Kiwis vs Fiji: How Naufahu Whyte’s rise is key to New Zealand success at Rugby League World Cup

It’s a great example of the bond between Whyte and his parents, along with the humble values that have guided his career, since he was starring for the Bay-Roskill Vikings as a kid. The drive to quietly, steadily improve – and cut no corners – has been engrained in the 24-year-old and has paid off spectacularly.

Whyte is regarded as one of the best props in the sport. He was a colossus for the Roosters in 2026 and peaked in the playoffs, with a destructive performance in the preliminary final win over the Dolphins, before he was the best forward on the field in the grand final, unlucky not to win the Clive Churchill medal.

And Whyte, judged Dally M Prop of the year, is now at the forefront of the Kiwis’ World Cup campaign. He continued his momentum with a big game against Australia, before being rested for the Cook Islands match last Sunday, ahead of Saturday’s crucial clash with Fiji.

“I go out there with confidence and belief in myself,” Whyte says. “I’m obviously there for a reason so I want to do what I do best.”

When Whyte sat down in January to think about his goals for 2026, he did it was a clear focus. The past is history. He was coming off a brilliant 2025 campaign, where he had stood out for the Roosters, then was a key figure for the Kiwis in their impressive Pacific Championships campaign, culminating in the gritty win over Samoa in Sydney in the final, where he scored a try and ran for 203 metres.

“I was on a high that whole year,” Whyte recalls. “So I thought, if that was good, let’s see how much better I can be. Like, what’s next? When it came to 2026, it was about erasing everything and starting over. That was my mindset – start again.”

The approach worked, as Whyte produced incredible numbers in 2026, carrying for almost 170 metres a game, including a staggering 78 post contact. But more than the statistics it was the sheer ferocity he brought, along with the work rate, often fronting for multiple carries in a set.

He’s one of the most talked about props in the game, with the Roosters recently extending his contract to the end of 2029. But Whyte has never forgotten his roots, or some of the hard times on his way to the top. That included the difficult trips to Australia as a teenager to attend Roosters camps, when he was homesick and didn’t want to leave Auckland airport.

Then there was the big jolt in 2022, when he lost his way and wondered about his first grade future. He had made his NRL debut in 2021, playing three matches as a 19-year-old and expected to build on that. But it didn’t happen. He stayed in reserve grade all season and at one point was demoted back to Jersey Flegg.

“I remember getting the call that I was getting dropped,” Whyte says. “It’s a feeling I never ever want to feel again. It felt so wrong for me to be playing Jersey Flegg, even though it was my age grade at the time. I knew I was destined for better.”

Whyte got tough feedback from NRL coach Trent Robinson but “already knew it for myself”. He had got too comfortable, taking things for granted.

“I was probably thinking, I’ve made my debut, it’s automatic now,” Whyte recalls. “I slid away from the hard work that got me there in the first place and took everything so easy. I got a reality check, real quick and that’s something I’ll always be grateful for.”

The rebound came quickly. Whyte knuckled down in pre-season and earned eight NRL appearances in 2023, before a surprise Kiwis call up from then coach Michael Maguire.

“I remember getting a call from my manager,” Whyte recalls. “I was a bit starstruck, wondering does Madge [Maguire] really want me to play for New Zealand. But he [Maguire] called me straight afterwards to say he would love to have me there.”

It was a pivotal moment, with Whyte surrounded by many of his heroes. He didn’t get to play but was 18th man for all three matches.

“I didn’t take the opportunity lightly,” Whyte says. “I was putting in the work, doing my extras, just in case one of the boys went down.”

His international chance came the following year, making his debut in Christchurch against Australia and even getting to start.

“That was the buzziest feeling, just putting on that black jersey,” Whyte says. “A lot of emotions were going through my head but when it was time to play, I had to be ready.”

That Kiwis’ experience was a springboard for his coming of age season in 2025, when he played 23 NRL games and averaged almost 150 running metres a game. Whyte is young for a prop – a position where players tend to develop later – and has only 84 NRL matches under his belt.

But he is mature beyond his years and leads a simple life, driven by a deep religious faith and a desire to spend as much time as possible with his partner Hope and their two young children (1 and 3 years old). But he has become a leader in the Kiwis environment and is highly respected – and feared - across the NRL, especially after his grand final deeds.

Whyte, who will be a key weapon against Fiji, is encouraged by the Kiwis progress so far, with the 24-22 loss to Australia and the big 82-16 win over the Cook Islands.

“Everything’s rock solid,” Whyte says. “Obviously, a few intercepts, last plays have let us down but we know our game plan, what we want to do. We know we’re capable of winning this World Cup but it’s about building, getting that connection every week, getting stronger and stronger and believing in our system.

“Fiji is definitely going to be a tough challenge – they are not a team to take lightly. But that’s our mindset; it doesn’t matter who we play, we treat every game the same. We just want to dominate … it’s a do or die match. We will be leaving everything out there and going after it, trying to be better again.”

Just as his father would want.

Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.