Kiwi Rugby Stars Dominating the NRL Finals: A Closer Look at the Players
Every NRL finals team has a Kiwi in their ranks for this weekend’s playoffs – with 34 New Zealanders or Kiwis-eligible players set to feature.
That’s not surprising given 45 per cent of NRL players identify as Māori or Pasifika.
The Warriors are, naturally, the most Kiwi-crammed team with nine New Zealand-born men and another ex-Kiwi in their ranks. Their qualifying finals rivals, the Penrith Panthers, have four New Zealanders in their matchday 17 for Saturdays clash.
The Roosters, Sharks and Raiders also have four Kiwis, while Craig Bellamy has long valued Kiwis at the Melbourne Storm, and his 2023 team has three.
The Newcastle Knights have three Kiwis and the Broncos boast two.
The Warriors’ rise to the playoffs means the number of Kiwis involved in the finals series is up 10 on last year’s tally of 24.
So Kiwis coach Michael Maguire will have a twin focus this weekend – helping the Canberra Raiders, where he is Ricky Stuart’s right-hand man, try to topple the red-hot Knights in Newcastle and running the rule over test team contenders.
The NRL Kiwis list doesn’t include two superstar fullbacks with Māori parents – Brisbane’s Reece Walsh and Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga – because they are nailed-on Australia-eligible Queensland State of Origin representatives.
Nor does it feature Tonga-born Storm forward Eliesa Katoa, who came to Auckland on a rugby union scholarship in 2017 and played for the Warriors for three seasons.
But there is still the equivalent of two squads.
KIWIS IN THE NRL FINALS
Warriors (10)
Dally M Medal contender Shaun Johnson, boom fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, try-scoring machine Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and second rower Marata Niukuore were in the Kiwis’ World Cup squad. The ‘locals list’ also includes captain and ex-Kiwi Tohu Harris, centres Rocco Berry and Adam Pompey, standoff Te Maire Martin and interchange man Jazz Tevaga.
Our list does feature the NRL’s form forward Addin Fonua-Blake, who, while born in Australia, has New Zealand heritage and played for the Kiwis in 2017 before linking with Mate Ma’a Tonga.
Panthers (4)
Teak-tough forwards James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota and Scott Sorensen were Kiwis at the World Cup, while interchange middle forward Spencer Leniu was born in Auckland, but grew up in Sydney and has represented Samoa and is close to New South Wales State of Origin selection.
All four are bidding to win a third consecutive NRL title and make the Panthers’ one of the game’s most formidable packs.
Roosters (4)
The Sydneysiders got a major boost this week when Kiwis World Cup star Joey Manu was cleared to play against the Sharks.
A back-to-back NRL champion in 2018 and 2019, Manu is joined on the Roosters roster by Kiwis hooker Brandon Smith, in his first season in the Bondi Beach boondocks after his switch from the Storm where he was a NRL winner in 2020.
Wing Fetalaiga Junior Pauga was a New Zealand secondary schools representative from Auckland and a Junior Warrior before playing Queensland Cup for Wynnum Manly ahead of his NRL breakthrough with Wests Tigers. He joined the Roosters this year.
The Roosters should have had a fourth Kiwi, but veteran prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves received a 7 week ban, ruling him out of the finals and the end-of-year test series.
Raiders (4)
There’s a striking Anzac memorial in Australia’s national capital, and there should be one at Bruce Stadium too, given the signal service by New Zealanders to Raiders rosters down the years, dating back to Brent Todd, Johnny Lomax, Quentin Pongia and Ruben Wiki.
Ricky Stuart can call on Kiwis outside back Jordan Rapana and frontrower Joseph Tapine, two key members of Maguire’s World Cup squad.
It may be a bit of stretch to claim Pasami Saulo as a Kiwi given he was born at Lake Macquarie, but the 25-year-old prop has represented the Māori All Stars.
Centre Matthew Timoko is also poised for a Kiwis call-up this year after a successful second season in the NRL.
Kiwis test back Sebastian Kris is out of the finals series after a ban for a spear tackle.
The Raiders also have Wellington-raised ex-Kiwis rake Danny Levi as a back-up if either matchday hooker, Zac Woolford or Tom Starling, pull up lame.
Sharks (4)
Dual Samoa-Kiwis international Braden Hamlin-Uele played his junior years in Auckland before the Roosters lured him to Sydney to play for their SG Ball side a decade ago.
After one game for the Cowboys in 2017, he joined the Sharks a year later and has become the cornerstone of the Cronulla pack. Saturday’s Roosters rumble will be his 100th NRL match.
Both Sharks wings are New Zealand-born. Kiwis World Cup winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has been scoring tries for fun for the Sharks since 2019 while Sione Katoa, a Tonga international who grew up playing rugby union in Wellington, has averaged one try every two games in 2023.
Bay of Plenty-born edge forward Briton Nikora is in his sixth season at the Sharks and deputised at centre for the Kiwis at the World Cup.
Storm (3)
There’s been a Kiwi presence at the Storm ever since their inception in 1998, stretching back to Tawera Nikau, Matt Rua and Richard Swain.
Middle forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona – dubbed by one Australian media outlet this week – as the NRL’s biggest human – was a grand final winner in 2017 and 2020 and leads the Storm charge again this year.
Kiwis scrumhalf Jahrome Hughes, part of the 2020 champion team, is now established as one of the NRL’s slickest playmakers.
It’s been a dream debut year for Will Warbrick, the former All Black sevens rugby union player, who has scored 16 tries in 22 appearances and has clinched his place on the wing for Friday night’s visit to the second-ranked Broncos.
Knights (3)
Phoenix Crossland’s Kiwi connections are not that well-known, but the Newcastle dummy half was born in Wellington before moving to the Hunter Valley capital with his family as a nipper.
Maguire might make a bee-line for Crossland after Sunday’s game at a sold-out McDonald Jones Stadium as the 23-year-old could appeal as cover for Kiwis hooker Brandon Smith with the Dolphins’ Jeremy Marshall-King on the casualty list.
Wing Greg Marzhew, another Knight having a breakout season, was born in Auckland and moved to Melbourne as a teenager.
Leo Thompson, who can play in the middle or the edge, hails from Muriwai, near Gisborne. His identical twin brother, Tyrone, is the Hawke’s Bay NPC team’s hooker.
Broncos (2)
Raglan-born, Christchurch-raised Jordan Riki played junior footy for Hornby before venturing over the ditch to join the Broncos.
He’s established himself in Kevin Walters’ impressive young side, scoring five tries in 19 matches this season.
A three-time Māori All Stars representative, it would be a major coup if Maguire could secure him for the Kiwis.
Broncos wing Jesse Arthars was also a Māori All Star this year.
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