Aotearoa continues to churn out fabulous Kiwi-NRL prospects with Keano Kini (Northcote) and Karl Oloapu (Randwick) sharing the Langer Trophy Justin Hodges Player of the Year Award. This award is basically for the best schoolboy player in Queensland and after Deine Mariner (Marist) Queensland junior footy last year, the two lads sharing the award this year are Kiwi-NRL juniors.

Kini left Auckland to attend Palm Beach Currumbin High School as well as entering the Gold Coast Titans system. Kini's speed and instincts have seen him shine at fullback, while also dabbling in halves mahi. Mariner played alongside Kini at PBC last year and Waikato's Xavier Willison (WaiCoa-Bay) also left Aotearoa to enter PBC, although Kini is linked with Titans while Mariner and Willison have climbed through the Broncos system to play NRL.

Titans recently announced that Vaka Sikahele (Manurewa) and Immanuel Kalekale (Glenora) will be training with the NRL squad this summer. Emry Pere (Taniwharau) has also shifted from Cowboys to Titans, while Isaac Matalavea-Booth (Manurewa) went through the productive South-East Queensland Kiwi-NRL pipeline and has now let Titans for Bulldogs.

Kini could pop up for Titans NRL training this summer, although he will probably require more game time against blokes before making that leap. Titans have ample fullback/play-making depth as well and Kini's progress next season will be a major Kiwi-NRL wrinkle to track. Titans have Kiwi-NRL juniors throughout their system and along with Kini, many more lads from Aotearoa will pop up in various squads over the coming months.

Emerging in Aotearoa with an NZRL Under 15 Player of the Tournament nod and Aotearoa Under 16 Residents selection, Kini followed the same path as Mariner and Willison in being recruited from Aotearoa grassroots footy. There is less information about Oloapu in Wellington apart from him being a Randwick junior. Kini and Oloapu both appear in lovely Aotearoa primary school yarns...

This yarn features a young Kini spending time with Ruben Wiki at Malborough Primary School.

This yarn features a young Oloapu at an interesting school concept 'Akoranga o Naenae'.

Oloapau also appears here doing haka at a primary school fundraiser.

Oloapu seems to have dabbled in Gold Coast Titans junior footy before appearing with Redcliffe Dolphins last year, then Norths Devils this year. Oloapu has been at Wavell State High School and this is another notable school in Queensland for Kiwi-NRL juniors, along with Marsden State High School and the Gold Coast schools (PBC/Keebra Park).

Playing in the halves and lock, Oloapu recently popped up in the news as Redcliffe are trying to snare him away from Broncos. Given that Redcliffe used to be a feeder club for Broncos, this is a bit niggly and Oloapu's shift from Redcliffe to Norths probably signalled his Broncos status.

Despite Oloapu appearing to move to Queensland and then being scouted by Broncos, the trend of Broncos embracing Kiwi-NRL talent continues. Mariner, Willison, TC Robati (Porirua) and Jordan Riki (Hornby) are fabulous examples of this. It's also worth noting that Nathaniel Tangimataiti (Ellerslie) is in the Broncos system and started in the Mal Meninga Cup (U18) final for Souths Logan, alongside Tre Fotu (Marist) and Te Hurinui Twidle (Turangawaewae); Fotu now joins Sharks.

The Fa'atili brothers (Caius, Felix - Hornby) have also been in the Broncos system via Wynnum and where they pop up this summer is intriguing. Broncos love elite Kiwi-NRL juniors and they continue to bolster their junior stocks with Aotearoa youngsters. There is also a funky Redcliffe wrinkle (even though Oloapu is likely to stick with Broncos) as almost half of Redcliffe's NRL squad is from Aotearoa…

Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich (Manurewa), Herman Ese'ese (Mangere East), Poasa Fa'amausili (Glenora), Jamayne Isaako (Aranui), Isaiya Katoa (Wellington), Connelly Lemuelu (Papatoetoe RU), Jeremy Marshall-King (Whakatane), Kodi Nikorima (Burnham), Valynce Te Whare (Waikato RU), Setu Tu (Otahuhu).

Join the Niche Cache Patreon whanau to support our kiwi sports content straight up, get a karma boost and find extra podcasts.

Every Monday and Friday we fire off an email newsletter with bonus content. Sign up here!

Peace and love.