International New Zealand Kiwis

[Matiunz]

View attachment 9566

I like it, it’s nice and clean and a bit of a throwback to the puma jerseys a while back

 

[Natedogg]

Props - James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota , Leo Thompson, Nelson Asofa Solomona, Griffin Neame, Naufahu Whyte , Xavier Willison, Joseph Tapine.

Backrowers - Isiah Papalii, Briton Nikora, Tapine , Jordan Riki , Kenny Bromwich, Josiah Pahulu* , Alec McDonald. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki is still unsure if he'll play for Tonga, Samoa or his birth country NZ. Or, Australia as he as aspirations of playing Origin(Moved to Aus when we was 11) Would be nice to have the kid.

Your comment might of been tongue n cheek in reply to my SJ comment....but I don't see Jesse making the team due to the class of prop he has in front of him. Kenny might.

Halves unavailable due to injury or recent retirement - Shaun Johnson, Dylan Brown, Kieran Foran , TMM.

Available - Fingers crossed , Jahrome Hughes & Kodi Nikorima.
Makes sense we send a sos to SJ.
Unless CHT gets picked?

Of the young up & coming halves I can only think of is Isaiya Katoa. And he doesn't even want to play for the Kiwis lol.

When has it been said that SJ is unavailable for the kiwis

He has retired from the NRL is my understanding.

He didnt play last year due to looking after the body and putting the club first, 2020,21,22 there were no games due to covid.

He will get selected to join at least the wider squad IMO

 

[Noitall]

When has it been said that SJ is unavailable for the kiwis

He has retired from the NRL is my understanding.

He didnt play last year due to looking after the body and putting the club first, 2020,21,22 there were no games due to covid.

He will get selected to join at least the wider squad IMO

Would be a risk for him after going out in fairytale fashion, that the alternative happens and it’s a disaster. Aussie will be smarting after get thrashed by their standards in the previous game. I definitely think we’ve got the cattle to do it again but SJ would have to have a team first mentality rather than it being about his final international. Not to say I think he’d do that. His defence has been questionable this season but it’s generally a fairly strong point in his game in recent years

 

[Noitall]

I like it, it’s nice and clean and a bit of a throwback to the puma jerseys a while back

Throwback to the 2002 jersey apparently

 

[Cces]

Is Crossland pretty much a certainty?

 

[Natedogg]

I would rather SJ play in the halves that throw someone in there with 0 games for the kiwis.

Big games like these command experience.

 

[Cces]

With the halves cupboard fairly bare I'd like to see Niwhai Puru in the wider squad as an apprentice type & it'd be a good chance for Stacey to observe him & potentially talk about opportunities at the Warriors

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Is Crossland pretty much a certainty?

I’d have Crossland over Nikorima in both 6 or 14 jersey.
I don’t understand this thing about Kodi being in “good form” he had a good game against us but that’s it. Look at his record at the end of the season as a starting half.

He’s slightly better offensively, if he fires. That’s a big if……. Surely everyone’s memories of him at the Warriors can’t be that bad.

Especially when you consider 90% of everything is going through Hughes anyway. I’d rather SJ at 6 than Nikorima.
Crossland is easily the better defender.

Looks like Howarth is going to turn us down also.

 

[Cces]

I’d have Crossland over Nikorima in both 6 or 14 jersey.
I don’t understand this thing about Kodi being in “good form” he had a good game against us but that’s it. Look at his record at the end of the season as a starting half.

He’s slightly better offensively, if he fires. That’s a big if……. Surely everyone’s memories of him at the Warriors can’t be that bad.

Especially when you consider 90% of everything is going through Hughes anyway. I’d rather SJ at 6 than Nikorima.
Crossland is easily the better defender.

Looks like Howarth is going to turn us down also.

Bummer about Howarth.
Nikorima has been playing right edge too & that's Hughes' side. If I remember correctly, Nikorima is even more fragile defending on the left

 

[SBW1]

And yet Howarth has turned out for NZA, surely the Storm Kiwis can change his mind.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

And yet Howarth has turned out for NZA, surely the Storm Kiwis can change his mind.

Thought I heard he wanted to play Origin.

 

[OtautahiEast]

Bummer about Howarth.
Nikorima has been playing right edge too & that's Hughes' side. If I remember correctly, Nikorima is even more fragile defending on the left

Stuff Howarth, if he'd rather Qld over the Kiwis jumper then stuff him.
Had some defense lapses against the sharks. Players around him make him look better then he is.
Joey Manu will be back in a year or 2
If Mulitalo could play center Warbrick on the wing

 

[Cces]

Stuff Howarth, if he'd rather Qld over the Kiwis jumper then stuff him.
Had some defense lapses against the sharks. Players around him make him look better then he is.
Joey Manu will be back in a year or 2
If Mulitalo could play center Warbrick on the wing

I'd like to see Mariner given a crack before Howarth anyways but unsure if he's committed either

 

[tajhay]

I'd like to see Mariner given a crack before Howarth anyways but unsure if he's committed either

Deine is ineligible to play for QLD. Surely he would make himself available for Kiwis?

