Mitchell Barnett was able to savour ultimate victory while some of his One New Zealand Warriors teammates also left their mark during rugby league’s international window over the past month.
For the 30-year-old Barnett the 2024 season was like no other in his 10-season NRL career.
While finals football eluded the Warriors he was exceptional throughout in winning the club’s major award – the Simon Mannering Medal – as well as being named as one of the props in the RLPA’s Players’ Dream Team.
It was a season which saw him make his State of Origin debut in the third match of the campaign, his performance from the bench going a long way to helping New South Wales win the match and take out the series.
And he capped it all by earning selection in Australia’s squad for the Pacific Championships, debuting in the Kangaroos’ opening match against Tonga and playing in all three games in the competition climaxing with Sunday’s hard-fought 20-14 victory over the Tongans in Sydney.
Each week he went head-to-head with clubmates – Addin Fonua-Blake twice in the battles against Tonga as well as Shaun Johnson, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Marata Niukore and Warrior-in-waiting James Fisher-Harris when the Kangaroos and Kiwis collided in Christchurch.
Johnson's Kiwis' swan song: What a way to go out
Departing prop Fonua-Blake followed up his brilliant NRL season for the Warriors with a series of power-packed efforts in two contests with Australia and especially against the Kiwis.
Johnson was outstanding as he made his return to international rugby league for the Kiwis after a five-year absence.
With options in the halves depleted, he answered Kiwi coach Stacey Jones’ call for support and rounded off his glittering career with three impressive displays culminating in a stunning career-ending performance in the 54-12 win over Papua New Guinea. He put on a clinic with five try assists (and was heavily involved in other tries) plus his last scoring act as a player – a conversion – to round out his 35 Tests with a New Zealand record haul of 225 points.
Combining with him in the halves Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad had two try assists. The first came via a superb long ball for 18-year-old debutant winger Casey McLean to score his first try after just four minutes and then his deft left-footed kick provided McLean’s third try in the second half. Nicoll-Klokstad also had a try himself following up inside McLean.
Tonga and Kiwis deliver a Test for the ages
Incoming Warriors Fisher-Harris and Kiwi debutant Erin Clark also left their mark against the Kumuls while Niukore had punchy stints from the bench against the Kangaroos and Tonga.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and departing Warrior Jazz Tevaga impressed in Samoa’s two Tests against England and returning fullback Apii Nicholls underlined her ability yet again in the Kiwi Ferns’ two matches against the Jillaroos.
Warriors on international duty
Mitchell Barnett (Kangaroos)
v Tonga, Brisbane | 35 minutes, 13 runs, 123 metres, 33 post-contact metres, 17 tackles, 0 missed tackles.
v New Zealand, Christchurch | 24 minutes, 7 runs, 76 metres, 22 post-contact metres, 3 tackle breaks, 21 tackles.
v Tonga, Sydney | 26 minutes, 8 runs, 87 metres, 26 post-contact metres, 16 tackles.
Shaun Johnson (Kiwis)
v Australia, Christchurch | | 80 minutes, 15 runs, 107 metres, 1 line break assist, 1 try assist, 2 tackle breaks, 1 off load, 86 receipts, 11 tackles, 26 kicks, 680 metres, 3 forced dropouts.
v Tonga, Auckland | 80 minutes, 14 runs, 68 metres, 1 line break assist, 2 try assists, 1 tackle break, 60 receipts, 21 tackles, 13 kicks, 308 metres.
v Papua New Guinea, Sydney | 80 minutes, 1 conversion, 21 runs, 69 metres, 3 line break assists, 5 try assists, 1 off load, 71 receipts, 14 tackles, 16 kicks, 290 metres, 1 forced dropout.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Kiwis)
v Australia, Christchurch | 80 minutes, 5 runs, 36 metres, 1 tackle break, 20 receipts, 31 tackles.
v Tonga, Auckland | 80 minutes, 7 runs, 68 metres, 2 tackle breaks, 2 off loads, 21 receipts, 17 tackles.
v Papua New Guinea, Sydney | 62 minutes, 1 try, 10 runs, 81 metres, 1 line break assist, 2 try assists, 3 tackle breaks, 35 receipts, 19 tackles
Marata Niukore (Kiwis)
v Australia, Christchurch | 25 minutes, 9 runs, 67 metres, 20 post-contact metres, 3 tackle breaks, 1 off load, 10 tackles.
v Tonga, Auckland | 15 minutes, 4 runs, 39 metres, 13 post-contact metres, 1 tackle break, 10 tackles.
James Fisher-Harris (Kiwis)
v Australia, Christchurch | 67 minutes, 16 runs, 121 metres, 43 post-contact metres, 1 tackle break, 3 off loads, 38 tackles.
v Tonga, Auckland | 57 minutes, 10 runs, 100 metres, 39 post-contact metres, 34 tackles.
v Papua New Guinea, Sydney | 47 minutes, 12 runs, 108 metres, 45 post-contact metres, 1 tackle break, 17 tackles.
Erin Clark (Kiwis)
v Papua New Guinea (debut), Sydney | 32 minutes, 12 runs, 124 metres, 58 post-contact metres, 5 tackle breaks, 1 off load, 17 tackles.
Apii Nicholls (Kiwi Ferns)
v Australia, Christchurch | 70 minutes, 17 runs, 108 metres, 35 post-contact metres, 4 tackle breaks, 1 off load, 7 tackles.
v Australia, Sydney | 70 minutes, 17 runs, 132 metres, 33 post-contact metres, 7 tackles.
Jazz Tevaga (Samoa)
v England, Wigan | 55 minutes, 2 runs, 13 metres, 61 receipts, 40 tackles.
v England, Leeds | 41 minutes, 5 runs, 39 metres, 1 tackle breaks, 36 receipts, 31 tackles.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Samoa)
v England, Wigan | 80 minutes, 22 runs, 205 metres, 84 post-contact metres, 2 tackle breaks, 3 off loads, 4 tackles.
v England, Leeds | 80 minutes, 26 runs, 193 metres, 54 post-contact metres, 1 line break, 1 line break assist, 1 try assist, 5 tackle breaks, 5 off loads, 7 tackles.
Addin Fonua-Blake (Tonga)
v Australia, Brisbane | 56 minutes, 17 runs, 134 metres, 54 post-contact metres, 2 tackle breaks, 1 off load, 19 tackles.
v New Zealand, Auckland | 55 minutes, 1 try, 19 runs, 224 metres, 83 post-contact metres, 7 tackle breaks, 1 line break, 1 off load, 20 tackles.
v Australia, Sydney | 67 minutes, 23 runs, 217 metres, 92 post-contact metres, 6 tackle breaks, 3 off loads, 20 tackles.
Lavinia Tauhalaliku (Tonga)
v Fetu Samoa, Suva | 70 minutes, 1 try, 14 runs, 147 metres, 54 post-contact metres, 1 line break, 8 tackle breaks, 9 tackles.
Emmanita Paki (Tonga)
v Fetu Samoa, Suva | 70 minutes, 2 conversions, 4 runs, 13 metres, 1 off load, 35 receipts, 23 tackles.
