Autumn Exploration Of The 2025 Aotearoa Kiwis Mixer
As the NRL season winds along towards winter, it is time to check in with the Aotearoa Kiwis mixer and map out New Zealand's rugby league top-tier talent. This Autumn Exploration also includes notes for Kiwi-NRL juniors from Aotearoa who are likely to keep representing Samoa and Tonga, or in the case of Mangere East junior Leka Halasima, step up to the international arena.
The Kiwi-NRL umbrella includes all players who come from Aotearoa and there is so much high quality rugby league talent from Aotearoa that it boosts the depth for NZ Kiwis, Samoa and Tonga. In the case of Halasima, he was part of the Tonga A squad that played NZ-A in 2023 and that squad also featured Manurewa junior Salesi Foketi who made his debut for Roosters this year.
Using the mythical powers of Kiwi-NRL eligibility foresight: expect Halasima and Foketi to stay with Tonga. Tonga will continue to have Marist junior Sitili Tupouniua and Burnham/Manurewa junior Siua Wong in their squads, while another Marist junior Deine Mariner will probably stick with Samoa.
Chanel Harris-Tavita has been a key player for Samoa already and the Howick/Pakuranga/Mt Wellington junior has the opportunity to be a long-term half for Samoa. Harris-Tavita also has whanau mana connecting him to Aotearoa and NZ Kiwis have benefited from whanau connections recently so Harris-Tavita could switch to NZ Kiwis in the future. The likeliest scenario is that Harris-Tavita represents Aotearoa Maori and Samoa for next few years.
Three more NZ Warriors to watch out for are Ali Leiataua, Demitric Vaimauga and Jacob Laban. Papatoetoe junior Leiataua and Te Aroha's Laban are eligibile for Samoa, having both been part of the NZ-A squad in 2023. Laban also represented Aotearoa Maori this year and depending on player availability, they could both debut for NZ Kiwis this year.
Vaimauga is eligible for Aotearoa, Samoa, Tonga and Niue. The Otahuhu junior could do anything with his international rugby league career and his decision may be influenced by the abundance of middle forwards that NZ Kiwis have in the mix. Vaimauga could be part of the NZ Kiwis squad this year alongside Leiataua and Laban, while also just as likely to playing alongside Harris-Tavita and Bunty Afoa (Pt Chevalier) for Samoa or Halasima with Tonga.
KL Iro is yet to officially make a switch away from Cook Islands. Iro has whanau mana with NZ Kiwis but is one of the few NRL players who grew up in the pacific islands and the Aorangi junior has both avenues open to him.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is likely to make a similar move as Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in finishing their international careers representing Tonga and Samoa respectively.
Other Kiwi-NRL eligibility matters
Josiah Karapani (Otahuhu) is in the mix for Samoa.
Ata Mariota (Manurewa) is in the mix for Samoa.
Jesse Arthars (East Coast Bays) is in the mix for Samoa.
Connelly Lemuelu (Tangaroa College) will probably stay with Samoa.
Braden Hamlin-Uele (Glenora) will probably stay with Samoa.
Viliami Vailea (Aorere College) will stay with Tonga.
Eliesa Katoa (Tamaki College) will stay with Tonga.
Starford To'a (Mt Wellington) will probably stay with Tonga.
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NZ Kiwis Mixer
Fullback
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (City Newton), Keano Kini (Northcote), Taine Tuaupiki (Taharoa), Bayleigh Bentley-Hape (Moerewa)
Kini is out with a long-term injury and Nicoll-Klokstad is in strong form with NZW. Tuaupiki and Bentley-Hape are both playing on the wing right now in NRL but their best positions are fullback. This also boosts the case for squad selection and they can cover a bunch of backline positions along with Nicoll-Klokstad.
Wing
Jamayne Isaako (Aranui), Ronaldo Mulitalo (Ellerslie/Otara), Will Warbrick (Ngongotaha), Bailey Simonsson (Tauranga), Jesse Arthars (East Coast Bays)
Isaako and Mulitalo are still the best wingers, while Warbrick has been missing footy due to injury. Simonsson just returned from a long injury break and has been one of the best Eels players in recent weeks. Arthars could earn an NZ Kiwis call up if the depth is tested and he deserves an international promotion with consistent mahi on the wing for Broncos.
