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NZ Breakers face competitive market to land new coach

Source: Radio New Zealand

NZ Breakers looking for new coach after parting ways with Petteri Koponen after two seasons. Blake Armstrong/Photosport

The off-season coaching turnover in the Australian NBL reached new heights when two more teams joined the recruitment process for a head coach in recent weeks.

The New Zealand Breakers have been working to secure a replacement for Petteri Koponen since late February, when it was announced the Finn would be departing the club.

In his two seasons with the Breakers, Koponen won the Ignite Cup, but twice finished near the bottom of the 10-team league.

Koponen said he was after a new challenge.

The Auckland-based club has yet to announce who will take the reins but it is an increasingly competitive market with the Cairns Taipans and more recently Melbourne United and Adelaide 36ers also seeking a new coach.

The Taipans parted ways with Adam Forde in the coaching role in February but he remains with the club in a remote role.

Former Breakers coach Dean Vickerman left United after nine seasons to head to Japan, where he will replace another former Breakers coach, Mody Maor, at Nagasaki Velca in the inaugural B.League Premier next season.

A day after Vickerman’s announcement 36ers coach Mike Wells exited the NBL to return to the United States for family reasons. Wells had signed a contract extension through 2028 with the 36ers a week before changing his mind.

Wells has since signed with an American college as an assistant coach.

The drawn-out search appears more a reflection of the competitive coaching market than any lack of urgency from the Breakers.

Tall Blacks coach and Breakers assistant, Judd Flavell, had the experience to be considered for the top job after 17 seasons in an NBL assistant coaching role across two clubs, but he was another coach snapped up by Japanese basketball with the Shinshu Brave Warriors.

Tall Blacks coach Judd Flavell was considered a strong option to take over the NZ Breakers, but he will take up a role in Japan. Andrew Skinner/www.photosport.nz

Reports out of Australia suggested the Breakers were close to getting Canada’s national team coach Gordon Herbert, considered to be “one of the most accomplished coaching figures in international basketball.”

Herbert had coached Bayern Munich in the EuroLeague for a year and a half before a mutually beneficial parting of ways in December. The club was on an eight game losing streak when Herbert left.

But five days after first reports of Herbert’s links to the Breakers the same Australian publication was saying the deal was off was with the Breakers.

The Breakers have had nine head coaches in 23 seasons and president of basketball operations Dillon Boucher said the next coach would come from a global search and would need to be capable of taking the Breakers to the top of the NBL rankings.

Despite not having a coach locked in, the Breakers have signed four players since Koponen’s departure and already had three players – import Parker Jackson-Cartwright and New Zealanders Izayah Le’Afa and Reuben Te Rangi – on the roster from last season.

Star forward Sam Mennenga re-signed with the club on a two-year contract in March, two-time NBL champion Dejan ‘DJ’ Vasiljevic was signed on a one-year deal in April from the Adelaide 36ers, guard Preston Le Gassick was signed from the NBL1 in May and days later Tall Black small forward Carlin Davison re-signed with the club on a new one-year contract after coming up through the ranks of being a development player with the Breakers.

“We will integrate our homegrown talent with international player depth and experience, to provide the competitive edge needed to bring more silverware home to Aotearoa,” Boucher said.

The Breakers have a recent history of making coaching changes late in the off-season.

Koponen joined the Breakers in July 2024, three months before the season tipped off, after Maor quit in May 2024.

Maor took the top job in May 2022, stepping up from an assistant role after Dan Shamir quit with a year left on his contract.

As the countdown to the 2026-27 NBL season continues, new coaches will arrive at clubs with either a couple of roster spots to fill, or in the case of Cairns nearly a whole roster to build.

The tip off details for the upcoming season is expected to be released next month.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Would buying BNZ actually help New Zealanders?

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Marika Khabazi

New Zealand First might want the government to buy back BNZ and meld it with Kiwibank to create a banking competitor to take on the Australian big banks – but there’s limited evidence that it would work.

NZ First leader Winston Peters said at the weekend that the decision to sell the bank in the 1990s was a disgrace.

