2022 Kiwi-NRL Team Power Rankings
Penrith Panthers
Sydney Roosters
Melbourne Storm
Parramatta Eels
Cronulla Sharks
Canberra Raiders
New Zealand Warriors
North Queensland Cowboys
Brisbane Broncos
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Gold Coast Titans
Manly Sea Eagles
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Newcastle Knights
Wests Tigers
St George Illawara Dragons
Penrith Panthers
Back to back NRL championships with a fine crop of Kiwi-NRL talent puts Panthers at the top of the power rankings. Panthers also won NSW Cup, Jersey Flegg and SG Ball with Kiwi-NRL lads in every pocket of success this year. There is a lovely spread of Aotearoa flavour throughout Panthers with Northland enjoying a strong presence via James Fisher-Harris, Preston Riki and Kyson Kingi. Panthers have increased their Kiwi-NRL recruitment below the NRL level and their celebrated production line of talent has strong kiwi roots. This is most evident in Daeon Amituanai climbing up the grades and most recently snaring Franics Manuleleua to plug holes in their junior pipelines.
Sydney Roosters
Can't go past Joseph Manu and Raecene McGregor winning the blokes and wahine Golden Boot awards, both as Aotearoa representatives and Roosters. The Roosters class is evident in their men's and women's teams, as well as their investment in Kiwi-NRL talent. Mya Hill-Moana has emerged as a strong wahine leader during her time with Roosters, pointing to an easy growth area for Roosters NRLW recruitment from Aotearoa. Roosters have bid farewell to Otara’s Siosiua Taukeiaho in the last two seasons, re-jiggin their Kiwi-NRL stocks around Sitili Tupouniua's growth and top-notch signings such as Brandon Smith.
Such is the Roosters investment in Kiwi-NRL talent and juniors from Aotearoa, they would be first if Panthers weren't so comprehensive in their success. Roosters always have more Kiwi-NRL juniors rising through their system and they are likely to develop Benaiah Ioelu alongside Smith, while Cassius Tia and Salesi Foketi are notable juniors to track.
Melbourne Storm
Storm have been the premier Kiwi-NRL organisation for a long time and with the departures of Smith, as well as the immense mana of the Bromwich bros, this is a Kiwi-NRL refresh. Storm will build around the Wellington duo of Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Jahrome Hughes; no other NRL organisation has such a distinct Wellington flavour. There has been a dip in how the Storm recruit juniors from Aotearoa and this has slowed down their Kiwi-NRL pipeline. That pipeline is still in action though and Will Warbrick is sniffing around a debut next season, plus Storm reached into their 1st 15 rugby baggy to recruit Dickie Terepo - who joins Christchurch's K-Ci Newton-Whare as notable Storm juniors from Aotearoa.
Parramatta Eels
Many Kiwi-NRL teams have proven development systems to find value, yet Eels do this the best. Dylan Brown is a fabulous example of this as his move from Northland to Eels quickly reaped rewards as Brown made his NRL debut at 18-years-old. Despite his age, Brown was quickly one of the best running/tackling halves in the competition and his presence makes Eels a fun Kiwi-NRL unit. Makahesi Makatoa is a low key fabulous example of Eels development as he went from second tier footy in England to being a hearty middle forward for Eels.
While Eels have lost Isaiah Papali'i and Marata Niukore, they depart for bigger contracts that stem from their development as Eels. This recipe is likely to now flow into Kiwi-NRL forwards such as Ofahiki Ogden, Wiremu Greig and Jirah Momoisea who have all joined Eels from other teams over the past two years. Daejarn Asi is likely to get an Eels development boost as well, which will be especially intriguing as he is a frisky runner who loves to whack in defence.
Eels aren't as busy as other teams in recruiting Kiwi-NRL juniors and make up for this by developing players from other teams. They have enjoyed NRL success with notable Kiwi-NRL lads, created value and have a few more lads coming through their pipeline for next season.
Cronulla Sharks
If you're seeking a fun, wholesome Kiwi-NRL team to rally behind then tap in with the Sharks. Sharks are led by Otara's Ronaldo Multialo and Glenora junior Braden Hamlin-Uele, both of whom are young leaders with plenty of development still ahead of them. Last season also saw Kayal Iro emerge from reserve grade as an exciting outside back after leaving Cook Islands to play footy in Auckland, then shifting to Cronulla. Meanwhile, Iro's father is protecting the oceans around Cook Islands and mana levels don’t get much higher than this.
