Jersey Flegg 2021: Rabbitohs Lachlan Ilias and Peter Mamouzelos primed for title defence
After a long wait, Souths’ Jersey Flegg team will finally get to defend their title when the season kicks-off — and for two of their stars, a World Cup berth is in their sights.
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South Sydney’s Lachlan Ilias and Peter Mamouzelos were crowned Jersey Flegg champions in 2019.
This Saturday — 534 days after that memorable grand final win over Canberra — the Rabbitohs finally get to defend their title when the Jersey Flegg Cup returns across NSW.
Ilias and Mamouzelos are now on NRL development contracts and Souths’ Flegg coach Joe O’Callaghan believes both will be key in the Bunnies’ Round 1 clash against Penrith.
“They’ll start in Flegg but their goal’s got to be to push up to (NSW) Cup at some stage this year, ” O’Callaghan said.
“Both those boys will probably be playing in the (Rugby League) World Cup for Greece. We want to make sure they’re getting the development not only for their future here at the club, but to make sure they have a good World Cup.”
Captain Ilias is a great organiser with a sharp kicking game, while Mamouzelos is a fast and crafty hooker.
Souths are also likely to be boosted this season by their electric fullback Chase Robinson and the return of edge backrower Maila Chan-Foon.
But on Saturday, they’ll face a former teammate — Souths 2019 Flegg premiership-winning prop Luke Bain, who will run out for the Panthers in 2021.
Souths must also tame Penrith’s electric fullback Sunia Turuva. The NRL Schoolboy Cup sensation was recently upgraded to an NRL development contract after his impressive pre-season.
With a handful of Penrith’s Flegg-aged kids playing up this year, coach Ben Harden is backing youngsters to step up, including 19-year-old identical twin brothers Niwhai Puru and Hohepa Puru.
“Hohepa is the clean-cut, personable kid, quieter, like the teacher of the team, the ship, he’s the middle forward,” Harden said. “Niwhai is probably a bit more of the X-factor, Cam Munster-style five-eighth, very off the cuff.
“In terms of their work ethic, it’s probably the best I’ve ever seen of that 19-year-old age group … Flegg will be a great challenge for them but I think they’ll have a significant impact on the competition.”
Last year, Jersey Flegg was cancelled after Round 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many players turned to local footy or spent the year in the gym. As a result, O’Callaghan suspects it may take a few weeks for all clubs to settle into the season.
“We forget that not only did they miss a year of footy, but they missed a year of key development, especially if they were 19 turning 20, that’s a big year,” O’Callaghan said.
“It’s not that we’re on the back foot, but we’re making up for that time now. It’ll take time and I think this first month of Flegg is going to be very interesting.”
Around the grounds, Dragons will take on a Sharks side featuring damaging prop Franklin Pele. The “physical specimen” and former Australian Schoolboy has just completed his second NRL pre-season and is ready to go.
Manly will take on the Roosters and Canterbury will play Victoria. Parramatta and Wests Tigers both have byes.
NSW CUP
YOUNG GUNS BRINGING BACK THE BEARS
By Nick Campton
The Bears taking on the Sea Eagles on a Sunday afternoon with a host of dazzling attacking football on show?
It’s more akin to 1991 than 2021 and the match is out at Blacktown, far away from their spiritual homes, but the injection of Joseph Suaalii and Sam Walker means there will be a host of interested eyes on North Sydney’s clash with Blacktown Workers in the match of the opening round of the NSW Cup.
Suaalii and Walker are two of rugby league’s top prospects with the Roosters opting to blood the duo in open-age football rather than Jersey Flegg (under-21s).
The sheer magnitude of interest in both players, especially Suaalii, ensures each match the Bears play will attract far more attention than any time since the club’s glory days of the 1990s.
Suaalii will line up at right centre and Walker will partner Drew Hutchison in the halves.
The duo’s pre-season performances — Suaalii scored a double in a reserve grade trial against the Raiders while Walker set up two tries in the first grade match — will only serve to feed the flames.
However, as Roosters assistant Cooper Cronk points out, learning to play above pressure is part of becoming a top grade footballer.
“I know young kids feel pressure but pressure is what you make it,” Cronk said.
“You can’t see it or touch it, so you only bring it on yourself.
“You can be a young kid or an old, experienced player — everyone has pressure, you just need to go out there and perform.”
Cronk has worked closely with Walker since the Queenslander arrived at the Roosters and praised the 18-year old’s talent and instincts.
However, Cronk believes Walker needs to continue to work on his understanding of his own talents - with reserve grade serving as a strong proving ground until Trent Robinson is ready to blood him for his NRL debut.
“The kid has talent. He can do things I can only dream of and I played first grade for 16 years,” Cronk said. “His natural ability and instinctive football is up there with some of the best young kids I’ve ever come across.
“But one thing that he needs to do is understand why that instinct works. For example, say he makes a break — why did that work? That worked because there was a front-rower opposite me and I took them up.
“His education around the game understanding of rugby league is what we’re looking to improve and in whatever games he plays this year.”
The Bears boast a strong side outside the two young stars, with former Bulldogs and Raiders fullback Brad Abbey leading a host of players with NRL experience, along with Hutchison, Max Bailey, Matt Ikuvalu and Freddy Lussick.
Blacktown are no slouches either - they have a budding star of their own in five-eighth Josh Schuster, who caught the eye in Manly’s trial win over the Tigers.
Hooker Cade Cust and backrower Haumole Olakau’atu will be two other Sea Eagles to keep an eye on.
AROUND THE GROUNDS ...
Brent Naden will line up at fullback for Penrith against Souths on Saturday as he serves his four-game club ban from the top grade after testing positive for cocaine following last year’s grand final.
The Panthers boast a strong backline which includes Robert Jennings on the wing and Canterbury signing Matt Burton at five-eighth.
Every member of Canberra’s backline for Sunday’s clash with Wests has played first grade in the past 12 months - throw in sharp hooker Tom Starling and promising front-rower Emre Guler and it’s easy to see why the Raiders are among the premiership contenders for 2021.
Western Suburbs fans should keep a keen eye on hooker Jake Simpkin and exciting winger Allan Fitzgibbon.
Newcastle and Mounties will open the season on Friday afternoon, with the latter acting as Canterbury’s feeder club, while Newtown and St George Illawarra complete the opening slate on Sunday.
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