The best thing Australian NRL media does is share the train and trial contract lists for each team, which the Niche Cache then puts under the Kiwi-NRL microscope. Every NRL organisation uses the range of contracts available differently so train/trial contracts do not inform us about any kind of depth rankings or forecast who is on the brink of NRL footy but they do inform us about players from Aotearoa who are on the rise around the NRL.

The NRL doesn't offer such clarity themselves and they can barely keep up with tidy Development Lists so these estuary waters are always murky at this time of year. Where themes, trends and funky wrinkles are on offer they will be highlighted alongside the basic train/trial information to provide a guide about Aotearoa's presence in NRL systems.

North Queensland Cowboys

Whangarei's Wiremu Greig returns to Townsville and he will need to buck against the trend of Cowboys struggling to develop their forwards from Aotearoa into regular NRL players. Cowboys did fabulous mahi in recruiting players from all around Aotearoa but Greymouth's Griffin Neame is the only one who has gone on to play NRL for Cowboys.

Greig was a Cowboys junior and made his NRL debut for Eels. Rotorua's Tukimihia Simpkins was a Cowboys junior but he lefty to make his NRL debut for Tigers and returned to the NRL mix with Titans last season. Manurewa junior D'jazirhae Pua'avase was in the Cowboys pipeline before he left for Sea Eagles and Otara junior Jeremiah Mata'utia had similar Cowboys pedigree as Pua'avase, but he recently departed for Super League footy.

That's five middle forwards from Aotearoa who Cowboys recruited as youngsters and Neame is the only one who is playing NRL for Cowboys. Now Greig returns to the Cowboys mix but he is likely to start the year in Queensland Cup and it will be interesting to see if Cowboys can show more development craft in their forward pack.

Cowboys also have Kaikohe's Mason Barber on their Dev List. He is a fullback who like many youngsters from Aotearoa, dominated footy in Australia soo after arriving and Barber is likely to get a crack in Q Cup, possibly early next year. Cowboys have two Northlanders in Barber and Greig, to go with their South Islander Neame.

Redcliffe Dolphins

Sangstar Figota (Marist) and Adaquix Luke (Papatoetoe RU) are in the train/trial zone for Dolphins. Figota is an outside back who left Aotearoa and was affiliated with Roosters but became a Dolphin this year and played one game of NRLQ U20s footy, which is notable because he was still at school this year.

Given that Luke was also still at school this year, it will be interesting to see where these two start next year. Luke is a fullback who has been one of the best youngsters in Queenlsand (like Figota) and while they are part of the Dolphins summer training block, it's hard to see Luke and Figota playing much Queensland Cup next year but they could command an opportunity.

Dolphins are one of a few NRL organisations who have multiple Kiwi-NRL juniors in the train/trial group, but their appreciation for Aotearoa is far greater than most. Tevita Naufahu had a swift rise through Dolphins after leaving Auckland where he played 1st 15 for St Kents College and Sebastian Su'a (Mt Albert) joined Dolphins earlier this year after leaving Auckland to enter the Knights system.

Those two are in the top-tier and they will be joined by Elijah Rasmussen (Westlake Boys High School) who is a middle forward. There is also John Fineanganofo (Auckland Grammar School) on the Dev List and he has played numerous positions in the Dolphins system but seems to be brewing as a hooker. Both were part of the first wave of Kiwi-NRL juniors being recruited by Dolphins along with Naufahu and another young forward Patrick Kailahi.

Kailahi left Hamilton Boys High School and he has steadily progress through the Dolphins system as a middle/edge forward. He played five games of NRLQ this year and these lads will probably give the Dolphins' feeder teams in Queensland Cup a heavy Aotearoa flavour.

Naufahu, Rasmussen, Fineanganofo and Kailahi all played 1st 15 rugby union in Aotearoa. Su'a was playing rugby union at Kings College before chasing a career in rugby league and Luke was playing rugby union in Auckland before his whanau moved to Queensland.

