The Kiwis won the Four Nations last year and while their main rival the Kangaroos were well under par, missing more than a few players, it's hard to ignore the talent the Kiwis have. There's more kiwi kids doing their thing in the Holden Cup than ever (think we might have to have a look at that) and not only are there kiwi players in pretty much every NRL side, but the quality of these players has risen dramatically as you would expect.

Along with our weekly look at the stocks of kiwi players in the NRL, they rise and fall on a sporadic basis, we'll check in a few times this season with our Kiwis 17. There is a Test coming up in a few weeks but this isn't a prediction of that squad selection, this is just the best 17 I can put together right now. And I'm pretty happy with this group, there's multiple players who are top 5 in their position let alone the very best and naturally, we've got a group who will put on an entertaining 80 minutes. It's a beautiful thing to see our rugby league side get to this point.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck - Only Matt Moylan can really compete with RTS in the young fullback stakes, he's showing that the time he spent at fullback last season as he'd swap with Anthony Minichello mid-game has done him wonders. His footwork and power running with the ball has always been smacking you in the face but his ball playing and ability to pick the right pass to hit the right man has come along well. That's the best aspect about the play of RTS, he has demonstrated the ability to keep developing his game, learning new skills and systems while also being able to put them into action when teams are targeting him because he's so damn good. I love him.

Peta Hiku - You can watch RTS and clearly note that he's going to be super difficult to handle, but Hiku creeps up on you. He's not overly big, he's not lightning but he's quick enough and let's be honest, he doesn't look like a gym rat. Hiku does damage though, in five games so far this season he has made 17 tackle breaks despite never really looking that likely, he just somehow finds a way to slither through tackles. He's earning his NRL salary as a versatile player, able to switch between the centres and wing while also playing some fullback. Hiku will be a very, very solid NRL player for a long time and he's been one of Manly's best so far this season.

Dean Whare - Penrith's form hasn't been great lately, which has come largely thanks to the loss of Jamie Soward but Whare is still deserves his Kiwis centre spot. Very light on his feet, Whare is strong as well and gets through plenty of work while not being overly weak on defence.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall - Having both Whare and SKD in the centres gives the Kiwis two attacking options on either edge who have both been playing NRL footy for a few years now. SKD has had an interesting past 18 months as he's been the man who has made room for someone else to come into the backline and has always done so without much fuss. He's played well this season, continuing his form from last year's Four Nations and he's very similar to Whare in that they are both defensively solid but can ask questions one on one in attack and simply give the winger the ball when he needs it.

Manu Vatuvei - He's still our best winger and was one of the first names I noted down. Vatuvei looks fit which i think goes hand in hand with his increased work load as we've seen him find some middle ground with his involvement. As a winger, he's got to get involved but we've always seen him carting the ball up without much imagination and now we're seeing him sniffing around offloads as well as getting more hit ups where he runs into two players instead of five. It's an NRL trend to have wingers floating across the field a bit more and this is benefiting the beast greatly.

Kieran Foran - While not really showing us the classic Foran type of effort and plays that we love, he's still our best option in the halves.

Shaun Johnson - Similar to Foran, we haven't seen the best of Johnson but the Four Nations should serve as a reminder as to how to best use Johnson. He's at his best with attacking freedom instead of fans expecting him to do everything - control a game and razzle dazzle. That combo with Foran is perfect and I think with Chad Townsend warming to the task with the Warriors that we'll see Johnson play with more freedom and less expectations.

Jesse Bromwich - My scientific look at the NRL's best props resulted in Bromwich being named as the bestest, so he's got to be here. Offloads, late footwork and a big motor will serve the Kiwis well for a long time and his style perfectly compliments the other forwards that we have.

Isaac Luke - Our best hooker by far and his ability to dominate the middle of the field with his running game will allow these forwards to rip through with quick play the balls. The thought of watching Luke play with Bromwich and Jason Taumalolo for a many years to come has me drooling and it seems like a combination sent from the heavens so here's hoping injuries and suspension stay away whenever a Test match is on the horizon.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves - Ok, I lied, the form of JWH hasn't been great but for mine he is the best prop for this team. He's rough, rugged, ruthless and always willing to get through plenty of work but doesn't quite have the same skill and subtle play of Bromwich. Having JWH there to dominate all his physical battles will give the Kiwis the tough edge they need to build on and earn the right to play some funky footy.

Kevin Proctor - I reckon Proctor slips under the radar of a few kiwi fans, but he's shown over the past three years or so that he is a more than capable NRL edge back rower. He's big, athletic and makes good decisions which is exactly what you want and he deserves the starting spot with the Kiwis, he also deserves the opportunity to play 80 minutes which is key to our rotation here.

Tohu Harris - Obviously this is very similar to Proctor as Harris has slid under the radar a bit but is an absolute gun. For such a big human, Harris has the touch of a half and adds a bit of ball playing out on the left edge which will give the Kiwis plenty of options with Johnson, Foran and RTS all in the mix, hovering around Harris. He's one of my favourite young kiwi players and will be a staple of the side in years to come.

Simon Mannering - Having Harris and Proctor on the edges will allow Mannering to battle it out in the middle of the field which is a great spot for him. He has the motor and the size to hold his own through the middle with his leadership also able to shine. The defence is a bit easier in the middle, but there's more of it and with a few simple attacking set ups, Mannering's job will be a simple one, but one that he will do perfectly.

El Bencho

Elijah Taylor - With his work ethic and skill, Taylor has to be in the side somewhere with his best spot being right here on the bench. He can cover a range of positions but can do them all to a very high standard while also able to do a bit of ball playing and keeping the flow of the Kiwi's attack going.

Martin Taupau - All action, keep it simply for him and give him 15 minutes each half to go bonkers. Only Jason Taumalolo can rival Taupau with speed and footwork which will give this Kiwis side a rather intense impact off the bench.

Ben Matulino - I could have started with Matulino as he's been playing better than JWH, but Matulino can come on and really give the Kiwis a boost. He will look to offload which will work well with Bromwich and with a little less game time he should be able to cause some damage up the guts. Can jump out on the edge as well if he wants to.

Jason Taumalolo - The Kiwis have always struggled to find the balance of grit in the forwards and going all out in attack. Having Taumalolo, Matulino and Taupau come off the bench will give the side a huge boost around the 25 minute mark and allow them to amp up their attack, their go forward and intensity when the opposition brings on their bench. Taumalolo is one of the best forwards in the NRL and his footwork through the middle is nearly impossible for any side to handle. Size, footwork, skill and power is what this Kiwis side will be built on.