Born: August 17, 1995 – Hamilton
Test record: 13 Tests (2016-19, 2022) – 9 tries, 2 goals (40 points)
Tours: 2016 Four Nations, 2017 World Cup, 2018 tour of England, 2022 World Cup

Puti Tipene (Steve) Watene was a rugby league pioneer during the 1930s, becoming the first Māori to captain the Kiwis. More than 80 years later, the NZRL Legend of League’s great grandson, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, became the Kiwis’ skipper just a month after his 23rd birthday.

Born in Hamilton and spending his early years in Ngaruawahia, Watene-Zelezniak’s family moved to Sydney when he was five. The prodigiously talented outside-back joined Penrith and scored 23 tries in 25 games for the club’s under-20s side, winning an NYC grand final and representing the Junior Kiwis in 2013.

The 18-year-old was drafted into the Panthers’ NRL line-up the following season. He scored seven tries in 10 games on the wing and starred in the Ivan Cleary-coached outfit’s finals campaign. A strong follow-up season at wing, centre and fullback in 2015 was cut short by injury in July, ruling out a likely Kiwis call-up for the end-of-year tour to England.

But ‘DWZ’ did not have long to wait for a Test debut, featuring on the wing in New Zealand’s 16-0 Anzac Test loss in 2016. After being at forefront of the Panthers’ semi-final charge that season – scoring 12 tries in 26 games – he made just one appearance during the Four Nations, starting at fullback in the shock draw with Scotland.

The freakish flyer played on the wing in the 2017 Anzac Test and was named in the Kiwis’ World Cup squad at the end of the year. Watene-Zelezniak scored his first Test try in the pool match against Mate Ma’a Tonga – fittingly, in Hamilton – but he endured a torrid afternoon at the hands of his opposing winger, Tonga’s hat-trick hero David Fustiu’a, in the historic 28-22 loss.

With Roger Tuivasa-Sheck unavailable, Watene-Zelezniak scored two tries from fullback in a superb display as New Zealand went down to England in Denver midway through 2018. He retained the No.1 jumper for the Kiwis’ post-season schedule thanks to ‘RTS’s’ knee injury and was coach Michael Maguire’s surprise choice to take over as captain.

The role inspired Watene-Zelezniak to new heights, leading by example as New Zealand scored a 26-24 upset over Australia in Auckland – including a brilliant through-the-legs pass to set up his side’s first try for Ken Maumalo. He then led the Kiwis in all three Tests of the 2-1 series defeat in England, scoring tries in losing efforts in the first two encounters.

Watene-Zelezniak bounced around the struggling Panthers’ team sheet early in 2019, before being dropped to reserve grade and seeking a release to link with Canterbury. But after just one game for the Bulldogs, he joined a select group of players who have captained a Test team from the wing as Tuivasa-Sheck returned for the mid-season showdown with Tonga. The 23-year-old helmed another momentous win as the Kiwis powered to a 34-14 result.

‘DWZ’ was magnificent at fullback for the improving Bulldogs during the second half of the season but a knee injury ended his campaign prematurely and ruled the incumbent skipper out of the Kiwis’ end-of-year schedule.

Watene-Zelezniak returned to co-captain Māori All Stars in their 30-16 win over Indigenous All Stars during the 2020 pre-season, before playing 18 games at fullback, wing and centre for the Bulldogs at club level.

After scoring a try in Māori All Stars’ 10-all draw with their Indigenous counterparts in Townsville – again as co-captain – the young veteran left Canterbury midway through the 2021 season to take up a deal with the Warriors. Watene-Zelezniak’s nine appearances for his new club took him past 150 games in the NRL, while he was named in the Kiwis’ wider squad for the 2022 World Cup at the end of the year.

Watene-Zelezniak was one of the Warriors’ more consistent performers during the 2022 premiership, scoring a team-high nine tries in 18 games. The 27-year-old was also the only player from the club to earn a place in the Kiwis’ squad for the midyear clash against Tonga (though the former Test skipper ultimately missed a spot in the game-day 17) and the World Cup. He made only one appearance at the tournament but it was one to remember, becoming just the fourth player to score four tries in a Test match for New Zealand – as well as producing three try-assists and adding two goals – in the group-stage victory over Jamaica.

Injury delayed Watene-Zelezniak’s start to 2023, but it ultimately proved to be his best at NRL level. He scored a club record 24 tries in just 20 games for the high-flying Warriors, featuring a string of gravity-defying finishes and earning a Dally M Winger of the Year gong.

The 29-year-old topped the Warriors’ try charts again in 2024 with 15 – the second-highest tally of his career – as well as passing the 100-try and 200-game milestones in the NRL, with his flowing locks and game-breaking ability elevating his cult hero status.

Watene-Zelezniak pledged his international allegiance to Tonga, though he was unavailable for the nation’s 2023 and ’24 post-season campaigns.