Some you may have heard of... others not so much.
Grant Chapman - Matt Payne
Just as Shane van Gisbergen drives into the sunset - or at least as far as the NASCAR circuit - New Zealand has already found another Supercars wizkid to cheer for.
Payne, 21, debuted across the Tasman at the 2022 Bathurst 1000, where he helped Lee Holdsworth to sixth.
This year saw him as a fulltimer with Grove Racing, mixing seven top-10 finishes with 11th as a lead driver at Bathurst, before his big breakthrough - a maiden victory at Adelaide in the seson-ending round.
Fittingly, this was van Gisbergen's last appearance in Australia - for now anyway - but the baton was passed in the most fitting of circumstances.
Ollie Ritchie - Noah Hotham
The Crusaders halfback has future All Black written all over him.
Made a good start to his Super Rugby career this year and looked right at home behind the Crusaders pack.
Expect Hotham to be handed the reigns in the starting side for the defending champions this year. He has a great pass and reads the game well, has shown a lethal running game and will only thrive with more gametime.
Now-All Blacks coach Scott Robertson rates Hotham very highly. Next year could be slightly too early, but a strong Super Rugby and NPC season could see a spot open up on the end of year tour.
Alex Chapman - Adi Ashok
Had a taste of the Blackcaps set-up this year and will only be better for it.
The legspinner continues to impress for Auckland at a domestic level and his move higher up the order shows he's worked on his batting as well.
With the ball, he changes his pace nicely, and subtle - or at times not-so subtle - variations create uncertainty and havoc for opposition batters.
In the next few years, Ashok could be New Zealand's premier spinner.
Alex Powell - Ruben Love
With the All Blacks losing so much experience, as new coach Scott Robertson prepares to succeed Ian Foster, who fills the No.10 jersey is one of the biggest questions for 2024.
Hurricanes youngster Ruben Love may well put himself into the conversation, if he performs in Super Rugby 2024.
Currently torn between wearing No.10 or No.15, a permanent shift to first-five could be Love's best chance of earning the black jersey, with Will Jordan almost certainly Robertson's first-choice fullback.
At just 22, Love has already featured for the 'Baby Blacks' U20 side, the Māori All Blacks and All Blacks XV.
If things fall his way, don't be surprised to see him wear the silver fern at test level in the near future either.
Stephen Foote - Cam Roigard
The All Blacks surprised plenty of nonbelievers this year and one of the players who turned the most heads was halfback Roigard.
The Cambridge product used his breakthrough Hurricanes campaign as a springboard to the next level, with his unique blend of power, skill, speed and combative approach proving perfectly suited to test rugby.
His first test try perfectly exemplified that package, breaking from 60m against the Springboks at Twickenham and shirking a trio of defenders en route to the black dot - an effort that turned the rugby world's collective head.
Bafflingly, his opportunities at the World Cup in France were limited, but with incumbent Aaron Smith now out of the picture, Roigard has a golden chance to accept the baton and sprint clear in 2024, making the black No.9 jersey his own for years to come.
Grant Chapman - Mia Ramsden
Little known before leaving New Zealand for an athletics scholarship at Harvard University, the Wellington distance runner made history, when she captured the NCAA 1500 metres crown at Austin, Texas.
Her 4m 08.60s carved a second off her previous best, set in the heats, and promoted her ahead of some legendary names on the all-time national rankings, including Lorraine Moller and Anne Audain.
More recently, she backed that up with 11th in the US national cross-country championship, reinforcing her credentials as a runner to watch in future.
Newshub Sport wishes you a Merry Christmas... see you in the New Year!
