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Patelesio proving dangerous on the wing for Wainuiomata

Niko Patelesio playing against Avalon last season. Photo: Hugh Pretorius. 

  • By Adam Julian 

When Niko Patelesio returned to Wainuiomata in 2021 and announced he was an outside back he was frowned upon.

Patelesio had started his career at lock in 2015 and might have been expected to lose pace after three shoulder surgeries.

Fast forward to 2024 and the strapping winger has scored 22 tries in his last 11 games for the Green and Blacks.

Patelesio has crossed the stripe at least once in his last six consecutive appearances as Wainuiomata stay afloat in the Swindale Shield.

Following four defeats in the first five games Wainuiomata has upset Jubilee Cup holders Oriental-Rongotai 31-24 and consigned Wellington to yet another defeat (47-11). Patelesio scored two tries against the Axeman and his favourite try against the Magpies.

“It’s nice to be on a bit of a run this year. A lot of my tries have come out the back. It feels like the team is doing a great setup,” Patelesio said.

“My try against Ories wasn’t one for the highlights tape but it felt the best because it helped us achieve a result that we had been building towards. We are better than four losses in five games.”

Patelesio reinforced that sentiment with two tries against Petone on Old Timers’ Day. Though Wainuiomata lost 36-60 they genuinely unsettled the Hurricanes’ stacked visitors.

Try time against Petone. Photo: Andy McArthur. 

“That was a good day. The game didn’t end the way we would have liked. We need to play for 80 minutes, which we showed we can do against Ories, and get a result,” Patelesio reflected.

“It’s awesome when the rep players are available. When I was in rugby league, I’d never get a chance to play with Peter Umaga-Jensen. Conversely, you wouldn’t get a chance to mark multiple Hurricanes. The boys love competing against the best.

“It feels like it’s anybody’s game in 2024. There isn’t any standout team. When I check the results after the game it’s really close.”

Playing against Old Boys University earlier in the round. Photo: T-Paul Gale. 

Patelesio’s try-scoring run started in a 2023 Hardham Cup semifinal loss last year. He scored three tries against Poneke despite Wainuiomata being reduced to 14 players early in proceedings.

His 22 tries in 11 games and 37 tries in 46 matches overall rank as one of the best try-scoring streaks and strike rates in the competition.

Players with a similar strike rate include Mike Buckley (MSP, 32 tries in 49 games), Pena Va’a (Ories, 39 tries in 55 games), Buxton Popoalii (29 tries in 23 games) and Alapati Leiua (55 tries in 51 games).

Wainuiomata’s most prolific try scorers in the past two decades have been Jason Love (77 tries in 200 games) and Shahn Eru (40 tries in 93 games).

Norths Luca Ress went 25 games without scoring a try. From 2018 to 2020. Ress went on a run of 42 tries in 38 games. Old Boys University halfback Kyle Preston only scored six tries in his first 56 games. He’s scored 33 tries in his last 40 appearances, including a try in his last six appearances.

Patelesio was born and bred in Wainuiomata. He played junior rugby with the Umaga-Jensen twins (Thomas and Peter) and TJ Va’a. He attended St Bernard’s College and made the First XV but tragically missed the season after dislocating his left shoulder. He joined the Wainuiomata Colts the following year and repeated the same injury.

Seeking better fortune, he converted to rugby league. In his first game for the Wainuiomata Colts, he scored a hattrick. He was summoned to the Premiers and did it again.

In fact, Patelesio made such an impression in league he was offered a chance to trial for the Gold Coast Titans NRL franchise. This time he dislocated his right shoulder. Without strong family support across the Tasman, Patelesio amicably quit.

It wasn’t the end of his tenure in Australia. He shifted to Melbourne where he played rugby league and worked in a factory emptying containers and packaging. He strengthened his relationship with Des who he married last year.

Covid was the catalyst for Patelesio to return to New Zealand in 2021. He secured work in construction. Next week he joins the New Zealand Police College.

Try time against the Wellington Axemen in 2022. 

This Saturday Wainuiomata travels to the Hutt Rec to take on second-placed Hutt Old Boys Marist in Round 8 of the Swindale Shield. The Eagles are smarting from their 12-24 defeat to Paremata-Plimmerton. Wainuiomata with a third win in a row could enter the top seven of the Swindale Shield.

Below: Try time against Marist St Pat’s last year, and congratulated by Peter Umaga-Jensen. Photos: T-Paul Gale. 

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