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Jake Wetere to lead the Red Machine

One for the historians - has a player ever captained Marist St Pats on their Premier debut for the club? If not, we may be in for a first this weekend.

Premier Men’s head coach Jason Adamson has named Jake Wetere as his captain for 2025, with club stalwart Isaia Petelo named vice captain.

The captain’s armband would always find a new owner this year with 2024 captain Milan Kriletich returning to Auckland on completion of his studies. Milan had a stellar 2024 season and led the team with pride, we wish him all the best.

While Evans Bay Park may be new surrounding for Jake Wetere, Marist rugby and leadership are familiar to him. The front rower won four championships with Nelson Marist between 2018 and 2023 and captained the side in his final season with the club. He has also captained the Nelson Bays representative team and Tasman Mako B.

We caught up with Jake to help introduce him to the Evans Bay faithful ahead of the season opener against Poneke at Evans Bay Park this Saturday.

Outside rugby, inspired by the work ethic of his parents, Jake has pursued an impressive career in the construction industry. Having already studied Architectural Drafting and working as a Quantity Surveyor and Operations Manager, he is further extending his skillset by completing his building apprenticeship. If that wasn’t enough, he launched his own contracting business last year providing estimation, building and architectural services.

We asked Jake how he felt about taking on the captaincy in his first season at Marist St Pats:

‘It’s a huge honour to be given the opportunity to captain Marist St Pats, especially on my club debut. Marist St Pats has a proud history and a strong rugby culture, so to be entrusted with this role is something I don’t take lightly. While it’s a new environment for me, I’m excited to contribute my experience and leadership to the team. My focus will be on leading by example, building strong connections with the players, and upholding the standards and traditions of the club. I’m looking forward to the challenge and hopefully making a positive impact both on and off the field.’

Jake will have great support around him on the park, including from his vice-captain, Isaia Petelo, who returns from a season off for surgery in close pursuit of his 200th premier cap. This experience will be invaluable to Jake and the team.

‘Isaia and I connected early in preseason and I have a lot of respect for him as both a player and a leader. With almost 200 games for MSP, he’s a true club man who brings invaluable experience. Beyond that, he’s a powerful ball carrier and a calm, influential presence on the field. Having him as vice captain is a huge asset, and I know we’ll be able to bounce key ideas off each other, especially in the tough moments.’

Jake has been a constant figure from the start of our offseason programme in October and has seen the squad build it’s culture and relationships with a number of new faces.

‘Preseason has been incredibly challenging but also extremely rewarding. The hard work we’ve put in has given us a strong foundation and a head start on other clubs. Jason and the entire management team have gone above and beyond to ensure we are well prepared for the season ahead. Their leadership and support have been instrumental in helping us connect as a group and build a strong team culture.

What I’m looking forward to most this season is seeing all that hard work pay off on the field. I’m excited to compete alongside my teammates, embrace the challenges ahead, and represent Marist St Pats with pride. It’s going to be a great season, and I can’t wait to get started.’

While his focus is firmly on the club season ahead, Jake is clearly an ambitious individual. Alongside his goals for leading Marist St Pats, he is open about his push to earn a spot in the Wellington Lions. That goal was the driver for making the move to Wellington and committed to proving himself at the highest level.

The final words from Jake for this article were a strong desire to express his gratitude to Jason and his family for their incredible support in helping me transition to Wellington.

‘Their generosity and guidance have made a huge difference in settling into a new environment and pursuing my goal of playing NPC. I’m truly grateful for everything they’ve done to help me take this next step in my rugby journey.’

Connect with Marist St Pats in 2025:

Jake Wetere to lead the Red Machine

One for the historians - has a player ever captained Marist St Pats on their Premier debut for the club? If not, we may be in for a first this weekend.

Premier Men’s head coach Jason Adamson has named Jake Wetere as his captain for 2025, with club stalwart Isaia Petelo named vice captain.

The captain’s armband would always find a new owner this year with 2024 captain Milan Kriletich returning to Auckland on completion of his studies. Milan had a stellar 2024 season and led the team with pride, we wish him all the best.

While Evans Bay Park may be new surrounding for Jake Wetere, Marist rugby and leadership are familiar to him. The front rower won four championships with Nelson Marist between 2018 and 2023 and captained the side in his final season with the club. He has also captained the Nelson Bays representative team and Tasman Mako B.

We caught up with Jake to help introduce him to the Evans Bay faithful ahead of the season opener against Poneke at Evans Bay Park this Saturday.

Outside rugby, inspired by the work ethic of his parents, Jake has pursued an impressive career in the construction industry. Having already studied Architectural Drafting and working as a Quantity Surveyor and Operations Manager, he is further extending his skillset by completing his building apprenticeship. If that wasn’t enough, he launched his own contracting business last year providing estimation, building and architectural services.

We asked Jake how he felt about taking on the captaincy in his first season at Marist St Pats:

‘It’s a huge honour to be given the opportunity to captain Marist St Pats, especially on my club debut. Marist St Pats has a proud history and a strong rugby culture, so to be entrusted with this role is something I don’t take lightly. While it’s a new environment for me, I’m excited to contribute my experience and leadership to the team. My focus will be on leading by example, building strong connections with the players, and upholding the standards and traditions of the club. I’m looking forward to the challenge and hopefully making a positive impact both on and off the field.’

Jake will have great support around him on the park, including from his vice-captain, Isaia Petelo, who returns from a season off for surgery in close pursuit of his 200th premier cap. This experience will be invaluable to Jake and the team.

‘Isaia and I connected early in preseason and I have a lot of respect for him as both a player and a leader. With almost 200 games for MSP, he’s a true club man who brings invaluable experience. Beyond that, he’s a powerful ball carrier and a calm, influential presence on the field. Having him as vice captain is a huge asset, and I know we’ll be able to bounce key ideas off each other, especially in the tough moments.’

Jake has been a constant figure from the start of our offseason programme in October and has seen the squad build it’s culture and relationships with a number of new faces.

‘Preseason has been incredibly challenging but also extremely rewarding. The hard work we’ve put in has given us a strong foundation and a head start on other clubs. Jason and the entire management team have gone above and beyond to ensure we are well prepared for the season ahead. Their leadership and support have been instrumental in helping us connect as a group and build a strong team culture.

What I’m looking forward to most this season is seeing all that hard work pay off on the field. I’m excited to compete alongside my teammates, embrace the challenges ahead, and represent Marist St Pats with pride. It’s going to be a great season, and I can’t wait to get started.’

While his focus is firmly on the club season ahead, Jake is clearly an ambitious individual. Alongside his goals for leading Marist St Pats, he is open about his push to earn a spot in the Wellington Lions. That goal was the driver for making the move to Wellington and committed to proving himself at the highest level.

The final words from Jake for this article were a strong desire to express his gratitude to Jason and his family for their incredible support in helping me transition to Wellington.

‘Their generosity and guidance have made a huge difference in settling into a new environment and pursuing my goal of playing NPC. I’m truly grateful for everything they’ve done to help me take this next step in my rugby journey.’

Connect with Marist St Pats in 2025:

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