THE FACTS
The Kiwis were made to work hard against Toa Samoa as they claimed a 24-18 win to open their Pacific Championship campaign.
If there was a match to showcase the spectacle of rugby league, then this was it. It had everything you could ask for from bone-crunching tackles to scintillating runs.
Ultimately, fine margins decided the contest and it was the Kiwis who came out on top before the crowd of 21,000. They now have a week to recuperate, while Samoa face Tonga XIII in Sydney this weekend.
Here are five questions from the match.
After a challenging season in which he struggled consistently (yet also signed the biggest contract in NRL history with Newcastle, worth a reported $14.5 million starting next year), there were plenty of questions about Dylan Brown’s form heading into the campaign.
But he silenced those doubters by being New Zealand’s best on the field where he assisted in two tries before scoring the match-winner in the 73rd minute.
What was more impressive was his running of the ball as he chalked up 152m off 19 runs. He did kick the ball only twice, but one of those led to an assist – Matt Timoko’s try right on halftime, which saw the Kiwis lead at the break.
His halves teammate, Kieran Foran, had a very shaky night kicking the ball, but produced pinpoint perfection when Brown latched on to his bomb to score.
With no Jahrome Hughes, the Kiwis really needed Brown to rise to the occasion, but, if they are to win the Pacific Championships, it can’t be a once-off.
The Kiwis will be thankful to have the bye this week as they are sweating on the fitness of hooker Jeremy Marshall-King.
The 29-year-old didn’t play the entire second half due to a thumb injury. He was seen leaving the ground with a brace around his hand and is set for scans. Early reports suggest it’s broken.
If he is ruled out, it would be a huge blow for Stacey Jones’ side as they looked more threatening with Marshall-King, who managed 32 tackles in 40 minutes, on the field.
The Kiwis are now left with one specialist hooker in the team in Phoenix Crossland and to call him that is a stretch considering he’s only recently transitioned to the role from the halves.
However, the Kiwis do have options within the team. Te Maire Martin, who played the utility role off the interchange bench for the Warriors during the NRL season, is part of the training squad, while Scott Sorrenson is another player who has previously played the role. Erin Clark can also fill in at hooker, but that would take away from his strengths which saw him named the NRL’s Lock of the Year.
What is more likely to happen is Crossland would start, with Kiano Kini coming off the interchange, which could prove to be a great attacking option for the Kiwis, with Kini’s speed around the ruck late in the match against a fatigued forward pack.
If Jones was desperate, he could send an SOS to Brandon Smith, but that is incredibly unlikely.
The Kiwis have produced some of the best centres in the NRL over the past 20 years from Nigel Vagana to Steve Matai to, more recently, Joseph Manu.
And Casey McLean is on track to join that list after another strong display, where the 19-year-old scored the opening two tries of the game, taking his tally to six in just his second test.
In his first full NRL campaign this year with the Penrith Panthers, he scored 16 tries in 23 matches, showing he knows how to find the line.
While his first try was impressive when he turned club teammate Izack Tago inside out, it was his second that truly showcased his skills when he spotted a gap and then carried Junior Paulo and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck over the line as he crashed over.
On top of his two tries, McLean finished the contest with 133 running metres, seven tackle breaks and three line breaks.
At this rate, he will easily surpass Manu Vatuvei as the all-time Kiwis try scorer, who holds the current record with 22.
The future of Nelson Asofa-Solomona in rugby league remains up in the air and Jones could be considering his enforced options for the test against Tonga XIII after a disappointing display against Samoa.
Asofa-Solomona ran on to the field and looked determined to make a statement and, while things started well, they quickly unravelled, limiting him to just 22 minutes on the field.
While he carried well, he made an error just before halftime and then, in the first set of the second half, he hoofed up a bomb in a bizarre sequence of play. He was then the victim of a careless, yet unfortunate obstruction, which shut down a promising passage of play for the Kiwis.
It has been a challenging year for the 29-year-old who was slapped with a three-game ban at the end of the NRL season, which saw him miss the Melbourne Storm’s run to the grand final. He has since been released and is weighing up boxing, or rugby union, while league could also be an option.
Overall, Asofa-Solomona struggled to be the enforcer the Kiwis need. Don’t be surprised if Jones turns to Xavier Willison to face Tonga.
While Willison is yet to make his test debut, he’s proven himself on the big stage, highlighted by his performance off the bench in the Brisbane Broncos’ grand-final win.
The Kiwis have the week off as they prepare to regroup ahead of the biggest test of the year against Tonga on November 2 at Eden Park.
It’s safe to say New Zealand will be out for revenge, as they were beaten 25-24 by Tonga last year, battling back from 24-0 down to level the contest, only for Isaiya Katoa’s 75th-minute field goal to separate the sides.
Tonga open their Pacific Championships campaign against Samoa in Brisbane on Sunday and there will be plenty of intrigue around their side, which has improved on paper with the inclusions of Robert Toia, Stefano Utoikamanu, Leka Halasima and Demetric Vaimauga.
While the Kiwis will be up against it on the field, it’s off it where they will face their biggest challenge with the crowd.
Of the 21,251 at Mt Smart, most were rooting for Samoa, with more boos than cheers ringing around the ground for New Zealand.
Against Tonga, it will be more intense at Eden Park. With a bigger capacity and knowing the history of Tongan fans, a sea of red will flood the stadium and it will be impossible for the Kiwis to block out the noise.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.