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Player Kalani Going

Date of Birth
Jan 14, 1997
Birth Location
Whangarei, New Zealand
Nationality
  1. 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Height (cm)
178 cm
Weight (kg)
98 kg
Position/s
  1. Hooker
  2. Second Row
  3. Lock
Warrior #
283
Warriors Debut Date
Sep 2, 2023
Warriors Debut Details
September 2 2023, Round 24 vs Redcliffe Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Warriors Years Active
  1. 2023
Signed From
Northland RU
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalani_Going
Rugby League Project
https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/kalani-going/summary.html
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Kalani going all the way to NRL debut against Dolphins​

Richard Becht

Newest One New Zealand Warriors NRL players Kalani Going and Paul Roache epitomise tenacity and perseverance in a way few others do.

And tomorrow they both have their reward as they eye their first-grade debuts off the bench in the Warriors’ last regular season match against the Dolphins before heading into their first finals campaign since 2018.

For any player the dream is to make it into the NRL. For many it comes relatively quickly, for others not at all and for others the long way around.

Going and Roache are in the latter bracket; indeed they might have wondered whether the dream would ever come true, only they didn’t give up on it.

Roache had it in front of him when he joined the Canberra Raiders but it didn;t work out as he sought a release to return home on compassionate grounds.

Going was also in the Canberra system but he too eventually headed home and, like Roache, went back to rugby union.

But then came an opportunity, no promises and no contracts for either of them as the One New Zealand Warriors hit the reset button following their three years exiled in Australia.

After being shelved when the Covid pandemic hit in March 2020, the New South Wales Cup team was back on the agenda.

They had to start all over again, finding players from the local scene to build a squad to back up the others on NRL contracts.

So, Going and Roache were offered the chance of starting the preseason in November with nothing solid, just train and see where it takes you. It eventually took them to deals to play in the New South Wales Cup – and, as of today, the ultimate carrot of becoming bona fide NRL players.

Going (26) has definitely taken the long journey. A very long one.

His grandfather is Brian Going, he of the legendary Northland rugby union trio alongside his brothers Sid (Super Sid as he was called) and Ken. They had a telepathic understand on the field best evidenced by a triple scissors play they perfected which completely bamboozled defences. Going, Going, gone it was termed.

From such a background Kalani was bound to head down the rugby union path and he did but the Whangarei-born boy also had the opportunity to play rugby league.

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Scouted and signed by Canberra – later having Roache as a clubmate (briefly) – Going played at SG Ball Cup (under-18) level for the Raiders in 2014 and 2015, under-20s in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and New South Wales Cup for feeder side the Mounties in 2018.

He couldn’t break through so he headed to the Queensland Cup playing for Tweed Seagulls in 2018 and 2019. Still no joy so back home he went to Northland where he returned to union making the province’s NPC side.

There was still a yearning for rugby league, though. He enjoyed the game and wanted to have another crack at it. Unfinished business. Now it's right in front of him.

Going has had an exceptional season for the One New Zealand Warriors’ New South Wales Cup side. Picked as captain by coach Slade Griffin, he played in all but two of the side’s regular season matches helping them to third on the ladder; he scored nine tries, averaged 117 metres and 30 tackles a game and made 74 tackles breaks. He plays with rare intensity and energy.

Going has been on the fringes of the NRL side, close to making the breakthrough in the middle of the season. Now it has come.

Going, Going - Let’s Gone.

 
It'll be interesting to see if, & how, they keep him around the squad in 2024 & beyond.
Played well but already 26 which is getting on in years. I know props mature later but you would wonder at his ceiling?
 
JWH is 34 so 26 is just a baby age for a prop.
Hope he comes along we are prob 2/3 props short
 
I hope he doesn't try to put on a whole lot of size to become an out & out Prop. He looks his best on the left edge but has the versatility to cover the middle when needed. If he remains nimble enough to go to Centre, as a result of a mid game injury, then he could be a genuine option in jersey #17
 
Kalani Going is a New Zealand rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row, lock and hooker for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL).

Going made his NRL debut in Round 27 2023 against the Dolphins.


With a surname like his, the Whangarei-born Kalani Going has to have a background in rugby union and he certainly does. His grandfather is Brian Going, he of the legendary Northland trio alongside his brothers Sid (Super Sid as he was called) and Ken. They had a telepathic understanding on the rugby union field best evidenced by a triple scissors play they perfected which completely bamboozled defences. Going, Going, gone it was termed.

Kalani Going was scouted and signed by Canberra. He played at SG Ball Cup (under-18) level for the Raiders in 2014 and 2015, under-20s in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and New South Wales Cup for feeder side the Mounties in 2018. He couldn’t break through so he headed to the Queensland Cup playing for Tweed Seagulls in 2018 and 2019. Still no joy so back home he went to Northland where he worked on the family farm and returned to union making the province’s NPC side.

There was still a yearning for rugby league, though. He enjoyed the game and wanted to have another crack at it. Unfinished business. Then came an opportunity, no promises and no contract, as the One New Zealand Warriors hit the reset button following their three years exiled in Australia. After being shelved when the Covid pandemic hit in March 2020, the New South Wales Cup team was back on the agenda for the Warriors.

Going started the preseason in November with nothing solid, just train and see where it takes you. It eventually took him to a deal to play in the New South Wales Cup – and ultimately the reward of becoming an NRL player when he debuted as Warrior #283 in the final regular season match of the year against the Dolphins.

He has had an exceptional season for the One New Zealand Warriors’ New South Wales Cup side. Picked as captain by coach Slade Griffin, he played in all but to of the side’s regular season matches helping them to third on the ladder; he scored nine tries, averaged 117 metres and 30 tackles a game and made 74 tackles breaks.

He was on the fringes of the NRL side, close to making the breakthrough in the middle of the season. Then his time came at the age of 26.



Screenshot 2023-10-17 11.19.30 AM.png
Screenshot from the official Warriors site of Kalani Going bio as of 17/10/2023...
 
Played well but already 26 which is getting on in years. I know props mature later but you would wonder at his ceiling?
It’s pretty crazy when 26 is considered late in years in the NRL, you are only just coming into your prime.
It’s like if a player is not a superstar at 23 they are thrown on the heap.
It’s a classic case of being more realistic about progress, timelines and managing expectations. Kepu Twins anyone?
 

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