The bank encountered problems in the 1980s when it expanded into corporate lending after market deregulation.

The Crown coughed up not once ($634 million) but twice ($720m, with the help of another investor) to save it, before it was eventually sold to National Australia Bank, which still owns it.

Speaking at a campaign event at the Trusts Arena in West Auckland, Peters said the new entity – to be known as “National Bank of New Zealand” – would be commercially run and designed to compete more aggressively with the major Australian-owned banks operating in New Zealand.

He estimated buying the bank would cost “$7.5 billion upwards”.

NZ First leader Winston Peters. RNZ / Mark Papalii

Government-owned Kiwibank has struggled to have an impact in the sector and has been described as a “one-armed boxer” hampered by a lack of capital.

University of Auckland emeritus professor Tim Hazledine said improving banking competition was a worthwhile goal but reducing the number of major brands was unlikely to achieve it.

“Rather than buying back the Bank of New Zealand and merging it with Kiwibank, the government should use its ownership of Kiwibank to position it as a ‘fighting brand’ and reduce interest rate margins,” he said.

“That could put pressure on the big four Australian-owned banks to follow suit.”

University of Auckland emeritus professor Tim Hazledine. University of Auckland

Sam Stubbs, founder of Simplicity, said purchasing BNZ would require a willing seller.

“There isn’t one there. That means the price is likely to be high which will limit the ability of the bank to offer cheaper mortgages and higher term deposits. Even if it did work and demand grew, the government of the day would need to spend more taxpayer money to expand, we need that money spent on hospitals.”

He said he could understand a desire to go back to the “good old days” of state-owned banks.

“But I suspect a better and much cheaper for the taxpayer way to achieve the same thing is for Kiwibank to be renamed the National Bank of NZ and listed with only NZ shareholders and let KiwiSaver funds provide the billions required to make it a serious, publicly owned bank.

“Public ownership does not have to mean government ownership. If only New Zealand investors can own shares a listed Kiwibank would be publicly owned, we would be selling the family silver to the family.”

Simplicity founder Sam Stubbs. Supplied / Simplicity

Other sectors in which the government has a strong ownership stake include power – where it owns 51 percent of three of the country’s four major electricity gentailers – and airlines, where it owns 51 percent of Air New Zealand, have their own challenges.

The government bought back KiwiRail in July 2008.

University of Auckland senior finance lecturer Gertjan Verdickt said there was “ample” evidence that NZ First’s plan was not a good idea.

“I have an entire paper on the railway industry in the 1930s: we show that governments are more likely to give money to politically connected railways, not those in economic need.

“Interestingly enough, it doesn’t change profitability, you see employment growth down, but wages of current employees go up. In other words, it doesn’t help the railway, it helps employees, especially the c suite. Also, the chances of those railways going bankrupt actually goes up. So, all in all, bad idea.”

He said there had also been an international study looking at how government ownership and involvement in a banking system affected performance between 1989 and 2004.

“They uncover an interesting pattern of changing performance differences between state-owned and privately-owned banks around the Asian financial crisis. They find that state-owned banks operated less profitably, held less core capital, and had greater credit risk than privately-owned banks prior to 2001. Again – troubles in paradise.”

University of Auckland senior finance lecturer Gertjan Verdickt. University of Auckland

He said there was some evidence that consumers would benefit if a Government bought a bank. After a bailout, there were lower loan spreads, longer maturities for loans and less collateral held.

“Overall lending goes up but if you see which type of lending, it is politically driven. This to me doesn’t outweigh the risks.”

Kōura founder Rupert Carlyon said in the energy market, the companies had underinvested in generation to keep prices high.

“It is also telling that the government couldn’t put money into KiwiBank and then the private sector were unwilling to, due to its low profitability.

“Let’s figure out where the problems lie and then we can go from there. In my mind, really good regulation is needed and solves the problems.”

Kōura founder Rupert Carlyon. Supplied

He said it would help to have good regulation requiring banks to minimise costs for customers, such as with an annual review of customers’ accounts to ensure they were set up efficiently, and an annual fee letter setting out what fees, interest payments and other relevant sources of revenue applied so customers could compare what they were paying to what they would be charged at other banks.

