That's the last game of rugby league for 2024.

Absolutely wild, considering the season started with the first trials in mid-February.

Since then we've seen Vegas, code hopping, Origin and another Panthers triumph.

Who knows what 2025 will bring, but I know we'll be there to bring all the big moments to you.

Thanks for being a part of ABC Sport's rugby league coverage. It's been a long, great year.

See you next time!

The Kiwis have thumped the PNG Kumuls to stay in the top tier of the Pacific Championships, which means they will compete against Samoa and Tonga in next year's tournament, which will be one to watch.

One man who won't be there, though, is Shaun Johnson.

The 34-year-old halfback is signing off for good now, and he's done so with a thoroughly enjoyable masterclass, albeit in not the most competitive match.

He finished up with five try assists by foot and hand, and three line break assists, plus Jamayne Isaako gave him a couple of shots at goal at the end, one of which he slotted with a smile plastered across his face.

The game will miss him.

Eighteen-year-old winger Casey McLean now has more tries in his Test debut (4) than his entire NRL career (3) as he latches onto another long ball from Shaun Johnson.

This game must feel like a dream for the young Panther.

On the flip side, after an impressive first 37 minutes, this game is now out of hand for PNG, trailing 38-6 with 20 minutes left.

Casey McLean already scored a try with his second touch in international rugby league, but his second might be even more special.

In his last Test, Shaun Johnson put the chip in and McLean's pulled off a brilliant spin in almost no spin to get around Robert Derby and score.

That's a 16-year age gap between 34-year-old Johnson and 18-year-old McLean.

New Zealand jumped out to a 10-0 lead with tries to wingers Casey McLean and Jamayne Isaako, but PNG hit back through a rampaging Sylvester Namo.

On two occasions the Kumuls appeared to hit the lead but both times they were denied. The first was when hooker Liam Horne dropped a grubber over the line with no-one around him, and the second was a stunning long-range "try" that was called back when chasers on the far side of the field were found to be offside.

Then, in the final two minutes of the half, the Kiwis struck a double blow with Leo Thompson and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad scoring to push the lead way out from 10-6 to 22-6 in the blink of an eye.

It will be a miracle if PNG can get any wind back in its sails now.

Isaah Yeo is putting together and almighty resume.

He's won four premierships in a row with Penrith, three of them as captain, and he's one of the first names on the NSW team sheet, playing 14 straight since his debut in Game II of 2020.

I'd bet he'll be NSW captain next year, and he's just captained the Kangaroos to three straight wins in his first tournament as skipper.

And, for all the talk about Tom Trbojevic and Tom Dearden today and through this series, make no mistake; Yeo is a candidate for best on ground every time he comes out.

Today he had 130 running metres, 44 after contact, 11 hit-ups, FIFTY tackles and just one miss.

He's a superstar.

Penrith Panthers youngster Casey McLean has scored on debut for New Zealand.

The 18-year-old was playing Jersey Flegg trials in February this year, and now he's scoring for the Kiwis against the Kumuls on the back of just seven NRL games.

Fair ball from makeshift five-eighth Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad too.

New Zealand is taking on Papua New Guinea in the promotion/relegation game to see who gets to compete in the top tier of the Championships next year.

I'll keep half an eye on it, but I won't be giving blow-by blow updates, rather focusing on wrapping up the Kangaroos' victory.

And fair enough too.

The North Queensland five-eighth wouldn't have even been here if Cameron Munster was fit but, just as he has in State of Origin, Dearden never looks out of place or overawed by the stage.

On Fox, Munster says he's going to have a hard time getting his rep jerseys back as Dearden grows in confidence.

"When he's playing that type of footy, he's a pleasure to watch.," Munster says.

"You see in in his first-ever Origin series, [he has] three games under his belt. He's played three or four games with the Aussies.

"My position's gone, I'm gone now. So all the best, Tommy. You've done well, mate. I'm happy for you."

He's of course joking, but like Mitchell Moses's star turn for NSW this year, the jersey is his to lose.

What a performance. What a game of rugby league.

Australia wins the men's Pacific Championships with a stunning 20-14 victory over Tonga.

If it wasn't already clear that Tonga was one of the best teams in the world, this game confirmed it. But credit has to go to Australia for hanging on in that one.

Just as it was in the first two games, their defence was the most impressive part of their final performance, repeatedly denying Tonga despite a mountain of possession and staring into the face of seemingly impossible power from the other side.

That 20-4 lead never felt safe and those last two tries for Haumole Olakau'atu and Eli Katoa ensured the game ended with a scoreline that reflected just how tight that contest was.

Eli Katoa is dragged towards the sideline. He manages to stay in, but he's knocked on.

Australia needs to hang on to the ball for 17 seconds.

The Kangaroos create the overlap on the left and Xavier Coates leaps from five metres out. Ashley Klein says he's scored a miracle try, but the bunker finds the slightest separation.

That would have rivalled his second-round effort against the Warriors, but Sione Kato did just enough to force the error.

But Ashley Klein says no penalty this time as the ball, fortuitously for Australia, trickles into touch just shy of the tryline.

Isaiya Katoa's kick hits the post and ricochets away.

Australia leads 20-14 with exactly five minutes to go.

Eli Katoa looked certain to score in the previous play before being dragged down by Tom Dearden.

So he reloads and burrows through Dylan Edwards and gets up celebrating. Ashley Klein says no try, but the bunker overturns and Tonga is back!!

The Kangaroos are penalised for hitting Isaiya Katoa after kicking and Tonga gets a penalty tap 10 metres out.

That's a really harsh call.

Meanwhile, debutant Lindsay Smith has an interchange card in hand and is ready to come on for his first international action.

Haumole Olakau'atu hits a short ball and pokes his nose through from close range. He can smell the paint on the tryline, but Isaah Yeo comes over the top to knock the ball loose. What a play by the Australian captain!