Sharks also have Kiwi-NRL depth throughout their grades. Mawene Hiroti, Jensen Taumoepeau and Caleb Uele have settled in the Sharks system this year. Salesi Ata'ata has also enjoyed his time with Sharks and he is grinding with the NRL squad this summer. Many of these Kiwi-NRL lads joined Sharks in the last year or two and Sharks have quietly established themselves as a strong development hub for Kiwi-NRL juniors.
Canberra Raiders
Raiders have maintained an efficient Kiwi-NRL pipeline through a successful period. Wellington's Joseph Tapine has grown into an elite forward and this wrinkle of Raiders development is also evident in how Matthew Timoko wiggled through the grades to settle as a dynamic NRL centre. Corey Harawira-Naera has found a home in Canberra and the Northlander continues to improve with greater opportunities.
Raiders are a strong Kiwi-NRL recruitment and development outfit, snaring juniors from Aotearoa rugby league as well as 1st 15 rugby. Given how the likes of Tapine and Timoko have improved with each season, there is plenty of intrigue in how various Kiwi-NRL Raiders develop. Auckland’s Ata Mariota and Peter Hola are dynamic forwards hunting more NRL game time. Christchurch's Jack Sandford will be eager to settle in NSW Cup, as well as Stanley Iongi who could be a long-term dummy half option.
New Zealand Warriors
Having survived a phase in which they lost everything but their NRL team and endured the niggly Warriors-Redcliffe collaboration, NZ Warriors return to Aotearoa with low key solid foundations already established. Warriors are always going to be ranked fairly well in Kiwi-NRL Power Rankings as a vast majority of their juniors are from Aotearoa, to go with an NRL squad that features plenty of Aotearoa talent.
While based in Australia, Warriors developed Kiwi-NRL juniors such as Viliami Vailea, Tom Ale, Rocco Berry and Taniela Otukolo. Warriors made up almost half of the Redcliffe U21s team that lost their final to Townsville and these lads have returned to Aotearoa to push for NSW Cup/NRL footy next season. While Warriors had players in Redcliffe's U18, U21 and reserve grade team, they also had younger lads in Aotearoa as part of their Future Warriors system. Being split between two different countries led to some funky pipeline moves such as fine-tuning the local competitions and providing various opportunities for Warriors juniors to play at the highest level available. Everyone loves to moan about Warriors Kiwi-NRL mahi, yet the organisation survived the pandemic phase and return to Aotearoa to re-establish their turangawaewae.
North Queensland Cowboys
South Auckland legends Jason Taumalolo and Peta Hiku lead Cowboys, who combine classy Kiwi-NRL talent with their junior recruitment mahi around Aotearoa. The regional vibe has mellowed out a wee bit for Cowboys recently but their investment in Greymouth's Griffin Neame has seen him emerge as one of the best young forwards from Aotearoa. Cowboys also made the Queensland U21 and U18 finals with Kiwi-NRL forwards in both teams, which follows the Neame theme. As a team now entrenched in finals footy, Cowboys continue to embrace Kiwi-NRL talent at all levels.
Brisbane Broncos
Ponder the Kiwi-NRL juniors who have emerged as NRL players for Broncos in recent seasons; Jordan Riki, TC Robati, Xavier Willison and Deine Mariner. Not only are these lads all high quality Kiwi-NRL youngsters, Broncos have found value in exploring Aotearoa as Mariner is the only one from Auckland in this group. Riki was an elite junior and had plenty of options coming out of Christchurch, while Robati seems to have left Wellington to impress with Wynnum and earn a Broncos gig. Willison came from Hamilton and the Broncos resources are on display here as Broncos Kiwi-NRL juniors enjoy ample resources and support when moving from Aotearoa.
While these Kiwi-NRL juniors (as well as the next wave coming through such as the Fa'atili brothers from Christchurch) have progressed quickly in the Broncos system, they are yet to settle into a consistent groove. Broncos generally feel underwhelming given the perception of their stature in NRL, plus they lack the top-tier talent from Aotearoa that leads other teams.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
With only a small Kiwi-NRL unit, Rabbitohs aren't highly ranked. Rabbitohs do have a fun crop of Kiwi-NRL lads though led by Siliva Havili who quietly emerged as a Tongan leader and now plays whatever role Rabbitohs require. Sometimes Havili needs to play hooker, most of the time he's playing as a robust middle forward who adds oomph to the Rabbitohs forward pack. Michael Chee-Kam has settled with Rabbitohs and Josiah Karapani is one of the best Kiwi-NRL prospects to keep track of next season. Combine a concentrated Kiwi-NRL unit with a team that is always contending for championships and Rabbitohs are quietly simmering.
