This! Butter take Mutitalo out, for Warbrick, Niukore out, for James-Fisher Harris and or Brendan Piakura. Crossland's a great pick, has plenty of factor. Love Niukore but yeah nah.
Pick Your Team Potential Kiwis Team 2023
- Thread starter SBW1
- Start date
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Yeah im sort of on the fence with Mulitalo. I mean playing ability wise i rate him but the fact we're probably his sloppy seconds has never sat well with me.
Warbrick, Isaako and Marzhew (just not sure who theyve thrown their hat in with).....id be happy with any of them tbh......and with DWZ i cant remember ever a time when we've had this many Kiwi eligible wingers who are in form and among the top try scorers for the season.
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Definitely, but not sure how he will fit even into the Kiwis A team
DWZ, Mulitalo, Isaako, Warbrick would all be ahead of him on the wing, and Manu, Timoko, Kris*, Berry, even Pompey would be ahead of him for centre, and then I am probably forgetting someone.
My team vs Samoa
1 Rapana 2 Mulitalo 3 Simonsson 4 Timoko 5 Warbrick 6 Brown 7 Hughes
8 Sipley 9 Nikorima 10 Thompson 11 Nikora 12 Papalii 13 Tapine
14 Crossland 15 Niukore 16 NAS 17 Leota
vs Roos
1 Manu 2 Rapana 3 CNK 4 Timoko 5 DWZ 6 SJ 7 Hughes
8 Leota 9 Smith 10 JFH 11 Nikora 12 Riki 13 Tapine
14 Nikorima 15 NAS 16 Thompson 17 Sipley
1 Rapana 2 Mulitalo 3 Simonsson 4 Timoko 5 Warbrick 6 Brown 7 Hughes
8 Sipley 9 Nikorima 10 Thompson 11 Nikora 12 Papalii 13 Tapine
14 Crossland 15 Niukore 16 NAS 17 Leota
vs Roos
1 Manu 2 Rapana 3 CNK 4 Timoko 5 DWZ 6 SJ 7 Hughes
8 Leota 9 Smith 10 JFH 11 Nikora 12 Riki 13 Tapine
14 Nikorima 15 NAS 16 Thompson 17 Sipley
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He is eligible For the Cookies & Aus only.
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Sipley is a good shout.
I know CNK is the incumbent at Centre but he's done nothing of note on the left side where they tend to chuck him. His best work is alway on the right when sweeping around & won't get those opportunities at Centre, regardless of what side he plays.
Who's the best left Centre from NZ? Hiku?
Hiku's a right centre. Simonsson & Pompey the only left centres of note with Kris out. Never seen Manu play on the left but probably could and Smith had played his whole career on the right until the last 2 Storm games where he played left wing.
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The teams I would go with-
1: CNK
2: Mulitalo
3: Timoko
4: Manu
5: DWZ
6: Hughes
7: Johnson
8: Leota
9: Smith
10: JFH
11: Papali'i
12: Nikora
13: Tapine
14: Brown
15: NAS
16: Niukore
17: Riki
18-21: Crossland, Isaako, Neame, Thompson
(I might be going a bit mad, but I feel like I have heard the squads are only 21 players for the series)
1. Tuaupiki
2. Marzhew
3. Simmonson
4. Berry
5. Warbrick
6. TMM
7. Asi
8. Grieg
9. Nikorima
10. Moimoisea
11. Topine
12. Chan
13. Pole
14. Clark
15. Maiu'u
16. Going
17. VTW
18. ZDC
(Not going to lie, I had a pretty hard time filling the Kiwis A out, I got maybe halfway through before I had to start searching for NZ Born players lol)
I tried to go without picking any players that have played for/intend to play for other countries, and no players over 30 (bar one obvious exemption) We should be building towards 2026, not picking guys who are going to retire before the World Cup comes back around imo.
1: CNK
2: Mulitalo
3: Timoko
4: Manu
5: DWZ
6: Hughes
7: Johnson
8: Leota
9: Smith
10: JFH
11: Papali'i
12: Nikora
13: Tapine
14: Brown
15: NAS
16: Niukore
17: Riki
18-21: Crossland, Isaako, Neame, Thompson
(I might be going a bit mad, but I feel like I have heard the squads are only 21 players for the series)
1. Tuaupiki
2. Marzhew
3. Simmonson
4. Berry
5. Warbrick
6. TMM
7. Asi
8. Grieg
9. Nikorima
10. Moimoisea
11. Topine
12. Chan
13. Pole
14. Clark
15. Maiu'u
16. Going
17. VTW
18. ZDC
(Not going to lie, I had a pretty hard time filling the Kiwis A out, I got maybe halfway through before I had to start searching for NZ Born players lol)
I tried to go without picking any players that have played for/intend to play for other countries, and no players over 30 (bar one obvious exemption) We should be building towards 2026, not picking guys who are going to retire before the World Cup comes back around imo.
