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.

8Jordan Rapana (New Zealand)

Raiders to turn to NRL for salary cap relief
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 20: Jordan Rapana of the Raiders looks dejected after defeat during the round 19 NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Canberra Raiders at Southern Cross Group Stadium on July 20, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The re-emergence of Jamayne Isaako (The Dolphins) and the rise of youngsters Ronaldo Mulitalo (Cronulla Sharks) and Keani Kini (Gold Coast Titans) means that Jordan Rapana makes his way out of the squad.

Rapana has been a key ingredient to the Kiwis' success in the backline, but it seems as though his international career has come to an end as the 34-year-old gets older and younger players emerge for New Zealand.

It is understood that 2024 is set to be Rapana's last season in the NRL, with Ricky Stuart confirming that it is time for the next generation to make an impact. Currently working as an assistant under Stuart at the Raiders, Michael Maguire has probably decided to implement the same thing.

"Over the next 12 months we're going to be transitioning into a new era," Stuart told The Canberra Times.

"We'll be losing 1000 games of NRL experience with Jarrod and Jack leaving this year, Elliott and Jordan being their last season in '24."

Previous International Caps: 15 (2016-22)