As New Zealand look to reclaim the World Cup they won dramatically back in 2008, former Wigan and Wests Tigers boss Michael Maguire has named his squad for the tournament.
Maguire will likely have something to prove after his exit from Wests earlier this season and has named an impressive squad determined to right the wrongs of the last two World Cups.
In 2013, after Shaun Johnson heroics in the semi-finals to beat England, New Zealand were blown away by Australia in the final whilst in 2017 they crashed out in the quarter-finals against Fiji in one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history.
Can they get back to their best and topple the likes of Australia, England and Tonga to lift the World Cup?
Well they’ve begun the process by naming their ‘wider squad’ for the tournament with five Melbourne Storm players including the Bromwich brothers. They have two players from the reigning Premiers including James Fisher-Harris whilst veteran halfback Kieran Foran also feature.
There’s not as many New Zealand Warriors stars in the squad as you might expect but Foran could be partnered by Shaun Johnson of the Warriors.
Here’s the 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 Warringah Sea Eagles
BRADEN HAMLIN-UELE Cronulla Sutherland Sharks
COREY HARAWIRA-NAERA Canberra Raiders
PETA HIKU North Queensland Cowboys
JAHROME HUGHES Melbourne Storm
SHAUN JOHNSON Vodafone Warriors
SEBASTIAN KRIS* Canberra Raiders
MOSES LEOTA Penrith Panthers
ISAAC LIU Gold Coast Titans
JOSEPH MANU Sydney Roosters
JEREMY MARSHALL-KING* Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
TE MAIRE MARTIN Brisbane Broncos
KEN MAUMALO Wests Tigers
RONALDO MULITALO Cronulla Sutherland Sharks
GRIFFIN NEAME* North Queensland Cowboys
CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD Canberra Raiders
BRITON NIKORA Cronulla Sutherland 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 Vodafone Warriors
