As youngsters from Aotearoa roll through every NRL/NRLW pipeline and the group of top-tier rugby league players from Aotearoa continues to grow, remember that New Zealand Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns finished last year with wins over Australia.
As Aotearoa finished the Paris Olympics with a bunch of gold medals, Stacey Waaka was already lining up for her NRLW debut with Brisbane Broncos having won a gold medal to start the Olympics.
Recent events have increased the pressure and focus on the young halves working their way through the New Zealand Warriors pipeline, although no one should be too worried under the current regime of Andrew Webster and Andrew McFadden.
Georgia Hale has already been a legendary figure for women's rugby league in Aotearoa and now she is in the midst of her best NRLW season as Gold Coast Titans make a winning start.
In Aotearoa Keano Kini was a low key star at Rosmini College, Northcote Tigers Rugby League, Aotearoa Maori Rugby League and everything else from athletics to tag.
Daejarn Asi returned to Mt Smart with Parramatta Eels to defeat New Zealand Warriors in an all-Aotearoa halves combination alongside Northland's Dylan Brown.
Will Warbrick suffered a small dose of second year syndrome with Melbourne Storm this season but he is now in the the midst of a second year surge as he works towards Aotearoa Kiwis selection.
New Zealand Warriors need another NRL win on Friday night against Parramatta Eels and playing in front of a hearty Mt Smart gives them the best chance to snare that win.
Annessa Biddle burst onto the NRLW scene in 2023 by bursting through defences and the Otara Scorpion has quickly settled back into her dominant mahi for the 2024 season.
The finals flame still flickers for New Zealand Warriors after their win vs Tigers and as we roll through round 21 of NRL footy, only four points separates NZW in 12th and Sea Eagles in fifth.
NRLW footy starts tonight with Knights hosting Roosters and there is a steady flow of NRLWahine from Aotearoa named across the teams for the opening round.
New Zealand Warriors have another crucial NRL game on Friday night against Wests Tigers and while their chances of finals footy are fading, the finals flame is still flickering.
At 24-years-old and with 83 NRL games experience, Hornby junior Jordan Riki is a Kiwi-NRL leader for Brisbane Broncos.
Another season of NRLW footy is approaching and this means there is another wave of NRLWahine from Aotearoa preparing for their first dose of NRLW footy.
New Zealand Warriors have a crucial away trip to face Canberra Raiders on Friday night to help shuffle through teams just outside finals footy.
Ever since a clunky start to the 2024 NRL season at Mt Smart where New Zealand Warriors lost to Sharks, they have been battling to find a groove and repeat their 2023 mahi.
Selumiela 'Leka' Halasima is the latest youngster to debut for New Zealand Warriors as the Mangere East junior flashed his talent in a hectic stint coming off the bench in a loss to Bulldogs.
New Zealand Warriors have tricky trip to Sydney this weekend where all three grades will play against Bulldogs.
Despite the challenge offered by the Kiwi-NRL Brisbane Broncos, Aotearoa Warriors slipped back into a groove with a 32-16 win at Mt Smart.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs defeated Cronulla Sharks last night with no Kiwi-NRL players in their team and the Bulldogs resurgence has featured little Aotearoa flavour this season.