Leo Thompson and Griffin Neame are two young middle forwards from regional Aotearoa who helped New Zealand Kiwis roll over Australia, now they line up against each other in the first round of NRL Finals.
The NRLWahine wave continues to build momentum after the debuts of Tatiana Finau for Raiders and Sarina Masaga for Titans.
The 2024 Aotearoa Kiwis mixer needs an update after injuries to Brandon Smith and Dylan Brown, both of whom were penciled in as top-17 players for New Zealand.
Alexis Tauaneai was already shining in Aotearoa as a teenager playing for Wellington in the Farah Palmer Cup and since committing to rugby league, the 19-year-old has dominated every level except for international footy.
Despite not playing consistently in NRL or NSW Cup this season, Ali Leiataua was quietly simmering away in both grades before exploding with dominant mahi for New Zealand Warriors in their win over Cronulla Sharks.
There continues to be a flood of NRLWahine moving from Aotearoa and into NRLW with Tongan international Lavinia Tauhalaliku making her debut for North Queensland Cowboys in their loss to Brisbane Broncos.
For the second season in a row, New Zealand Warriors have a good NSW Cup team and they will be eager to make a deep finals run while the NRL team is kicking back.
Former Black Fern Tafito Lafaele hasn't generated the same headlines as Brisbane Broncos comrade Stacey Waaka and yet she is another wahine from rugby union in Aotearoa who is thriving in NRLW.
Sebastian Su'a made his NRL debut with Newcastle Knights in their win over Rabbitohs as the 18th man and almost spent more time in the sin bin than he did playing footy.
New Zealand Warriors have already flashed their production line of young talent with a bunch of debutants and emerging talent rolling into NRL footy during the two Andys era.
The 2024 NRL season has been a journey through the sludge of Aotearoa's mangroves for New Zealand Warriors and with Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs heading over the Tasman to play Jersey Flegg, NSW Cup and NRL games against the Warriors, it could get even more niggly.
Mackenzie Wiki has found a consistent groove with Canberra Raiders where she is churning out powerful mahi for the second NRLW season in a row.
Demitric Sifakula hasn't won an NRL game yet but he's impacted every game he's played in for New Zealand Warriors and could be the bully that Mt Smart needs moving forward.
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.