I recently posted an article about the NRL’s Golden Oldies and, in doing my research, was surprised to find that there are currently around 50 players aged 30 or more running around in the NRL in 2023. These guys are the survivors.
I was equally surprised to discover there are about twice that number of players currently aged 21 or under who’ll be turning out this season, and that most already have had a taste of first grade.
Interestingly, the majority of these young guns play in the backs, and I guess to make it as a forward at that age requires a considerable amount of physical development and maturity just to survive. Perhaps the backs have it a little easier.
Here’s my team of the best young guns who’ll be playing in the NRL this year, selected using the following criteria:
• 21 years or younger when the comp kicks off on March 2; and
• Has either played at least one NRL game in the position in which they’ve been selected, or come off the bench to play in that position.
The player’s age by the time the competition kicks off, together with the number of first grade games they’ve played, are in brackets.
1. Joseph Suaali’i (19, 24 games) – 2023 could be a really big year for this youngster who already has 6 games for Samoa under his belt. Will we see him in NSW and Australian colours this year?
2. Selwyn Cobbo (20, 25 games) – One of the best ball runners to come along in a decade with speed to burn. He’s played three games for QLD already and looks to be a star of the future.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
3. Izack Tago (20, 32 games) – Has already won a premiership and played in the World Cup in his brief career and it wouldn’t surprise to see him shift to the second row in the near future, and take his game to another new level.
4. Will Penisini (20, 33 games) – Played nearly every game for the Eels last year and 4 games for Tonga, and has established himself as one of the best centres in the game.
5. Dominic Young (21, 28 games) – Young really announced himself at the RLWC, crossing for 9 tries in 5 appearances for England. Newcastle need to get the ball to him at every opportunity in 2023.
6. Tom Dearden (21, 57 games) – About to enter his fifth season in the NRL and was a real surprise packet for both the Cowboys and QLD last year.
7. Sam Walker (20, 47 games) – Walker has developed rapidly and is now one of the best young halfbacks in the business. It won’t be too long before the QLD selectors come calling.
8. Chris Patolo (21, 21 games) – Patolo is a young giant who looks to benefit from the increase in quality in the Bulldogs’ squad this year.
9. Jake Simpkin (21, 19 games) – Simpkin ended 2022 as Wests Tigers’ first-choice hooker and will no doubt develop further under the guidance of club captain Apisai Koroisau.
10. Davvy Moale (19, 14 games) – Already tipping the scales at a reported 112kg, Moale will be a huge unit by the time he stops growing. Souths look to have a good one here.
Jeremiah Nanai scores. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
11. Jeremiah Nanai (20, 27 games) – Few players have experienced a more meteoric rise than this freakish forward who has already played 3 games for QLD and 2 for Australia, winning both campaigns in 2022.
12. Josh Schuster (21, 35 games) – There’s no doubt that Schuster is a special talent but he’ll need to maintain his fitness if he wants to fulfill his potential. He looks like an ideal candidate for lock forward to me.
13. Simi Sasagi (21, 16 games) – Sasagi was one of the few bright spots for Newcastle last hear and has the versatility and skill to make his mark this year.
That’s a pretty handy team, and just look at the players who qualified but weren’t selected – Xavier Savage, Tesi Niu, Reece Walsh, Talutou Koula, Xavier Coates, Bradman Best, Hamiso Tabui-Fidow, Jojo Fifita, Taylan May, Jacob Kiraz, Jayden Sullivan, Tyrell Sloan, Ezra Mam and Heilum Luki.
These young guns have all the size, skill and pace required for long and successful NRL careers, and it will be exciting to watch their future development.
No doubt there will be another batch to take their place next year, and the future of the NRL looks assured as long as this production line continues.
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
Lolol yeah ok…..
Albo
Roar Rookie
Tago would be well ahead of those two in my books.
Albo
Roar Rookie
He will be lucky to see NRL game time this year.
Don’t worry be happy
Guest
Going to union games was about as smart a decision as starting an Origin history in 1982.
Tony
Roar Guru
He was definitely hard to leave out. I could have easily picked two top class backlines.
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
Toluta'u Koula (20, 20 games)....i'd take him over Penisini & Tago any day! Should be in your top team definitely!
AJ Mithen
Expert
Nice one Tony, enjoyed this. He's too old for this by a few months but there might be more game time for Ata Mariota in Canberra too.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Even doesn’t equate to strong
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Yes, but they didn’t play in the middle, which was my original point. In that era the lock was essentially an no alternate 5/8, playing wider, not in the middle
Rellum
Roar Guru
If you are suggesting they didn't play in the middle, Smith certainly played lock, I am sure Dymock did as well
Rellum
Roar Guru
There is zero need for this
Short Memory
Roar Rookie
Agree about Walsh's defensive weakness. But surprisingly Suaalii's stats are no better. It's hard to say who is the better defensive organiser because JS has too little experience to read anything into that small a sample, while Walsh's season at fullback for the Warriors resulted in them conceding the most points of any team... which isn't really a great advertisement for his ability to organise a defence.
Short Memory
Roar Rookie
it underpins the strength of their league Not sure what you mean by this? If you mean a more even competition that's difficult to justify. In past 10 years AFL has had 6 different teams as premiers and NRL has had 7.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
1) That is an easy argument to make, and in the end it would come down to the CBA negotiations between the league & players. No doubt the players would want financial compensation for giving up some freedoms, but everything is negotiable. 2) The only players whose approval needed are currently NRL contracted players, and those players wouldn’t be affected by a draft. Pre drafted players have no NRL rights as they aren’t NRL contracted players, therefore they aren’t members of the union. If they want to be an NRL player, they would have to submit to the draft process. 3) The negatively impacted people, ie pre drafted players, can’t challenge it because until they are drafted they aren’t NRL players, therefore they have no say or vote on the CBA, because again, they aren’t NRL players and aren’t union members.
Dean
Roar Rookie
...but it's hard to list a bloke who is unlikely to play a game this year.
Dean
Roar Rookie
There might be a couple...
mushi
Roar Guru
1. The NRL would still need to demonstrate that the restriction is required for the competition and the same arguments would be relevant. 2. You didn't say it had to benefit everyone, you've misinterpreted my comment. I made the point is that because it's open to challenge and players pre draft age are already contracted you would need it to be. Then I spelt out the implication because I assumed you'd missed it. Clearly I needed to be more obvious. 3.The afl thing is great, so your admitting you are relying on the negatively affected people never challenging? Awesome plan. That's a much easier position to run from the status quo than through change, becauseyou'rearguingfor socialconvention. Also it's an easier position for the league to defend legally as the direct evidence includes a draft.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Starford Toa only 22, but too old for this list. Time will tell if he has the eye of the Tiger this year, or if someone else has it.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
The draft that was challenged in court by Terry Hill was an internal draft whereby free agents if they couldn't reach an agreement with their existing club, had to be recycled back through the draft to find a new club. The draft I am proposing is not an internal draft, it's an external draft for young players who have yet to sign an NRL contract. It's an entry draft, not a recycle draft. Two very different things. Where did I say it would benefit each individual ? Some people won't like it, but if a player wants to be an NRL player, he would have to submit to the draft process to get into the league. The AFL have used a draft very successfully for over 35 years, no problems. Someone could challenge their draft if they wanted to based on the Terry Hill precedent, but they don't because they know it underpins the strength of their league. The notion that the NRL couldn't is just plain nonsense.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
If that's the case, it just makes it funnier.