Manly’s Jazz Tevaga has conquered the surfboard now his sights are set on revving his NRL career on Australian soil

What’s rougher than the streets of south Auckland? The Dee Why swell – at least for former New Zealand forward Jazz Tevaga, who wants to conquer the surfboard and the NRL on Australian soil.

The streets of south Auckland are tough but it turns out the swell at Dee Why beach is tougher, at least it is for former New Zealand Warriors forward Jazz Tevaga.

Keen to become a true northern beaches local, Tevaga hit the surf as soon as landed at the Sea Eagles ahead of his first ever NRL pre-season on Australian soil.

He’d never tried to surf but thought ‘how hard could it be?’

Tevaga was after all the “mischievous” teen that had survived the mean streets of south Auckland to emerge as hard-nosed middle forward for the Warriors.

“I did give surfing a crack when I first got here … I probably won’t give it another crack. It’s tougher than South Auckland,” Tevaga laughed.

“But to be honest, I’d be keen to learn how to surf but I need to find the time for lessons. I went down to the URBNSURF with the All Stars the other week, and I almost drowned like Jarome Luai.

“I couldn’t stand up on a board to save my life.”

Except Tevaga did conquer that board only 24 hours after sitting down with this masthead at a Sea Eagles team surf lesson at Manly beach.

Now Tevaga is focused on standing up as a key cog in Anthony Seibold’s engine room in 2025.

Jazz Tevaga is getting the hang of the surfboard since moving to the northern beaches. Picture: Manly media

It could be the difference in Tevaga, who is unsigned beyond this year, finding the extra time needed to get those surf lessons.

“I’m hoping there is something there at the end of the year. I love the coaching staff, all the boys. For sure, I’d love to stay. I don’t want to have to move away,” Tevaga said.

“It’s been a good lifestyle change for my little family. It’s very different from south Auckland that’s for sure, it’s a lot nicer.

“We are two minutes from the beach now. Most mornings we go down there, have a coffee and jump into the water. I just feel a lot happier here.”

Tevaga admitted his career had “plateaued” at the Warriors and needed a change.

He wanted to revive his NRL career and the Samoan and Maori All Stars representative has extra reason to do so, his two young daughters Malia, 1, and Etta, who turn three in June.

“I needed to get out of my comfort zone,” Tevaga said.

Tevaga admits his career had ‘plateaued’ at the Warriors and he needed a change. Picture: Getty Images

“I needed a change if I wanted to finish my career on a high. My career was at a stand still, I needed the change.

“Kids puts things into perspective, there’s bigger things to worry about than sulking about a bad day at training.

“To them, they don’t care if you’ve had a bad day or not, they just want their dad.

“I have another daughter Etta in the U.K, I’m missing her.

“They’ve really softened me up for real my girls.”

After 138 games and nine seasons at the Warriors, Tevaga was told coach Andrew Webster wanted to prioritise the club’s crop of rising forwards.

“They told me they had to try and keep the young fellas coming through but also said if I couldn’t find another contract, there was a minimum deal there. I was so grateful for that,” Tevaga said.

Tevaga seriously considered moving to England to be closer to his oldest daughter, before Seibold swooped in to sign the 29-year old.

While Tevaga is happy to fill in at hooker for Manly, his has his eyes on Jake Trbojevic’s No.13 jersey. Picture: NRL Photos

“I was looking at going to the U.K. and there were a few talks with other NRL clubs but nothing was set in stone.” Tevaga said. “But Manly, had a contract there for one year, and I thought ‘stuff it, why not back myself and see where it takes me’.

“If it does work out, I can head to the U.K. but I felt like I have had a really good pre-season and stamped my mark on the team.”

Seibold named Tevaga to start at hooker for Manly’s trial but the Kiwi did not take the field last weekend after travelling back home to attend the funeral of close friend and former Warriors teammate Roman Tuhimata.

There is a view that Seibold will use Tevaga at hooker in round 1 against North Queensland but shift the forward into the middle in a lock rotation with veteran Jake Trbojevic.

Tevaga told this masthead he is comfortable lining up at dummy half but prefers to be in the no. 13 jumper.

“I only started playing hooker when I came through the junior Warriors. At the time they said I was too small to be a lock. But a locks these days don’t have to be that big.

“I’ll fill in that hooker role when the team needs me too, but I prefer No.13.”