Try scoring winger Ronaldo Mulitalo, backrower Briton Nikora and prop Braden Hamlin-Uele have all been included in a 34-man extended Kiwi’s squad ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
All three Sharks have pulled on a New Zealand jersey in the past, with the trio in line to make the trip to the UK with the Kiwis following the conclusion of the Sharks season, which continues on Saturday with a sudden-death Finals clash against the Rabbitohs.
They join Raiders rookies Matthew Timoko and Sebastian Kris, the only two members of the 34-man squad yet to pull on a New Zealand jersey, in addition to veterans Shaun Johnson, Kodi Nikorima and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves who didn’t take part in the mid-season Test against Tonga.
The No.1 ranked Kiwis, to be coached by Michael Maguire, boast a strong forward pack and a team more than capable of challenging for the World Cup crown.
Seven of the players selected are yet to make their Test debuts for the Kiwis – Kris, Timoko, Jeremy Marshall-King, Bailey Simonsson, Griffin Neame, Jordan Riki and Scott Sorensen – however Neame, Riki and Sorensen were in camp for the Tonga Test.
“We wanted to name a wider squad so we have all options covered while the NRL finals are playing out,” Maguire said.
“We’re excited about the depth of players available and the form they’re in. The vast majority of them are in sides that made it into the finals which is a real positive as we look ahead to the tournament.”
The Kiwis are due to assemble in Sydney on September 27, they will train for two days before flying to England on September 30. Players selected from the two teams taking part in the grand final will travel separately the following week.
The Kiwis will warm up for their World Cup campaign with a match against the Leeds Rhinos at Headingly on October 8, before their opening Pool C match against Lebanon in Warrington on October 16.
Their subsequent pool matches are against Jamaica in Hull on October 22 and Ireland in Leeds on October 28.
NZ KIWIS RLWC WIDER SQUAD
NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA (Melbourne Storm)
JESSE BROMWICH (Melbourne Storm)
KENNEATH BROMWICH (Melbourne Storm)
DYLAN BROWN (Parramatta Eels)
JAMES FISHER-HARRIS (Penrith Panthers)
KIERAN FORAN (Manly Sea Eagles)
BRADEN HAMLIN-UELE (Cronulla Sharks)
COREY HARAWIRA-NAERA (Canberra Raiders)
PETA HIKU (North Queensland Cowboys)
JAHROME HUGHES (Melbourne Storm)
SHAUN JOHNSON (Warriors)
SEBASTIAN KRIS* (Canberra Raiders)
MOSES LEOTA (Penrith Panthers)
ISAAC LIU (Gold Coast Titans)
JOSEPH MANU (Sydney Roosters)
JEREMY MARSHALL-KING* (Canterbury Bulldogs)
TE MAIRE MARTIN (Brisbane Broncos)
KEN MAUMALO (Wests Tigers)
RONALDO MULITALO (Cronulla Sharks)
GRIFFIN NEAME* (North Queensland Cowboys)
CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD (Canberra Raiders)
BRITON NIKORA (Cronulla Sharks)
KODI NIKORIMA (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
MARATA NIUKORE (Parramatta Eels)
ISAIAH PAPALI’I (Parramatta Eels)
JORDAN RAPANA (Canberra Raiders)
JORDAN RIKI* (Brisbane Broncos)
BAILEY SIMONSSON* (Parramatta Eels)
BRANDON SMITH (Melbourne Storm)
SCOTT SORENSEN* (Penrith Panthers)
JOSEPH TAPINE (Canberra Raiders)
MATTHEW TIMOKO* (Canberra Raiders)
JARED WAEREA-HARGREAVES (Sydney Roosters)
DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK (Warriors)
