There are a few notable Kiwi-NRL selections to check in with as pre-season winds down such as Te Hurinui Twidle getting a crack in the halves for Parramatta Eels and former New Zealand Schools rugby union player Tevita Naufahu sticking around the Dolphins squad.

The first game of the weekend though is Sea Eagles vs Panthers where David Fale continues his rise with another appearance on the wing for Panthers. Marist junior Fale has featured in many summer Kiwi-NRL Spotlights after climbing his way up the Panthers depth chart and he is joined by Preston Riki (Rawene) in building towards more NRL footy this season.

Riki is named at prop again for Panthers and he appears primed to get a bench spot, giving Panthers another middle forward from Hokianga to replace James Fisher-Harris. With Taniwharau junior Austin Dias named as the other prop and Asu Kepaoa (Sacred Heart College) on the wing, Panthers have quietly built out their depth with lads from Aotearoa.

Aside from Starford Toa (Mt Wellington) easing his way back into NRL footy with starting centre role for Tigers, the spotlight in the Tigers vs Eels game will be on the young Waikato lad Twidle. Twidle has featured prominently in many Kiwi-NRL yarns as a fullback and half for Eels over the past few years, which flowed into intrigue about his role under new coach Jason Ryles.

Eels recruited Isaiah Iongi and Joash Papali'i as young fullbacks ahead of this season, yet Twidle has stayed in the Eels pre-season rotation and is now named as a starting half vs Tigers. Twidle showed his play-making craft last week vs Knights and while he seems down the pecking order as a fullback, he could be developed more as a half where he might be closer to NRL footy.

Much will depend on where Twidle features in NSW Cup and the most important thing for the Turangawaewae junior is building into a consistent role in reserve grade. Twidle won't get many opportunities early this season but anything is possible if he can find a NSW Cup groove, especially after getting lots of game time in trial footy.

Eels also have Whangarei's Wiremu Greig at prop and he will be eager to get steady minutes this season. Greig was in the Aotearoa Kiwis squad during their 2023 Pacific Championships but dipped out of the top tier last year and his progress under coach Ryles will be a funky Kiwi-NRL wrinkle this season.

Otahuhu junior Salesi Ataata has kept his spot in the Rabbitohs squad for the game vs Dragons. Depending on his form and connection with coach Wayne Bennett, Ataata may be in the mix for a top-17 role for round tahi. His likeliest scenario is starting in NSW Cup where he will aim to dominate as a middle forward and there is a strong chance that he makes his NRL debut at some point as a impact runner off the bench.

Rabbitohs have also suffered a bunch of injuries which could help Ataata's case, as well as Kawakawa's Bayleigh Bentley-Hape. Bentley-Hape is not named to play this weekend but Latrell Mitchell's still named despite his injury, so the versatile outside back from Northland could squeeze into the Rabbitohs squad. Regardless, if the Rabbitohs depth is challenged with injuries then Bentley-Hape is a sneaky lad to watch out for.

Broncos vs Bulldogs features Xavier Willison (Whatawhata) and Benjamin Te Kura for Broncos. Both are massive middle forwards who have funky Aotearoa Kiwis context as Willison is almost certain to earn selection in the next squad and Te Kura has eligibility intrigue given that he is a hearty Queenslander who played for NZ-A in 2023.

Despite limited Queensland Cup experience, Naufahu has earned lots of game time for Dolphins in pre-season and is still in their squad as they sharpen towards a top-17 NRL outfit. Dolphins have Jamayne Isaako (Aranui) as a starting winger and recruited Auckland's Junior Tupou from Tigers, along with plenty of outside back depth but Naufahu is still in the mix with his main position being centre.

Dolphins recruited Naufahu coming out of St Kentigern College 1st 15 where he earned selection for NZ Schools in 2023. It's unlikely that he plays NRL footy early in the season and given that he went from Under 19 Mal Meninga Cup last year to NRL pre-season footy this year, Naufahu will be one to watch in Queensland Cup over the next few weeks.

Roosters have rolled with Benaiah Ioelu (Tangaroa College) and Salesi Foketi (Manurewa) once again for their game vs Knights. With the Waiheke Ram Brandon Smith out injured, Ioelu could be building towards an NRL opportunity in the first quarter of the season. Foketi has a few more lads in front of him in the Roosters depth chart but he is getting consistent opportunities during the trial period.

Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana (Southern Cross Campus) and Tyrone Thompson (Maraenui) are in the wider Knights. Knights have the most hectic roster rumour cycle and combinations change constantly, so it will be interesting to see how the Kiwi-NRL youngsters in Newcastle progress through a system that loves talent from Aotearoa but always seems to bid them farewell just as they find a groove.

Storm have Nathaniel Roache (Richmond) in their squad to play Cowboys as he chases a back up dummy half role. There won't be many opportunities for Roache this season but he has earned game time during the trial period and he will be eager to demand an opportunity with another pre-season outing.

Cowboys have named Otara junior Jeremiah Mata'utia at edge forward in a big promotion for the youngster. This probably won't flow into a top-17 role early in the season but Mata'utia has impressed in the Cowboys system since being recruited from Auckland and he appears ready to step up to NRL footy when required.

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