The magnificent seven to watch this NRL season
Roar Guru
By Steve Kaless, 9 Mar 2010 Steve Kaless is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Blake Ferguson, Gareth Widdup, josh duggan, Kieran Foran, NRL, Rugby League, Russell Packer
Joseph Tomane (Melb) attempts to stop Blake Ferguson's try NRL Rugby League/2009 Season RD.20 Melbourne Storm vs Cronulla Sharks Olympic Park, Melbourne Saturday 25th July 2009 © Sport the library / Jeff Crow ©Action Photographics
With the NRL season kicking off this weekend, here are The Roar’s tips for the seven young players who will make a big impact on the game in 2010.
Blake Ferguson (Cronulla): Finally a reason for Sharks fans to smile. Plenty of pace, a great leap and a good finisher (scored some great tries last year). The prototype of the modern winger. Ferguson was tossed in early last year and handled things well. He should blossom this season.
Josh Duggan (Canberra): Fantastic talent, had a great debut season last year and already has a mortgage on the Raiders fullback jersey despite having played 16 first grade games.
Looks like the Raiders production line of class fullbacks will continue. Honourable mentions go to teammates Jared Croker and Daniel Vidot.
Kieran Foran (Manly): Great all-round talent, but not a halfback. If Des Hasler can work out a way to play him at either lock or five-eighth we could see his best in 2010.
Gareth Widdup (Melbourne): The big question is: If you are hailed as the next Billy Slater, how the hell do you get a run with Billy Slater in front of you? If Craig Bellamy finds a way (there has been some talk of him playing at six) the Yorkshire born Widdup might just grab some of those headlines reserved for Sam Burgess.
Russell Packer (New Zealand): A big burly prop who broke through last season and look to grow into his role this year as Steve Price’s minutes wane.
Tim Grant: (Penrith): Like Packer, came up from NYC early and this season needs to show he has matured from the experience.
Ben Barba (Canterbury): Set the inaugural NYC alight but has stalled since then. Was sent back to NSW Cup last season to learn how to direct a side and toughen up. Having won the comp there, he returns to first grade from the bench and Dogs fan will hope he fulfills his potential to earn the contract extension.
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- Explore:
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oikee said | March 9th 2010 @ 6:33am | Report comment
Plenty of talent on show. I have been impressed by young Blake Ferguson. Think he will go on to be a great talent. One you did not mention Steve from Manly. Hargraves. ? This kid is something special i think. Hard and talented. Foran is also one to watch.
Duggan showed us some extradinary skills last year, (he has that swerve), and Ben Barba should continue to get better at the dogs.
It will be interesting if the storm can get Widdop a start at 5/8. This would be a good option for Bellyacke. Think i am looking forward to the Toyota cup again this year. Gee we have seen some talent coming through.
Brian said | March 9th 2010 @ 7:51am | Report comment
Jared Warea Hargeaves has gone to the Roosters and is injured for a few rounds. He is a good one though. He rattled the Kangaroos a bit in the four nations last year.
oikee said | March 9th 2010 @ 7:57am | Report comment
Streuth, the Roosters pulled off a sneaky buy there, he is a good one. The kiwis are starting to look really good on paper.
How good is the league this year, all the resignings done and dusted, except for Thurston, but i think he wont be far off resigning. Good stuff. Roosters might surprise this year.
Andrew Sutherland said | March 12th 2010 @ 6:02pm | Report comment
Storm could be grooming Widdop to replace Finch at 5/8 next year however he will be competing with half back Luke Kelly , another star from last year’s U/20s, who will obviously have trouble displacing Cronk.
If Widdop debuts this year it will most likely be on the wing.
Mr Sports said | March 9th 2010 @ 9:49am | Report comment
The best part of the story for Raiders fans (like myself) is that Steve could have easily chosen not just the three Raiders he mentioned but also Travis Waddell, Joel Thompson, Shaun Fensom or the returning Justin Carney. By the halfway mark of this season the Raiders could easily be fielding eight or nine players from the 2008 Toyota Cup winning team.
Steve Kaless said | March 9th 2010 @ 10:44am | Report comment
That is a good shout, but people still to have a fair bit of patience with the Raiders, they can’t expect all these blokes to be overnight stars in the NRL.
Jay said | March 9th 2010 @ 12:32pm | Report comment
Panthers 03, Tigers 05
Mr Sports said | March 9th 2010 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
I very much hope you’re right Jay. I’m probably seeing through lime green tinted glasses but this team does seem to have a good combination of big prop forwards, hard working and playmaking back row forwards and a potentially mercurial backline. But as Steve says, there is a lack of experience there that could be disasterous
Jay said | March 9th 2010 @ 5:22pm | Report comment
I dont think the raiders will win, but if campese fires like a couple of years ago – who knows? Parra got to the gf on the back of Hayne and funnier things have happened!
Terry Kidd said | March 9th 2010 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
Steve I don’t agree about Barba. Not only did he need to learn how to direct ateam and toughen up some but he also has to learn to stop doing a speed bump impersonation in defence. If he has learnt how to tackle then he might do ok.
Steve Kaless said | March 10th 2010 @ 5:59pm | Report comment
Fair call, but as you sayif he has a handle on that he could do the business.
Dogs Of War said | March 10th 2010 @ 6:30pm | Report comment
Barba from all reports bulked up a lot over the offseason. With Kimmorley’s tutoring, I am hoping he learnt how to direct a team (from what I saw of him last season, he was still too much of an individual – especially when it came to looking for intercepts). As for defence, I suppose he only has to look at other halves like Lockyer and Thurston to see that really, the aim is to slow them down, and the coach to ensure he has someone around to assist them.
Steve Kaless said | March 10th 2010 @ 6:48pm | Report comment
He also may be best suited as a fullback. Surely David Stagg is never too far from a potential tackle.
Dogs Of War said | March 10th 2010 @ 6:51pm | Report comment
Hahaha, I wrote that, then deleted it. With Patten in the way, I can’t see it happening, but I look at Preston Campbell for the Titans and think what if!
M1tch said | March 9th 2010 @ 2:32pm | Report comment
I look forward to seeing how Robert Liu goes this year for the Tigers – they have been building him up all off season
Jay said | March 9th 2010 @ 5:21pm | Report comment
If Robert Liu is ahead of Arana Taumata – he must be something special. Id presonally have Taumata in the halves with Benji.
Dogs Of War said | March 9th 2010 @ 6:03pm | Report comment
Now the Dogs have missed out on Mortimer, Barba has everything ahead of him. Hopefully he can stand up to be counted this season so we don’t have to sign Kimmorely to another season.
alan nicolea said | March 10th 2010 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
Steve
Anthony Cherrington is also one with great potential but off field dramas and injuries have plagued his progress at the Roosters. A full season under his belt however should bring out the best in him.
Steve Kaless said | March 10th 2010 @ 5:56pm | Report comment
Alan,
I think he’s been ruled out of this season already with injury hasn’t he? Might have to be added to next year’s list, but another major operation isn’t good.
Cheers
Gilbank said | March 11th 2010 @ 3:24pm | Report comment
Typical Sydney-sider…not one mention of the Broncos’ Babes. Who wouldn’t wager on a few of them getting spat off the famous Bronx production-line and landing in the fields of glory? Ignore them at your peril (having said that, we’ll probably get wasted by the Cowboys on Friday).