A friendship forged on the rugby league fields of New Zealand a century ago

Awhina Hetet and Rita McRae Kingi share a drink on a blistering November day, on the balcony of Awhina's Logan business.

The women and their families met and became close mates in Brisbane, after moving to the city from Rotorua and Marton and in New Zealand.

But the families' close bond was first forged more than a century ago, on the rugby league fields of New Zealand.

Awhina's great-great-great grandfather Hōne Taonui "John" Hetet was the team manager for the Māori All Stars in 1909.

Rita's great-great grandfather Nirai Whareure "Ned" McRae was a coach, captain, and player.

The players had all anglicised their names before making the trip across the ditch for the campaign 117 years ago.

"New Zealand was a nation of union players," Awhina says. "When they came over in 1909 to Australia … we brought with us our haka, our culture. They had two guides with them … they came with a campaign to show, 'this is who we are, we're Māori. We love this game.'"

"You see how proud they are and I think our people absolutely displayed that proudness when they put on the shirt."

One of the guides was Mākereti "Maggie" Papakura, a Māori-English translator who was posthumously awarded a Master of Philosophy in Anthropology from the University of Oxford.

At the time, rugby league was struggling financially in Australia. But the Aussie-Kiwi clashes attracted more than 30,000 to their games.

The Maori side left victorious, taking the cup back to New Zealand. It is now in the care of Awhina's family "in an undisclosed location," she laughs, in New Zealand.

"That cup's still standing, it's one of the oldest rugby league cups in existence," she says.

"Beautiful history," adds her father, Rob Hetet. "That's probably why I am really passionate."

The Hetet family also has distant links to star Kiwi player Kalyn Ponga, who is part of the starting side for the World Cup Final in Brisbane this Sunday.

The Hetet and McRae families will be in the stands at Lang Park, with a closer link to the game than most other revellers.

"It's been 13 years since we were in the finals," says Awhina.

"Our boys have been amazing throughout this whole campaign … may the best team win!"