All #KiwiNRL eyes will be on Jordan Kahu vs Joseph Manu, along with Alex Glenn vs Isaac Liu. Dragons and Bulldogs will carry two very different #KiwiNRL bench utilities and Penrith Panthers have made #KiwiNRL changes.
For the past three years, I've dropped a Niche Cache Maori All Stars team and now, with the NRL announcing a New Zealand Maori vs Australian Indigenous fixture to replace the All Stars game, we are back for the fourth annual Niche Cache Maori All Stars team
Losing to Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, while New Zealand Warriors are in preparation for Finals footy, wasn't part of the plan.
As slick as Aotearoa Warriors have looked in their past two games, taking on Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs in Sydney could present a niggly challenge for the Warriors.
Mawene Hiroti has been named to make his debut for South Sydney Rabbitohs, finally giving the Bunnies some #KiwiNRL funk. There’s also a #KiwiNRL dummy half battle between two 2015 Junior Kiwis and Isaac Liu has low key moved to edge forward for Sydney Roosters.
As Sydney Roosters step into their post-Origin power, Joseph Manu has served up low key immense performances at right centre. This leads into a few thoughts on a possible 'Young Kiwis' team and that naturally leads into pondering Benji Marshall's Kiwis future ... again.
While there are a couple of low key players still unsigned for next season, Aotearoa Warriors have gone hundies on keeping David Fusitu'a at Mt Smart.
Back to back wins. How good does that feel? And not just any old wins either, two classy wins over St George Illawara Dragons and Newcastle Knights in which the Warriors scored points when they needed to, while flexin' with their defence.
Aotearoa Warriors have signed Todd Payten as an assistant coach to Stephen Kearney for three years in a move that bolsters a staff roster that is already full to the brim with experience and talent.
After last week's high of an almighty win against St George Illawara Dragons in Australia, the Warriors are back in Auckland to face Newcastle Knights.
Wayne Bennett is hating on Jordan Kahu, Marata Niukore is holding it down for #KiwiNRL in Parramatta and Canberra Raiders are building a #KiwiNRL crew to rival the best.
The NRL is so crazy, I love it. Four weeks out from the Finals and Penrith Panthers coach Anthony Griffin is gone, which even though this news had been simmering away since pre-season, is still crazy af.
The 2018 NRL season is rounding the last corner into Finals footy and there is not only a heavy #KiwiNRL presence in among the NRL's best teams, those teams desperate to crack the top-8 also have plenty of #KiwiNRL funk in them.
Having seen the effort and intensity that Aotearoa Warriors showcased in their 18-12 win over St George Illawara Dragons in Wollongong, this isn't a case of where has that been over the past few months.
Aotearoa Warriors finally released their squad of 22 and Brisbane Broncos added another kiwi to their roster, ensuring that the first ever Women's Premiership will feature a heavy dose of #KiwiNRL wahine.
Losing to Gold Coast Titans, or more specifically being blown off the park in the second half by the Titans, wasn't so tough to stomach knowing that there were plenty of young lads playing big minutes on the GC. The issue was and now is, that Aotearoa Warriors have to get a couple wins against really good footy teams in their last five games.
Wellington’s Jahrome Hughes is holding it down at halfback for Melbourne Storm, Moeaki Fotuaika is a beast off the bench for Gold Coast Titans and three NRL teams have named all #KiwiNRL wing combos for round 21 of the NRL.
The emergence of Esan Marsters has blown the Aotearoa Kiwis battle for centre spots up and now Joseph Manu is chiming in, after a strong performance for Sydney Roosters in their big win over St George Illawara Dragons
"A really big opportunity missed today" said Shaun Johnson after New Zealand Warriors loss to Gold Coast Titans. Coach Stephen Kearney said it was a wee bit soft and when you're desperately trying to stay in the top-8 after sitting in the NRL wilderness, those aren't great reflections on a late-season performance.
Last week it was Blake Green who was a late scratching from the Warriors team, this week Issac Luke and Tohu Harris have been omitted from the initial Warriors team to face Gold Coast Titans.