Newington College is preparing to cheer on Year 12 student Heamasi M, who could become one of the youngest players ever to make his professional debut in the NRL.

‘Physically I feel I’m ready,’ Heamasi said while juggling his HSC year.  

Named in the West Tigers squad for this Saturday’s match against the Raiders, Heamasi started at Newington College five years ago as a 13-year-old in Year 8. Here, he quickly gained a reputation as a student with an unwavering commitment to his fellow players and classmates. 

Mr Ben Herring, Director of Rugby at Newington, says Heamasi is someone with integrity and humility who younger Newington students look up to and admire. 

‘It’s not just Heamasi’s strength on the field or the way he plays the game with heart, it’s the way he carries himself day to day,’ says Mr Herring. 

‘At Newington, we value balance and believe education should open doors in sport, in trades, in learning, and in life. Heamasi leads without fuss, trains without ego, and treats those around him with genuine respect and all the while, he’s navigating the early stages of a professional rugby league career with maturity and humility.  

‘There’s a steadiness to him, a sense that he knows who he is and that’s what makes him such a powerful example to others.’ 

During his five years at Newington, Heamasi has embraced the many opportunities available to the College’s 2000 plus students across its five campuses.  

He has been a key member of Newington’s Athletics squad and a senior relay member for the past three years, and in his goal to become a qualified carpenter alongside his professional sporting career, he has also included VET Construction in his senior school academic pathway and successfully attained his Certificate II in Construction. 

Preparing for his first foray into professional NRL, Heamasi says when the time comes to finish his studies at Newington, he will miss the connections he has made and the experiences the College has enabled. 

 ‘Having the opportunity to come to Newington with a strong history as a GPS school means a lot to me and it is a privilege I feel, and I am very grateful,’ Heamasi says.  

‘I have made lifelong friends, and I’ve built strong relationships with all of the guys I have met here.’ 

Mr Tim Rapp, coach of Newington’s 1^st XV where Heamasi plays on the wing, is a longtime mentor to the 18-year-old who grew up in Orange before moving to Sydney. He says Heamasi will leave a lasting impression on all at Newington, and the entire community is behind him and his family in his move to professional NFL. 

‘Heamasi has displayed a level of maturity well above his years in his ability to balance his high-level external commitments with his day-to-day life as a student. We are proud of what Heamasi is achieving, as we are of all our students, and we look forward to watching his future development and cheering him on from the sidelines.’ 

Adds Mr Lachlan Fear, former director of Rugby at Newington, who first met Heamasi as an 11-year-old playing rugby for the Camden Rams, before he started at Newington in 2021. 

‘Masi has obvious talents of size, speed and skill, however his most significant strength is his calmness while performing at the highest of levels coupled with his desire to apply maximum effort to his actions on the field,’ says Mr Fear. 

‘It is so rewarding to see a young man born in Orange, move to Liverpool and then Blacktown, who via his talents and character, is provided an opportunity that would otherwise never have been possible to achieve, to attend Newington College, who then grabs that opportunity and thrives.  I know his family is very proud of what Masi has achieved and equally, is all of Newington. ‘ 

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