Mya Hill-Moana, Harata Butler, and Capri Paekau, three Waikato players, have been officially announced as the newest additions to the One New Zealand Warriors, who will rejoin the NRLW in 2025.
They join seasoned Kiwi Ferns fullback Apii Nicholls, whose signing was revealed on Tuesday for a two-year contract covering 2025 and 2026.
The contracts for three seasons have been signed by front rower Hill-Moana (22) and fellow prop Butler (31) for 2025 and 2026, respectively, and hooker Paekau (23) for 2025 and 2026 with a 2027 option.
Taniwharau product Hill, huntly-bornMoana has participated in 24 NRLW matches with the Sydney Roosters over the course of four seasons, including the team’s 2021 premiership win. She has represented the Māori All Stars for the past four years, and since 2020, she has played ten Test matches for the Kiwi Ferns, leading them to the Rugby League World Cup final in 2022 and their historic victory over the Jillaroos last year.
“We think Mya, a representative front rower who has won a premiership, will be the cornerstone of the Warriors’ pack for many years to come, so this is a great coup for the Warriors,” One
Butler, another Taniwharau product, was born in Kawakawa but currently resides in Waikato after having resided in Huntly, Ngāruawāhia, and Hamilton. She has played for the Warriors at the NRL Nines in 2020, been a Kiwi Fern in 2020, and represented the Māori All Stars three times. In total, she has made 12 NRLW appearances for the Cronulla Sutherland and North Queensland Cowboys over the last two seasons.
“We were struck by Harata’s deep cultural ties and her feeling of pride in her culture from our first conversations with her. “We knew right away that we wanted to return Harata to the Warriors,” Griffiths stated.
I was excited to sign a contract with the team. Anticipating new experiences, making new memories, and discovering more about my personality and abilities as a player.The fact that I will be leaving the Roosters at the end of this season initially made me feel a little depressed, but I also saw it as an honour to be a part of the team that will see the Warriors return to the NRL, representing the people who were there from the beginning and starting a new legacy for women in league in New Zealand in the future.I believe that setting an example for all of those upcoming young athletes excites me more. They might want to play NRLW.
“As a proud Māori professional rugby league athlete, I get to contribute back to my own communities through rugby league and return home to my whenua, whānau, and people.”I’m appreciative of the chance to return home in these trying times. One New Zealand Warriors, thank you. Mō te tino tāke te apōpō.Being a single mother following her goals and a career as an NRLW player over the border, away from her home, whānau, and support, has been a difficult assignment. I’m returning home with my boy.”What motivates and excites us is knowing how our presence will affect Aotearoa’s pathways to develop and up our game for our kōtiro coming through.
“I am incredibly happy and appreciative to be a member of the Warriors team.”It means the world to me to get to play for my team and support the development of the sport at home.The journey seems to have begun a very long time ago. I still remember going to Auckland to practice with the Warriors NRLW squad after school in 2019 when I was seventeen years old. I’ve been putting in a lot of effort and waited for this chance ever since.Ron has my sincere gratitude for having faith in me and allowing me to demonstrate my abilities to the team.
