Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was named the Kiwis' player of the year for 2018 after also winning an NRL title with the Roosters.

Prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was crowned the Kiwis player of the year for 2018 at the New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) annual awards on Wednesday.

The Sydney Roosters front rower found his best form in the black jersey as the Kiwis moved on from last year's disastrous World Cup campaign and he was the big winner at the awards night alongside Honey Hireme, who won the Kiwi Ferns player of the year award.

Also celebrating individual honours were Ken Maumalo and Onjeurlina Leiataua, who won the rookie of the year awards for the Kiwis and the Kiwi Ferns respectively, while Warriors second rower Isaiah Papali'i took out the junior player of the year award for the second consecutive year after being awarded the Warriors rookie of the year award.

PHOTOSPORT Honey Hireme won the Kiwi Ferns player of the year award.

Waerea-Hargreaves, who won an NRL title with the Roosters in 2018, was in particularly strong form when the Kiwis stunned the Kangaroos 26-24 in Auckland in October and he racked up more than 130 metres in that game and for each of the tests in the 2-1 series defeat against England in November.

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Kiwis coach Michael Maguire, who was appointed during the year to replace David Kidwell, said Waerea-Hargreaves was deserving of the top award.

"As a senior player within the Kiwis camp, Jared put a lot of time into discussing the growth of the Kiwi team. He has immense passion towards where he wants to see the black and white jersey and this is a real quality of his," Maguire said in a statement.

"Off the back of his brilliant season in club land, he was in a good position to play his best footy for the Kiwis and that's exactly what he did. His experience has been invaluable in mentoring younger players to step up into international rugby league."

Hireme's award was her second in the category after first winning it in 2012. The Kiwi Ferns co-captain played in the inaugural NRL women's premiership with the St George Illawarra Dragons.

GETTY IMAGES Ken Maumalo made scoring tries a habit for both the Warriors and the Kiwis.

Meanwhile, Maumalo switched to represent New Zealand this year after playing for Samoa at the 2017 World Cup and he made his Kiwis debut in the 36-18 defeat to England in Denver in June.

The Warriors winger scored four tries after playing all five of New Zealand's tests in 2018 and he beat Waerea-Hargreaves' Roosters team-mate, centre Joseph Manu, to the rookie award.

AT A GLANCE

2018 New Zealand Rugby League awards

Pirtek Female Volunteer – Karen Gibbons Karen Gibbons (Akarana, Auckland)

Pirtek Male Volunteer – Lawrence Erihe (Mid Central, Manawatu)

Grassroots Club of the Year – South Pacific Raiders (Southern, Otago)

Domestic Coach of the Year – Keith Hanley (Akarana, Auckland)

Match Official of the Year – Paki Parkinson (Upper Central, Bay of Plenty)

NZ 16s Player of the Year – Sione Moala (Counties Manukau, Auckland)

NZ 18s Player of the Year – Tyler Slade (NZ Warriors)

Domestic Premier Player of the Year – Francis Leger (Akarana, Auckland)

Junior Player of the Year – Isaiah Papali'i (NZ Warriors)

Kiwi Fern Rookie of the Year – Onjeurlina Leiataua (NZ Warriors)

Kiwis Rookie of the Year – Ken Maumalo (NZ Warriors)

Kiwis Fern Player of the Year – Honey Hireme (St George Illawarra Dragons)

Kiwis Player of the Year – Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters)