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Sport Nation
Find your Sport Nation frequencyIs this the Greatest Kiwis Team of All Time?
SENZ • October 14th, 2024 11:52 am
With the Pacific Championships looming, what better way to whet your appetite for some international rugby league than taking some time to recognise some of the very best to wear the hallowed Kiwis jersey.
Rugby league aficionado and fill-in SENZ host Sam Ackerman has dusted off his annuals to pick his all-time New Zealand squad.
1. Matthew Ridge
A constant threat with ball in hand, rock-solid defender, and deadly accurate goalkicker, the Manly Sea Eagles Premiership winner earned 25 caps for New Zealand and finished his career as his country's leading point scorer, before Shaun Johnson took the mantle in 2017.
2. Sean Hoppe
The Warriors livewire was a nightmare for opposition defenders to bring down, scoring 17 tries in his 35 Test appearances in the white vee.
3. Dean Bell (C)
Regarded as one of the planet's premier midfielders, Bell oozed the kind of mana that made him a natural skipper – he played the first of his 26 Tests in 1983.
4. Joey Manu
The Sydney Rooster played 17 Tests for New Zealand before deciding to make the switch to union. Forged a reputation as one of the most potent weapons in the game at the 2022 World Cup, earning the Golden Boot that same year as the best international player in the world.
5. Phil Orchard
Making his debut in 1969, the rangey winger dotted down 15 times in his 21 Tests for the Kiwis.
6. Olsen Filipaina
'The Big O' is regarded as a Kiwi icon, held by many as the greatest to ever wear the Kiwis jersey. The Balmain Tiger saved his best for the international stage, engineering two of New Zealand's most famous victories against Great Britain in 1984 and Australia in 1985.
The fleet-footed half scored 108 points in 29 Tests for the Kiwis from 1977-86.
7. Stacey Jones
One of the most beloved figures in NZ rugby league history, 'The Little General' was the heartbeat of the Kiwis through his 46 outings in black - a sparkplug with a supreme ability to control a game.
The Warriors great and NRL Hall of Famer came out of retirement in 2005 to guide New Zealand to the Tri-Nations title, beating Australia in the final in one of NZ rugby league's finest moments.
8. Ruben Wiki
The Raiders enforcer struck fear in the hearts of opposition defences, both with his fearless ball carrying and brutal defence.
The NRL Hall of Famer was a key cog in the Kiwis’ 2005 Tri-Nations winning side, compiling a mammoth 56 Tests in his 13-year tenure on the international stage.
9. Issac Luke
A figurehead with the way he led the haka, the man affectionately known as 'Bully' wreaked havoc out of dummy half throughout his 11-year career for the Kiwis.
Part of the famous 2008 World Cup-winning side, Luke finished with 43 caps to his name.
10. Kevin Tamati
Famed for his sideline brawl with Australia's Greg Dowling, Tamati channelled every ounce of that aggression on the field through his 22 appearances for the Kiwis.
11. Simon Mannering
The Warriors stalwart made his name in the trenches for New Zealand, using his trademark work rate to superb effect in his 45-Test international career.
The 2008 World Cup winner captained the side briefly towards the end of his player career.
12. Mark Graham
Named New Zealand Rugby League’s player of the century in 2007, the former Kiwis captain was the first New Zealander inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2018.
Known as 'Sharko', Graham was widely considered the best player in the world during his prime in the early 1980s. He earned 29 caps for the Kiwis, 18 of which were as captain.
13. Tawera Nikau
The bruising forward and his mullet were a fixture for the Kiwis through the early 1990s.
Tough as teak with a relentless motor, the Melbourne Storm Premiership winner made 19 appearances for New Zealand.
14. Lance Hohaia
The Swiss army knife back's well-rounded skillset saw him earn 28 caps, featuring in both the 2005 Tri-Nations and 2008 World Cup championship-winning sides.
15. Kurt Sorensen
Part of one of the most famous families in NZ rugby league, the Widnes great became the nation's youngest debutant when he ran out as an 18-year-old at the 1975 World Cup.
A bulldozer of a forward, he played 27 Tests between 1975 and 1989.
16. James Fisher-Harris
The freshly minted NRL four-peat champion has consistently been one of the best players on the park every time he dons the black jersey.
The Northlander was a colossus during last year's Pacific Championships triumph, named the 2023 Golden Boot winner as the best international player in the game after the Kiwis' historic 30-0 win over Australia in the final.
17. Hugh McGahan
The former Kiwis skipper was named joint winner of the Golden Boot award for International Player of the Year in 1989 (with Peter Sterling).
McGahan rounded out his eight years in black with 16 tries in 32 Tests.
__Coach: Sir Graham Lowe __
The Manly Sea Eagles and Queensland State of Origin mastermind helped the Kiwis turn the tide in the international arena with some milestone wins over the Australians.
Later knighted for his services to youth and education, Sir Graham oversaw 17 Tests over four years with the Kiwis.
Listen to Sam Ackerman dissect his team below:
