20 Central Coast Roosters pathways players to watch in Johns, Fiaola, Matts, Daley Cup in 2025
It’s one of the best rugby league nurseries in Australia with a powerful young base set to fire. Check out 20 Central Coast Roosters pathways players to watch in the 2025 junior reps comps.
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Long rugby league heartland, the Central Coast has in recent years established itself as one of the best footy nurseries in the country.
Whether it be junior rep teams winning state competitions, rookies like Ethan Strange taking the NRL by storm or homegrown superstars like Bradman Best going on to play for NSW or Australia, the Central Coast has had a big say in shaping the game at all levels.
Ahead of the 2025 season, we’ve taken a look at some of the most exciting players set to line up for the Central Coast Roosters in NSWRL competitions.
Starting off with the Andrew Johns Cup (under-16s) and Harold-Matthews Cup (under-17s), check out some of the young guns to keep an eye on next year.
JUMP TO
Andrew Johns - Lisa Fiaola - Harold Matthews - Laurie Daley
JUNIOR REPS 2025 SQUADS
Andrew Johns, Laurie Daley Cup
JUNIOR REPS 2025 PREVIEWS
ANDREW JOHNS CUP
Zac Barton
One of three Roosters selected in the under-15s CIS team that competed at the ASSRL championships in July, the winger from Terrigal provides plenty of spark and will be on to keep an eye on down the flanks.
Manni Campbell
A tough, aggressive ballrunner who can hit dangerous lines, Campbell looms as a key man for the Central Coast in the back row.
Part of the CIS team for the national championships, he was also part of the Wyong team that took out this year’s under-15 premiership in the local competition.
Will Gencur
A cross-code talent who was recently selected at lock for the NSW Waratahs under-15s side for a two-match series against Queensland, Gencur will add plenty of X-factor to the Roosters in the back row and will be hoping he can replicate his accolades in league.
Samuel Michie
An absolute ball of energy wherever he is on the field, the young playmaker from Umina can slice open a defensive line with either his ball-playing or footwork, while he tackles anything that moves.
Michie was another to feature for the CIS side in the national championships and will be looking to take that experience into the junior rep season.
LISA FIAOLA CUP
Mia Vaotuua
Was the leading scorer throughout the Lisa Fiaola Cup season in 2024. With a year under her belt and the addition of Sydney Roosters players into the mix, who’s to say she can’t extend that tally by further? Plays in the centres and has a fantastic knack for getting her hands on the ball in great positions and capitalising.
Evie Phillips
Was one of the standouts for Sydney last season as a devastating front rower. Her ability to make things happen and really charge at the line opened the door for her halves to thrive. Showed a lot of promise on both sides of the ball and is another who will thrive in her second year of U17s.
Elouise Maher
A Matraville High student who was a consistent player at dummy half throughout her inaugural season of Fiaola Cup. Was able to get across the line and her smarts around the ruck laid on plenty more tries. A strong defender in the middle who tackles well above her weight.
Meg McPhail
A halfback/five-eighth who is a very exciting prospect the Roosters will be looking to hang onto. Brings a great poise at such a young age and she was outstanding for the Central Coast despite being an underage player in 2024. Would be surprised if she didn’t kick on and will be looking to lock down a spot early in the season.
HAROLD MATTHEWS
Jack Dean-Potaka
The dangerous half is another looking to take his game to the next level after an excellent 2024 that saw him guide the Roosters to Johns Cup glory, earn selection in the Country under-16s side and pick up the award for best back.
Caleb Fesolai
Playing a year up in Harold-Matts in 2024, the back-rower showed that he was more than capable of handling the extra physicality with an excellent season that saw him named the team’s best forward.
Now playing in his own age group, Fesolai will look to dominate the grade and make a claim for spots in the higher age groups.
Joshua Fesolai
The second Fesolai in the Harold-Matts squad, Caleb’s twin brother Joshua is another one to keep an eye on.
Playing a little wider in the outside backs, he’s got plenty of strike close to the line and is coming off an excellent schoolboys season for Central Coast Sports College in the Peter Mulholland Cup.
Duncan Gatt-Smith
Big, strong and athletic, Gatt-Smith was the leader of the Roosters’ pack as he bent the line consistently in 2024. He’ll be looking to do the same as his takes on the best from the rest of the state.
Koby Houghton
A classy centre who can cause havoc on the edges, Houghton capped off an excellent rep season in 20204 with selection in the country under-16s side.
Semi Leweniqila
Lightning out wide, Leweniqila grabbed plenty of headlines in the Andrew Johns Cup after finishing the season as the joint leading tryscorer with eight.
An excellent finisher, the powerfully built winger also never shirks a tough carry out from his own end.
Carter Mareko
A very dangerous halfback who can tear teams apart by playing off the cuff, Mareko already made the jump to Matts this year after starting the rep season in the Johns Cup.
With another year of experience under his belt, he’ll be looking to take control and the team and really put his stamp on the grade.
Alex Stephenson
A skilful lock forward with the right mix of defence steel and ball-playing ability, Stephenson captained the Roosters to Andrew Johns Cup glory last year.
After picking up the players’ player award for his outstanding 2024 rep campaign, he’ll be looking to make the step up to Matts in 2024.
LAURIE DALEY CUP
Lachlan Gatt
A Maltese underage representative who was part of the successful Andrew Johns Cup team in 2023, Gatt steps up to Daley Cup as a year-young player. A hard-working lock who has been predominately used off the bench at this level, his enthusiam means he will get the job done in whatever role is asked of him.
Kaidyn Peckham
Promising centre who steps up from a campaign at the U16s level last year, he won’t be overawed by the prospect of playing against older boys. Was part of the NSW Koori U17s squad with some of the brightest Indigenous talents in the state, with the Terrigal junior a big chance of leading the team in scoring if given the shot.
Samuel Flakus
Makes the move from Manly where he led the Harold Matthews team at halfback, the Kincumber junior will appreciate playing closer to home. We’ve seen him line up at fullback with the Colts so it will be interesting to see what position the progressive talent features in this season.
Riley Ilham
Was the captain of the Johns Cup side in theor 2023 premiership win. He was rewarded with the Rising Rooster Award that season for his efforts. Those leadership qualities make the lock-forward a popular player within the team and his willingness to throw everything into his defence will be appreciated by the coaching staff.
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