Nelson College playmaker trying out for Warriors

Age grade rugby and touch football standout Wiremu Makea is hoping to become the next Nelson College product to earn a professional league contract.

The 18-year-old played in a trial match in Auckland last month and made a real impression in his first-ever game of league.

His dad Nick, a good judge of teenage sporting talent, was sideline and reckons his son went “pretty well”.

The goalkicking first five has been rewarded with a two-month train and trial opportunity with the One New Zealand Warriors SG Ball U19 squad.

He’s seen as a five-eighth or halfback. Wiremu played in both positions for the 1st XV this season.

Regardless of the outcome, Wiremu will be staying in Auckland as the teenager has secured a scholarship to AUT where he will study business and marketing.

“You can’t underestimate the importance of education, especially further down the track,” insists Nick.

Wiremu is staying with his grandparents in Takanini, south of Auckland. As well as debuting for NC this season, the Year 13 student was selected for the NZ U18 mixed touch team following outstanding form for Nelson Bays at the national tournament at the start of the year.The New Zealand side went on to win its Asia Pacific division in Queensland.

Nick believes that his 76kg son’s touch background equips him well for a code-switch.

“Wiremu has always wanted to try league, and it offers real opportunity. These days, you have to look at the bigger picture,” says Nick, who coached the Nelson Bays U16 rugby side to win the South Island Rugby Championship in Christchurch in September.

Wiremu won two sports awards at last week’s Nelson College prizegiving – best goalkicker in school and influence in touch - but was already in Auckland at his first league training.

“We managed to fly under the radar,” reveals Nick, who grew up in Auckland and played rugby league for the Bay Roskill Vikings club which has an impressive Kiwi honour roll.

Nick was an original Tasman Mako in 2006, but injuries limited the halfback’s chances.

The Makea family relocated to Nelson three years ago and is on the move again.
Wiremu’s younger sister Tatiana has also won a scholarship to St Margaret’s College in Christchurch after featuring in athletics, touch and netball for Nelson College for Girls.  While touch is on the backburner for Wiremu now, he has already had approaches to turn out in that code in the Auckland scene.

He is the fourth Nelson College 1st XV player to be linked with an Australian NRL league switch in recent weeks.

Last year’s first five and captain, Harry Inch, broke his full Tasman Mako contract to sign a two-year deal with the Warriors. His teammate, Mako development player and loose forward Saumaki Saumaki, is off to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and  this year’s NC skipper Tom Perkins is heading to the Newcastle Knights.