What happens when Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Lesson Ah Mau depart Aotearoa Warriors? The whanau win three games in a row, churning out fun footy against weaker teams and continuing their sneaky push for a top-eight spot.
Add three more Kiwi-NRL debutants to the tally for 2021 now that Naufahu Whyte, Griffin Neame and Makahesi Makatoa all made their debuts over the weekend.
Depending on whether you're optimistic about Aotearoa Warriors sneaky NRL finals push or if you reckon the curse won't be vanquished this season, in Chanel Harris-Tavita and the Aotearoa juniors there are plenty of reasons to tap into Warriors mahi.
In covering Kiwi-NRL matters at the top end of NRL business and also the junior pipelines offered by every NRL club, a strong trend of SEQ emerging as a pivotal round-a-bout of Kiwi-NRL prospects quickly perked my antenna.
Late last year Viliami Vailea earned the 'Best All-Round Sports Boy' award at Aorere College and now he's the 13th Kiwi-NRL debutant of 2021 - remember there were 14 Kiwi-NRL debuts in 2020.
Rugby league is in a strange ol' spot mid-way through 2021. Nah, this isn't about any of the many weird NRL antics ... well apart from the already monumental Kiwi-NRL numbers.
Aotearoa now has 10 Kiwi-NRL debutants in 2021 after Junior Pauga and Tukimihia Simpkins helped Wests Tigers snare a win over Brisbane Broncos.
Are we sure of Joseph Manu's ceiling?
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.