We love the mighty Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders young gun Matt Timoko knows what he needs to do to force his way into the New Zealand squad.
Plus he expects Kiwis coach Michael Maguire to bring a hard edge to the Green Machine for the 2023 NRL season.
Timoko was part of New Zealand's extended squad for the Rugby League World Cup, but didn't make the final cut for the tournament in England.
Canberra winger Jordan Rapana will go under the knife to have a cyst removed from his knee following his World Cup campaign.
Rapana, who only missed New Zealand's pool stage victory over Jamaica at the World Cup, requires a clean out of his knee following the international tournament. It adds to a long list of Raiders' outside backs to require surgery in the past 12 months, including co-captain Jarrod Croker and youngster Harley Smith-Shields.
While the 32 year-old is a vital asset to the Green Machine, there's a host of young talent waiting to break through the ranks, the likes of Smith-Shields joined by Matt Timoko, Sebastian Kris, Semi Valemei, Xavier Savage, James Schiller and Albert Hopoate all 23 or younger.
World Cup star Jordan Rapana will undergo surgery on his knee to remove a cyst, but he's expected to be fit for pre-season in the New Year.
Rapana had scans on Monday and needs his knee cleaned out, but he should be right to return to training in the first week of January.
He's back from helping New Zealand to the semi-finals of the Rugby League World Cup, falling narrowly short of making the final.