International rugby league serves as a celebration for Aotearoa grassroots footy as players who started with the club around the corner will lace up for Aotearoa, Samoa, Tonga and Cook Islands. There is a deep dive on the Aotearoa Kiwis squad named to face Tonga and this Kiwi-NRL Spotlight covers the other three squads, with the aim to big up all those involved across rugby league in Aotearoa.

Tonga

Tonga's squad is led by a core group of Kiwi-NRL tokos who are all from Auckland and their leadership stems from South Auckland. Jason Taumalolo was a Papakura and Otahuhu junior before moving to North Queensland, Siosiua Taukeiaho is an Otara junior and Siliva Havili is a Manurewa junior. These three cover the biggest clubs in South Auckland and Sitili Tupouniua's selection adds a splash of Marist Saints into the mix.

As we haven't enjoyed international footy since 2019, all these squads feature players who have recently entered the NRL grind. Starford To'a is joined by his St Paul's College comrade Christian Tuipulotu in representing the young Tongan wave and both have been decorated NZRL juniors before moving to Australia.

There are some funky wrinkles to the Tongan squad to ponder as well. Apart from the lads who have aligned with State of Origin, Tonga's squad includes Isaiya Katoa who is from Wellington and built up his rugby union mana in Aotearoa before moving to Sydney. Katoa is the younger brother of Avalon Rugby junior Sione, while Eliesa Katoa shifted from Tonga to Auckland to play 1st 15 rugby at Tamaki College.

Remember how last year the Aussie media whipped up a frenzy around Taumalolo, coach Todd Payten and Cowboys? Taumalolo enters this Test with three consecutive games of over 60mins, 200+ metres and 70+ Post Contact Metres ... as well as nine consecutive wins. Tonga became a factor on the international circuit via their forward pack and adequate play-making; Taumalolo is operating near his best and that's crucial to the Tongan recipe.

Siosiua Taukeiaho (Otara Scorpions - Auckland)

Siliva Havili (Manurewa Marlins - Auckland)

Sitili Tupouniua (Marist Saints - Auckland)

Jason Taumalolo (Papakura/Otahuhu - Auckland)

Starford To'a (Mt Wellington Warriors - Auckland)

Christian Tuipulotu (Otahuhu Leopards - Auckland)

2018: Win vs Samoa, Loss vs Australia.

2019: Loss vs Aotearoa, Win vs Great Britain, Win vs Australia

Samoa

The Samoan squad features Kiwi-NRL lads from around Auckland, led by Josh Aloiai, Toafofoa Sipley and Bunty Afoa who are all enjoying career-best mahi. Aloiai provides immense oomph in the Sea Eagles forward pack and the Glenora junior appears to have found a home at Manly, as has Sipley who continues to represent City Newton in hearty fashion. Two Sea Eagles forwards from Auckland and Sipley came up through the NZ Warriors system, providing comfort around Afoa, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Jazz Tevaga.

Harris-Tavita will be eager to impress with Samoa this year as he is likely to play a key role at the World Cup before elevating his mana away from rugby league. The Warriors usos probably want to enjoy their time in Samoan camp and may opt to burn some sage to release those Warriors vibes before entering camp.

Jaxson Paulo also earns selection for Samoa as he settles into regular footy with Rabbitohs. Paulo left Auckland for Gold Coast where he came up through the Titans system and was signed by Rabbitohs ahead of the 2020 season. While others are quick to forget about Aotearoa when the move to Australia, Paulo always showed up for Taurahere footy (2016-17) and played Aotearoa U18s in 2017 alongside Hayze Perham, Mawene Hiroti, Matthew Timoko, Paul Turner, Kelma Tuilagi and Jordan Riki.

Building fantasy Samoan teams is the fun thing to do across NRL as everyone assumes that Samoa can and should do what Tonga have done since the last World Cup. Folks reading this will have a better understanding of the cultural nuances between Samoa and Tonga. Assuming they are the same is lazy and unfair. From an external perspective there does not appear to be the same force pulling players into representing Samoa as there is with Tonga; Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Isaac Liu and Ken Maumalo consistently choose to represent Aotearoa.

Samoa have a fresh squad and a core group that they can build into the World Cup with, perhaps snaring a few bonus eligibility moves in the process. Across 2015-16 Samoa won three games in a row against Tonga before losing their next two games against Tonga, as part of a 1-7-1 (draw vs Scotland) run of games. Samoa's last result was a 18-44 loss to Fiji.

Bunty Afoa (Point Chevalier Pirates - Auckland)

Chanel Harris-Tavita (Mt Wellington Warriors - Auckland)

Jaxson Paulo (Northcote Tigers - Auckland)

Jazz Tevaga (Papakura Sea Eagles - Auckland)

Josh Aloiai (Glenora Bears - Auckland)

Toafofoa Sipley (City Newton - Auckland)

2018: Loss vs Tonga.

2019: Win vs PNG, Loss vs Fiji.

Cook Islands

Samoa will face Cook Islands and despite a low key Samoan slide, they start as favourites against Cook Islands. Cook Islands have the only Kiwi-NRL player from the South Island in these three squads with veteran forward Tinirau Arona growing up in Dunedin. Cook Islands provide a funky mix of players led by New Plymouth's Makahesi Makatoa who has flourished with Parramatta Eels and is the only player in this squad playing NRL consistently.

Xavier Willison will be mandatory viewing if he does lace up as he continues his development with Brisbane Broncos. Willison emerged with Wai-Coa Bay and was named in the NZRL Under 15 Merit Team before being scouted by Broncos and shipped over to Palm Beach Currumbin High School on Gold Coast. Since moving, Willison has dominated all levels and quickly progressed through the Broncos system to make his debut last season. Willison has missed a bunch of footy this year due to injury but returned to Queensland Cup with Norths Devils where he has scored tries in back to back games.

Esan Marsters is also plugging holes in Gold Coast Titans backline, while cousin Steven has dipped out of NRL footy and is now playing with Thirroul. Pride Petterson-Robati has been on the fringe of NRL footy for a few years now and this provides another opportunity for him to flex, which is exactly what Kayal Iro will also be aiming for as he continues to impress at Cronulla Sharks. Iro is playing NSW Cup with Sharks feeder team Newtown and could crack NRL footy in the next year or two as he is a consistent force at centre for the Jets.

What's Anthony Gelling up to? Selling houses in Auckland.

Reece Joyce is also a funky selection as he is a starting half for Te Atatu Roosters in Auckland's Fox Memorial Premiership. Also playing footy in Auckland is former Warriors junior Brody Tamarua who comes from further north than James Fisher-Harris and Dylan Brown, adding to a hearty Northland crew in representative footy.

Tinirau Arona (Dunedin)

Anthony Gelling (Howick Hornets - Auckland)

Kayal Iro (Mt Albert Lions - Auckland)

Reece Joyce (Te Atatu Roosters - Auckland)

Makahesi Makatoa (Suburbs - New Plymouth)

Steven Marsters (Mt Wellington Warriors - Auckland)

Esan Marsters (Mt Albert Lions - Auckland)

Pride Pettersen-Robati (Upper Hutt - Auckland)

Reubenn Rennie (Otahuhu Leopards - Auckland)

Brody Tamarua (Muriwhenua - Kaitaia)

Xavier Willison (WaiCoa Bay - Waikato)

2019: Win vs South Africa, Win vs USA