26 April 2024

20-year-old Zyon Maiu’u from West Auckland made his NRL debut last night for the One New Zealand Warriors’, in their narrow loss to the Gold Coast Titans at GoMedia Mt. Smart Stadium.

Coming on in the 57th minute, the young prop/second rower instantly made an impact in the middle with his strong up-the-guts running style. In just 13 minutes on the field Maiu’u took seven runs for a total of 77 run metres, 39 of which were post-contact.

His intensity visibly lifted the energy for the Warriors who were battling against the clock to make a late comeback against the leading Titans.

Maiu’u started off in the Warriors 2020 S. G. Ball Cup squad, before signing a three-year contract with the club in 2021.

Upon his signing, Peter O’Sullivan Warriors recruitment manager praised Maiu’u’s “competitiveness, skill and toughness and ability to play edge and middle equally as well as the other”.

Since 2023 he has been a mainstay in the Warriors New South Wales Cup squad having played 32 matches, until earning the call-up to the NRL side this week.

A Te Atatu Roosters junior, Maiu’u featured in the 2020 NZRL New Zealand Schools representative side and the following year played in the NZRL National 20s Competition with the Auckland Blue team, going on to be named Tournament MVP.

With only a first small glimpse of his talent and impact seen on the NRL stage last night, young Zyon Maiu’u is definitely one to watch.