@SBW1 said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
We could make a play for Katoa
Is he eligible? What's the residency requirement? He only came to NZ late high school IIRC and left when he was 22 - does that count?
Would be funny if we poached an actual Tongan after they poached all our NZ Tongans.
After Warbrick's effort last night now sure if I want him in the Kiwis. We might as well select DWZ if we want wingers coming off their wing and leaving huge openings.
@Nepia said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
@SBW1 said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
We could make a play for Katoa
Is he eligible? What's the residency requirement? He only came to NZ late high school IIRC and left when he was 22 - does that count?
Would be funny if we poached an actual Tongan after they poached all our NZ Tongans.
After Warbrick's effort last night now sure if I want him in the Kiwis. We might as well select DWZ if we want wingers coming off their wing and leaving huge openings.
Warbrick is probably a better athlete than he is a footballer at this point in time if that makes sense . Big , strong, fast with a good leap. I think he’s still a bit raw .
But he is in a good place with Bellamy coaching him , he has been manufacturing nobodies into pretty good centres /wingers for years now , but yeah warbrick at this stage of his career can have a few rocks diamonds type games, nz league media might be getting a little carried away.
Hmmm interesting that on FB the Warriors are congratulating CNK and Niukore on Kiwis selection…. But can’t see a squad on the Kiwis page yet.
Sharpen up.
The Kiwis’ Pacific Championship squad is:
Erin Clark, Phoenix Crossland, James Fisher-Harris (capt), Peta Hiku, Jahrome Hughes, Jamayne Isaako, Keano Kini, Casey McLean, Griffin Neame, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Kodi Nikorima, Marata Niukore, Isaiah Papali’i, Jordan Riki, Scott Sorensen, Joseph Tapine, Leo Thompson, Matt Timoko, Trent Toelau, Will Warbrick, Naufahu Whyte.
fucking scraping the barrel here aren't we?
Peta Hiku? Was cooked 12 months ago when every Cowboys supporter celebrated his departure.
More than one fringe first grader
Griffin Neame has had a terrible season.
Oh and a dude who is Cheese's coke mate.
We're going to get pounded.
https://www.zerotackle.com/tonga-squad-confirmed-for-2024-pacific-championships-214942/ Tonga have named a pretty descent squad. They start the tournament against Oz.
Wow thats an ordinary squad. Surely CNK plays centre?
Warriors supporters get to have a better look at Erin Clarke, who only probably made this squad because of that announcement.
@SBW1 said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
Interesting the number of Kiwis pledging to play Origin is only getting bigger. Origin will be stacked with Kiwis the way it is going. The Maroons are going that way as it is. Can't see Leota in the squad.
When's the Samoan team named? I'll be pissed off if he's defected.
What's Toelau's background? He was born in Oz right?
This Championship is essentially a who's left over for each of the three squads.
@mariner4life said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
fucking scraping the barrel here aren't we?
Peta Hiku? Was cooked 12 months ago when every Cowboys supporter celebrated his departure.
More than one fringe first grader
Griffin Neame has had a terrible season.
Oh and a dude who is Cheese's coke mate.We're going to get pounded.
You said that last year to. I'm slightly more confident now. 
Leota is injured. Peter Hiku has gone quite well for the Kiwis in the past, he was part of the Stephen Kearney era in which we were very good. Not sure of his form in the UK. This should really be a Four team tournament. I do however expect the Aussies to dominate early and hopefully we can play ourselves into some form against Tonga. A few Kiwis with points to prove, like Riki who is from a gun team which has been underperforming. Hopefully at the very least we are competitive and build some depth for the future. Origin has cancelled out a number of options for us, hopefully we have picked up some good young guns from the Panthers to counter that. Samoa are playing the Poms this year.
