NYC Graduates to watch in 2015
When you’re in a competitive fantasy league like NRLCEO, being the first to sniff out a gun rookie can be the difference between making the finals and sitting at home in your undies crying into your bourbon and coke with nothing to do during finals but listen to your mates bragging.
Last year our preview unearthed several young stars who went on to make their NRL debuts including Zac Santo, Clinton Gutherson, Charly Runciman, Moses Mbye, Mitch Cornish, Luke Keary, Michael Lichaa, Matt Lodge and Bryce Cartwright. So let’s look at this year’s picks.
Jake Mamo was the NYC Players’ Player of the Year last season and leading tryscorer with 22 tries. The Knights are pretty flush for outside backs with Uate, McManus and the Mata’utia brothers all regular try scorers so he will spend a bit of time in reserve grade, but once he gets his chance the tries will come.
They already have a relatively young backline at the foot of the mountain, but keep an eye out for the name Waqa Blake if he gets a start in 2015. The usual comparisons to Greg Inglis have been made, but the rangy centre has speed to burn. Born in Fiji, Waqa might play first grade early on if Jamal Idris can’t get over his back injury and rest assured he will be a genuine try scorer.
Centres are always a tough position to fill and the Dragons might just have a rookie starting there in Round 1. The fittest player at the Dragons in preseason, Euan Aitken has impressed all the right people and seems set for a big career. He played in the Junior Kangaroos and a First Grade debut is inevitable, it’s just a matter of when.
This Eel might already have nine NRL games under his belt, but he’s still a graduate and many NRLCEOs will have their eye on when they think it’s appropriate to draft Tepai Moeroa. With three workhorses and three tries to his name in nine games he’s certainly one to draft. Just don’t go too early.
Jack Bird (pictured above) has ticked all the right boxes. He represented NSW at under 15, 16, 18 and 20s level. After a move to the Sharks in the off season he has the opportunity to stamp his mark on the NRL. He has played most of his junior career in the back row but the Sharks seem keen to play him in the centres. For a youngster he will probably score more points in the backs until he works on his motor anyway.
The Raiders have a history of producing quality juniors but they haven’t been able to retain then. After naming Junior Kangaroo Tevita Pangai in their Auckland 9’s squad many will be keeping a close eye on how he goes. There are a number of backrowers in their squad but only Fensom and Papalii are guaranteed a spot, so expect to see the giant backrower in the top grade at some stage this year.
In the front row, there is one young player whose motor will attract more attention than any others. We all know how valuable it can be to grab a workhorse late in the draft and this guy could just be your man. You might remember him as the c##t who wrote just that on his wristband in the 20’s State of Origin game. In three NRL games last year Matt Lodge averaged 1.26 involvements per minute which means he needs just 32 minutes to chalk up a workhorse. With a distinct lack of workhorses in the Tigers pack and big Keith Galloway only getting older, he’s worth a punt.
At 112kg and 186cm, Joe Ofahengaue already has the size to play NRL and he’s just 19. The Broncos are set to unleash him during the Auckland 9’s so we’ll get a good look at his motor. He ran for 200m in his last two games of the Holden Cup season, but it’s a different story against boys.
JB
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