The first round of NRL footy in 2026 has delivered two Kiwi-NRL debuts with Setu Tu and Siale Faeamani on the wings for Dragons and Titans respectively. Both are from Auckland and both scored a try on debut, having both worked through the New Zealand Warriors system before departing for greater opportunities.

Tu is an Otahuhu junior who moved to Auckland from Samoa in a tale that was well told around his NRL debut. He started with NZ Warriors in 2019 after shining on the domestic circuit and after scoring 15 tries in 15 games that season, Tu was on the wing for NZW in their only game of NSW Cup for 2020 before taking a smoko for the pandemic.

As all NZW antics moved to Australia, Tu played two seasons under the Redcliffe-Warriors umbrella with a bunch of NZW players lining up in the Redcliffe system. Tu was good enough to earn an opportunity with Dolphins for the summer of 2022/23 but he returned to Auckland for the 2023 season and lined up for NZW in NSW Cup that season.

That cycle repeated itself again after Tu played the 2024 season, earning an opportunity with Storm for the summer of 2024/25 and was in a group of former NZW players who lined up for Storm in their NRL preseason game vs NZW to start the 2025 season. Tu was assigned to Queensland Cup but only played one game before returning to the NZW NSW Cup team where he commanded selection ahead of youngsters as NZW chased championship history last season.

Given that Tu had already earned two train/trial contract opportunities with other NRL teams and fought back into the NZW reserve grade team, there was always a chance that he would demand another opportunity in Australia. Dragons pounced on Tu and another outside back from Auckland in David Fale (Marist), with Tu joining another Otahuhu winger at Dragons in Christian Tuipulotu.

Tu debuted alongside Tuipulotu as an all Otahuhu wing combo for Dragons. He played 65 minutes vs Bulldogs before leaving the field with injury and handled his wing duties well, getting four tackle breaks, an offload and mopping up kicks. Tu got that opportunity after a strong preseason and that suggests that coach Shane Flanagan will roll with him on the wing moving forward.

Faeamani played 1st 15 rugby union for St Peter's College and made a bunch of Blues/Auckland Rugby representative squads as an early indicator of his talent. He then entered the NZW system for the 2023 Under 19 SG Ball Cup squad and progressed into the Under 21 Jersey Flegg Cup team for 2024, before departing to join Panthers for the 2025 season where he played most of the season at the U21 level.

Faeamani was good enough to earn an opportunity for the Panthers NSW Cup team last season with three games at centre. A regime change at Titans saw new coach Josh Hannay get busy with his squad and they signed two Kiwi-NRL wingers from reserve grade in Faemani and New Plymouth's Jenson Taumoepeau.

Taumoepeau seems likely to debut at some point this season but Faeamani generated buzz on the Gold Coast swiftly and his steady role on the wing during preseason forecasted what was to come. Despite a heavy loss vs Sharks, Faeamani scored a try, churned out 14 runs - 153m @ 10.9m/run and finished without making a tackle.

Faeamani is highly likely to represent Tonga in international rugby league. He has already been part of the Hakula Tonga system in Aotearoa and as there aren't many players eligible for Tonga who play for NZ Kiwis, all signs point to Faeamani being the next Kiwi-NRL junior from Aotearoa to play for Tonga.

Similar story for Tu who spent much of his childhood in Samoa. While many Samoans choose to play for NZ Kiwis, Tu has a different background and now has the opportunity to take one of the most inspirational journeys to a higher level by showing youngsters in Samoa that they can work their way to NRL and international rugby league.

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