Centres
Matthew Timoko (Otahuhu/Ellerslie), Sebastian Kris (Canberra), KL Iro (Aorangi), Ali Leiataua (Papatoetoe), Casey McLean (Penrith), Rocco Berry (Greytown), Adam Pompey (Tuakau), Mawene Hiroti (Western Suburbs)
Even if Iro stays with Cook Islands, NZ Kiwis will be well served by Timoko and Kris who have already gathered sneaky international experience for Aotearoa. Timoko has been a consistent NZ Kiwis centre and Kris played at the 2022 World Cup despite being born and raised in Australia. Same story for McLean who chose NZ Kiwis over State of Origin and he will get a development boost from this tricky phase of his career with Panthers.
Leiataua and Berry are joined by Pompey as NZW players in this bracket. Pompey can cover wing and centre equally well, so can Hiroti even though his impressive mahi for Sharks this season has been at centre. Pompey and Hiroti have shown impeccable team-first mahi for NZW/Sharks and have the potential to step up for NZ Kiwis.
Halves
Jahrome Hughes (Harbour City), Dylan Brown (Hikurangi), Kodi Nikorima (Burnham), Kieran Foran (Ellerslie), Te Maire Martin (Turangawaewae), Trent Toelau (Melbourne)
The Hughes/Brown combo is still the best for Aotearoa. Nikorima has enjoyed a settled role in the halves for Dolphins this season and can cover dummy half, making him an useful bench utility when building a top-17. Foran is unlikely to feature as a player but has already tapped in as a coach for NZ Kiwis.
Martin continues to dominate in NSW Cup but he can't quite crack into the NZW top-17. When his NRL opportunity does come around, Martin will probably remind folks of his class and he would be an excellent back up halves option who can cover any absences. Toelau was part of the squad last year and has played in the halves as well as at hooker for Panthers this season.
Hooker
Jeremy Marshall-King (Whakatane), Phoenix Crossland (Newcastle), Brandon Smith (Waiheke), Zach Dockar-Clay (Bell Block)
Marshall-King and Smith are battling injuries right now but they would be the ideal dummy half combo when all players are available. Crossland has built on his starting hooker mahi for NZ Kiwis last year by settling into this role for Knights and can also cover the halves. Dockar-Clay has found a home at Roosters in the dummy half position while Smith is out injured and he has a background as a half, so he is another handy utility player to have in the squad.
Middle
James Fisher-Harris (Motukohu), Joseph Tapine (Harbour City), Moses Leota (Mt Albert), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Upper Hutt), Leo Thompson (Napier Marist), Naufahu Whyte (Bay Roskill), Erin Clark (Manurewa), Xavier Willison (Whatawhata), Griffin Neame (Suburbs Greymouth), Demitric Vaimauga (Otahuhu), Alec MacDonald (Auckland), Tyrone Thompson (Maraenui)
Not much needs to be said about the top-tier middle forwards in this group. Even if there are moves to represent Samoa for Leota and Asofa-Solomona, players like Whyte and Clark are in exceptional form this season. Willison has also emerged as a high quality middle forward but he is currently in an all-Aotearoa edge forward combo with Jordan Riki at Broncos.
Willison's best role for NZ Kiwi would be on the bench where he can roll through the middle and offer edge forward cover. Vaimauga adds to the middle forward depth and there is scope for MacDonald to earn selection as a gritty worker to balance out the power. Tyrone Thompson made his debut for Knights this season and then dropped back down to NSW Cup and if he can climb back into their NRL group, there is a chance that the Thompson twins combined for NZ Kiwis this year.
Edge
Briton Nikora (Tauragna), Isaiah Papali'i (Te Atatu), Marata Niukore (Mangere East), Jordan Riki (Hornby), Scott Sorenson (Sydney), Jacob Laban (Te Aroha), Joe Chan (Sydney)
Nikora and Papali'i are the best edge forwards right now. Papali'i can do middle and edge mahi equally as well, which flows into Niukore who has started games at prop and edge forward this season. Riki and Sorenson are joined by Laban is the next best edge forwards, with Laban on the rise as the best emerging edge forward for NZ Kiwis.
Chan shouldn't be overlooked as he was part of the NZ-A squad in 2023 and is back in the mix for Storm being selected on their bench. Chan can roll through the middle or play edge forward which along with Willison, Papali'i and Niukore gives NZ Kiwis plenty of versatile forwards in a possible squad for a tournament format.
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