“Around small business lending and risk appetite, I am not sure there is a huge amount that can be done here – this is the one place where increased competition would be very helpful but we need to let banks set their own risk appetite. SME banking is the issue here. But the government owning BNZ and telling them to relax their credit criteria is not the answer either. Maybe the answer is that we need to instruct KiwiBank to focus primarily on SME banking and give up on corporate and retail banking.”

Kernel founder Dean Anderson also said there was no evidence.

“I think the commentary on government intervention and forced acquisitions raises serious concerns for investors and global relations. Maybe too much time in the Trump sphere.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Auckland police officer facing charge of abusing a person in a family relationship

Source: Radio New Zealand

123rf.com

An Auckland police officer has been charged in relation to an alleged family harm incident.

Court documents seen by RNZ claim the 38-year-old police officer assaulted a person he was in a family relationship with in October 2025.

Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz

Auckland City District Commander Superintendent Sunny Patel confirmed to RNZ a current member of staff had been charged in relation to the incident.

“The member has been on restricted duties since the event was reported to police.

“The 38-year-old man has since been charged with assault on a person in a family relationship. As the matter is before the court, police is unable to comment further at this time.”

Where to get help:

  • Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason
  • Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
  • Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends
  • Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202
  • Samaritans: 0800 726 666
  • Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz
  • What’s Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds
  • Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, and English.
  • Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
  • Healthline: 0800 611 116
  • Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
  • OUTLine: 0800 688 5463
  • Aoake te Rā bereaved by suicide service: or call 0800 000 053

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Family Violence

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Live: Erica Stanford announces $131m Budget spend on reading, writing and maths initiatives

Source: Radio New Zealand

The government will spend $131 million on improving students’ reading, writing and maths in this year’s budget, the Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

Stanford made the pre-Budget announcement alongside Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Boulcott School in Lower Hutt on Monday.

They revealed 12 initiatives as part of the government’s “generational reforms” in primary and intermediate school education.

The new maths intiatives included:

  • Maths hubs to improve teacher confidence and capability
  • Hands-on maths resources and games for all Year 0-8 classrooms
  • 36 additional Maths intervention teachers
  • A new times table and division check at Year 5

The new literacy initiatives included:

  • New writing workbooks for Year 4 and 5
  • A digital writing tool for all Year 6-8 students
  • New “decodable” books for older learners in Year 3-10
  • A 12-week structured literacy programme for those who are struggling
  • A new Year 2 Literacy Check, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling and basic punctuation (joining the existing Year 2 Maths Check)
  • Guidance for teachers to improve the teaching of literacy, with supporting videos and resources.

There would also be a new reading action plan called Read to Succeed – joining the Make it Count maths plan and Write it Right writing plan.

The initiatives would contribute to the government’s target of seeing 80 percent of Year 8 students achieving the expected curriculum level for their age in reading, writing and maths by December 2030, Stanford said.

“Parents will have more information at each step of their child’s journey about how they are doing at school and students will be better set up for success when they enter high school.”

Stanford said the investments would “level the playing field, reducing costs for schools and backing evidence-led reforms”.

There were early signs the government’s education reforms were already working, she said.

The latest Curriculum Insights and Progress Study looked at student achievement in late 2025 – three terms into previous reforms – and the results “surpassed expectations”, she said.

“A statistically significant improvement of 5 percent in writing and 6 percent in mathematics for Year 6 students between 2024 and 2025 interrupts New Zealand’s long-term decline in achievement between Year 4 and Year 8 and will better set these students up for success at high school.”

But the early improvement in some areas needed to translate to more consistent improvements over time, with more students achieving and fewer needing additional support, Stanford said.

She said the government is delivering on its promise to continue investment in education reforms.

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Live: Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford to make education announcement

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and education minister Erica Stanford are set to make an education announcement in Lower Hutt this afternoon.

They’re speaking to media at Boulcott School.

This is a pre-budget announcement ahead of Budget Day on 28 May.

