ASSRL National U18 Schoolboys carnival: Jett Cleary leads top five players on day 1

Jett Cleary burst out of the shadow of his famous father and brother in the opening round of ASSC. See the top five players from day one.

Jett Cleary burst out of the shadow of his famous father and brother on Monday as he set alight the Australian Second School Championships with a hat-trick in the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges win over Combined Affiliated States.

The son of Penrith coach Ivan Cleary and younger brother of Panthers and NSW star Nathan Cleary nabbed a pair of tries in the opening half and completed his hat-trick 16 minutes into the second stanza as NSW CCC made light work of their opposition.

The pick of his three tries came 16 minutes into the game when he took a pass, fended off CAS defender and raced 30 metres to score.

Jett Cleary has been a familiar figure in and around the Penrith dressing sheds in recent years, celebrating the Panthers success which has been largely orchestrated his brother and father.

He showed enough on Monday to suggest his time may coming as well. The teenager spent this year as a key figure in the Penrith SG Ball side and is aligned to the Panthers for at least another year, although rival clubs will now sit up and take notice.

He wasn’t the only star for NSW CCC. Penrith SG Ball teammate Wilson Decourcey grabbed a couple of tries of his own along with powerful prop Cody Hopwood, who is locked into the Newcastle Knights having rejecting big offers from elsewhere.

NSW CCC were too slick and powerful for their outgunned opposition, which was largely made up of players from Victoria. However, the CAS enjoyed a moment to savour in the final minutes when Micah Warena crashed over from close to the tryline.

There was still time for Parramatta hooker Zaidas Muagututi’a to sneak over in the final minute as the NSW CCC finished the group stage with a second emphatic victory.

FAMOUS NAME MAKES BIG IMPACT ON DAY ONE

ACT made a flying start against NSW Combined Independent Schools and it saved them in the end as they enjoyed a successful day at the schoolboy titles.

The boys from the nation’s capital raced to a 22-0 lead early in the second half through the skill of halfback Jonah Anderson and the guile of hooker Xavier Caccitotti.

It was all one-way traffic until NSWCIS halfback Toby Rodwell - aligned with the Sydney Roosters - grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE TOP 50 PLAYERS TO WATCH AT THE CARNIVAL

Rodwell started the comeback when he threw a dummy and stepped through the ACT defence. Moments later, he set up a try for one of his teammates with another piece of skill.

When Coby Thomas scored in the corner it was on for young and old. ACT held on in the end but it was a nail-biting finale as they secured a 22-16 victory.

Young Rooster Toby Rodwell had a big game for NSWCIS. Credit: Facebook.

TOP FIVE PLAYS ON DAY ONE

Jett Cleary (NSWCCC): Cleary took a pass early in the game, fended off a defender and beat the fullback in a footrace to the corner. Genuine class.

Max Mercer (ACT): Showed some great hole running and smart footwork to slice through NSWCIS early in the second half of their game.

Micah Warena (CAS): The combined side made up largely of Victorian kids had a tough day but Warena got his reward for staying in the fight as he snuck over from dummy half for rather lone try of the day in the infra minutes.

Toby Rodwell (NSWCIS): It was a tough day at the office for the Combined Independent Schools but Rodwell showed his class as he bamboozled defenders with a monster dummy and step to score.