One New Zealand Warriors-bound Mele Hufanga, 2025 Warriors NRLW rookie of the year Ivana Lauitiiti and promising young player Rico Lemalie are among the winners in the NZRL Awards 2025.
Hufanga has been named the Kiwi Ferns’ player of the year, Lauitiiti the Kiwi Ferns’ rookie of the year and Lemalie the NZRL male junior player of the year.
The 31-year-old starred in Brisbane’s NRLW grand final win, scoring the match-winning try and being crowned the winner of the Karyn Murphy Medal as the player of the match.
She then went on to score three tries in the Kiwi Ferns’ three Tests in the Pacific Championships lifting her career tally to six tries in 10 Tests.
Signed with the Warriors for the next two seasons with an option for 2028, Hufanga finished her time at the Broncos with 25 tries in 33 appearances including eight in 13 games in 2025 when she averaged 113 metres a match, made 77 tackle breaks and 15 line breaks.
Lauitiiti started the 2025 NRLW season as one of the Warriors’ development players but by round five she was making her debut a day after her 19th birthday and doing so with a memorable display against the Cowboys. She not only scored a powerhouse try to put the Warriors on course for victory but also impressed with her potent defence.
After appearing in six games she was named the Warriors’ NRLW rookie of the year and was also in contention for the Dally M rookie award. An exceptional year was capped by selection in the Kiwi Ferns for the Pacific Championships when she appeared in all three Tests off the bench.
Lemalie’ s impressive season was highlighted by selection in the One New Zealand Warriors’ SG Ball Cup (under-19) side. Used as an interchange dummy half, the then 17-year-old Christ’s College pupil came into the lineup for the first time in round three and put together a run on seven straight appearances – scoring three tries – through to the end of the campaign.
Later in the season he was appointed co-captain of the Canterbury Bulls’ 18s, helping them to victory at the National Youth Tournament, Canterbury’s first 18s title since 1998.