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Lucky we're playing Tonga A & not Australia A!
I believe Erin Clark is injured & Nikorima's form for the Dolphins probably pushes Crossland down the pecking order. Be good to see Karl Oloapu in there with an eye to the future too
If the Kiwis don't have success this year then more & more dual eligibility players choose Samoa or Tonga come World Cup time
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Damn shame. And he would of missed out on a golden boot anyway, By a couple of match fixed forward passes and 1 point. ...Yes, Still salty.
It'll be a shame that he is unlikely to get an International swansong now. Good news for Warriors '24 campaign though
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Rugby league: Shaun Johnson won't play for NZ Kiwis at upcoming Pacific Championship
The Warriors star is eager to take some time off after a long 2023 NRL campaign.
www.newshub.co.nz
Oh well Jahrome Hughes and Dylan Brown it is.....and tbh that's probably our long term halves combination (altho Shaun wouldve thoroughly deserved a recall).
If it is SJ's farewell from the Kiwis i think he always did the jersey proud. At times when the Warriors were having stinkers of seasons it looked a relief for SJ sometimes being in a professional enviroment with likeminded players. There was a little window of dominance we had over the Aussies around 2014-15 and SJ was absolute key in that......i think he was one player they always feared.
The 2 stand out SJ moments in International footy ill aways remember is trailing late in the game in that semi final against the Poms and they go wide to him and he puts on that big left foot step to break their hearts. The other where he absolutely stands up Greg Inglis (who was probably best player in the game round that time) puts on the afterburners and leaves him for dead.......just made everyone go nuts.
If it is SJ's farewell from the Kiwis i think he always did the jersey proud. At times when the Warriors were having stinkers of seasons it looked a relief for SJ sometimes being in a professional enviroment with likeminded players. There was a little window of dominance we had over the Aussies around 2014-15 and SJ was absolute key in that......i think he was one player they always feared.
The 2 stand out SJ moments in International footy ill aways remember is trailing late in the game in that semi final against the Poms and they go wide to him and he puts on that big left foot step to break their hearts. The other where he absolutely stands up Greg Inglis (who was probably best player in the game round that time) puts on the afterburners and leaves him for dead.......just made everyone go nuts.
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Defence
Contributor
Hell yeah they’re the two moments that spring to mind for me too.
He’s had plenty though….
Shaun Johnson makes call on Kiwi availability
Shaun Johnson won't feature for the New Zealand Kiwis next month after a gruelling year of football, however, the halfback is confident they'll be fine without him.
The Warriors' No. 7 was a short-priced favourite for the Dally M, only to get pipped at the post by Kalyn Ponga in Round 26, with the fullback expected to make his international debut for the Kangaroos next month.
However, Johnson won't face 'KP' with the halfback deciding not to play in the tournament, opening the door for a number of contenders to line up in the halves as SJ takes a well-earned holiday.
“I am going to take a bit of time off,” Johnson told NRL.com.
“The Kiwis are going to be fine. It is not a World Cup year.
“Where I am at, after the season I have had, I really feel like I do need a break.
“I don't ever turn down the opportunity to represent New Zealand, and I think a lot of people who know me know that, so this was a very hard decision but it one that I am very comfortable with, and I am just going to enjoy some time with my family."
Jahrome Hughes and Dylan Brown are the natural options to slot into the halves, but there's a big question mark over whether Brown even deserves to wear the jersey after his off-field controversy this year.
Joey Manu is another option, it's assumed he'll play fullback however the form of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is good enough to be able to afford to move Manu. The likes of Te Maire Martin and Kodi Nikorima have been there before, but they're down the pecking order.
Johnson, who didn't make the World Cup squad last year, revealed he was ready to walk away completely last season, but found new light this year alongside his form.
“Last year I was done. I was ready to call it quits,” Johnson said.
“I was like, ‘this isn't what I remember rugby league to be', and then in pre-season I was like, ‘who knows'.
“The Warriors never promised me anything but they said ‘if I performed, let's talk'. I was okay that I might not be signing on for another year at the Warriors. It was a reality.
“The season played out the way it did so Webby said you have got to come back for one more and we can re-evaluate then as well.
“I never want to overstay my welcome but right now I feel like I am in a really good place, and it would be silly not to see where that can take us next year.”
The aging halfback is instead focused on the Warriors 2024 season, and after getting his first taste of a preliminary final since 2011, Johnson will be determined to add another a win or two to the tally next season.
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