Brisbane Broncos

Preston Riki is the only Kiwi-NRL player in the train/trial bracket after spending a few years with Panthers. Riki started in the Warriors system via Northland and was part of the Redcliffe Warriors era, then he sparked up the Panthers/Warriors connection alongside Daeon Amituanai as they moved to Panthers just as the two Andys era started.

Now Riki fits snug into the Broncos' Kiwi-NRL recruitment drive that flows all the way down to their mahi in recruiting teenagers from around Aotearoa. Hayze Perham missed last season due to injury and the Pikiao junior is on the Dev List for 2026 as a sign of faith from coach Michael Maguire - who clearly loves New Zealand.

Maguire got the most out of Josiah Karapani after he fizzled at Rabbitohs and Broncos have also signed Turangawaewea junior Aublix Tawha to add mobility to their forward pack. Tawha excelled as a small forward for Dolphins and is capable of playing edge/middle, which along with Riki's move to Brisbane gives coach Maguire two more Aotearoa forwards to provide competitive depth.

Gold Coast Titans

Hawaiki Morrison (Kings College) and Torino Jackson (Zingari-Richmond) are in the Titans' train/trial group. Both played NRLQ U20s for Titans this year with Morrison playing three games as a outside back and Jackson played one game as a middle forward. Jackson's a funky Kiwi-NRL junior because he is from Dunedin and is part of an emerging South Island development hot pocket.

Titans also have Jenson Taumoepeau (Western Suburbs) and Siale Faeamani (St Peter's College) in their Dev List. Taumoepeau joins Titans from Raiders as a winger who has played plenty of reserve grade in recent years and Faeamani left Warriors for a season with Panthers where he played most of the year as a centre in their U21 team. Faeamani played a game of NSW Cup as well and these two will be chasing regular Queensland Cup roles, with scope to demand an NRL opportunity.

Newcastle Knights

There is no Aotearoa flavour in the Knights' train/trial contracts but they have are one of the most NRL organisations in recruiting from New Zealand. Asu Kepaoa (Sacred Heart College) joins the Knights' top tier after being with Panthers and along with Dylan Brown (Hikurangi - via Eels), Francis Manuleleua (Papatoetoe - via Panthers) and Peter Hola (Marist - via Dolphins), they are Kiwi-NRL juniors who joined Knights from other NRL systems.

Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana (Mangere East) was recruited by Knights from Auckland and he made his NRL debut last season. Tom Perkins has entered the Knights system from Nelson College 1st 15 and we will wait to see what grade he plays early next year, probably forecasting as a middle forward in rugby league.

There are no Kiwi-NRL juniors in the Dev List right now but Knights had the following players in their system during 2025; Sosaia Latu (Mangere East), Ryder Williams (Marist), Cullen Gray (Hikurangi), Bailey Carmichael (Rotorua Boys High School), (Te Kaio Cranwell (Linwood), Xavier Lynch (Halswell), Jayden Harris (Hikurangi), Ezekiel Faga-Ieti (Hornby), Ryder Crosswell (Dannevirke).

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

Sea Eagles don't have any Kiwi-NRL juniors in their train/trial group and D'Jazirhae Pua'avase (Manurewa) is in their Dev List as a middle forward. Sea Eagles also had two Christchurch juniors in their system this year with Oliver Lawry (Halswell) playing centre in U21s and Ezekiel Paulo (Papanui) playing U19, U21 and NSW Cup as an edge forward.

South Sydney Rabbitohs

Phillip Lavakeiaho (Wesley College) spent the two years in the Roosters system and now the Papatoetoe junior shifts to Rabbitohs as a middle forward. Lavakeiaho played U19 and U21 footy for Roosters this year and is part of a monster Kiwi-NRL recruitment drive for Rabbitohs.