The livestream is due to begin around 2.30pm.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Jury ‘must be sure’ Hayden Tasker had murderous intent when killing police officer Lyn Fleming, trial told

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hayden Donald Jason Tasker. The Press / Iain McGregor

High Court jurors have been told they need to be sure the man who killed a Nelson police officer had murderous intent when he drove at her to find him guilty of murder.

Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming and Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay were on foot patrol in Buxton Square in the early hours of New Year’s Day last year when they were hit by a car driven by Hayden Tasker.

Tasker, 33, was on trial in Christchurch for murdering Fleming and seriously injuring Ramsay. The jury retired to consider its verdict shortly before 12.30pm on Monday.

Tasker’s defence argued he was drunk and depressed and crashed into the officers in a failed attempt to take his own life.

The Crown argued Tasker was motivated by anger towards the police and intentionally used his car as a weapon to mow them down.

In summing up, Justice Cameron Mander told the jury to put emotion aside in reaching a verdict.

“Feelings of sympathy for the deceased and her family are inevitably aroused but you must simply put such feelings to one side,” he said.

“Similarly you need to put aside feelings of prejudice or shock that may have been engendered in you from in some respects being eyewitnesses to Senior Sergeant Fleming’s death as a result of viewing the CCTV and other video footage.

“Any negative feelings or for that matter sympathetic feelings you may have for Mr Tasker’s living situation or the way he was living his life at the time similarly need to be put to one side.”

Over two weeks the jury heard from more than 40 witnesses including members of the public and police officers who were in the central Nelson car park at the time of the crash.

Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming. Supplied / NZ Police

Mander told jurors they needed to be sure Tasker had murderous intent when he hit Fleming with his car.

“It is not disputed that Senior Sergeant Fleming’s death resulted from Mr Tasker driving his vehicle in a dangerous manner,” he said.

The Crown and the defence gave their closing arguments on Friday.

A ‘grandiose fantasy’

Crown prosecutor Jackson Webber told the jury Fleming was “senselessly and needlessly” killed when Tasker deliberately used his Honda Odyssey as a weapon, accelerating as hard as he could towards the officers at an estimated speed of 45km/h, shortly after 2am.

“Hayden Tasker sitting in his car, drinking wine saw the two police officers. He watched them. He was angry at the police and he made a series of conscious decisions. To start his car, to leave his headlights off, to pull out of that parking space and manoeuvre his car around to the south, then to the west to accelerate, to drive straight into Lynn Fleming and Adam Ramsay,” he said.

Hayden Tasker in court. The Press / Iain McGregor

Webber said the pair had done nothing to provoke or antagonise Tasker, apart from the fact that they were police officers in uniform.

“They were on duty, doing their job, keeping others safe and ironically, one of the risks that they had been considering that night was the risk of a vehicle intrusion attack,” he said.

Webber said Tasker’s actions did not fit the claim that he did not intend to hurt or kill the officers but wanted to take his own life.

“[He] didn’t stop, he didn’t jump out to see what had happened or to check on the people he had just hit,” he said.

Tasker’s behaviour during and after the collisions was inconsistent with a suicide attempt, he said.

“It was going to be glorious, like a movie. It was a rather grandiose fantasy that he might talk about, but had no real intention of ever carrying out,” he said.

‘Despicable’ behaviour doesn’t make Tasker a murderer – Defence

Defence lawyer Marcus Zintl said the crash was a “terrible, terrible, terrible tragedy” that “should not have happened”.

Defence lawyer Marcus Zintl. (File photo) The Press / Iain McGregor

Tasker had already admitted three charges of dangerous driving.

Zintil said Tasker was driven by a desire to end his own life in a police chase rather than intending to kill or hurt police.

“He was suicidal, he was on medication for depression, he was living in his car,” Zintl told the jury.

“He was alone, he had no close family support and virtually no actual friends.”

Zintl said Tasker’s father died when he was 16. His long-time girlfriend had recently dumped him, he was unemployed, on a benefit and had nothing going for him.

“He wanted to end the painful, pointlessness and pitifulness of his life that he was experiencing at that time, which is why he wanted to end up himself in a police chase,” he said.

