What an NRL team would look like made up of Waikato national players

Rooster's player Shaun Kenny-Dowall scores in the tackle of the Warriors' Lance Hohaia in the NRL Rugby League match at AMI Stadium, Christchurch in 2010. Photo / File

Ahead of the rescheduled 2020 NRL season, here is an XIII of NRL players who have played in the Waikato in the past.

The Covid-19 pandemic interrupted the competition after the first two rounds. The New Zealand Warriors made the move to Australia on May 3 to start training and are based there for the foreseeable future.

Round three of the NRL will kick-off on Thursday, May 28 with the Brisbane Broncos taking on the Parramatta Eels at 9:50pm NZT.

Waikato NRL XIII:

1. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak - College Old Boys

Canterbury Bulldogs, Kiwis, Penrith Panthers and Māori All Stars

Born: 1995 NRL Games: 118 Tests: 12 NRL Career: 2014-Present

Kiwis players Shaun Johnson and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (right) talk to media at the Grand Mercure Hotel in Auckland after training. Rugby League World Cup 2017. Photo / File

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is still a part of the Canterbury Bulldogs team and the regular captain of the Kiwis. Dallin follows in the footsteps of his great grandfather, Steve Watene, who was the first Māori to captain the kiwis.

2. Malakai Watene-Zelezniak - College Old Boys

Penrith Panthers, Māori All Stars, Tonga 9s and Wests Tigers

Born: 1991 NRL Games: 30 Tests: 0 NRL Career: 2017-Present

Penrith Panthers' Malakai Watene-Zelezniak scores against the Parramatta Eels, during the Semi Final of the Downer NRL Nines rugby league competition,Eden Park, Auckland in 2017. Photo / File

In February, Malakai was selected to play for the Māori All Stars against the Indigenous All Stars. He was named in the team alongside younger brother Dallin. He remains in the Penrith Panthers squad for 2020.

3. Shaun Kenny-Dowall - Tūrangawaewae/Ngaruawahia Panthers

Kiwis, Newcastle Knights, New Zealand Māori, NRL All Stars and Sydney Roosters

Born: 1988 NRL Games: 279 Tests: 21 NRL Career: 2007-2019

New Zealand's Shaun Kenny-Dowall is tackled by Papua New Guinea's Paul Aiton and George Moni during the Four Nations Tournament at Rotorua International Stadium in 2010. Photo / File

After leaving for the UK post 2019 NRL season, Kenny-Dowall has played six games for Hull Kingston Rovers.

4. Harlan Collins – Taniwharau
Manly Sea Eagles U20, New Zealand Māori Under 15, Queensland Rangers, Victoria Thunderbolts U20 and Wynnum Manly Seagulls BRL A Grade
Born: 1997 NRL Games: 0 Tests: 0 NRL Career: -

Harlan Collins, Queensland Rangers. Photo / File

Collins started on the wing for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls team that took out the 2019 BRL A Grade In Safe Hands Cup Grand Final in Brisbane. They were the first team to win the cup twice.

5. Sam Perrett - College Old Boys

All Golds, Canterbury Bulldogs, Kiwis and Sydney Roosters

Born: 1985 NRL Games: 254 Tests: 21 NRL Career: 2004-2016

New Zealand's Sam Perrett runs the ball at Australia's Matthew Scott, left, and Cameron Smith during a rugby league Four Nations tournament at Eden Park, Auckland in 2010. Photo / NZPA / Wayne Drought

Perrett retired from rugby league in 2016. These days he is a custom home building specialist and director for Perrett Group in Sydney.

6. Te Maire Martin – Tūrangawaewae

Kiwis, North Queensland Cowboys and Penrith Panthers

Born: 1995 NRL Games: 62 Tests: 4 NRL Career: 2016-2019

In January 2020, Martin retired effective immediately from rugby league after not being cleared for contact training due to a small bleed on his brain.

7. Isaac John – Tūrangawaewae/Pacific Sharks

Cook Islands, Kiwis, Manly Sea Eagles, New Zealand Warriors and Penrith Panthers

Born: 1988 NRL Games: 35 Tests: 5 NRL Career: 2009-2015

Warriors' Isaac Johns looks to slip past Eels' Mathew Keating in an NRL match at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, in 2010. Photo / File

John is a co-owner and creative director for clothing brands YKTR and YKTR Sports alongside NRL players James Segeyaro and Corey Norman. John also hosts his own podcast, The Ice Project.

8. Sam Rapira – Hukanui

Kiwis, Kiwis Rugby League World Champion, New Zealand Māori and New Zealand Warriors

Born: 1987 NRL Games: 173 Tests: 13 NRL Career: 2006-2015

Warriors' Sam Rapira in action against Canberra Raiders, at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, in 2013. Photo / File

Rapira retired from rugby league in 2018 after injuring his hand while playing for Toulouse.

9. Lance Hohaia – Taniwharau

Exiles, Kiwis, Kiwis Rugby League World Champion and New Zealand Warriors

Born: 1983 NRL Games: 185 Tests: 28 NRL Career: 2002-2011

New Zealand's Lance Hohaia slips the tackle of Ta Samoa's Masada Isoefa during a warm-up match ahead of the Four Nations Tournament, in Auckland in 2010. Photo / File

Hohaia lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the United States. He was a real estate agent for several years there and is now the head coach from men's rugby at Davenport University.

10. Jesse Royal – Tūrangawaewae/Ngaruawahia Panthers

Newcastle Knights and New Zealand Warriors

Born: 1980 NRL Games: 65 Tests: 0 NRL Career: 2007-2010

Warriors' Jesse Royal is tackled by Dragons' Luke Priddis in a NRL rugby league match at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland in 2010. Photo / NZPA / Wayne Drought

After retiring in 2010, Royal returned to Newcastle to work in the mines there. In 2013 he helped his local club the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs to their first grand final in 18 years.

11. Wairangi Koopu – Taniwharau

Kiwis, Melbourne Storm, New Zealand Māori and New Zealand Warriors

Born: 1980 NRL Games: 171 Tests: 5 NRL Career: 1999-2009

Warriors' Wairangi Koopu runs the ball at Canberra Raiders' Terry Campese in an NRL match in Auckland, in 2008.

Koopu is now a reporter for The Crowd Goes Wild sports entertainment show on New Zealand's Prime TV. He is also a presenter and field director for Māori Television show, Code.

12. Louis Anderson – Taniwharau

Exiles, Kiwis and New Zealand Warriors

Born: 1985 NRL Games: 67 Tests: 18 NRL Career: 2004-2007

New Zealand's Louis Anderson is tackled by Australia's Mark O'Meley and Ben Kennedy in the ANZAC match at Brisbane, in 2006. Photo / File

Louis Anderson played 143 games for Perpignan based Catalan Dragons before retiring post-2018. He was the just the third overseas player to reach a century of Super League appearances while playing for the team. Anderson moved back to New Zealand in 2019 and now owns his own business, The Window Washer NZ.

13. Tawera Nikau - Rangiriri Eels

Cronulla Sharks, Kiwis, Melbourne Storm and New Zealand Māori

Born: 1967 NRL Games: 114 Tests: 22 NRL Career: 1995-1999

Selector Tawera Nikau at the Kiwis Rugby League World Cup squad announcement at Rugby League House Museum in Penrose. Photo / Jason Oxenham.

Nikau is managing director for Team One International, a training company which is dedicated to 'unleashing human potential'. He has been a professional speaker throughout Australasia for the past decade.