The New Zealand Kiwis squad has been named to defend their Pacific Championships crown with a combination of a hearty core, clear development channels and the regular dose of funky eligibility wins for Aotearoa. The hectic rugby league calendar is not ideal but the push to celebrate international rugby league every year is admirable and this frames how to gauge rugby league greatness at the highest level.

We all want lots of international rugby league and for kiwis, we want to see Aotearoa playing as often as possible, especially on home turf where the connection to community is simmering. Aotearoa is a nation that brings people from all Polynesian nations together, so the desire for international rugby league stretches across teams like Samoa and Tonga who have their biggest supporter bases in Aotearoa as well.

It's really hard to play Test footy though. Most players selected need the stars to align for consistent NRL game time, let alone making it through a long (too long) NRL season without suffering injuries or suspensions for the international window. This isn't ideal but we can't control it and we can admire the flow of international rugby league that we are now graced with.

Given how difficult it is to be consistently available for international rugby league, the players who stack up Tests deserve to be celebrated. Aotearoa finished 2019 with two wins over Great Britain before the pandemic appeared and since returning to a steady supply of Test footy, NZ Kiwis are 7-2 with wins over Tonga (26-6), Samoa (50-0) and Australia (30-0).

The two losses came against Australia with a narrow defeat in the World Cup semi-finals in 2022 before the Pacific Championships defeat last year. In this window, a core group of NZ Kiwis have emerged to lead Aotearoa into a new phase and these lads form the foundations of the 2024 squad.

James Fisher-Harris (15 Tests), Joseph Tapine (19), Jahrome Hughes (10), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (10) and Isaiah Papali'i (10) played in the World Cup semi-final and the Pacific Championships final. All five are in the current squad and the Fisher-Harris/Tapine/Hughes trio has grown into the three best NZ Kiwis players. Nicoll-Klokstad and Papali'i aren't quite on that tier but their service to Aotearoa has been impeccable, especially as they cover multiple positions.

The 2024 squad also has Jamayne Isaako, Matthew Timoko, Kodi Nikorima, Peta Hiku, Scott Sorenson, Marata Niukore, Leo Thompson and Griffin Neame with NZ Kiwis experience. Isaako played in the Pacific Championships last year and he's the best winger in the NZ Kiwis depth chart, same for Timoko at centre who takes over from Joseph Manu as the best centre from Aotearoa.

Timoko debuted last year along with Thompson and Neame. Nikorima last played for NZ Kiwis at the end of 2019, while Hiku, Sorenson and Niukore all played at the 2022 World Cup. Hiku's selection wasn't forecasted but he has 17 Tests of experience and was a starting centre in the World Cup semi-final, most importantly he's the kaumatua of the squad who can help the younger leaders establish their culture and values.

Hiku can also play multiple backline positions as a reliable, steady outside back. NZ Kiwis have a few backline spots up for grabs and that benefits Hiku, while Nikorima benefits from NZ Kiwis needing cover in the halves and at hooker. Sorenson and Niukore are both primarily edge forwards, who can plug a hole in the middle if required which is the same role that Papali'i has had in recent years.

Thompson commanded a starting prop spot fairly quickly at Knights and he could be the best option to partner Fisher-Harris at prop with Tapine staying in his lock position. Once we get to Neame, we enter the NZ Kiwis development zone as he was in the 2022 mid-year Test squad along with Erin Clark and Jordan Riki.

Those three didn't play in the 2022 win over Tonga, but Neame stepped up to make his NZ Kiwis debut last year. Clark and Riki kept building towards more NZ Kiwis footy, with Clark adding zip to a ruthless middle forward crew and Riki offering edge forward depth. Clark seems like the ideal bench player for an NZ Kiwis top-17, while Riki will probably sit behind Papali'i, Sorenson and Niukore.

Naufahu Whyte, Keano Kini and Will Warbrick were all involved in NZ Kiwis footy last year. Whyte and Kini were part of the NZ Kiwis squad, with Whyte being 18th-man in all three games so he is likely to make his debut as a middle forward this year. Whyte's 18th-man duties kept him out of the NZ-A game which Kini played alongside Warbrick who was part of the NZ-A squad.

Up to this point, Sorenson is the only player mentioned who didn't play junior footy in Aotearoa. Of the eight possible debutants in the NZ Kiwis squad, five have been around NZ Kiwis squads over the past two years. This gives NZ Kiwis a strong connection to rugby league communities around Aotearoa, which is evident in Fisher-Harris coming from Hokianga in Northland and Neame coming from Greymouth along with Isaako and Riki who are from Christchurch.

Phoenix Crossland joins Hughes and Tapine in the Wellington crew, although Crossland left Aotearoa as a child so he doesn't have the grassroots connection. Crossland was on the radar last year to cover hooker and maybe some halves mahi, which opens up a funky NZ Kiwis wrinkle as Brandon Smith and Jeremy Marshall-King haven't played for Aotearoa since the 2022 World Cup.

