KIWI Rugby League News and Opinions

Wheels up!

SAMOA smash TONGA
at soaked Suncorp Stadium

Samoa shut Tonga out of the match to skip to a 16 point lead. They were powerfully slick and certainly benefited from having a match the week before.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was excellent at fullback, block busting second rower Jeremiah Nanai earnt man of the match honours with his try scoring double.

Romey Luai controlled play effectively for Samoa, Payne Hass scored on his Samoan debut, while Eels enforcer Junior Paulo was also a stand-out in the 34-6 pumping.

The previous loss to the KIWIS will be long forgotten as they are the first team through to this years Final. No matter the opposition they will be mighty hard to beat.

What a colossal match up next weekend with New Zealand hosting Tonga, and due to the 3 team Championship, Tonga will need to win by 17 points to get a chance to exact revenge on Samoa.

The KIWIS will also be better for having played a match, this qualifying game will be played at Eden Park on November 2nd.

The Curtain raiser is not to be missed also as the KIWI Ferns take on the rampaging Jillaroos.

POSSIBLE or PROBABLE
Next KIWIS Line-Up?

KIWIS MAY HAVE TO FACE TOUGH TONGA TWICE

New Zealand v Mate Ma’a Tonga at Eden Park, in Auckland on November 2nd could be followed by a rematch six days later in the
Final at CommBank Stadium, in Sydney on November 8.

This is of course only one possibility as all teams are yet to play each-other.

We threw our predicted Team together for the KIWIS next match, nothing too controversial. But it would be great to see Broncos big bopper Xavier Willison get a start, as well as a change at the back in the no.1 jersey.

Stacey Jones stated Willison got the nod in this year's squad over his club-mate Jordan Riki for his "sheer size, and is another big body."
Hopefully the 23 year old is unleashed for his Test debut hot-off winning the NRL Premiership.

The other change could be at Fullback, with dynamic Gold Coast flyer Keoni Kini hopefully getting an opportunity to add spark across the park. Still only 21 years old, this would be his 4th Test appearance, if selected.

Other selection queries Jones might face is whether to give other Squad members, Seb Kris or Scott Sorensen match-day minutes, or does he stick with the same successful 17 that defeated Samoa,
by six points?

*Mulitalo has been ruled out

KING FORAN Set For KIWIS Recall

Not quite a fairytale finish awaits the mercurial 35 year old, but certainly a sign off that a champion deserves.

Kieran Foran's life to date is incredibly hard to understand for the most part. However he was always better understood when he was on the field, doing what he does best.

Debuting for New Zealand in 2009, the same year the nuggety five-eight made his First Grade debut for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Foran has gone on to represent his country 31 times.

That total looks set to be added to in this season's edition of the Pacific Championships.

If recalled by coach Stacey Jones, the Ellerslie Eagles junior will go past such players as fellow former captains Hugh McGahan, Benji Marshall and Jesse Bromwich.

As well as cult favourite former St George-Illawarra Dragons winger, Jason Nightingale for amount of appearances.

Playing all three Test matches would see the playmaker retire alongside KIWIS great Kevin Iro, tied with 34 appearances.

One short of the 35 matches Shaun Johnson, Quentin Pongia and Sean Hoppe played. Ruben Wiki's record 55 Tests are unlikely to be challenged.

That puts into context how much of an influence Foran has had on Rugby League for the best part of 17 years at the top level.

A Premiership winner in 2011 the loveable rogue seemed to have the Rugby League world at his feet. His well documented off field distractions were certainly challenges for other clubs, as Foran skipped between Parramatta Eels, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs News and the One NZ Warriors between 2016-2020 before returning to Manly in 2021.

Foran looked back to his brilliant self at the Eels winning 6 of his 9 matches before his wheels fell off. Culminating in an emergency visit to the hospital.

However another 49 appearances at the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles over two seasons took his club tally to 196, his strong form setting him up for one last playing pay-day at the Gold Coast Titans.
Whilst in his second stint at Brookvale, Foran became the clubs 65th First Grade captain in Round 17, 2021.

