League: NRL grand final full of Kiwis

Manu Mau and Peni Terepo of the Eels tackle Jason Taumalolo of the Cowboys. Photo / AAP

The Warriors may not be playing but New Zealand league fans will still have plenty to cheer about in Sunday's NRL grand final between Melbourne and North Queensland - however the same can't be said for New South Wales supporters.

Five Kiwis internationals - brothers Jesse and Kenny Bromwich and Tohu Harris from the Storm, and Jason Taumalolo and Te Maire Martin from the Cowboys - will take the field at ANZ Stadium.

New Zealand-eligible Storm front-rower Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Cowboys wing Antonio Winterstein will also turn out and look to further press their claims for World Cup selection.

The strong turnout of New Zealanders is contrasted by the fact that not one NSW State of Origin player will feature in the season deciding clash, after the Sydney Roosters' 29-16 defeat to the Cowboys in Saturday's grand final qualifier.

This weekend's game will be the first grand final since the formation of the NRL in 1998 not to feature any Blues representatives.

Queenslanders will dominate both team's line-ups, with Melbourne wheeling out six Maroons representatives - led by the 'big three' Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater - together with Cameron Munster, Will Chambers and Tim Glasby.

The Cowboys will contribute four of their own Queensland stars, in captain Gavin Cooper, ice cool halfback Michael Morgan, centre Justin O'Neill, and young forward tyro Cohen Hess.

But back to the Kiwis. Taumalolo, along with Morgan, has led the way for the Cowboys throughout their finals charge, with the 24-year-old wrecking ball taking his game to another level after his Dally M medal-winning exploits last season.

Averaging 209 metres a game, Taumalolo became the first NRL forward to break the 5000 metre mark with a stunning 256 against the Roosters taking him to 5226 after 25 matches so far this season. That number smashed his record from last year when he carved out 4486m in 27 games.

Young five-eighth Martin also has a key role to play in the Cowboys tilt at a second premiership win and higher honours again beckon for the one-test international.

The 21-year-old Tokoroa product has come on in leaps and bounds through the latter part of the year after scoring two tries in his first appearance for the Cowboys in round 17 following his mid-season shift from Penrith.

Martin scored a terrific try to open the Cowboys' account against the Tri-Colours and another strong showing on Sunday will likely see him secure his spot in Kiwis' coach David Kidwell's 24-man squad.

Similarly, Asofa-Solomona appears poised to capitalise on Jesse Bromwich's exclusion from World Cup selection if he maintains his impressive form, after he was denied a start in the Anzac test due to a hand injury.