2023 Battle of Aotearoa: Team Aotearoa
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: Hayze Perham
Wingers: Jamayne Isaako, Jordan Rapana
Centres: Joseph Manu, Bailey Simonsson
Halves: Jahrome Hughes, Dylan Brown
Hooker: Jeremy Marshall-King
Middles: Joseph Tapine, James Fisher-Harris, Tohu Harris
Edges: Briton Nikora, Jordan Riki
Bench: Kodi Nikorima, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Leo Thompson
Squad: Wiremu Greig, Will Warbrick, Griffin Neame
Team Aotearoa is led by Tamatea junior Tohu Harris who is named in a middle forward group full of mana. Rotorua's Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is another veteran named in this squad and as he has been battling injuries this season, Waerea-Hargreaves gets a bench spot. The presence of Harbour City's Joseph Tapine and Kohukohu's James Fisher-Harris is also a factor in Waerea-Hargreaves being on the bench. These four forwards serve as leaders for Team Aotearoa.
Pikiao junior Hayze Perham is selected at fullback after delivering consistent mahi in this position for Bulldogs all season. Tokoroa's Joseph Manu may be the Aotearoa Kiwis fullback but Team Aotearoa need a solid presence at centre and Perham's in a groove at fullback. Manu will be heavily involved in TA attack though and he will pick his moments to float across the park.
Jamayne Isaako is from Christchurch via Aranui and he has a wing spot alongside Porirua's Jordan Rapana. A recent shift to centre for Tauranga's Bailey Simonsson and his impressive mahi for Eels in this fresh role has seen him earn a starting centre gig for TA. Simonsson will play on the left edge alongside Rapana, with Manu and Isaako holding down the right edge.
Another Harbour City junior from Wellington is named for TA with Jahrome Hughes selected at halfback. Northland's Dylan Brown joins Hughes in the halves and the Hikurangi junior will stay in his left edge pocket, while Hughes steers the team around from the right side of the field. Jeremy Marshall-King will represent Whakatane as starting hooker and the versatility of Kodi Nikorima (Christchurch/Manawatu) is perfectly suited to a bench role.
Briton Nikora joins Tauranga homie Simonsson in TA, playing as a right edge forward. Hornby junior Jordan Riki also plays right edge in the NRL and the Christchurch product will shift to left edge. Alongside Waerea-Hargreaves and Nikorima on the TA bench are Upper Hutt junior Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Napier Marist's Leo Thompson.
The TA squad also features Wiremu Greig, Will Warbrick and Griffin Neame as young lads who will step up to Battle of Aotearoa footy in the coming years. Greig is from Whangarei he is the third Northlander selected, bolstering a strong group of forwards from around Aotearoa with Greymouth's Neame. Neame is the third South Island junior selected along with Isaako and Riki.
Warbrick offers outside back depth from Kawerau. This provides a funky pocket for TA as Warbrick, Perham, Manu, Simonsson, Marshall-King and Nikora are all from the Waikato/Bay of Plenty zone. Along with Harris and Thompson from Hawke's Bay, these players form hearty group of players from the eastern region of the North Island.
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Peace and love.