Gold Coast Titans
Titans are yet to genuinely cash in on their Kiwi-NRL recruitment and can't quite find the right recipe for NRL success. The lack of winning footy features Kiwi-NRL lads and while that's not a great sign, there are pockets of intrigue such as Erin Clark's development and Paul Turner enjoying more opportunities. Titans have signed Kieran Foran and his mana could be influential, especially for the likes of Keano Kini and Vaka Sikahele who have worked their way through the Titans system since leaving Auckland. Titans have been active in Kiwi-NRL junior recruitment and have plenty of talent on the rise, the struggles of their NRL team hold them back in the rankings though.
Manly Sea Eagles
Limited NRL success and weird vibes serve as a ceiling for Sea Eagles, despite their appreciation for Kiwi-NRL talent. Sea Eagles lean into Kiwi-NRL recruitment from other teams with Josh Aloiai and Kelma Tuilagi signed from Tigers, while Morgan Harper left Bulldogs and Christian Tuipulotu left Roosters. Sea Eagles have done well to develop Toafofoa Sipley since his departure from Warriors, around the same time that Raymond Tuaimalo-Vaega left the Warriors junior system. They would benefit from increasing their Kiwi-NRL junior recruitment to make up for holes in their system, although Sea Eagles lack the resources to invest in this the way other organisations do.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
During the height of Bulldogs woes, their nifty Kiwi-NRL mahi counted for nothing as most of their Aotearoa recruits left for greener turf. Bulldogs found nuggets of success last season with a solid Kiwi-NRL crew and under Phil Gould's leadership, Bulldogs have now escalated their Kiwi-NRL recruitment at all levels. Remember that Gould loves Aotearoa; while setting up the Panthers junior pipeline, he went to Whangarei to explore an undercover hotbed of footy talent.
Hayze Perham joins Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Jackson Topine (Northcote junior!) in an NRL squad that still lacks Kiwi-NRL numbers. Bulldogs signed Isaac Matalavea-Booth from Titans and he is one of the biggest Kiwi-NRL forward prospects, who could enter the NRL equation later this year. The funkiest Kiwi-NRL mahi for Bulldogs is being done at the junior level though with Gould recruiting as many juniors from Aotearoa as possible. Expect Bulldogs to move up the rankings in the coming years.
Newcastle Knights
Knights have sustained a hearty connection to Aotearoa and Kiwi-NRL recruitment, however they endured another lacklustre season. Add to that how Knights invested in lads like Starford To'a and Jirah Momoisea, only to let them depart to other teams and it's all a bit weird. Simi Sasagi and Leo Thompson are two undercover Kiwi-NRL youngsters who have impressed in limited opportunities, with Sasagi being a favourable example of the Knights system. Signing Greg Marzhew from Titans adds another Kiwi-NRL joker into the mix and yet there is little evidence to suggest that Knights will bring the best out of him, or Kiwi-NRL juniors in their pipeline.
Wests Tigers
Tigers had the Aotearoa Kiwis coach and thus a steady supply of Kiwi-NRL talent. None of that worked out and Tigers now pivot with an Aotearoa legend in Benji Marshall preparing to take over the coaching duties. This pivot includes the intention to sharpen their junior system and how this blends with Kiwi-NRL scouting will be interesting. Tigers signed Isaiah Papali'i and he joins Ken Maumalo, Starford To'a and Asu Kepaoa as notable Kiwi-NRL Tigers who will be fizzing to improve on their consistent mediocrity.
St George Illawara Dragons
A variety of factors influence these rankings. All that matters for Dragons are their Kiwi-NRL numbers, which now sits at two with Zane Musgrove and Nick Lui-Toso joining Dragons for next season. Dragons had Poasa Fa'amausili for the past season and as he couldn't climb up the depth chart, there isn't much excitement for their recent additions. Note down the name Navajo Doyle though as he is a young dummy half who could emerge on the fringe of Dragons NRL footy by this time next year.
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