By Nick Wright
Even in a losing cause, Keano Kini has proven again he has the tools to dominate the NRL for more than a decade.
On the international stage, faced with the juggernaut of Australia, the young Kiwi was fearless, classy and downright silky.
In running for 254 metres in New Zealand’s 22-10 Pacific Championships loss to the Kangaroos, the 20-year-old made the rugby league world ponder how he began the year as the Gold Coast Titans’ third-choice fullback behind Jayden Campbell and the injury-plagued AJ Brimson.
Keano Kini was impressive in his New Zealand Test debut against the Kangaroos.Credit: NRL Photos
More impressive was the way he bounced back from an early mistake, defending up in the line to give rival prop Lindsay Collins a clear passage to the tryline for the opening points.
From his 16 Titans appearances this year, he registered more than 200 metres on 11 occasions – twice surpassing the 300-metre mark – and his meteoric rise is expected to force a reshuffle in the team, likely to keep Campbell at five-eighth and move Brimson to the centres.
“I don’t know how many carries Keano would have had, and he did well under the high ball. He’s a confident kid,” Kiwi coach Stacey Jones said.
“That was one of the disappointing moments for us – the [Collins] try we gave there – but he doesn’t die wondering.
“He’s around the ball a lot, there are parts of his game we can improve on, it’s getting the balance right for him.”
Kini was expected to retain his spot at the back for this weekend’s clash with Tonga in Auckland.
He will go head-to-head with another of the game’s most promising youngsters in Isaiya Katoa, who will be eager to cast aside a disappointing outing against Australia.
The Dolphins halfback was among the NRL leaders for line engagements, kick metres, linebreak involvements and 40/20s, however lost his No.7 jumper for the final two rounds after a string of tight losses cost the club a maiden finals appearance.
Katoa tried valiantly to produce moments of brilliance in an 18-0 loss to the Kangaroos, but his efforts came up short, sending two kick-offs out on the full and an ambitious 40/20 attempt dead in goal, with the ensuing seven-tackle set leading to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s decisive try.
However, Tonga coach Kristian Woolf was confident his 20-year-old half would bounce back on Saturday.
It was a tough night for Isaiya Katoa for Tonga against the Kangaroos.Credit: NRL Photos
“For really long periods we were right in the contest, we execute a couple of things around our fifth play, around our kicks and around a couple of plays when we had opportunities, and it’s a very different-looking result,” Woolf said.
“We left a few chances out there, our end of sets weren’t where they needed to be, but that’s the beauty of it – we get another chance against NZ,” Tonga captain Addin Fonua-Blake added.
“Isaiya is going to be there, we’re going to back him to make those big plays against New Zealand, and we’re all in.”
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