Paasi channels his inner Paleaaesina

When the ball hits Agnatius Paasi on the chest from the kickoff, the Mt Smart faithful rise as one.

His now-signature loose-flying mop trails behind as the Warriors prop winds up to take it into the teeth of whatever defenders are brave enough to get in front of him.

And what’s going through the 26-yearold’s mind in the seconds before contact? – ‘‘Paleaaesina. No hand brakes’’.

Paasi rejoined the Warriors this season after three years away at the Gold Coast Titans.

Perceived pre-season as a likely rotation piece, form has seen the Tonganborn forward leap-frog the likes of Sam Lisone and Bunty Afoa into the starting prop role, along side good friend and mentor James Gavet.

In a losing effort last week against the Sharks, Paasi put in one of his best performances of the year, bringing the ball back with a ferocity rarely seen at Mt Smart since his childhood heroes hung up their boots.

‘‘Growing up my idol was [Iafeta] Paleaaesina, just no hand brakes that guy. And also Ruben Wiki. When he famously ran it at Soliola [in 2008] off the kickoff, as a young player that was just awesome to watch,’’ Paasi said.

‘‘Us Island boys we like to run it straight and those two were just unbelievable at that. That’s what I’m thinking when I bring the ball back. I have visions of one day I’ll bust straight through, step the fullback and go all the way.’’

It’s a scary sight for defenders when Paasi tucks the ball under his left arm, clenches his teeth and puts the foot down. And one his team-mates respond to.

His front row partner, Gavet, said the energy that shoots through the team after one of those signature carries was a ‘‘massive boost’’ when fatigue was setting in especially. Paasi’s work, in tandem with the likes of Afoa, allowed Gavet to better conserve his own energy, he said.

‘‘He [Paasi] really gets our team on the front foot, last year I felt like we probably lacked a bit of that, it was normally me having to come off the back fence but now I can share that work-load and better use my own energy so he has been massive for us this year,’’ he said.

Paasi has again been named to start up front in tomorrow night’s clash against the Panthers, in Sydney.