NRL legend Paul Harragon’s son Luke headlines rising stars in Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League
The balls are pumped, the oranges are sliced and now the only thing left is to kick-off. Meet 18 of the most exciting NRRL prospects to watch
Lismore
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Justin Stewart has made it clear he wants to make Ballina Seagulls an NRL talent pool.
A shining example of the Seagulls’ emerging stars is Luke Harragon, son of Newcastle Knights and NRL legend Paul Harragon.
When pre-season started Justin Stewart described Harragon as a hot prospect after he made a fiery impact on the first grade side and impressed captain/coach Luke Douglas.
“Luke had his first year back in the front row last year for Ballina,” Stewart said before pre-season.
“It’ll be his second year here where he can lead the young fellas too. He’s got a great work ethic and is a leader for us.”
Harragon is also chipping in as a leader off the field, where he works with his father for the Mark Hughes Foundation, a charity set up by the former Knights player and his wife Kirralee after his brain cancer diagnosis in 2013.
Harragon blazed through with a few tries last season including in Ballina’s 62-0 thumping of the Lower Clarence Magpies, who are now coached by former Ballina Seagulls and Gold Coast Titans prop Luke Douglas.
With Ballina favourites for the title this season, Luke Harragon will be hoping this will be a coming-of-age campaign.
However, he is one of 20 young guns who will be out to make an impact and looking ahead for a future NRL career.
Harry Cusack - Marist Brothers Rams Lismore
Harry Cusack is lightning quick with silky skills to match and is a rising star this season.
Cusack hails from a rugby union background, making the team of the decade for Lismore Rugby Union club.
In a tough year for the Northern Rivers and Lismore in particular, Cusack will be looking to put smiles on people’s faces when he laces up the boots in NRRRL this year.
Liam Green and Rowan Mansfield - Ballina Seagulls
The Ballina Seagulls duo haven’t made their NRL hopes a secret having bombarded Orara Valley Axemen coach Sam Burgess with questions about a potential career.
Both have been described by head coach Justin Stewart as players he would love to build his team around after they won the U18s grand final for Ballina before progressing to reserve grade.
Mansfield has also performed exceptionally well for rep side, the Northern Rivers Titans.
He might not get the chance to build anything around them if they fulfil their first grade potential in 2022.
Wade Riley - Murwillumbah Mustangs
Wade Riley is a big unit with big potential.
The Mustangs have a young gun on their hands in 2022 and he is expected to light up the middle for Murwillumbah.
The 22-year old was recently selected alongside three other Mustangs for the Northern Rivers Titans Open Men’s squad and was part of Murwillumbah’s premiership winning team of 2016.
Tye Eamens-Gardiner - Lower Clarence Magpies
After a taste of Group two with the South Grafton Rebels, young gun Tye Eamens-Gardiner is back with his home club in Maclean.
The youngster has the potential to play in the halves or back line and will relish the opportunity to work alongside his new coach Luke Douglas.
Douglas has plenty of young talent to call upon this season at Lower Clarence and will be keen to line Eamens-Gardiner up for Northern Rivers Titans selection in the future.
Josh Field - Cudgen Hornets
Josh Field is a Melbourne Storm fan and he’ll be hoping he can replicate a former NRRRL player who has made their way to Craig Bellamy’s hide-out.
Field will line up for Cudgen in a big season for the youngster as he looks to Nick Meaney, former Ballina Seagulls fullback who has slotted into Bellamy’s 2022 Storm side, for inspiration.
Ashton Harley and Tom Carlill - Kyogle Turkeys
Kyogle Turkeys have two top talents in their midst as they look to make the most of the 2022 season.
Given the floods, Kyogle will be looking to their younger talent to pull off some upsets this campaign with Harley and Carlill looking to cement themselves as reliable first team players.
The duo performed together for the Turkey’s U18s side and will make a big jump into reserve and A-grade rugby league this season.
Sam Togo - Cudgen Hornets
Now here’s a tough customer.
Sam Togo is back for another year in the yellow and green in his reliable with the second-rower continuing his form as the Hornets number 12.
Togo was a mainstay in the starting side for Cudgen who dominated last season finishing in first place before the Covid-19-induced postponement of the season.
Kolbi Wood and Sean Hartley - Byron Bay Red Devils
These two are a package deal.
Kolbi Wood is a prize for head coach Todd Carney to use as a lock for his Devils first grade side while Sean Hartley is a youngster who can provide something special to win a game.
Both are Byron juniors with Hartley scoring twice in his first grade debut last year while Wood fit comfortably in a Devils team that finished mid-table last year.
Jamahl-Kapeen - Lower Clarence Magpies
Another Maclean product is tipped to have a big year at the Magpies.
Kapeen is a well-known name at Lower Clarence with Jamahl following in the footsteps of his father Sam and his two brothers Elijah and Tjandamarra who also played for the club.
Jamahl featured mostly for the reserve grade side last year who came second last in 2021.
Keegan Pace - Bilambil Jets
A hot prospect at Bilambil has already made a name for himself.
Despite the fact he only turned 19 in January, Pace will make his first grade debut this season with a plethora of big game experience behind him.
The speedy marksman was part of the NSW U16 Country Rugby League side in 2019 and toured the United Kingdom with the U18s that year.
Blake Graham - Bilambil Jets
Sticks is back for 2022.
Blake Graham scored six tries in 11 first grade matches in his debut season for the senior team last year.
Able to occupy the wing, he possesses some brute force behind his pace with his best performance last season featuring two tries against Northern United in a massive 52-6 victory.
He has been a stalwart for Bilambil’s youth teams for the last five years and will be looking to officially cement his place in the first team in 2022.
Caleb Nicholls - Bilambil Jets
Out of all the players in NRRRL, potential NRL suitors will have their eyes fixed on how Caleb Nicholls performs when he returns to Bilambil in 2022.
Nicholl’s CV speaks for itself. He played four years in juniors for Bilambil before moving to Newcastle Knights SG Ball Cup side four years ago where he played six games and scored a double against the Balmain Tigers.
The winger made the transition to the Gold Coast Titans where he found himself lining up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side in Queensland Rugby League.
He was also selected for the Northern Rivers Titans squad after 13 games for Bilambil last season and was previously a part of NSW U16s rep squad in 2015.
Torben Milton - Evans Head Bombers
One of the Milton brothers is signed on and heading into 2022 with his tail up.
Torben Milton has been identified as a rising star for this season’s NRL as Evans Head look to improve on their sixth place finish in 2021.
Bombers coach Trevor Bolt says he is looking for the right balance of pace and power and believes players like Milton will help Evans Head finish off games in 2022.
Darcy Banks - Evans Head Bombers
Darcy Banks has an eye like a sniper and he can pick a gap to run through like a professional.
He was only 18 when he signed on for the 2022 season with club Vice President Dave Turner and head coach Trevor Bolt identifying Banks as a potential NRRRL star.
Banks has shown some promise already in first grade scoring a handful of tries in 2021 before the Covid-19 lockdown.
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