Pacific Championships rugby league has ended with New Zealand Kiwis defeating Papua New Guinea to stay in the top tier and Kiwi Ferns losing to Australia in their final. This was a humbling international rugby league window for Aotearoa after the success in 2023, although the growth and depth of rugby league in New Zealand was once again on display.

Here are some key points for Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns to wrap up the year...

Results Since 2022 World Cup

Kiwis

Win vs Samoa: 50-0
Loss vs Australia: 18-36
Win vs Australia: 30-0
Loss vs Australia: 10-22
Loss vs Tonga: 24-25
Win vs Papua New Guinea: 54-12

Kiwi Ferns

Loss vs Australia: 10-16
Win vs Tonga: 28-10
Win vs Australia: 12-6
Loss vs Australia: 0-14
Win vs Papua New Guinea: 36-0
Loss vs Australia: 24-4

Crowds In Aotearoa

Kiwi Ferns vs Australia in Christchurch: 10,289
Kiwis vs Australia in Christchurch: 17,005
Kiwis vs Tonga in Auckland: 22,363

Nice bump in crowd sizes for both teams. Kiwi Ferns vs Tonga at Eden Park drew a crowd of 10,000 last year, while the Pacific Championship final between Kiwis and Australia in Hamilton had a crowd of 13,269.

All Kiwi-NRL Spotlights for Naufahu Whyte...

Rising Rooster: https://t.co/ep9vQP2Bsf

The Flourish: https://t.co/BzDjx8EoRe

Finals footy: https://t.co/kyD0fBhbOj
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) November 12, 2024

Keano Kini is the smallest bloke who does the most running and Gold Coast Titans seem pretty good with Kini at fullback #KiwiNRL #NRL https://t.co/tAokxyNhRG
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) May 30, 2024

Casey McLean opting to represent Aotearoa Kiwis is the biggest win of the Pacific Championships https://t.co/81Jv7CeaIl pic.twitter.com/EFAMLaZxLT
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) November 10, 2024

2024 Debutants

Keano Kini: Northcote
Naufahu Whyte: Bay Roskill
Phoenix Crossland: Wellington
Will Warbrick: Ngongotaha
Jordan Riki: Hornby
Casey McLean: Sydney
Erin Clark: Manurewa
Alexis Tauaneai: Wainuiomata
Gayle Broughton: Hawera
Mackenzie Wiki: Manurewa
Brooke Talataina: Auckland/Sydney

Players Used In Last Two Years

Kiwis

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Jamayne Isaako, Joseph Manu, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Matthew Timoko, Peta Hiku, Keano Kini, Casey McLean

Jahrome Hughes, Dylan Brown, Kieran Foran, Kodi Nikorima, Fa'amanu Brown, Shaun Johnson, Phoenix Crossland

James Fisher-Harris, Joseph Tapine, Isaiah Papali'i, Moses Leota, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Briton Nikora, Scott Sorenson, Marata Niukore, Leo Thompson, Griffin Neame, Naufahu Whyte, Jordan Riki, Erin Clark

Kiwi Ferns

Shanice Parker, Apii Nicholls, Mele Hufanga, Abigail Roache, Leianne Tufuga, Cheyelle Robins-Reti, Mackenzie Wiki

Raecene McGregor, Ash Quinlan, Tyla King, Brooke Anderson, Capri Paekau, Gayle Broughton,

Georgia Hale, Otesa Pule, Mya Hill-Moana, Laishon Albert-Jones, Amber Hall, Brianna Clark, Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa, Amelia Pasikala, Najvada George, Jasmine Fogavini, Annessa Biddle, Tiana Davison, Alexis Tauaneai, Brooke Talataina

Service To Aotearoa

Kiwis who have played in last three years

James Fisher-Harris, Joseph Tapine, Isaiah Papali'i, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad

Kiwi Ferns who have played in last three years

Georgia Hale, Apii Nicholls, Mele Hufanga, Shanice Parker, Abigail Roache, Otesa Pule

Other Kiwis with veteran mana

Shaun Johnson, Peta Hiku, Jamayne Isaako, Kodi Nikorima

Other Kiwi Ferns with veteran mana

Brianna Clark, Amber Hall

Most Tests For Aotearoa In Current Group

Kiwis

Shaun Johnson (35), Kieran Foran (28), Peta Hiku (22), Joseph Tapine (18), James Fisher-Harris (14), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (14), Jamayne Isaako (11), Kodi Nikorima (11), Isaiah Papali'i (9)

Kiwi Ferns

Georgia Hale (20), Apii Nicholls (16), Amber Hall (12), Mele Hufanga (10), Racene McGregor (9) Otesa Pule, Shanice Parker, Abigail Roache (8)

Haka

Leo Thompson quickly established himself as a leader of the Kiwis haka, alongside James Fisher-Harris and Joseph Tapine. While Fisher-Harris 'leads' the haka, Thompson is the most vocal and his booming voice has added to the haka experience. Thompson took this role for his Kiwis debut vs Samoa last year and it's his role for the future.

Thompson didn't play in Christchurch though and Peta Hiku took his spot. Hiku led the haka by himself in the 2019 Test vs Tonga, showing Hiku's mana and also how Kiwis have tweaked their haka.

Gayle Broughton led the Kiwi Ferns haka in her debut campaign. This also delivered a tweak to the Kiwi Ferns haka as Broughton stood to the side of her comrades after Mya Hill-Moana was front and centre in leading the haka last year.