A Māori-Pacific expansion bid called Mana Pasifika has officially declared its intention to join the NRL, gaining strong support from local officials and former players.

On Friday, the Auckland-based consortium formally submitted its bid to the NRL Commission for inclusion in the 2027 or 2028 season and promises to bring a world-class coaching lineup.

The consortium plans to split home games between Eden Park - where CEO Nick Saunter has pledged his support - and Pacific Islands venues.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has also publicly endorsed the bid.

The NRL has been vocal about expanding the game’s presence in the Pacific, with 2023 season statistics revealing that 45% of players are of Pacific descent and nearly half have either Māori or Pasifika heritage, with those figures even higher in the lower grades.

Former Kiwis and Toa Samoa captain Frank Pritchard believes the Mana Pasifika bid would help the NRL capitalise on the growth of the international game, which has seen players defect from Australia and New Zealand to play for the likes of Mate Ma’a Tonga and Samoa.

“I reckon this would be a massive push for young kids who are coming through, who need a stepping stone and could use Mana Pasifika as a springboard to their career,” he told the Herald.

“When I was coming through, there weren’t a lot of resources and support for young Polynesian players, but the NRL has improved in this space.

“I have nothing against the Warriors, I have lots of love for them, but having another team would be great for the competition, and you’d probably see a lot of players deflecting across the Tasman to New Zealand to represent Mana Pasifika.

“I think blokes would chase playing and being picked in the squad over money.”

Frank Pritchard representing Toa Samoa in 2017. Photo / Photosport

With calls for a second New Zealand-based franchise alongside the Warriors growing, Mana Pasifika will face competition from three South Island consortiums.

Among the rival bids, Sir Graham Lowe is backing the Southern Orcas, while former NRL boss David Moffat and ex-Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos support the South Island Kea. Meanwhile, Frank Endacott is aligned with an unnamed bid, though its future is uncertain following the resignation of three directors late last year.

The NRL is set to feature 17 teams this season, with a Papua New Guinea-based franchise confirmed for 2028, although there are suggestions the NRL would like to add another team before then in 2027. There is also momentum behind a Perth-based team, as Australian Rugby League Commission Chair Peter V’Landys pushes for a 20-team competition by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

The timing of any new team’s entry will likely hinge on the NRL’s broadcast deal, which is set to expire at the end of the 2027 season.

Apia-born former Kiwis captain and New Zealand Rugby League Hall of Famer Fred Ah Kuoi is another notable supporter of the bid.

With limited opportunities in New Zealand, many Pacific players move to Australia to chase their rugby league dream, and Ah Kuoi believes Mana Pasifika will help retain local talent.

“It will encompass everything Pasifika stands for,” Ah Kuoi told the Herald from his home in Arizona.

“It’s the opportunity to create an avenue for kids to aim towards and build a professional career from.

“It’s something that’s always been close to my heart, being a Samoan and coming to New Zealand. There are so many others that come from similar places, so we see it as a great opportunity for the islands and local New Zealanders to participate and be part of it.

“It’ll be one heck of an opportunity for everyone to represent their families and the nations they come from.”

Former Kiwi legend Fred Ah Kuoi speaks to media in 2017. Photo / Photosport

The bid is particularly interesting given rugby union’s equivalent - Moana Pasifika - has struggled to gain momentum and build a fan base in its formative years in Super Rugby Pacific. Admittedly, the team has faced significant challenges, having launched during the Covid-impacted 2020 season.

Now preparing for its fourth season, Moana Pasifika has finally attracted a marquee player in Ardie Savea, with more expected to follow in the coming years as the team looks to improve on its record of just seven wins in 42 games.

While the team has yet to achieve success on the field, former St George Illawarra Dragons playmaker Jamie Soward believes it provides a strong blueprint for success.

Soward, now head coach of Fetu Samoa, recently led the team to qualification for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup and understands the importance of staying connected to one’s roots.

“I’m very excited by the prospect of the NRL growing its brand in New Zealand and into the Pacific nations,” Soward told the Herald.

“Being part of the NRL for a long time, I know how influential the Polynesian community is. New Zealand has been screaming out for a second team for a long time.

“Rugby league is so popular in Australia, and after Covid, I think we’ve seen a shift in New Zealand from rugby union to league.

“New Zealand is too small to have just one team; there is plenty of talent to unearth.”

Jamie Soward, pictured in 2009 playing against the Warriors, says there is plenty of talent to unearth in New Zealand. Photo / Photosport

With the backing of local authorities, Mana Pasifika is confident it will be ready to pounce when the NRL announces the next phase of expansion.

If successful, the team will have to compete for coverage in a city boasting multiple professional and semi-professional sporting teams, including the Warriors in the NRL, the Blues and Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby Pacific, the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian NBL, and Auckland FC, recently introduced into the A-League.

Ah Kuoi believes Auckland is big enough to sustain a second NRL team, pointing out that Sydney supports nine teams within its wider metropolitan area. Pritchard, meanwhile, sees the City of Sails as a rugby league stronghold due to its significant Pacific population.

“It’s always important to have familiarity in the biggest Polynesian city,” says Ah Kuoi. “And to have support from the mayor, who backs Pacific initiatives, will be great for fans who want to support the team.”

This year marks 50 years since Ah Kuoi made his test debut for the Kiwis, and back then, few players of Pacific heritage featured in the game.

“You could count on one hand those playing international and club rugby league.

“Now, you look at the NRL and even other codes like the NFL, and there are a whole lot of Pacific players making their mark.

“We have to capitalise on this so that rugby league can truly call itself a global sport.”

Pritchard agrees, adding that he takes pride in seeing so many young Pacific players taking up the sport in his role as a teacher in Western Sydney and through his coaching work.

“A lot of the kids’ parents know about my playing career, but I try to stay low-key and focus on my new career as a schoolteacher,” he says.

“I’m proud of how the game has grown, especially internationally, where fans are getting behind the Island nations and singing the hymns.

“Getting a Pacific NRL team would mean the world to me.”

With its bid now public and rivals preparing their cases, Mana Pasifika must wait until the NRL opens its next expansion window to see if its vision becomes a reality.