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.
12Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (New Zealand Warriors)
A former captain of the New Zealand Kiwis (in 2018), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is unavailable to be selected for the national team after reportedly switching international allegiances to Tonga - a tier two nation - as well as requiring minor surgery in the hopes of being fully fit in time for the start of pre-season with the Warriors.
The 2023 Dally M Winger of the Year is coming off his best season to date, recording 24 tries in 20 games and seeing the Warriors make the preliminary final, and he will be greatly missed in the Kiwis jersey on the flank of the field.
Despite playing in 13 Test matches for New Zealand and captaining the squad at one point in time, he is eligible to represent Tonga through his grandmother.
"He's a wonderful bloke," NZRL Chief Executive Greg Peters told Newshub.
"That's one of the wonderful things about rugby league.
"Players will make their decisions, factoring in their family links, culture and things they should be considering.
"Dallin is at that stage where he wants to pursue that, and we respect that."
Previous International Caps: 13 (2016-22)
