Tigers teenager Heamasi Makasini, who is already earning comparisons to All Blacks great Jonah Lomu, says switching back to the 15-man game remains a “100 per cent” option down the track.
Makasini is preparing for just his second NRL appearance when Wests Tigers host North Queensland at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday. The 18-year-old announced himself by scoring on debut against the Titans in the final game of last season, while still at school.
Wests Tigers young gun Heamasi Makasini is tipped to be one of the breakout football stars of the future.Credit: Max Mason-Hubers
And then he produced a pre-season highlight with a barnstorming try in which he bulldozed over Penrith fullback Dylan Edwards. That effort earned him comparisons to Lomu, the legendary All Black known for leaving defenders in his wake.
“In the moment it was just adrenaline,” Makasini said after being unveiled as the latest sporting star to become an ambassador for fashion label Farage.
“I was really hyped. I was surprised I scored that try. Watching those players and being able to do it against Penrith, it was special.
“I know who Jonah Lomu was. He is famous for doing that kind of stuff. There are levels above me. There is no one as good as Lomu, but it’s special to get that comparison. It makes me want to work harder and get to that level. It gives me a lot of confidence knowing that people know what I can do. I showed it in that game.”
Former Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson labelled Makasini “as talented a kid as I’ve seen in my 30 years of working in rugby league”. The Orange product will get another chance to impress after replacing injured centre Starford Toa in the Tigers’ opening match of this season.
Contracted to the Tigers until the end of 2027, Makasini’s focus is establishing himself in coach Benji Marshall’s team. However, he is off contract from November 1 and open to the prospect of exploring rugby union options.
“Coming from rugby it would be good to go back,” he said. “100 per cent it’s an option. But my passion is with rugby league right now. I want to finish my goals first. I’ll see what happens down the track … I’ll [focus] on rugby league, but if there’s any other opportunity, my manager will take care of that.”
Makasini’s father, Mosese, represented Tonga in rugby and played in the Sydney club rugby premiership, the Shute Shield. When former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans tried to lure his son to Japanese rugby and the Waratahs were also interested in his services, Mosese encouraged him to pursue rugby union.
Heamasi Makasini has a bright future ahead of him.Credit: NRL Photos
“His dream was always seeing me in a Wallabies jersey,” Makasini said.
“He said to me at the end of the day, it’s my decision, so he was kind of happy both ways.”
There are no regrets about his decision to opt for league, but admits it was a “pretty close decision”.
“The week before I signed with Tigers, I just finished coming from Australian Schoolboys in New Zealand,” he said. “Beating New Zealand over in New Zealand, that was kind of a special moment for myself and a special memory as well.
“That’s where things kind of go hard, whether to choose union or league. Obviously just playing union more than league throughout that season, my heart, my mind was leaning towards union.
“But then I was just thinking about the Tigers, they were building special things and I just wanted to be a part of it.
“I guess I made the right decision because the club is heading the right way. They just brought me on to bigger and better things and Benji’s just doing magnificent work in doing that.”
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