NZ Warriors will likely resist calls to make their new haka a regular part of their NRL game preparation.
By Grant Chapman of RNZ
Spearheaded by co-captain James Fisher-Harris, the Auckland side unveiled their specially composed pre-game ritual for the first time before last week's stunning win over competition leaders Penrith Panthers in "Indigenous Round".
The performance of Nga Tamatoa captured the imagination of rugby league fans on both sides of the Tasman, with some Australian commentators advocating it should be repeated as often as possible, not just for the annual celebration of cultures.
"When the time is right, not just for me, but the whole team," Fisher-Harris insisted. "It was necessary for Indigenous Round, but you never know... we'll see.
"I've had a bit of time to reflect on it now and it was amazing, a special moment. We have cultural advisers and this has been in the works for a long time now, but we've never really pushed it as hard.
"I feel like, with this group, we've been able to put it together and the boys have been brave enough to perform it on the field. It's a testament to how close everyone is, and the connection we have as players and coaches, and actually the whole club to be honest."
In sporting folklore, the haka has become synonymous with the All Blacks, who perform one – either the traditional Kamate version or their own Kapo O Pango – before every encounter.
Other national teams – but not all – have also embraced a haka as part of their gameday build-up, while Super Rugby sides tend to save theirs for rare international fixtures against touring teams.
Some Olympic campaigns have been criticised for devaluing the haka by overperforming it, and players have been very protective of outside influences trying to dictate when, where and if the haka takes place.
Occasionally, the All Blacks have had to perform the haka under the grandstand for their own benefit, when host nations have refused to accommodate it in their pre-game run sheet.
Any attempt to mandate the haka is unlikely to succeed.
"You'll probably see it for milestones, when players leave or play 200 games," coach Andrew Webster said.
"You'll see players get more confident with it, but it's not something we'll do like the All Blacks at every test match.
"It has a place and time, because it's special and it should be used at those times, but things are always evolving. If we were to make a grand final, I don't see us rolling it out, but I'm learning around this stuff all the time and I don't have it all figured out."
Ultimately, that decision would come back to the players, who are the guardians of the haka.
Another factor to consider is how the team respond to such an emotional outpouring immediately before kick-off.
Against Penrith, the Warriors roared out to an 18-0 halftime lead and were next to score after the break – one of their best starts all season.
They led 22-0 at half-time against Gold Coast Titans in April and by the same scoreline against Brisbane Broncos at "Magic Round". They also jumped out to a 14-0 advantage after 16 minutes against Wests Tigers last month.
"I thought it helped," Webster reflected on the haka's influence. "It helped the connection.
"I've been involved with Samoa and Tonga at rep level, and I've seen the build-up all week and how they practice it - nervous, anxious people, sweaty hands and showing a lot of vulnerability, because they don't want to get it wrong.
"I've seen maybe a little bit of distraction going into the game, but I think the best part with our boys was they rehearsed it at the right times, going into training, so they knew when they hit the field, there was a reset button straight after.
"Plenty of people have told me you can come straight out of the haka and get the first 10 minutes wrong.
"Did it play a part? I thought it did, but the main thing was what the boys did after."
Fisher-Harris admitted reconnecting with his Māori heritage was a major driver to him returning home to join the Warriors, and he prepared his teammates for what they would feel during and after the haka.
"It can go a lot of different ways," the NZ Kiwis captain said. "It can put you off your game and it can hype you up for a game, so it just depends how you use it.
"I've experienced both sides, but we did it right."
While it worked a treat this time, Fisher-Harris insisted the Warriors must find other ways to inspire the same explosive start to games at the business end of the season.
"We've spoken about that this week," he said. "There's a lot to play for, a lot of motivation.
"We were obviously hyped up from the haka and Indigenous Round, representing our heritage, but you can't just replicate it - you have to find something else.
"You just have to get better each week and be more consistent, have the same energy, but different drive."
There's still a lot of water to pass under the bridge before we even start talking about a grand final, but if the Warriors made it that far, could we expect to see the haka again?
"I don't know, man, we'll have to see."
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