Bayleigh Bentley-Hape (Moerewa) debuted for Rabbitohs this year after initially being recruited from the far north by Roosters. Rabbitohs picked up Edward Kosi (Mangere East) and Moala Graham-Taufa (Marist) from Warriors in the top tier. They signed Salesi Ataata (Otahuhu) from Sharks last summer and he was a regular in NSW Cup, along with Devante Mihinui (Glenora) who shifted from Bulldogs to Rabbitohs early in the year.

Rabbitohs recruited Saumaki Saumaki from Nelson College 1st 15 as he wasn't named in their U19 squad, Saumaki may enter Rabbitohs at the U21 level or even NSW Cup. Nazareth Taua (Marist) is in the Rabbitohs Dev List for the second year in a row and Kaearangi Matthews (Arataki) played lots of U21 footy in 2025. Lavakeiaho is in the U19 squad along with George Kite (Papatoetoe) who moved from Warriors.

Two deep cuts that don't fall under the Kiwi-NRL umbrella yet are Charlie Poynton and Dean Tauaa. Poynton was born in Aotearoa but grew up in Australia where the fullback made the Australian U18 rugby union team in 2024 and Tauaa has the same story as a centre. We aren't too fussed with where players are born in the Kiwi-NRL mixer and as neither played junior footy in Aotearoa, we need to wait and see if they want to represent Aotearoa moving forward.

Sydney Roosters

Jackson Stewart (Hornby) is the only Kiwi-NRL junior in the Roosters' train/trial group and Dev List. Stewart won the U17 Harold Matthews Cup championship with Warriors in 2024 and then won the U19 SG Ball Cup championship with Roosters in 2025, before moving into their U21 team as a centre and fullback.

Now Stewart has risen to the NRL summer training block with Roosters. Also in the Roosters' team for the U19 Grand Final team were EJ Mahu-Delamere (Papatoetoe) and Kanaan Magele (De La Salle College).

Parramatta Eels

The only Kiwi-NRL junior in the Eels' train/trial group is Turangawaewae junior Te Hurinui Twidle. Having played in three years of U21 footy, Twidle went up a level in 2025 with 18 games of NSW Cup and he was fullback in all of them. In those 18 games, Twidle scored eight tries and had 14 try assists but there doesn't seem to be a clear path to NRL footy at Eels so it will be interesting to see how he progresses.

Eels have a diminished Kiwi-NRL presence in their pipeline outside of Twidle. Ieti Samuelu (De La Salle College) played plenty 18 games of U21s and two NSW Cup games for Eels this year after leaving Warriors, while Dakota Kakoi (Linwood) also played eight games of U21s

Wests Tigers

Patrick Herbert (St Kents College) is the only Kiwi-NRL junior in the Tigers train/trial group as an outside back and they also added middle forward Bunty Afoa (Pt Chevalier) from Warriors on their Dev List. As they are both mature players with plenty of experience, these two highlight a theme for Tigers as they have added reliable NRL players to their wider squad that is full of youngsters. Both Herbert and Afoa will be eager to prove that they still have plenty to offer at the NRL level.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Alekolasimi Jones (St Paul's College) and Sosaia Alatini (Hornby) are in the train/trial bracket for Bulldogs. Jones is primarily a middle forward but has also dabbled in edge forward mahi and he enters his fourth year in the Bulldogs system, having played three years of U21s. The first year of Jersey Flegg Cup footy for Jones overlapped with U19 SG Ball Cup and then he had two games of NSW Cup in 2024 alongside his U21 footy, before playing nine games of NSW Cup this year.

Jones rolled through big minutes in reserve grade as well. He had 40+ minutes in six of his nine games and for context, Zyon Maiu'u played 40+ minutes in two of his 20 NSW Cup games this season.

Alatini is the best Christchurch junior in the Bulldogs system and he is also entering his fourth year with Bulldogs. Both his U21 seasons overlap with U19 footy which shows how Alatini is viewed by Bulldogs and he is also listed in the Dev List so who knows what that means, but the edge forward is likely to find a consistent NSW Cup groove next season.

