NRL 2020: Emerging Origin squad for Queensland Maroons, part four

Size, speed and skill is what our junior Origin coaches ar looking for as they select their emerging Maroons squad – and these guys have it all. It’s part four of our series on our up and coming footy stars.

Being one of the big blokes during your school footy years gives you an advantage over the smaller players from the start – but you still have to wrangle that size and turn it into talent.

And the five players below are doing exactly that.

In part four of our look at Queensland’s young guns shooting for a spot in the U18 emerging Origin squad, we profile the young wrecking balls who are leaving their opponents on the turf.

Caleb Esera screams after a scoring a crucial try for Wavell SHS. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Gosling

Caleb Esera – Souths Logan Magpies

NRL commentator Andrew Voss likened this young bull as “(David) Fifita-like” following his National Schoolboys campaign last year.

The Wavell State High School product was consistently ranked among the best players of last year’s Allan Langer Cup and even helped Wavell to secure an unlikely Queensland semi-final berth in the NRL Schoolboys Cup.

The 17-year-old has signed with Canberra on a development contract along with his brother Prinston.

Brocco Uhrle for Maroons emerging Origin

Brocco Uhrle – Norths Devils

ANOTHER Wavell State High School product, Uhrle is among the growing backlog of incredible talent at the Brisbane Broncos.

The 17-year-old has signed with the Brisbane powerhouse club following his strong performances during the elite Allan Langer Cup competition last year.

Uhrle is already showing promise in the Queensland ranks, having already represented his state in the under-16s in 2018.

Xavier Va'a of St Mary's College as they host Palm Beach Currumbin SHS in Allan Langer Trophy schoolboys rugby league at St Mary's College oval, Wednesday, May 15, 2019.

Xavier Va’a – Highfields District Junior Rugby League

ONE of the most promising young Queenslanders at the moment, Va’a is shaping to be a human wrecking ball of a player – much like his idol Shane Webcke.

Not only is this 16-year-old a talent on the footy field, but he is a mean fighter inside the boxing ring.

Va’a – who weighed in at 115kg at the end of last year – won gold in the junior division of the Australian Championships on the Gold Coast.

The former under-15s Queensland captain will be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years.

Riley Hall – Fassifern Bombers

THE Ipswich Grammar School student is proving to be another young talent on the rise.

Hall was picked to play in last year’s Queensland under-16 City representative side during the curtain raiser for the 2019 Intrust Super Cup Grand Final.

The Fassifern Bombers front-rower has consistently featured in representative squads including the South East Queensland under-14s side in 2017.

Kirwan Bears players (back row) Abai Chatfield-Mooka, 16, Ragarive Wavik, 16, Steven Numambo, 18, Tyreece Woods, 16, Clay George, 16, (font row) Jesse Yallop, 16, and Adrian Trevilyan, 18. Picture: Shae Beplate

Abai Chatfield-Mooka – Central ASA Junior Rugby League

THE versatile forward was part of the victorious 2019 Kirwan State High School Bears side who took out the NRL Schoolboys Cup.

The Cairns product has also played for the NQ Open Schoolboys squad and the under-16s NQ Marlins representative squad.

He can play either front row or second row. At 182cm and 101kg at just 17-years-old, Chatfield-Mooka will certainly be another big body for the Queensland rep side.

MORE EMERGING ORIGIN PROFILES:

PART ONE: Howarth, Mam, Cobbo, Vandenberg, Wright-Dunrobin

PART TWO: Walsh, Wavik, Savage, Clarkson, Nanai

PART THREE: Hagai, Hunt, Walker, Jenkins, Piakura