Northland product Wiremu Greig’s breakout 2023 NRL campaign with Parramatta led to a Kiwis call-up for the Pacific Championships.
The Otangarei junior was snapped up by North Queensland as a 17-year-old, turning out for Queensland Cup feeder teams Northern Pride (2019) and Townsville Blackhawks (2020-21).
After being a late Māori All Stars inclusion during the 2021 pre-season, Greig was granted a release to join the Eels and made two NRL appearances. He played just one top-grade game for the eventual grand finalists in 2022 (as well as making another appearance for Māori All Stars) but developed impressively at NSW Cup level.
The 23-year-old’s progression was one of the bright spots of the Eels’ difficult 2023 season, averaging 90 metres and 16 tackles in 16 games, picking up the slack for the intermittent absences of NSW Origin props Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo.
Greig was not called upon during the Kiwis’ successful Pacific Championships campaign, but he was a leading light for Kiwis A against Tonga A at Eden Park.