New Zealand face Tonga in a mouth-watering clash to decide who meets the Kangaroos in the Pacific Championships final.
There are a number of players on show with a point to prove as the November 1 deadline has arrived with stars looking to show their worth to prospective buyers.
Meanwhile, Tonga have a huge chance to make history with a win over New Zealand to advance to their first international final, but Australia will be privately hoping for a shot at redemption against the Kiwis in the final.
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Read on for the Burning Questions for New Zealand’s Pac Champs clash with Tonga.
TIME TO PROVE THEIR WORTH
November has become one of the most important months on the rugby league calendar given the amount of talent that hits the open market each year.
This year is no different with a stack of big-name players becoming free agents for 2026 and beyond as of Friday including Knights and Kiwis prop Leo Thompson.
The 24-year-old is a priority re-signing for the Knights after releasing Daniel Saifiti and they made a smart play by signing his twin brother on a development deal – a move that could help them keep Thompson. But there’s no escaping the fact that Thompson is open to a club switch given chose to put himself on the open market.
Thompson has been parachuted straight into the 17 for New Zealand this week after missing the Kiwis’ first game due to suspension.
He’ll be put to the test with Tonga naming an intimidating pack made up of Addin Fonua-Blake, Haumole Olakau’atu and Taniela Paseka among others. If he can match it with those star forwards he’ll not only attract even more interest from rival clubs, but will go a long way in setting up his future with a big-money offer.
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Tonga trio Siliva Havili, Felise Kaufusi and Soni Luke are the only other players named in the 17s that are now free agents for 2026.
Given Kaufusi is 32-years old he probably hasn’t caught the attention of many clubs. But a big performance against the Kiwis can change that – and prove that he’s still got plenty to offer.
Luke was an NRL-regular last year with the Panthers but fell down the pecking order in 2024, only managing just one game in first grade this year – in Round 1.
At 28-years old, the crafty hooker, who can also play in the halves, still has at least three years left in him but just needs an opportunity. The Pacific Championships could be the launching pad he needs – especially if Tonga can knock-off New Zealand.
Then there’s Havili, whose versatility has come in handy for the Rabbitohs over the years. The 31-year-old boasts 150 games worth of NRL experience and 17 games for Tonga. He tends to get overshadowed by his big-name teammates in club land so after being named to start at hooker, this is Havili’s time to shine.
TONGA’S BIG CHANCE
Tonga have a golden opportunity in Auckland to make the final of a major international tournament for the first time in their history.
Tonga went into the 2022 World Cup as one of the favourites to genuinely challenge Australia for the title. But they were upset by Pacific rival Samoa who edged out the Tongas 20-18 during their fairytale run to the final.
Tonga weren’t part of the 2023 Pacific Championships as they toured England instead, which Samoa are doing this year.
The Kiwis are hosting but the match will take place in the same city where Tonga clinched its greatest ever win, upsetting Australia 16-12 back in 2019.
There is no shortage of Tongan supporters in Auckland and the sea of red could even outnumber the New Zealand supporters.
The bookies have listed Tonga as $3 outsiders but the sides match up quite evenly player for player and anything can happen with history on the line.
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SJ’S POTENTIAL BACKFLIP
Ask any former footballer about when is the right time to finish up and they’ll all tell you the same thing – you’re retired a long time.
Kiwi great Shaun Johnson raised eyebrows when he announced his retirement in August, just 10 months after finishing runner-up in the Dally M Medal.
Johnson answered an SOS from New Zealand coach Stacey Jones to come out of retirement for the Pacific Championships following a halves injury crisis.
Johnson, 34, had only been retired for two months but the classy halfback showed very little rust in his return against the Kangaroos last weekend.
The performance saw former NRL player Bryan Fletcher declare that clubs should be calling Johnson and offering him “whatever he wants” to play on in 2025.
Considering that Johnson didn’t take much convincing to come back and play for his country, a club asking him to play 10-12 games next might be able to secure him.
There is a serious shortage of quality halfbacks in the NRL and at least half a dozen clubs would be interested in Johnson’s services.
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BATTLE OF THE PROPS
In a sliding doors moment Warriors recruit and Kiwis star James Fisher-Harris will go head to head with the man he replaces in Tonga counterpart Addin Fonua-Blake.
Fonua-Blake will join the Sharks next season after gaining an early release following his fourth season at the Warriors.
The 28-year-old was arguably the best prop in the game in 2023, despite slipping a bit last season, but is still one of the best in the business.
But if you are going to lose someone of Fonua-Blake’s calibre, it is fair to say the Warriors have landed on their feet getting Fisher-Harris from the premiers.
The former Panthers star was a cornerstone of Penrith’s five grand finals and four straight title teams and will be the perfect replacement for Fonua-Blake in the Warriors engine room.
Both 28, Fonua-Blake and Fisher-Harris are at the peak of their powers, in the sweet spot of their careers and arguably the two best front-rowers in the game.
With a spot against Australia in the Pacific Championships final at stake, the winner of this battle up front will go a long way to deciding the victor.
New Zealand arguably have the edge over Tonga in the spine, so it is up to Fonua-Blake and the rest of the Tonga pack to set the tone up front, but Fisher-Harris will have a thing or two to say about that.
It sets the scene for some fireworks between two of the game’s premier enforcers and will also give Sharks and Warriors fans an insight into what they are getting next season.
AUS CHEERING FOR NZ
While Tonga might be arguably the easier passage to a Pacific Championships tournament win, make no mistake, Australia wants to face New Zealand in the final.
The Kangaroos were thrashed 30-0 in a record defeat by New Zealand in last year’s final and that will be burning the surviving members and even the new players in the Australian team.
Australia are the reigning World Cup champions, but they were blown off the park in a forgettable Pacific Championships final performance last year and they will be keen to atone in 2024.
They may have already beaten the Kiwis 22-10 in their first game since the record rout last week, but beating them in the final will be the ultimate revenge.
Australia were anything but perfect against the Kiwis last start and will want to prove to themselves that they are still the best team in the world with a convincing win in the Pacific Championships final.
Of course, Tonga will have something to say about that, but New Zealand were right in the fight against the Kangaroos and will want a second shot at their fierce rivals and a chance to defend their Pacific Championships crown.
While publicly the Kangaroos won’t mind who they face in the final, privately they will be hoping the Kiwis sneak through and set up a redemption game in an epic 2024 final.
BATTLE OF THE FULLBACKS
They’re two of the most exciting young players in the game and now they’re squaring off as starting fullbacks for a spot in a major final.
New Zealand’s Keano Kini and Tonga’s Lehi Hopoate both started this NRL season as teenagers and set the competition on fire with sizzling campaigns.
Kini, 20, made his debut last year but 2024 proved his breakout season, showing blistering speed and scoring after scoring six tries in 16 appearances.
Titans fullback Kini finished the season with 11 linebreaks, eight try assists and averaged the fourth-most run metres per game (191m) in the NRL.
Sea Eagles winger Hopoate made his first-grade debut in Round 12 and held his spot for the rest of the season, scoring nine tries in 14 appearances.
Hopoate, 19, has speed to burn and the son of a gun isn’t lacking any confidence, willing to chance his arm against any side.
The teenager enjoyed a purple patch in the back end of the season when he scored in six straight games, which included two doubles.
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