In 2023 the pinnacle of rugby league representation in Auckland returned. Tāmaki Makaurau’s elite Women and Men players pulled on the iconic Auckland jersey: the famous blue and white V rode again. The moment signified the beginning of another chapter for rugby league in what is not just the game’s New Zealand heartland, but it's very beating heart.

For today’s leading league players, pulling on the Auckland jersey means attaining the top of grassroots sport in the country. Over 60,000 people watched online for one double header (Women’s and Men’s) against the mighty Aotearoa Maori.