#AnotherMulitalo

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

6, centres and hooker seem to be the problem positions.

At 6, with Dylan Brown, TMM and Foran out. We have realistically, Nikorima and Crossland. You could throw in SJ and CHT.

Centre is an interesting one. Matt Timoko has that right side locked down you’d assume. He hasn’t made a line break since round 5 but gets through a tonne of work.
Which leaves the left. Funnily enough we actually have a few options here and even better they all play left. Seb Kris, Deine Mariner and even CNK and Adam Pompey lol.
Mariner certainly the most lethal of the 4. Be interesting if/where Stacey picks CNK, could foreshadow things for the Warriors.

Hooker you have JMK, it’s a pity that Brandon Smith is out. That’ll be one hell of a 1-2 punch.

As it (seemingly) stands

1. Kini
2. Issako
3. Mariner
4. Timoko
5. Mulitalo
6. Crossland
7. Hughes

8. JFH
9. JMK
10. Thompson
11. Papalii
12. Nikora
13. Tapine

14. Nikorima
15. NAS
16. Leota
17. Riki (only cause I see him as the most versatile second row option)

That team is not as good as last year but should give the Aussies a good run.
I’d give Willison and Kini (if Stacey sticks with CNK) a run against Tonga.

 

[PhilsySH35]

Deine is ineligible to play for QLD. Surely he would make himself available for Kiwis?

#AnotherMulitalo

back in the day was pretty clear cut and simple who you barracked for, there was only 3-4 teams internationally. the kiwis, kangaroos, poms or the British lions, if played league in nz you would play for the kiwis black and white, now feels like we're missing out on players who were born in nz wanting to play for oz (3 year residency rule), due to soo, financial incentive, then got players born in nz or the islands wanting to rep their tipuna, can't say I blame them, however priority should be nzrl to focus on the kiwis squad only nothing else. nz has a really small pool of players to pick from so need to maximize resources we have, this will in all likelihood set nzrl back 20-30 years and kiwis back hundred years. criteria for players should be "I want to wear the black jersey and rep nz" only.
so don't be putting your hand up to play nzA (jack howarth, ozzy jim who was selected in the reserves I think for the kiwis but never played for us - dollars wasted getting those players to think of playing for us - there shouldn't be any doubt if they are wavering, then that's a sign kick em to the curb, we don't want them), think nzrl shouldn't chase after players who have potential i.e. kalyn ponga, jason taumalolo, karmichael kunt, but stick only those who born in nz only and who say they'll only rep kiwis. prefer someone who willing to die for the jersey instead of players full of talent and play for the almity dollar (kalyn ponga). nzrl should focus only on nz based layers only and not nrl players as nz don't have the putea to target those potential kiwi players.
should have a pacific nations comp with samoa, tonga, fiji, raro, niuea etc and nz maori, and pick kiwis squad from nzmaori and or nz comp. getting really frustrated at the current setup of rugby league in oz and nz. just gonna focus on the wahz, the abs, the black caps and tiddly winks. yyyaaayyyy rant over.

 

[Kav1]

Dogs and Sea Eagles must have the smallest number of Kiwis on their books than most sides in the NRL.

Add one more to Manly's bench next year.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

O the howarth front, i would rather Seb Kris get the jersey first over anyone who hasn't committed yet! He's given himself to the kiwis and is a decent centre, My top pick after Timoko.

 

[Cces]

but stick only those who born in nz only

Australian born Kiwis:
1. Brent Webb
2. Jason Nightingale
3. Josh Hoffman
4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5. Bryson Goodwin
6. Ben Roberts
7. Nathan Fien
8. Jason Cayless
9. Richard Swain
10. Nathan Cayless
11. Frank Pritchard
12. Scott Sorensen
13. Addin Fonua-Blake

14. Slade Griffin
15. Sam McKendry
16. Royce Hunt
17. Sebastian Kris

18. Jake Webster
19. Gerard Beale
20. Luke Covell

There'd be another squad of Polynesian born players too.

Choosing only NZ born would be more likely to set NZ Rugby League back 20-30 years

 

[Matiunz]

Some more of the dynasty kiwis kit is up on their site. The white strip from the teaser now makes sense(training tee) wonder what the checkered strip is going to be?