NZ Warriors trauma was on full display in last weekend's loss to Dragons and the game was so diabolical that it those vibes permeated throughout the Dragons and from my perch in Aotearoa I can have a chuckle at all the shenanigans.
After 14 Kiwi-NRL players made their debuts last year, we now have eight already this season thanks to Falakiko Manu getting a crack at centre for the Bulldogs.
NRL footy is back and somehow if feels like the Aotearoa/Kiwi-NRL mana has risen even though we've skipped a week or so. Here's a bunch of nifty notes to set the round 16 Kiwi-NRL vibe.
This isn't about Shaun Johnson's initial departure being bad business, this is about the move into good business under current leadership.
In late October the Rugby League World Cup will start and given the state of Planet Earth, we have no idea what kind of RLWC will be rolled out.
Aotearoa Warriors footy doesn't get much more dour than a 6-10 loss to Newcastle Knights.
Jesse Bromwich and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have played every NRL game this season. Nathaniel Roache is coming back to NRL footy and Shaun ‘shop window’ Johnson is out to showcase himself. Here are Kiwi-NRL notes for every NRL team ahead of round 15.
In shuffling out Aotearoa Warriors juniors like Ken Maumalo, Hayze Perham, Paul Turner and Peta Hiku over the past month or so, the Warriors have put out a slight Aotearoa Breakers vibe under their new owners.
Headlines were whipped up last week as the Bulldogs apparently made an approach to Phil Gould to jump ship.
Parramatta Eels welcomed back Dylan Brown to bolster their supreme Kiwi-NRL crew and I can't let Nelson Asofa-Solomona go uncelebrated any further.
Aotearoa has always dabbled in enjoying State of Origin. Although we all know that while Australia believes this is the highest level of rugby league available, there is more to the rugby league world than Australia and the State of Origin window doesn't do a whole lot for anyone else.
As Australia gushes into a State of Origin frenzy, the NRL rolls out bye games and NZ Warriors take a wee break.
Hanging your Shaun Johnson cap on a win over Gold Coast Titans isn't a fabulous endorsement of Johnson's form or scope moving forward, yet it is some kind of starting point.
Another round of NRL footy and another Kiwi-NRL debut is all but locked in for tonight as Wellington's TC Robati has been named on the bench for Brisbane Broncos against Melbourne Storm.
With some NZ Warriors juniors in Aotearoa right now and plenty of Warriors aligned players over in Australia with Redclfife Dolphins, that chaotic vibe seeps down the Warriors levels.
Newcastle Knights are in the midst of a wee NRL slump and with plenty of Kiwi-NRL talent recruited from Aotearoa waiting for a crack, this isn't the worst case scenario.
For Aotearoa Warriors to really bask in their fringe top-eight NRL glory, wins against teams in a similar spot and teams beneath the Warriors are mandatory.
The last four weeks of Aotearoa Warriors footy have been a whirlwind and while it looked like a slightly easier patch of NRL footy earlier in the season, the rise of Manly Sea Eagles and a hearty North Queensland Cowboys team ensured that this was a tough run of games for the Mt Smarters.
This week's Monday Morning Dummy Half rolls through a few Kiwi-NRL deep cuts and they don't get much deeper than Canberra Raiders fullback Caleb Aekins finally enjoying a win.
If the Aotearoa Warriors Diary tickles your toes, you'll be comfy in the knowledge that we are dealing with a middle of the pack NRL team.