Zintl said Tasker “drank himself silly” with a bottle-and-a-half of red wine, he was three-and-a-half times over the breath alcohol limit and filled his car with petrol before arriving in the car park that night.

The first collision, when Tasker drove into Fleming and Ramsay, happened six seconds after he started his car.

The second collision, when he rammed the white police patrol car, was around 26 seconds later in what Zintl said was a moment of madness, desperation, stupidity and empty-headedness.

The court was earlier played footage of Tasker’s first police interview around 11 hours after the crash.

Zintl said Tasker’s state of mind could be ascertained from his admission to police in that interview.

“I didn’t think of the consequences. I was in a bad headspace but that doesn’t give me an excuse,” Tasker said.

The jury saw how he broke down in tears and vomited during that interview after learning Fleming had died.

Tasker said it “should have been me that died that day”.

“I never thought I’d kill anyone… didn’t really think it through,” he said in the interview.

Zintl told the jury Tasker’s actions were “despicable, deplorable and dreadful” but that did not make him guilty of murder.

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Gentrack half year profit and revenue down as new deals delayed

Source: Radio New Zealand

Utilities and airport software firm Gentrack’s first half net profit is down 29 percent (file photo). www.123rf.com

Utilities and airport software firm Gentrack’s first half net profit is down 29 percent, though growth in recurring revenue was expected to continue to grow.

The net profit for the six months to March was $5.1 million, with revenue down 1.7 percent to $110.1m, with two unexpected delays in sales of utilities services contributing to the drop.

However, Gentrack chief executive Gary Miles said recurring revenue rose nearly 17 percent to $85.3m, which was expected to continue to grow as AI changed the dynamics of software integration.

“This is definitely a transition that we’re trying to make in a very positive way that’ll affect the dynamics of our revenue,” he said.

“The other thing that’s happening with AI is when you have an out-of-the-box-stack and then you can start to run interoperability with tangential systems, the cost to deploy these systems also goes down.

“So that’s just part of the journey that the industry is on that we think will make a lot of sense for both the industry and for us.”

He said the drop in revenue and bottom line profit was unexpected, with an unforeseen delay in settling two deals.

“The long sales cycles, and two unexpected new client delays, have had an impact on our results this first half, but does not change our confidence in our medium-term growth targets of more than 15 percent compound annual growth.”

However, he said sales of airports software Veovo had been “exceptional” over the first half.

Miles said the company would be investing more in AI, which would drive software development and sales.

Acquisitions

Gentrack also announced it had an agreement to buy New Zealand-based software as a service firm Prospero Energy (trading as Factor) serving the energy retail sector, as part of its utilities division transition to an increasingly distributed energy system.

The latest deal followed last month’s agreement to buy Dubai-based airport technology and services provider Dubai Technology Partners as part of Gentrack’s expanding airport business.

Gentrack also reaffirmed its full year guidance issued on 5 May, but Miles it was too early to provide guidance for FY27.

While the board decided not to pay an Interim dividend, it still intended to undertake a share buyback up to $20m, depending on market conditions.

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Smile, you’re on camera

Source: New Zealand Police

Northland Police are reminding retail and small business owners about the importance of having CCTV installed at their premises.

Motion detection and live imagery is often alerting victims to offending taking place.

Late last month it meant a prompt response to a building site in Morningside.

Sergeant Craig Curnow, Whangārei Police, says a security camera gave Police a real-time look at a recent burglary in progress and helped them to arrest four people.

“At around 2.40am on 28 April the site manager contacted Police and reported suspicious behaviour after security cameras were activated,” he says.

“Police went to the property but when they arrived no one was located.”

A short time later the manager called again, and reported he could see a trailer was being loaded with timber, wooden trusses and material for roofing.

“The CCTV camera gave us real time information on what was happening,” Sergeant Curnow says.

“Officers were able to stop the vehicle as it was leaving the address.”

A search of the vehicle uncovered the stolen materials, as well as a knife, methamphetamine, cannabis and utensils for drug use.

The four occupants of the vehicle were arrested, and the building materials were returned to the site.