Cassius Tia (Mt Albert) is the best Kiwi-NRL junior in the Bulldogs system and he isn't listed in any contract bracket right now. Having initially been recruited by Roosters from Auckland, Tia switched to Bulldogs and while still eligible for U21s, Tia spent most of the year in NSW Cup. While playing most of his footy prior to 2025 in the halves, Tia mainly got his reserve grade opportunities at centre for Bulldogs with five consecutive games their mid-season and then he played eight consecutive games at centre to finish the season.

Penrith Panthers

Toby Crosby (Greytown) and Patrick Moimoi (Mangere East) both left Warriors to join Panthers where they are likely to find consistent NSW Cup roles. Crosby is a middle forward who adds depth alongside fellow Warriors movers Kalani Going (Mid-Northern) and Tom Ale (Mt Albert). After 21 games of U21 footy in 2024, Crosby played 23 games of NSW Cup for Warriors this year but dipped out of the top-17 for last few finals games.

Moimoi first emerged as a centre and after doing the U19/NSW Cup double in 2023, he only played one game of U21s in 2024. While he still had a few games at centre in 2025, Moimoi played more edge forward in his nine games of U21 footy and he came off the bench to play less than 25 minutes in his two NSW Cup games late in the season as an edge forward who could cover centre.

Panthers signed outside back Compton Purcell (Marist) from Warriors earlier in the year and after starting the year in U19s for Warriors, Purcell played U21s for both Warriors and Panthers this year. Panthers also signed Haami Loza (Mangere East/Otara) from Knights after he played U19, U21 and NSW Cup as a half this year.

Cronulla Sharks

Sharks have no Kiwi-NRL juniors in their train/trial group and there aren't any updates to their Dev List. Chris Vea'ila (Waitemata) made his NRL debut this year and middle forward Felix Fa'atili (Hornby) could be part of their Dev List having played U21/NSW Cup this year.

While there isn't much clarity about it all right now, Sharks did have a hearty group of Kiwi-NRL juniors in their system. This group was led by Fa'atili, Pharrell Gray (Victoria Hunters), Manako Piutau (St Paul's College), Richie Tupuailei (Hornby) and Ben Peni (Papatoetoe) who played U21s for Sharks this year.

St George Illawara Dragons

While there are no Kiwi-NRL lads in the train/trial group, Dragons are increasing their Aotearoa flavour after years of doing nothing. Setu Tu (Otahuhu) joined Dragons from Warriors at the Dev List tier and if he earns an NRL debut, Dragons could have two Otahuhu juniors in their outside back group with Christian Tuipulotu part of their top-17.

Dragons also have Demetrius Kilisimasi joining their U21 squad from Roosters. Kilisimasi is a Pakuranga junior who was in the Roosters system since 2023 but like many other Kiwi-NRL juniors who were recruited by Roosters only to depart for other opportunities, Kilisimasi now becomes one of two Kiwi-NRL juniors in the lower grades for Dragons.

The other is Rokko Walker who is part of the Dragons U19 squad after being recruited from Auckland Grammar School's 1st 15. The headlines about this signing were rather bonkers and while we welcome Walker to the Kiwi-NRL pool, most Kiwi-NRL juniors have played 1st 15 rugby union and instead of being unique, Walker instead fits into a trend.

Canberra Raiders

Nothing doing here in the train/trial group or their Dev List.

Melbourne Storm

Storm have no Kiwi-NRL players in their train/trial group and haven't updated their Dev List. They did have K-Ci Newton-Whare (Riccarton) and Josiah-Ekkehard Neli (Hornby) in ther U21 Jersey Flegg Cup championship squad this year though, with Newton-Whare starting as a middle forward in the final.

NZ Warriors

All Warriors angles have been covered in these deep dives...

New Zealand Warriors NRL-ish Depth Chart For The 2025/26 Summer

Exploring The Depths Of The 2026 New Zealand Warriors Top-50ish

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