This week the #KiwiNRL Notebook turns the focus on the reserve grade grand finals in Queensland and New South Wales, both of which featured an abundance of #KiwiNRL funk. In Queensland, Redcliffe Dolphins defeated Easts Tigers and the Dolphins will now take on Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs who defeated Newtown Jets in Sydney.

As one of Melbourne Storm's feeder clubs up in Queensland, Easts had a strong group of reserve grade kiwis. Albert Vete started in the middle after making a mid-season shift from Aotearoa Warriors to the Storm, while Sam Kasiano came off the bench as well; both Kasiano and Vete played for the Storm this year.

Easts also had Kelma Tuilagi coming off the bench, fresh off of being named in the Junior Kiwis wider squad. Tuilagi is another middle forward who played in the Storm's trial game vs Warriors earlier this year in Rotorua and he was also selected in the Aotearoa Under 18s team who played against Australian Schoolboys last year. Hayze Perham (Warriors), Mawene Hiroti (Rabbitohs), Paul Turner (Warriors), Sean Mullany (Cowboys), Jaxson Paulo (Titans), Jordan Riki (Broncos), Darius Farmer (Titans), Tyler Slade (Warriors), Peter Hola (Cowboys) and Steven Marsters (Dragons) are also backing up from NZ U18s to Junior Kiwis wider squad.

This means that Tuilagi played in a reserve grade final, while still being eligible for Junior Kiwis and he's around that Storm NRL squad mix as well.

Former Storm squad member Jeremy Hawkins left the Storm to join Redcliffe and started on the wing for the Dolphins in the final. Hawkins was joined by James Taylor, a former Junior Warrior who came off the bench to play through the middle.

In New South Wales, the rise of a couple #KiwiNRL Bulldogs ensured that the reserve grade Bulldogs were stacked with quality for their grand final win. Fa'amanu Brown, Renouf To'omaga, Francis Tualau, Ofahiki Ogden and Greg Eastwood all tasted NRL footy this season and formed an experienced core to lead the Doggies to victory.

To'omaga (Porirua Vikings, Wellington) and Mangere East Hawks junior Tualau started in the middle, with another Mangere East junior Ofahiki Ogden starting on an edge. Ogden flourished in through the middle since making his NRL debut and along with kiwi veteran Greg Eastwood (Manurewa Marlins), they took their strong late-season NRL form into reserve grade finals.

The Bulldogs also had Morgan Harper in the centres, after he was named in the Junior Kiwis wider squad. Harper made NZ U18s in 2016 and having already palyed for Ngaruawahia Panthers premier side, which won the 2016 Waikato first division title, Harper then got snapped up by the Bulldogs. Tall and lean, Harper resembles Reimis Smith who is a former Junior Kiwi and settled into NRL footy this season on the wing.

Newtown Jets are the feeder club for Cronulla Sharks, giving them the services of Sione Katoa, Ava Seumanufagai, Briton Nikora and Braden Uele. Despite the Sharks only having Sosaia Feki consistently in the #KiwiNRL mix, the presence of these four younger lads in Jets grand final team points to a low key exciting #KiwiNRL future for the Sharks.

Katoa's from Hamilton and the former Junior Kiwi made his NRL debut earlier this year, while Briton Nikora hails from Mt Maunganui and they were not only named in the Junior Kiwis squad last year, they both made the Under 20s Team of the Year in 2017. Seumanufagai and Uele linked up with Cronulla this year, with Wainuiomata Lions junior Seumanufagai moving from Wests Tigers to the Sharks and Uele (Glenora Bears/Pt Chev Pirates) moving from North Queensland Cowboys to the Sharks.

Reubenn Rennie isn't aligned with the Sharks and is signed as a Newtown Jets player, but there could be a few openings for Rennie after battling away in reserve grade for a few years. Rennie started at centre for the Jets in the grand final, having moved to Newtown from Mounties mid-season in 2017 and before that he was with the Bulldogs. Rennie made the 2012 National Secondary Schools Tournament Team at centre, playing for Howick College and was joined in that team by Tuimoala Lolohea, Toafofoa Sipley and Josh Aloiai.

We have also been graced with a NSW Super Premiership Team of the Year and if you are new to the #KiwiNRL takeover, you need not look further than the gang of reserve grade kiwis who earned TotY selection. Also notable here is the fact that all these kiwi lads are young, they aren't reserve grade battlers, they are players who are on the rise and are rising through the rank towards regular NRL footy.

NSW Super Premiership MVP for 2018 Caleb Aekins is named at fullback and as captain. Aekins hails from Northland and made his NRL debut for Penrith Panthers this season and with Dragons winger Jordan Pereira named on the wing here, Sitili Tupouniua who was named on an edge from Wyong Roos and made his NRL debut for Roosters and To'omaga, there are four #KiwiNRL players who made their NRL debuts this year in the NSW reserve grade TotY.

Patrick Herbert has been close to making his NRL debut for the Dragons this year and is named at centre, while Warriors forward Tevita Satae wins a bench spot for his robust work through the middle.

That gives us seven players in the Team of the Year, with four of the five outside back positions filled by #KiwiNRL lads. Hopefully there will be a Queensland Super Cup Team of the Year to suss out as well now that their season is finished and the next step for these reserve grade kiwis is an inter-state final, which will see Redcliffe Dolphins take on Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. The Bulldog will have far more #KiwiNRL intrigue, so get behind the Doggies.

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Peace and love 27.