Last year NZ Kiwis rolled out a dummy half combo of Kieran Foran and Fa'amanu Brown, who join Smith and Marshall-King as not being in the 2024 squad. Crossland has a chance to command a starting hooker role with Clark and Nikorima offering cover, depending on their primary roles (Clark as a small forward, Nikorima as a half).

Rugby league's growth in Aotearoa is evident in how most of this squad played junior footy in New Zealand, as well as NZ Kiwis mana working a bit of magic. Panthers duo Casey McLean and Trent Toelau aren't in the Kiwi-NRL basket as they were born in Sydney and Melbourne respectively, before opting to represent NZ Kiwis.

McLean and Toelau come from the best development system in the NRL, which by now can be known as the best development system in this corner of the world for all sports. That's a lovely indicator of their talent and who are they as young blokes, although they have different journeys that need to be highlighted.

McLean is an 18-year-old freak who has already played seven games of NRL for Panthers. McLean made his debut on the wing before rolling through six consecutive games at centre from round 20 onwards. Earlier this year, Casey played for New South Wales Under 19s alongside older brother Jesse who is 19-years-old and has played two NRL games for Panthers.

Of the wingers/centres who played U19 State of Origin this year, the younger McLean brother has played the most NRL footy. McLean has done all of this at the dynastic Panthers and that sets him up as one of the best emerging talents in NSW, who has now decided to represent Aotearoa. After making his debut for Panthers, McLean forecasted his love of Aotearoa...

“Running out with the likes of James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota, players I used to watch growing up,” he said.

“I couldn’t believe I was looking either side of me and I was running out next to them. It was just surreal, and I can’t wait to do it again.”

Jack Howarth was an intriguing bloke in the NZ Kiwis mixer after playing for NZ-A last year but he seems to have stayed aligned with Queensland, which is understandable as he is born and raised in Queensland. Instead of Howarth, NZ Kiwis selected an 18-year-old who was born and raised in Sydney, played NSW U19s and is the best youngster in the best development system right now. That's fabulous.

Toelau has had a longer path to NRL footy after working his way through the Storm pipeline as a youngster. For whatever reason, Toelau couldn't progress past Jersey Flegg footy for Storm despite winning multiple awards in his last two years in Melbourne. Toelau moved to Sydney and didn't go straight into the Panthers mix, he had to earn opportunities with St Mary's which sits below the Panthers NSW Cup group.

Not getting more opportunities with Storm and then working through footy below NSW Cup, aren't great signs of a top-tier talent. This is balanced by earning promotions through the Panthers pipeline as a play-maker, debuting and playing nine NRL games as a bench utility, then getting a longer contract. Toelau had a slow brew but he is now a halfback who Panthers are investing in and those are lovely indicators of his talent.

NZ Kiwis need to build their halves depth and the production line of Kiwi-NRL juniors in this position hasn't quite hit the NRL yet. Toelau has experience as a bench utility this year in the NRL and he can earn game time in that role, perhaps even getting a starting halves spot if he impresses the leaders and coaches of NZ Kiwis.

There isn't much halves depth behind Jahrome Hughes in this NZ Kiwis squad, but there are experienced internationals who can plug a hole and a development play-maker in Toelau. Nikorima, Nicoll-Klokstad, Hiku and maybe even Isaako (who played fullback/halves in his two appearances for Junior Kiwis and has a background as a rugby union play-maker) could partner Hughes in the top-17. Managing Hughes through his niggly injuries could provide Toelau with a chance to start at halfback as well.

NZ Kiwis Depth Chart

Outside Backs

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Jamayne Isaako, Matthew Timoko, Will Warbrick, Keano Kini, Peta Hiku, Casey McLean

Halves

Jahrome Hughes, Kodi Nikorima, Trent Toelau

Hookers

Phoenix Crossland, Erin Clark

Middles

James Fisher-Harris, Joseph Tapine, Leo Thompson, Griffin Neame, Naufahu Whyte

Edges

Isaiah Papali'i, Scott Sorenson, Marata Niukore, Jordan Riki

This NZ Kiwis squad captures where Aotearoa rugby league is at right now. Much of the reaction to this squad zones in on players who are missing and generally seems rather negative, meanwhile there is a strong core of players who have been building with NZ Kiwis and played in the win over Australia last year. Clear development pathways have been established with many players who appear to be new to NZ Kiwis being in previous NZ Kiwis squads, as well as the majority of this squad coming from Aotearoa as Kiwi-NRL juniors.

All of which reflects the status of rugby league in Aotearoa and we are now working with a delightful mixture of regions represented. Sprinkled on top of the immense connection to Aotearoa’s rugby league communities, NZ Kiwis have picked up two youngsters from the best NRL organisation in McLean and Toelau who have chosen to represent Aotearoa over nations. In the case of McLean, he is opting to represent Aotearoa over New South Wales/Australia.

NZ Kiwis must be doing something right if they call on a hearty core of experienced NZ Kiwis (which includes the Dally M winner and a four-time NRL champion) as well as attracting one of the best young talents in Australia. Over the past few years NZ Kiwis have established elite foundations, consistently developed top-tier youngsters and grown their connection to rugby league communities. All of which deserves to be praised, so enjoy international footy and all the funk it offers.

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