Welcome to the 2023 Battle of Aotearoa. This is the annual celebration of Aotearoa rugby league which welcomes players eligible for all nations who played grassroots footy in Aotearoa. Tamaki Makaurau consists of players from the wider Auckland region and Aotearoa is made up of players from outside of Auckland.

The Battle of Aotearoa is designed to be a a one game banger played on the Sunday before State of Origin. Community and celebration are key aspects of this concept. Both teams will have squads of 20 that leaves space for three players to be selected outside the playing 17 for mana or development purposes.

As this is a celebration of rugby league in Aotearoa, haka will be performed prior to the game. Aotearoa is a diverse nation and these teams feature players from a variety of cultures who will also be represented in haka. Each team can create their own haka to incorporate other cultures which may come in the form of a solo riff, or elements of other cultures weaved into haka.

Have fun.

• Fullback: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

• Wingers: Ronaldo Mulitalo, Greg Marzhew

• Centres: Starford To'a, Matthew Timoko

• Halves: Shaun Johnson, Kieran Foran

• Hooker: Brandon Smith

• Middles: Jesse Bromwich, Moses Leota, Isaac Liu

• Edges: Kenny Bromwich, Isaiah Papali'i

• Bench: Bunty Afoa, Sitili Tupouniua, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Marata Niukore

• Squad: Jason Taumalolo, Erin Clark, Connelly Lemuelu

Team Tamaki Makaurau will be led by Manurewa junior Jesse Bromwich, who is selected in the starting forward pack alongside younger brother Kenny. Otahuhu's Isaac Liu gets a starting lock nod, ahead of Papakura/Otahuhu junior Jason Taumalolo who is not in the playing 17 because he hasn't played since round seven. Taumalolo has been selected in the squad though thanks to his mana and his presence provides Tongan leadership.

Hibiscus Coast junior Shaun Johnson and Ellerslie junior Kieran Foran feature in the veteran class as starting halves. The spine also has City Newton's Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at fullback and Waiheke Ram Brandon Smith at hooker. Johnson and Smith show the wider Auckland boundaries with Johnson representing Orewa/Whangaparoa, while Smith grew up on Waiheke Island. Most of Smith's junior footy was played in Auckland competitions as an example of how he fits into Tamaki Makaurau.

Ellerslie junior and Otara leader Ronaldo Mulitalo is selected on a wing. Mangere East's Greg Marzhew has blasted his way into Battle of Aotearoa selection thanks to his robust form after moving to Knights this season. Mt Wellington junior Starford To'a and Otahuhu junior Matthew Timoko are the starting centres. As both play right centre in the NRL, Timoko has earned selection in his favoured role with To'a moving to left centre. Mulitalo and Marzhew both play left wing in the NRL, with Mulitalo's mana giving him his favoured position outside To'a. Marzhew starts outside Timoko in a funky yet brutal combination.

In the middle with J-Bromwich and Liu is Moses Leota. The manner in which Leota has embraced representing Aotearoa epitomises what Kiwi-NRL is all about and while there is no official information about where Leota comes from in Auckland, this gem tells folks all they need to know about Leota's connection to his community.

K-Bromwich is selected at left edge with Te Atatu Isaiah Papali'i on the right edge. Marist junior Sitili Tupounia and Mangere East's Marata Niukore were also candidates for starting edge forward slots. Tupouniua has only recently settled back into consistent NRL footy since returning from injury, although he is deserving of bench selection. Like Tupouniua, Niukore is a versatile baller and Niukore can cover backline positions if required.

The bench also has Glenora junior Braden Hamlin-Uele and Pt Chevalier junior Bunty Afoa. Both have been fantastic for their respective NRL teams and offer plenty of oomph alongside Tupouniua and Niukore. If Taumalolo was not injured, he would probably slot in as starting lock which would bump Liu back to the bench and a bench forward would drop down to spots 18-20.

Taumalolo is joined by Manurewa junior Erin Clark in the squad and Otara's Connelly Lemuelu. Clark can cover multiple positions and along with Lemuelu, these two will benefit from the experience as they chase top-17 selection in future years.

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Peace and love.