Foran reunited with mentor Des Hasler and amongst the over all team troubles as the Titans struggled for form, the Foz was a stand-out in all of his 56 appearances. The Titans have now offered a post playing career role at the club.

As a player he will certainly be missed by many, but he won't be going away anytime soon as one last dance or three awaits him for New Zealand against the power of Mate Ma’a Tonga and Toa Samoa if selected.

A final sign off and career redemption would be complete for a champion player, and bloke.

Foran has also been snapped up by Fox Sport so the self-proclaimed battler will be on our screens offering his expert views hopefully, for many more years yet.

KIERAN FORAN
35 years old
Born in Auckland
318 NRL Matches (2009-25)
60 Tries
48.74% Win percentage

31 Tests (2009-
61.29% Win percentage
81.82% World Cup Win percentage

2011 NRL Premiership
2014 Four Nations
2025 Ken Stephen Medal

Great story! Well written
Great game ahead

In this weekend’s NRL State Championship, the Burleigh Bears will be represented on both sides of the field.

After winning the 2025 Hostplus Cup premiership, the Bears will take on their NSW Cup counterparts in the New Zealand Warriors on Sunday.

But within that Warriors outfit are a few familiar faces, including coach David Tangata-Toa and fullback Taine Tuaupiki, who are both Burleigh juniors.

With Bears ho**er Paul Roache also at Burleigh this year after a recommendation from Tangata-Toa, it’s clear some of these connections still run deep.

For Tangata-Toa, Burleigh will always be a special place for him.

“My dad played there and coached there, my older brother played there, and I played there until I got signed to Cronulla and left to go to Sydney,” he said.

“I started in under 7s and went all the way through to A-grade. They’re my junior club and my old man’s a life member of the club.

“It was a big part of my childhood growing up. They’re my home club. They definitely hold a special part in my life because I spent a lot of time as a kid at Pizzey Park and had some really good memories and forged some really good friendships.”

Tangata-Toa admitted he watched last Saturday’s Hostplus Cup victory over the Norths Devils, hopeful the Bears would be the team to advance to the NRL State Championship.

But now, his only focus is his own side, and all his fond memories with Burleigh will be put to the back of the mind as he gets his Warriors team ready for the showdown at Accor Stadium.

The Warriors defeated the St George Illawarra Dragons in the NSW Cup grand final on Sunday to line up this meeting with the Bears – the curtain-raising match on NRL and NRLW grand final day.

Tangata-Toa said his team are under no illusion they’re in for a big game against the Bears and have identified a few threats.

“We’ve got to play well, be ourselves like we have been all year, and work hard for each other,” he said.

“They’ve got a really strong forward pack and they’ve got class in the halves.

“Sami Sauiluma in the centres, I’ve been fortunate to see him play a fair bit for Burleigh and his experience is really valuable in these types of games because he’s been here before.

“They have strike all across the park. They didn’t finish minor premiers because it was a fluke. We’re under no illusion it’s not going to be a tough game.”
Rikki Lee Arnold ✍️

With the 'leaked' Australian Squad coming out yesterday, we had a shuffle round to see if this is what Coach Walters might roll with into the First Test on 25 October, at Wembley!
Again a very strong Kangaroo side set to be named, as the best of the British eagerly await their anticipated arrival.

*(We had a selection shuffle around, just for fun!)

PREDICTED KANGAROO SQUAD

Kevin Walters doesnt have to leave out potential Dally M winner, Tedesco
He’s now unavailable
Edwards can also cover Wing
Strange over Moses?
Unlikely
Staggs still not committed
Broncos team-mate Shibasaki could be 'in the mix'
Cam Murray is available for selection
Max King certainly being considered
Liam Martin unavailability confirmed
No room for Addo-Carr or Kiraz?
Ben Hunt, Reece Robson also 'in the mix'

The Pacific nations are certainly eating into Australian Representative depth, Centre being the hardest position to fill.
Still some classy players will be left out, as the Kangaroos chase Ashes glory on English soil.

CNK models the KIWIS Uniform for 2025. A probable sign the 30 year old will add to his 13 NZ Test caps, with selection in Stacey Jones Pacific Championships squad.