If any club exemplifies what the NRL’s first Multicultural Round is all about this week, it must be the Vodafone Warriors.
They have perhaps the most exotic squad in the competition bringing together powerful New Zealand, Polynesian and Australian ties, links with numerous nations from around the globe and a pronounced flavour of the Māori and Indigenous Australian races.
In all, the squad embraces at least 17 nationalities plus the two indigenous cultures from each side of the Tasman Sea.
Wellington-born Pride Petterson-Robati, who is yet to make his NRL debut, has the most diverse background. He is of Cook Islands and Māori (Ngāti Porou) extraction while he also boasts Swedish and Danish blood through his granddad.
While the players were all born in New Zealand, Australia, Tonga or Fiji, there are family ties with a host of nations, not least Samoa and also Scotland, Ireland, England, Laos, South Africa, Chile, Germany, Poland, Cook Islands, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.
A total of 11 players have Māori or Indigenous Australian heritage; Reece Walsh has both Māori and Indigenous Australian links.
| CULTURAL LINKS | Nationality | Ancestry |
|---|---|---|
| Bunty Afoa | NZ | Samoa |
| Euan Aitken | Australia | Scotland |
| Tom Ale | NZ | Tonga |
| Jesse Arthars | NZ | Māori, Samoa, England |
| Rocco Berry | NZ | |
| Josh Curran | Australia | Indigenous Australian (Dharug), Ireland |
| Wayde Egan | Australia | |
| Lleyton Finau | NZ | Tonga |
| Addin Fonua-Blake | Tonga | Tonga, New Zealand |
| Jackson Frei | Australia | South Africa |
| Tohu Harris | NZ | Māori (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu), Scotland |
| Chanel Harris-Tavita | NZ | Māori (Ngāpuhi), Samoa |
| Shaun Johnson | NZ | Laos |
| Eliesa Katoa | Tonga | |
| Otukinekina Kepu | NZ | Fiji, Tonga |
| Valingi Kepu | NZ | Fiji, Tonga |
| Edward Kosi | NZ | Samoa |
| Matt Lodge | Australia | Ireland |
| Marcelo Montoya | Fiji | Chile |
| Jack Murchie | Australia | |
| Ben Murdoch-Masila | NZ | Tonga, Scotland |
| Kodi Nikorima | NZ | Māori (Ngāi Tahu, Ngā Rauru), Ireland |
| Taniela Otukolo | Tonga | |
| Aaron Pene | Australia | Samoa, Germany |
| Pride Petterson-Robati | NZ | Cook Islands, Māori (Ngāti Porou), Sweden, Denmark |
| Adam Pompey | NZ | Māori (Tainui) |
| Junior Ratuva | Fiji | |
| Bayley Sironen | Australia | Finland |
| Ash Taylor | Australia | Indigenous Australian (Yuwaalaraay and Munanjali) |
| Jazz Tevaga | NZ | Samoa, Māori (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Te Arawa) |
| Viliami Vailea | Tonga | |
| Reece Walsh | Australia | Indigenous Australian, England, Māori (Ngāti Hineuru), New Zealand |
| Dallin Watene-Zelezniak | NZ | Māori (Ngāti Maru), Tonga, Poland |
