NRL players Greg Inglis, Cody Walker among those to play juniors on North Coast

Some of rugby league’s finest talents played their junior footy on the North Coast. See the pics that show their transformations from promising juniors to seasoned professionals.

Greg Inglis as a young 17-year old at Wavell State High School before NRL stardom hit him.

These are the NRL stars from the North Coast like you’ve never seen them before.

This nostalgia trip shows some of the best current and former NRL stars when they were just starting out on their rugby league dream.

Whether they were playing in Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League or Group 2, these pictures show that the North Coast has bred and continues to create some of the finest NRL talent.

Greg Inglis

Junior Club: Bowraville Tigers

Inglis is pictured on the left at Wavell High School almost 20 years ago at the age of 17.

One of the greatest showmen in NRL history.

Inglis was born in Kempsey and grew up in Macksville, playing his junior rugby league at the Bowraville Tigers.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs legend is back in his hometown coaching the Macksville Sea Eagles in this year’s Group 2 season.

He could be making a comeback to the field rather than staying in the coach dugout this year.

Cody Walker - South Sydney Rabbitohs

Junior Club: Casino Cougars

Cody Walker was a schoolkid playing for Palm Beach Currumbin, now he is a Rabbitohs legend.

Cody Walker is a South Sydney Rabbitoh for life.

When he started, he was a Casino Cougar junior tearing it up in the Northern Rivers competition.

He has followed a well-trodden path of North Coast NRL players having been signed on a four-year development contract with the Gold Coast Titans after his exploits in local rugby league.

Anthony Don

Junior Club: Grafton Ghosts

Anthony Don, pictured 12 years ago, was a star at the famous Grafton Ghosts before he made a move to Gold Coast Titans.

Once a big unit always a big unit.

Anthony Don was a champion player at Grafton Ghosts who have won three titles in the past eight seasons.

After joining from the Ghosts in 2013, he stayed a loyal companion of the Titans for eight years racking up more than 150 NRL matches and one appearance for NSW Country.

Brian Kelly - Gold Coast Titans

Junior Club: Ballina Seagulls

Brian Kelly won a North Coast grand final as a teenager but he has never been passed the elimination finals in the NRL

Brian Kelly had a bright future ahead of him the moment he played first grade for Ballina Seagulls in the Northern Rivers competition.

He was part of the Seagulls squads that took out a grand final against the Murwillumbah Mustangs before joining Gold Coast Titans under 20s team.

It was one of the championships that sealed the three-peat and asserted Ballina’s dominance in the competition.

Albert Kelly - Brisbane Broncos

Junior Club: Bowraville Tigers

Albert Kelly was captain of the NSW Rugby League U16 Indigenous team and is now back in the NRL with the Broncos.

Albert Kelly’s phenomenal story starts in the same place as Greg Inglis - Macksville.

The 30-year old did a lot of house-hopping with his grandparents and brother before he thrived at Bowraville Tigers and Kempsey Dragons.

He was selected and chosen as captain of the Indigenous Under 16 NSW rugby league side in 2007.

After stints with Cronulla Sharks, Gold Coast Titans and a trip to the UK he has found home again at the Brisbane Broncos and recently made his Indigenous All-Stars debut this month.

Thomas Weaver - Gold Coast Titans

Junior Club: Cudgen

Gold Coast Titans new NRL recruit Thomas Weaver is one of the Titans biggest fans, pictured here in 2008 when he was just five.

Tom Weaver has been a Titan his whole life and is now a rising star in their ranks.

When he was just five years of age Tom was the Titans biggest fan watching every match and getting all the gear on whenever he was in town to see them.

Now he is living his dream, making his NRL trial debut for the club in a 26-all draw against the Broncos on the weekend.

Making it even sweeter, he did it alongside his Cudgen Rugby League junior teammates Jaylan De Groot and Oskar Bryant.

Nick Meaney - Melbourne Storm

Junior Clubs: Ballina Seagulls

Meaney is the grandson of Western Suburbs Magpies legend Denis Meaney from the 1960s era of rugby league.

Nick Meaney is another Ballina junior on his way up the NRL ladder.

Having completed a below-par season with the Bulldogs, super coach Craig Bellamy has brought the 24-year old Lismore-born fullback to Melbourne.

His chance at a first team spot could be coming sooner than expected with Meaney expected to make his Storm debut for the injured Ryan Papenhuyzen in round one.

Daine Laurie - Wests Tigers

Junior Club: Lower Clarence Magpies

Daine Laurie has built up plenty of muscle since he was running around for Lower Clarence Magpies six years ago.

Daine Laurie comes from rich NRL stocks.

A relative to Souths star Cody Walker and nephew to his namesake and former Wests Tigers prop Daine Laurie, the youngster is certainly on the up in the NRL.

Adding more height, muscle and sporting a moustache, the Lower Clarence Magpies junior is into his second season at the Concord club after 19 appearances and seven tries in 2021.

Ryan James - Brisbane Broncos

Junior club: Bilambil Jets

Pictured as a 13-year old before Bilambil Jets new clubhouse was completed, Ryan James’ smile hasn’t changed in 17 years.

Ryan James is Tweed Heads born and Bilambil bred.

Pictured at just 13 years of age (above) James was brought through the Bilambil Jets youth system in the northernmost part of the NSW.

The 30-year old left the Titans in 2020 and is emerging as a leading voice for a resurgent Brisbane Broncos under Kevin Walters.

David Mead - Brisbane Broncos

Junior Club: Marist Brothers Rams Lismore

David Mead turned out for Tweed Heads in the Queensland Cup as a youngster before signing with the Gold Coast.

Mead was born in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea but moved to Lismore when he was 12, attending Kadina High School and playing for Marist Brothers Rams Lismore.

Within 10 years of his move to Australia the versatile and reliable league player signed his first NRL contract with the Gold Coast Titans and went on to make 147 appearances for them.

He represented his home country in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and in a 13-year NRL career he has made the finals four times.

Aaron Booth - Gold Coast Titans

Junior Club: Mullumbimby Giants

Aaron Booth was a baby-faced 16-year old playing first grade for Mullumbimby Giants, now he’s leaner, meaner and ready for whatever the NRL has to throw at him.

Aaron Booth is on his own path to greatness.

It’s a path that started when he first put on the Mullumbimby Giants jersey in the Northern Rivers competition.

Injuries have plagued the 26-year old Brunswick Heads hooker.

He ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in 2018 while playing for the Mackay Cutters in Queensland Rugby League.

After recovering and getting back to speed with Easts Tigers, Craig Bellamy gave him a shot at the Melbourne Storm and he earned a long-awaited debut in round 20 of the 2020 season.

Now closer to home at the Gold Coast Titans, Booth is going through his first full NRL pre-season in the hopes he can nail down a spot in Justin Holbrook’s starting side.

Lochie Miller

Former Club: Coffs Harbour/Sawtell

Lochie Miller’s facial expressions on the pitch haven’t changed much, but the rugby code he plays as a pro has.

In the space of eight months, Lochie Miller became an Olympian, a father and now an NRL player.

Six years ago Miller was a fresh-faced 21-year old playing for North Coast Dolphins rugby union side against a select Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League team.

He always had a dream of being an NRL player but having turned out for Australia’s Rugby Sevens Tokyo Olympics team, he was about to give up on it once a rugby union contract from an LA-based franchise was on the table.

That was until Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon got on the phone.

The Cronulla coach convinced the 27-year old to ink a two-year deal and the Coffs Harbour junior can finally realise his dream.