As the 2023 Pacific Championships gets underway, Zero Tackle looks at all the players who are absent from the New Zealand Kiwis squad that represented them at last year's Rugby League World Cup.
The players absent included a three-time Penrith Panthers premiership winner, a former New Zealand Kiwis captain and the reigning Dally M Winger of the Year.
5Isaac Liu (Gold Coast Titans)
While many players on this list haven't been selected due to injuries or suspensions, the same can't be said for Isaac Liu. Linked with a move away from the Titans after the conclusion of the World Cup, he has struggled to make an impact at the club level during the 2023 season.
Whilst he managed to play 23 games for the Gold Coast Titans as their starting lock forward, Liu didn't have the same impact he had the season before and at the Sydney Roosters - this has seen him drop down the pecking order for the Kiwis.
Looking at the Kiwis' squad, it is hard to find a spot where he could fit in, especially since rookies Leo Thompson (Newcastle Knights), Wiremu Grieg (Parramatta Eels) and Griffin Neame (North Queensland Cowboys) are attempting to make their mark on the national team.
The trio are not only younger than Liu, meaning they will be around for a longer period, but they also had a better season than that of the former Sydney Roosters NRL premiership winner.
Previous International Caps: 10 (2017-22)
