The 2013 National Rugby League season has showcased not only some of the best rugby players on the planet but also some of the best young talent coming through the ranks.
This season in particular, not only have we seen some classy backs getting their chance, but also some powerful young forwards taking a step up, some even into Origin.
This has prompted me to put together an under 21 team of the year, recognising some of the best young talent the league has to offer.
Fullback: Anthony Milford
The recent contact saga faced by Anthony Milford has taken some of the focus off the spectacular season this young star has had.
All money and scraps of paper aside, ‘Milf’ is shaping up to be another superstar lost to the Raiders, in the mould of Todd Carney and Josh Dugan.
His hard running and superb footwork have cemented his spot in the Raiders no. 1 jersey and, disappointingly for Canberra, it seems his time in that lime green jersey is coming to an end
Wingers: Jorge Taufua and Mahe Fonua
Jorge Taufua has had a particularly easy introduction into first grade, with 20 tries in 23 games last season and 17 in 21 this time around.
Taufua almost cracked an entry into the Blues’ side this year, with Nathan Merritt instead getting the nod, and if the same situation again arises next year, you can almost be certain it won’t be the same result.
Every time he scores a try he will remind Eels fans of what could have been, and with 47 already in the bank off two season, you’d think there’ll be many more coming.
Mahe Fonua is having a similar induction into the league, running second behind Billy Slater in tries at the Storm, with 10 tries off 17 games, and a few weeks ago against the Raiders, scoring a hat-trick of tries and providing the assist of the season.
Fonua is a big, strong, burly winger who has been so impressive he unseated the high-flying Kiwi Matt Duffie from the no. 5 jersey and has not since let go.
Fonua is Victoria’s first born and bred rugby league player also managed two tries on debut for Tonga against Samoa in April.
Centres: Dylan Walker and Tim Simona
While the onset of Burgess-itis has grabbed most of the attention from South’s other rookie, Dylan Walker is having a profoundly productive year.
Walker has scored seven tries in 12 games, and is fourth in Rabbitohs try-scoring behind Nathan Merritt, Greg Inglis and Bryson Goodwin, who has only scored 10 tries in 21 games.
When this under 20s New South Wales rep gets a full season of footy of pouncing on Adam Reynolds’ grubbers, you’d have to think he’s a chance to play for the senior Blues themselves.
One who will most likely have to make his decision of whether he is a Kiwi or a Blue within the next few years is Tim Simona.
Even despite some rubbish playmaking from Benji Marshall and Braith Anasta, Simona has really come into his own this year on a Wests Tigers team that has drawn comparisons to the ’99 Magpies, leading the Tigs in tries with 10.
You’d have to think in a few of years, with an attack directed by Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses, Simona will at the very least be able to double that number.
Halves: Adam Quinlan and Curtis Sironen
Adam Quinlan is just one of the players to appear in the Dragons’ halves this year, but he is easily one of the most promising.
Though a lot of red V fans would’ve rathered 2012 NYC player of the year Josh Drinkwater get his chance, the play of Quinlan has no doubt been encouraging.
While he is most likely to carve out a career in the centers, Quinlan’s versatility and try-scoring ability, which included a double against the Broncos, is what will likely keep him in the mix in the future.
Curtis Sironen will also likely be forced into the back row, with juniors such as Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses coming through, but at 6 foot 5 and 95kgs, ‘Siro’ will be a success whichever number is on his back.
We’ll probably see this move as soon as next season, as the Tigers will be looking to establish their future halves pairing ASAP after the Marshall era.
Props: George Burgess and Peni Terepo
The unofficial rookie of the year, George Burgess makes for scary pondering.
George is third in the Rabbitohs’ try-scoring this year, equal first amongs the forwards with his brother Sam. He is also first in all run metres and hit-ups.
This is all after coming off the bench for most of the season. Oh. And did I mention he’s 21?
Peni Terepo has been one of the shining lights for Parramatta in what has been one of, if not the worst season in club history.
With Parramatta juniors proving successful for opposing clubs left, right and centre, it must be a nice breath of fresh air to have a locally nurtured talent.
The Eels will be hoping Terepo will stick around with the club through a particularly tough era and realise the potential which saw him awarded the NYC player of the year award in 2011.
Hooker: Luke Keary
Perhaps this is cheating throwing Keary in at hooker, but I had to find a spot for this guy somewhere in the team.
Talk about embarrassment of riches, Luke Keary has been impressive enough for talk of John Sutton moving to the back row to accommodate for the boy wonder.
A double against the Titans shows Keary’s ball sense and capability at first-grade level, and if Souths can hold onto and nurture him, we’ve seen the kind of playmakers they can churn out.
Back-rowers: Boyd Cordner, Josh Papalii and Tohu Harris
It is freaky that every player in this back row has played representative footy already. It is even freakier that they’re all only 21.
Many would argue that Boyd Cordner is the best of the lot. Just one year removed from playing under 20s State of Origin, Cordner was thrust into the big smoke, beating out Josh Reynolds for his spot in Game 3.
It speaks volumes that at his young age, Cordner is already co-captain of one of the best teams in the competition. Watch this space.
You may have heard of Josh Papalii, the Queensland version of Boyd Cordner. After ditching New Zealand for State of Origin, like so many before him, Papalii made his debut for the Maroons in Game 2 of this year.
At only 21 years of age, he is already known as one of the hardest-hitting forwards in the league, and his rock-hard frame should see him cement his spot in Canberra’s back row for years to come. If he doesn’t leave.
Perhaps even more remarkable is Tohu Harris, who made his debut for New Zealand after only a handful of NRL games.
Harris is already one of Melbourne’s best forwards, despite still being in his first year of senior footy, running third in tackles made and ranking around the top five in run metres and hit-ups.
He and Kevin Proctor will be looking to solidify two of the three Storm back-row spots for their next premiership push, the same way Ryan Hoffman and Ryan Hinchcliffe have.
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