Pacific Championships wrap: Awkward NRL selection dilemmas, superstar unearthed, buy of the year contender emerges
Lehi Hopoate has proven he’s too talented to not have a spot in Manly’s team, leaving Anthony Seibold with a major selection dilemma involving star fullback Tom Trbojevic. See the big NRL takeaways from the Pacific Championships.
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The Pacific Championships are over but the implications of the international tournament will be felt through the pre-season and into Round 1 of the NRL.
The battle for national pride has created selection dilemmas for NRL coaches, unearthed future superstars and catapulted one marquee recruit as an early favourite for buy of the year.
We take a look at seven things we learned from the final weekend of international footy as the NRL pre-season heats up.
HOPPA GIVES MANLY TURBO HEADACHE
Tongan fullback Lehi Hopoate is the future at Manly and too talented to miss out on a Round 1 spot.
His battle to earn selection will be one of the most intriguing storylines of the pre-season.
Coach Anthony Seibold has already declared a mooted move into the centres for fullback Tom Trbojevic would not happen.
But Trbojevic showed on Sunday, and like he always does at representative level, that given a roving role he could handle a switch into the centres to make way for Hopoate. Hopoate has also shown during the Pacific tests he is up to the task defensively at fullback. Seibold needs to find a way for both to be there in round one.
Sticking with Trbojevic at the back will put Hopoate in a pre-season battle for a spot in the outside backs alongside the likes of Jason Saab, Tolutau Koula, Reuben Garrick and Tommy Talau. It also means Seibold will have to make one of the biggest selection calls of the summer.
POWER BOOST FOR SHARKS
If Addin Fonua-Blake can bring to Cronulla what he brings on the international stage for Tonga, the powerhouse prop will be a hot favourite for buy of the year.
Fonua-Blake punched out a massive 204-metres on Sunday but it’s the way he did it that will have Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon salivating.
He was aggressive and relentless to the very end. He brings exactly what Cronulla’s modest pack has been missing, and will give Fitzgibbon a competitive edge when the Sharks need it the most – in the finals.
He also led an experienced pack from the front and can be an inspirational leader in the way Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was at the Roosters and James Fisher-Harris at Penrith.
ANOTHER GEM DISCOVERED IN PENRITH
Penrith’s production line might have unearthed the best outside back to come through its system since Stephen Crichton in Casey McLean.
His four tries on debut on the wing for the Kiwis against PNG on Sunday revealed to the world what coaches at Penrith have known for a while now, the 18-year-old is a future superstar.
Departing Panthers warhorse James Fisher-Harris declared McLean is ‘going to be a monster’ in the NRL.
The younger brother of Jesse McLean, also a rising prospect at Penrith, has put himself in the box seat to cement a starting spot for the season opener in Las Vegas.
McLean played seven NRL games this year, six in the centres and one on the wing, scoring three tries and looks set to add plenty more four-pointers to that tally next year.
DERBY SET TO TAKE FLIGHT
PNG rookie Robert Derby has edged in front in the battle with Fijian Semi Valemei to replace Kyle Feldt on the wing for the Cowboys.
Both outside backs had an impressive Pacific Championship campaign and squared off in week one, where Derby came out on top with 285 metres, four tackle busts, a linebreak, a try assist and a four-pointer.
Derby, a free agent, spent time on the sidelines injured in 2024, but was a standout when he did take the field for Northern Pride, scoring seven tries in eight games.
Taking his Kumuls form into the pre-season will put Derby, who played a single game for the Cowboys in 2023, in pole position to kickstart his NRL career.
SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR COWBOY
If one club knows the pitfall of a mega long-term deal it’s the Cowboys but the club has nailed the decision to lock in Tom Dearden until the end of 2029.
A dominant display for the Kangaroos against Tonga showed he has what it takes to be as influential on the Cowboys’ title hopes as the likes of Nathan Cleary at Penrith and Jahrome Hughes at Melbourne.
The five-eighth was in complete control as he toyed with the Tongan right edge, setting up three tries, making three line-breaks and seven tackle busts.
He can find a gap, straighten up the attack, has deft hands and a killer dummy to match. At 23-years-old, the sky is the limit for Dearden and he can take the Cowboys along on that journey to the top.
EVERGREEN BRONCO PUSHES GOAT CASE
Ali Brigginshaw turns 35 in three weeks but just like her NRL counterpart of the same age in Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, the Jillaroos veteran is showing no signs of slowing down.
Brigginshaw was happy to take a back seat to Tarryn Aiken against the Ferns on Sunday but it was her class that helped the Jillaroos take a strangle hold on the contest.
The skipper nailed a 40/20 early in the clash to get the Jillaroos out of trouble and on the front foot.
Brigginshaw is contracted at Brisbane for next year but she has shown she has plenty to offer beyond 2025.
COACHING AUDITION FOR SAMOA MENTOR
Ex-St George Illawarra NRLW coach Jamie Soward has finished the perfect audition for his next job after leading Fetu Samoa to three straight wins, earning promotion to the Pacific Cup in 2025 and qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Sunday’s 34-12 victory over PNG at CommBank Stadium means Samoa will compete alongside Australia and New Zealand in next year’s Pacific Cup, and follows wins over Tonga and Fiji over the past few weeks.
It’s perfect timing for the 2010 NRL premiership winner, who is without an NRLW gig for next season.
The former Dragons coach has been vocal about his interest in the Women’s NSW Origin job, which is understood to be up for grabs after back to back series losses under Kylie Hilder.
At the very least he’s shown he can bring a team together despite all the difficulties and hurdles that come with a representative team.
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