He’s one of the shyest and most-reserved players in the NRL but Manly back-rower Haumole Olakau'atu is aware that with a greater pay packet comes greater responsibility.
The softly-spoken Tonga international signed an eight-year deal worth a reported $7 million late last year after his stellar 2023 campaign thrust him into the selection debate for the NSW State of Origin side.
Olakau'atu, who will start in the back row for the Sea Eagles’ season opener in Las Vegas against South Sydney, prefers to fly under the radar and his use of words is economical.
But after penning his rich contract and being elevated into the club’s leadership group, the 25-year-old knows he has to find his voice if Manly are to return to the finals in 2024.
"I’m not really that type of guy who’s talking in meetings and that," Olakau'atu told AAP.
"Being new in that leadership group, I’m going to listen and I want to take things out from Jake and Tom (Trbojevic) and Daly (Cherry-Evans) and apply it into my everyday life.
"I want to be that leader the younger boys look up to and be a good who leads by my actions.
"We have a lot of Pacific Islander boys and it’s good to stand up and lead them, be that older brother for them."
Olakau'atu is also aware that with an increased presence within the Sea Eagles dressing room and new NSW coach Michael Maguire watching him closely, he can ill-afford to have an off day.
The second-rower has shown the ability to be one of the most devastating ball-runners in the competition but knows there are times where he was unable to reach those heights consistently.
"I think we were kind of vulnerable as a team last season because our main players were out," Olakau'atu said.
"I think that played with a few of the boys’ heads and that was the main thing that let us down last year.
"We’ve trained on that specific thing on the field to make sure those things don’t get into our heads, to have that confidence that we can play the best we can."