Samoan team is weak despite the fluffing headline:
Anthony Milford (Dolphins)
Blaize Talagi (Penrith Panthers)
Deine Mariner (Brisbane Broncos)
Francis Molo (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Gordon Chan Kum Tong (Manly Sea Eagles)
Izack Tago (Penrith Panthers)
Jake Tago (Parramatta Eels)
Jarome Luai (Wests Tigers)
Jazz Tevaga (Manly Sea Eagles)
Jeral Skelton (Wests Tigers)
Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)
John Asiata (Leigh Leopards)
Josiah Pahulu (Gold Coast Titans)
Junior Pauga (Sydney Roosters)
Keenan Palasia (Leeds Rhinos)
Lazarus Vaalepu (Melbourne Storm)
Luciano Leilua (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Paul Roache (Warriors)
Ricky Leutele (Leigh Leopards)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors)
Shawn Blore (Melbourne Storm)
Simi Sasagi (Canberra Raiders)
Terrell May (Sydney Roosters)
@SBW1 said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
Jerome Hughes has withdrawn from the Pacific Championships, looks like we need another halfback.
Well, we're fucked now.
@SBW1 said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
Cometh the hour, cometh the man.
Glad he backflipped on his original decision to be unavailable. We're slightly less fucked now.
Just realised Te Marie Martin isn’t in the team.
Why the fuck not, he was great for the Warriors this year.
I obviously don’t watch enough league, as the only halves I recognise from that list are Nikorima and SJ now that Hughes has been scratched.
@Gunner said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
Just realised Te Marie Martin isn’t in the team.
Why the fuck not, he was great for the Warriors this year.
I obviously don’t watch enough league, as the only halves I recognise from that list are Nikorima and SJ now that Hughes has been scratched.
He's injured.
Blow? This will improve us
That said i have seen the incident in question and 5 weeks would actually be criminal
Yeah, dont think he is that essential either but wow if he gets five weeks for that, there is something seriously wrong.
Da fuq is going on in league these days?
If Hiku is in semi decent form then he's going to put his wing away, so it will be a bit of a blow. If he's in the form that that he had when playing for Mariner's team then yeah, no big loss.
@SBW1 said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/afl/hiku-facing-pacific-champs-ban-over-bizarre-charge/ar-AA1sgxUB?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=f600d4eb5f4c45b7b31517ffd9cb8155&ei=53 Which confirms my last post.
I've now seen the video and the fact he's being asked to defend his actions is the most idiotic thing I've seen in sport for quite some time.
@SBW1 said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
Tongans looked a lot stronger than Samoa last year. Not sure what to make of the Roos. Been very little news of late on the Kiwis.
If we still had Madge as coach I'd be fully confident we'd walk this tournament. Oz are a team of fullbacks and loose forwards shoehorned in everywhere and the Tongans are the same as usual, strong pack which we can handle and extremely average halves (Katoa isn't there yet and the other one is Tui).
But, we have Stacey, love the guy as a player, but not sure he has the coaching ability. And the rest of his coaching team don't inspire much either.
@Nepia said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
@SBW1 said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
Tongans looked a lot stronger than Samoa last year. Not sure what to make of the Roos. Been very little news of late on the Kiwis.
If we still had Madge as coach I'd be fully confident we'd walk this tournament. Oz are a team of fullbacks and loose forwards shoehorned in everywhere and the Tongans are the same as usual, strong pack which we can handle and extremely average halves (Katoa isn't there yet and the other one is Tui).
But, we have Stacey, love the guy as a player, but not sure he has the coaching ability. And the rest of his coaching team don't inspire much either.
The Kiwis are struggling for playmakers too. We might be closer to Tonga than we hoped.
@Crazy-Horse said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
@Nepia said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
@SBW1 said in Rugby League - Kiwis:
Tongans looked a lot stronger than Samoa last year. Not sure what to make of the Roos. Been very little news of late on the Kiwis.
If we still had Madge as coach I'd be fully confident we'd walk this tournament. Oz are a team of fullbacks and loose forwards shoehorned in everywhere and the Tongans are the same as usual, strong pack which we can handle and extremely average halves (Katoa isn't there yet and the other one is Tui).
But, we have Stacey, love the guy as a player, but not sure he has the coaching ability. And the rest of his coaching team don't inspire much either.
The Kiwis are struggling for playmakers too. We might be closer to Tonga than we hoped.
Did you not hear that Laoitian Jesus is back (lets just overlook his 2024 form 
)? The Kiwis instagram page spent 4 posts in a row about it.
Even so, without that hype, I think an SJ/Nikorima combo is a step above Katoa/Tui.
