.

“We’re really proud of them and what they’ve already achieved. We have so much belief in them and they’re paying that back with their performances.

“Along with Demitric, Ali and Tanner, Leka and Jacob show what our future looks like. They’ve got such a big part to play in it.”

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After being used off the interchange in his first nine NRL appearances, Māngere East Hawks junior Halasima has quickly graduated to start in the second row in his last five matches and will do so again when the Warriors face Canberra at Go Media Stadium on Sunday.

The club’s SG Ball Cup (under-19) player of the year in 2023, Mangere he has played the full 80 minutes in his last three NRL outings averaging 132 metres and 35 tackles a game while he earlier scored tries in three consecutive matches including a sublime match-winning effort against Wests Tigers.

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Laban, out of St Bernard’s College in Lower Hutt, played his junior football for the Te Aroha Eels and Randwick Kingfishers in Wellington before moving to Auckland to complete his secondary education at Kelston Boys’ High School.

Named the club’s NRL rookie of the year in 2024 his seven NRL appearances included one start while he has been used off the bench four times this year, scoring his first NRL try in last Saturday’s 16-12 win against the Dolphins.

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