Coach Michael Maguire has four debutants in the NZ Kiwis side for their opening match of the Pacific Championship match against Toa Samoa in Auckland on Saturday.
Canberra Raiders centre Matthew Timoko and Newcastle Knights hooker Fa'amanu Brown will earn their first test caps as start of the run-on side
The other two newcomers are Griffin Neame (North Queensland) and Leo Thompson (Newcastle) will make their debuts from the interchange.
Maguire's first selection of the year features 12 players who lined up for the Kiwis in their last international, the 14-16 loss to the Kangaroos in the Rugby League World Cup sem-ifinal in Leeds on November 12 last year.
Winger Jamayne Isaako is recalled after last playing in the 2-0 series win against the touring Great Britain side in 2019.
"The core of the side is built around players who have shown the passion they have for the Kiwi jersey in the past," said Maguire.
"Joining them are four players who are about to represent their country at this level for the first time. That's hugely exciting for them and their families as it is for our whole group."
The well-travelled Brown (28) provides significant international experience having represented Samoa since 2016 including at last year's Rugby League World Cup in England.
Greymouth-raised Neame, 22, has made 43 NRL appearances for the Cowboys since 2021. He was a non-playing member of the Kiwis' squad for their mid-season test against Mate Ma'a Tonga in Auckland last year.
The 23-year-old Thompson started the season by representing the Māori All Stars side against the Indigenous All Stars in Rotorua in February, before making 25 appearances for the Knights to boost his NRL career tally to 41 since his debut last year.
Timoko, 23, has made 62 appearances for the Raiders in the past four years, playing all 25 of their matches in 2023 when he finished with 11 tries, 118 tackle breaks and averaged 158 metres a game.
NZ Kiwis: 1- Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2-Ronaldo Mulitako, 3-Matthew Timoko, 4-Joseph Manu, 5-Jamyane Isaako, 6-Dylan Brown, 7-Jahrome Hughes, 8-James Fisher-Harris, 9- Fa'amanu Brown, 10-Moses Leota, 11-Isaiah Papali'I, 12-Briton Nikora, 13-Joseph Tapine
Interchange: 14–Kieran Foran, 15-Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 16-Griffin Neame, 17-Leo Thompson