“In this case CCTV provided real-time situational awareness, allowing us to respond quickly, plan effectively, and achieve a safe and positive outcome,” Sergeant Curnow says.

“If securing materials on-site is not always possible, installing CCTV is a highly effective deterrent.”

Three men aged 37, 40 and 56, and a 43-year-old woman have appeared in the Whangārei District Court on a variety of drug, theft and firearm offences.

ENDS.

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Lights off lands driver in court

Source: New Zealand Police

A driver who allegedly turned his lights off before attempting to flee from Police will now appear in court.

At about 8.20pm, officers signalled for a vehicle traveling on State Highway 20, Māngere to stop.

Auckland Motorways Manager, Senior Sergeant Bill Russell says instead of pulling over, the driver allegedly turned their lights off and fled, exiting at Coronation Road, Favona.

“Units did not pursue and a short time later, the Police Eagle helicopter spotted the vehicle as it travelled along Awhina Place, Māngere Bridge at speed and with no lights.

“The single occupant was taken into custody immediately and without incident.

“Police work hard to stop and prevent dangerous driving because we know this can, and does, result in catastrophic consequences,” Senior Sergeant Russell says.

A 44-year-old man had his vehicle impounded for 28 days and has been charged with failing to remain stopped and dangerous driving.

He will appear in Manukau District Court on Thursday.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

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State of Origin I teams: Briton Nikora to debut for Queensland, two Warriors selected

Source: Radio New Zealand

Briton Nikora AAP / Photosport

Kiwi forward Briton Nikora will make his State of Origin debut next week after being named in the Queensland team.

Nikora is the first Kiwi international to be allowed to play in rugby league’s biggest showpiece after a change in eligibility rules.

The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) announced the amendment in February.

Players were previously required to represent Australia or a tier two nation as defined by International Rugby League to be eligible for Origin.

This ruled out players who had represented the Kiwis or England.

The updated rules remove this restriction, allowing players who who meet the traditional State of Origin criteria and represent tier one nations to be eligible.

That criteria includes being been born in New South Wales or Queensland, residing in either state prior to their 13th birthday, or if a players father played State of Origin.

Nikora has played 15 tests for new Zealand, though qualifies for Queensland having moved to Brisbane at the age of nine.

He has played his senior career exclusively for the Cronulla Sharks, playing 168 NRL games since 2019.

Two Warriors will also play in Origin I- Co-captain Mitch Barnett for New South Wales and second rower Kurt Capewell for Queensland.

Warriors second rower Kurt Capewell has again been selected for Queensland. Photosport

Team lists

NSW Blues squad

1. James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters)

2. Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)

3. Stephen Crichton (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)

4. Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane Broncos)

5. Tolutau Koula* (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)

6. Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels)

7. Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)

8. Addin Fonua-Blake* (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)

9. Reece Robson (Sydney Roosters)

10. Mitchell Barnett (Warriors)

11. Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)

12 Haumole Olakau’atu (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)

13. Isaah Yeo (c) (Penrith Panthers)

14. Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

15. Victor Radley* (Sydney Roosters)

16. Jacob Saifiti (Newcastle Knights)

17. Blayke Brailey* (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)

18. Ethan Strange* (Canberra Raiders)

19. Casey McLean* (Penrith Panthers)

20. Dylan Lucas* (Newcastle Knights)

Coach: Laurie Daley

* Yet to play for NSW

QLD Maroons squad

1.Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)

2. Selwyn Cobbo (Dolphins)

3. Robert Toia (Sydney Roosters)

4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)

5. Jojo Fifita (Gold Coast Titans)

6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)

7. Sam Walker (Sydney Roosters)^

8. Thomas Flegler (Dolphins)

9. Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)

10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)

11. Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)

12. Kurt Capewell (Warriors)

13. Max Plath (Dolphins)^

14. Briton Nikora (Cronulla Sutherland Sharks)^

15. Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)

16. Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)

17. Trent Loiero (Melbourne Storm)

18. Ezra Mam (Brisbane Broncos)^

19. Gehamat Shibasaki (Brisbane Broncos)

20. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (Dolphins)

^ Potential debutant

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand