LIONHEARTED LEKA FAMILY ADD TO TRILLO METALS MEN’S CANTERBURY BULLS LEGACY
An extension of a Canterbury rugby league representative family legacy is set to infuse some Disney-style magic into the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls’ 2025 campaign.
Engine-room stalwart Kyle Leka and playmaking younger brother Taniela will team up in the red-and-black jersey for the second straight year, while Kyle’s son, outside back Joel, has earned a maiden Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls call-up.
The trio have picked up monikers from The Lion King: Kyle, the elder statesman, has been dubbed Mufasa, so naturally young Joel is Simba…and Taniela, somewhat conflictingly, is the villainous uncle Scar.
After featuring in Riccarton Knights’ CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership return to the grand final stage together last month, Kyle and Joel have achieved another unique feat by winning Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls selection alongside one another.
“It’s definitely a proud moment. It’s something over the last few years I thought could have been achievable the way he’s been playing,” 41-year-old Kyle says.
“I’m pretty stoked that I’m still managing to be able to play and that he’s just grown into the young player that he is.
“Watching him grow up I’ve been fortunate to coach him along the way as well. Even when we have fitness drills, I’m just trying to set the pace and then just watch him overtake me at times – [but] I like to work smarter, not harder.”
TRILLO METALS MEN’S CANTERBURY BULLS DETERMINED TO CEMENT SOUTHERN SUPREMACY
Joel, 22, is still wrapping his head around his elevation to the representative arena – but a stellar season in the Knights’ three-quarter line put him firmly on the radar of Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls coach Walt Wilson and his selection panel.
“ I wasn’t really expecting it, I knew I was going to get there one day, but this young…it took me by surprise,” Joel admits.
“It’s a lot faster and you get the best of every position. I’m struggling to keep up with everyone else at training because everyone’s so fit and fast.
“I just remember dad playing Bulls when I was a kid and going to the West Coast and watching him play over there – I was always thinking, ‘Oh, I’m going to be like him one day’, but never really thinking that I was going to be playing alongside him.”
Kyle concedes it’s difficult to switch out of defensive dad mode and purely be a teammate…particularly during more fiery on-field exchanges.
“In rugby league sometimes big hits happen and some off-the-ball stuff happens as well,” Kyle explains.
“But it’s just [about] knowing that Joel is his own man and he is his own player – I’m looking at him as a player first before getting the protective dad into the situation.
“But he’s definitely over the last few years been able to hold his own, he’s never realised how strong and powerful he actually is.
“And until the last year or so he’s always been the smallest person in the team and now he’s actually taller than me.”
Joel confirms his old man sometimes straddles the father/teammate dichotomy, however.
“I feel like he does blur those lines a wee bit,” Joel says.
“Sometimes I’ll [have] a wee growl at him and I forget that he’s my dad and not really [just] a player. So I’ve definitely got to watch myself around him!”
Kyle, whose senior rugby league journey traces all the way back to being part of Riccarton’s last premiership-winning side in 2004, first turned out for the Bulls in 2007.
The rugged forward captained Canterbury in 2013 and was part of the Bulls team that won the national title in 2014. Having played extensively at club and representative level with another brother, Kasi, returning to the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls fold in 2024 allowed Kyle to team up with Eastern Eagles half Taniela in rep footy for the first time.
“I thought my Canterbury days were over a few years ago, but I must be playing quite well for Walt and the selectors to [put me back] in there and run alongside the brother,” Kyle muses.
“[Playing with] any family member, when you’re out there, it’s definitely a proud moment.
“[In the current squad] we’ve also got George Faaiva and his brother Alofa, then even thinking back to when the three Sauni brothers (Paul, Matt and Erwin) were dominating – it’s just cool to be able to pay homage to them and also be part of that legacy Canterbury’s building as well.”
Taniela has played with Joel previously with Northern Bulldogs, while he’s looking forward to lining up alongside his nephew and brother again – rather than against them.
“It was definitely a special moment last year getting to take the field with Kyle, I always looked up to him growing up,” Taniela says.
“So getting to do that in the Bulls colours was special. And with Joel on board this year, it’s another step forward.”
The Leka triumvirate will have to wait at least another week to feature on the paddock together.
Taniela partners captain Etelani Pouli in the halves in the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls’ NZRL National Men’s Premiership opener against Aoraki in Timaru on Sunday (2pm kick-off), while vice-captain Kyle forms a fearsome prop duo with George Faaiva.
But Joel’s debut has been put on ice with Linwood Keas’ Alofa Faaiva and Luma Sakaraia, and Halswell Hornets veterans Ken Tofilau and Nick Evans taking up the centre and wing spots.
Having played a vital role in the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls’ South Island Men’s Championship success and National Championship final win over Wellington last year, the wily Taniela is growing into a role as a leader in the group.
“I’m definitely feeling a lot more settled and it’s handy having the calibre of players we have – it’s just easier to do our own jobs.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it, it’s exciting to see what we can do and can produce. [Coach Wilson] wants myself directing and getting us to where we want to be, whether it’s on the left side or the right side, just making sure we make our landmarks and play out our sets.
Meanwhile, Taniela also reveals that while the team is not getting ahead of themselves with every result critical, some members of the squad have a score to settle after being humbled by Otago Whalers in the 2023 NZRL National Men’s Premiership in Dunedin.
Following a trip to Invercargill to take on Southland on September 14, the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls host Otago at Ngā Puna Wai on September 27.
“It is definitely one win at a time mentality for us – but I know for a lot of the boys and myself, that Otago game is a big revenge game for us.”
