Spring Internationals: Kiwi Ferns vs Jillaroos Preview
After a quick squizz at the Aotearoa Kiwi Ferns team named by coach Kelvin Wright, I was left pondering how so much premier kiwi rugby league talent was squeezed into a team of 17. This Ferns team named is hectic, so hectic that there are a few weird selections based from what we see in the inaugural NRL Women's competition and instead of being cautious about those weird selections; they have me fizzing to see this Ferns team in action.
The bulk of the Premiership winning Brisbane Broncos team is named, headlined by Maitua Feterika starting at centre and Ngatokotoru Arakua starting as a middle forward. Karley Te Kawa's selection on the wing and Teuila Fotu-Moala starting on an edge make complete sense as that's where they played throughout the NRLW for Brisbane, while Feterika and Arakua had to be selected and this forced Wright to get funky.
Feterika starts at centre, along with Honey Hireme. That's a centre pairing which I suspect will be lethal against Australia and after Feterika spent the bulk of NRLW as an edge forward, she bumps out one spot wider to allow Onjeurlina Leiataua from the Warriors to start on an edge. Adding to the intrigue is that Leiataua played centre and edge forward for the Warriors, resulting in me being eager to see where Feterika and Leiataua actually line up.
Either way, the size and power in the centre and edge forward duos is borderline crazy. Arakua will lead the way through the middle after cracking the NRLW Team of the Week in all three rounds of NRLW footy. These block-busting performances came off the bench for the Broncos; Arakua made TotW in all three rounds from the bench and won a starting spot for Aotearoa via her performances off the bench for Broncos.
Annetta-Claudia Nuuausala is back, having missed most of NRLW through injury. Her absence hindered the Warriors performances and her Warriors comrade Aieshaleigh Smalley starts alongside Arakua, with Nuuausala coming off the bench. Such oomph through the middle is balanced with Laura Mariu starting in #13, with Mariu playing in the halves for Warriors and now adding her physicality to the Kiwi Ferns middle.
Mariu's skill and mobility is what to watch out for in this position though as she will play a key role in shifting the footy for the Ferns. Aotearoa has the big boppers, they have a skillful middle forward as well and with the dynamic running of Nita Maynard starting at hooker; all bases are covered.
Raecene McGregor and Kimiora Nati are the halves combination, as they were for the World Cup Final last year. Dragons half McGregor and MVP of the Grand Final for the Broncos Nati, already have a combination together and with Apii Nicholls-Pualau and such established combos are vital at this level. Mariu started at lock in the World Cup as well, so all the main play-makers already share chemistry and this could quickly be on display if Aotearoa can win the ruck, playing high tempo footy.
Having followed NRLW closely, this Kiwi Ferns team resembles a bit of an All Star cast from NRLW. Australia will be favourites as they always are and Aotearoa will need to be sharp defensively to stop Jillaroos halves duo Ali Brigginshaw and Zahara Temara, who will pull the strings and rely more on fullback Chelsea Baker and hooker Brittany Breayley to provide speed, footwork and x-factor.
That play-making core is Australia's strength and they'll be keen to work Aotearoa over, moving the big bodies of the Kiwi Ferns around. This Ferns team is however, stacked with talent and confidence after a strong campaign from the #KiwiNRL wahine in NRLW. There is a fair chance that the Kiwi Ferns will show how beneficial NRLW is to women's rugby league in Aotearoa in a slick performance, a successful performance against the Jillaroos.
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Peace and love 27.