Kiwi-NRL Spotlight: Forecasting 2022 For Isaiah Papali'i
Last season Isaiah Papali'i burst through whatever limits he felt while with Aotearoa Warriors to enjoy a breakout campaign with Parramatta Eels. Papali'i (Te Atatu Roosters) won awards for his 2021 mahi and even though he was a highly decorated league junior while also excelling with Mt Albert Grammar 1st 15, the 2021 season tapped into potential that wasn’t on display previously.
Round tahi of the 2022 season vs Titans saw Papali'i play all 80 minutes on the right edge, stacking up 17 runs for 193m @ 11.35m/run with 9 tackle busts, 1 offload and 26 tackles @ 89.66% efficiency. That's what Papali'i delivered most rounds last season and while Papali'i was celebrated as an edge forward last year, the Eels loss to Panthers in finals footy featured Papali'i coming off the bench for just 35mins of action through the middle.
Marata Niukore (Mangere East) played 80mins at right edge and these two former Warriors homies switched roles frequently throughout the season. Niukore even played centre for a few games and after missing the first game due to suspension, Niukore will soon return to bolster the Eels forward pack - Northland's Wiremu Greig may also appear soon. All of which sets up things for Papali'i as he was dominant on an edge vs Titans and probably should stay there.
Papali'i averaged 150m/game last season, started with 193m this season.
Last season was the first year since his debut in 2017 in which Papali'i scored more than 3 tries (7), had more than 26 tackle busts (109), had more than 615 Post Contact Metres (1,500), had more than 13 offloads (30). 150m/game last season was also better than his previous best of 80m/game in 2020. None of his Warriors mahi is in the same realm to what Papali'i is doing with Eels.
Next season Papali'i will link up with Aotearoa Kiwis coach Michael Maguire at Wests Tigers (Niukore returns to Warriors). While I want to stay present in what Papali'i does each round, there is a World Cup looming on the horizon and this version of Papali'i is yet to dabble in Kiwis footy given the depressing absence of Aotearoa Kiwis who last played late in 2019.
Ideally Maguire can hold on to his Tigers role this season as he would be a major factor in Papali'i opting to move to Tigers. The aroha is already clear though and like Aotearoa Kiwis fans, Maguire will be fizzing to get Papali'i in a Kiwis jersey for the World Cup.
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