Tagged with: Kiwi-NRL
Bayleigh Bentley-Hape made his NRL debut for South Sydney Rabbitohs in their win over St George Illawara Dragons, which makes the Moerewa junior the second Kiwi-NRL debutant in two rounds of footy this season.
Salesi Foketi is the first Kiwi-NRL debutant of the 2025 NRL season after coming off the bench for Sydney Roosters in their round one loss vs Brisbane Broncos.
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.
Plenty more NRL Pre-Season Challenge games are being played over the next few days and this means more Kiwi-NRL deep cuts like Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana, Esom Ioka, Nazareth Taua, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava and the return of Taniela Otukolo.
NRL Pre-Season Challenge starts this weekend along with trials for Broncos and Dolphins, as well as Under 19 footy in Queensland where there is an impressive group of youngsters from Aotearoa named in both the men's and women's teams for Burleigh.
Under 19 SG Ball/Tasha Gale Cup footy kicks off this weekend and while New Zealand Warriors have an SG Ball game vs Manly Sea Eagles in Sydney, there are a bunch of young men and women from Aotearoa named for Australian teams.
The Kiwi-NRL Summer Guide finishes with Cronulla Sharks, St George Illawara Dragons, Canberra Raiders and Melbourne Storm to check in with lads from Aotearoa who are hunting more NRL footy in 2025
The Kiwi-NRL Summer Guide wanders around around Sydney to cover the emerging talent from Aotearoa with Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Wests Tigers, Parramatta Eels and Penrith Panthers.
The Kiwi-NRL Summer Guide moves into New South Wales to cover Newcastle Knights, Manly Sea Eagles, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters.
This Kiwi-NRL guide rolls through the Queensland NRL teams with fringe/development nuggets about North Queensland Cowboys, Redcliffe Dolphins, Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast Titans
The annual check in with Kiwi-NRL Juniors Who Helped Australian Teams Make Finals is slightly different this year as there was no Under 21 Hastings Deering Colts competition in Queensland.
All four teams in the NRL/NRLW Grand Finals have at least two players from or representing Aotearoa and that delivers lots of enticing wrinkles relating to New Zealand rugby league.
The last time we checked in with Naufahu Whyte for a Kiwi-NRL Spotlight was after he churned out 68 minutes vs Raiders and while his mahi dipped for Roosters soon after round 12, the Bay Roskill junior was back near his best in the loss to Panthers last week.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.