NRL 2021: Bulldogs SG Ball centre Paul Alamoti has clubs buzzing

Paul Alamoti stole the show as the Bulldogs SG Ball side downed the Roosters, but little did he know Roosters supremo Nick Politis was there watching.

Watch out Canterbury, Nick Politis knows talent when he sees it.

And it’s fair to say the NRL’s most powerful club chairman was impressed with what he saw from rugby league’s latest schoolboy sensation Paul Alamoti on the opening weekend of the SG Ball (Under 19s) competition.

The Sydney Roosters supremo was spotted at Belmore sitting with recently retired Roosters veteran Mitch Aubusson and leading player agent David Riolo, whose company Titan Sports Management looks after young Alamoti.

“I’d be lying if Nick didn’t say ‘who is that kid? He’d look good if we put a bit of red into that blue and white jersey’,” Riolo quipped.

At just 17, Alamoti scored two tries and the boom centre laid on a couple more in the 24-16 win over the Roosters.

But Riolo confirmed Alamoti was contracted to the Dogs until the end of next year and all Politis did was acknowledge what everyone else at Belmore saw.

Nick Politis in the stands at Belmore watching the junior reps.

“To be fair I was actually sitting talking to Mitch Aubusson who I have managed for many, many years and Nick walked up and didn’t even know I was there,” Riolo explained.

“Nick wasn’t there watching the kid.

“Nick was there watching the Roosters juniors and that kid put on a clinic.

“There is not a person who would have walked out of there going ‘who is the four for the Bulldogs’. He was that good.”

Canterbury is negotiating to upgrade and extend Alamoti’s deal but Riolo said “at the moment it is only early days”.

Alamoti’s enormous potential is hardly a secret to those who have kept an eye on the junior grades in recent years.

Alamoti scored two tries against the Roosters last weekend. Picture: David Swift.

The young Tongan has been tearing teams apart consistently and he actually knocked back an opportunity to go to the same rugby school as Joseph Suaalii at The King’s School, instead preferring to stay at Kogarah Marist for his final year.

Of course, the Roosters already have Suaalii in the top-30 squad.

Alamoti is a year younger than Suaalii but has played against him at junior level.

Over the summer Alamoti also spent some days training with Trent Barrett’s top squad and he will be moved into the Bulldogs’ fulltime system at the end of the year when he finishes school.