NSW Cup 2021: Kurt Falls on his rise from carpenter to NRL contract with Penrith

Kurt Falls began the year working fulltime as a carpenter – and he’ll end it by fulfilling a dream he never thought possible.

Kurt Falls has signed a fulltime deal with the Panthers. Pic credit to Panthers Digital.

Penrith’s NSW Cup halfback Kurt Falls began the year working fulltime as a carpenter but he’ll end it with a fulltime NRL deal.

It’s a meteoric rise years in the making that began when Falls was Nathan Cleary’s schoolboys halves partner at St Dominic’s College.

But while Cleary went on to NRL stardom as a teenager, Falls had to be content with playing local footy while working fulltime as a carpenter after limited interest from the Panthers.

“I never got jealous or anything, I was just happy to see the boys make it and make a living out of it. I always wished it was me. I never let go of the dream,” Falls said.

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Kurt Falls has signed a fulltime deal with the Panthers. Pic credit to Panthers Digital.

“I didn’t do any SG Ball, I just played A-grade at St Pat’s Blacktown for two years, then I went to my junior club Brothers when they came into Ron Massey Cup. Our first year we ran dead last, which was nice.

“After that I went over to St Marys and played Massey again and they had a program set up to do pre-season with Canterbury Cup. That helped me get a start with Penrith in 2019.”

From there Falls has gone from strength to strength, calling the shots for Penrith’s red hot reserve grade side, and in April this year he signed his first fulltime contract with the club.

It was tools down in every sense – Falls only gave up carpentry when he signed his first NRL deal – and now he’ll go from a development contract this year to a top 30 deal in 2022.

Falls is a different type of Panthers success story. He’s a late bloomer rather than a prodigy, and a testament to the value of perseverance.

“Progressing out of work into full time footy wasn’t hard, because it’s what you want to do, but it was different as you try to manage yourself and everything you do to get your footy right,” Falls said.

Kurt Falls has signed a fulltime deal with the Panthers. Picture: Panthers Digital

“I’d never made my whole week around playing, my whole week was around work and I’d just play for fun. The more things you do the more you get used to it.

“I never thought I’d be here. It was always in the back of my head that I’d want to be here, and if you just keep doing the little things, you keep working hard, you give yourself the best opportunity.”

The Panthers are three wins clear at the top of the NSW Cup ladder with Falls’ clever play at the scrumbase a major factor in the club’s dominance.

They’ll take on the fourth-placed North Sydney Bears on Saturday but will go in as warm favourites, having won 11 of 12 matches this year.

“It’s just an attitude thing. We’re just really focused on what the coaches put to is, and that’s mainly in our defence,” Falls said.

“That’s the system, and everyone buys into the system. It’s a cliche, but teamwork wins games and it’s good that it’s going well.”

Why Bonanno is Mr Reliable for Penrith

— Jocelyn Airth

In tight games, Penrith can trust Hayden Bonanno.

The halfback didn’t just slot a field goal to beat the Cronulla Sharks in last week’s Jersey Flegg Cup thriller.

Bonanno also scored a brilliant last-minute try to guarantee his side’s important 17-10 victory.

“For him to nail it with a field goal, then seal it with a try right at the end, it was probably a good reward for his patience over the last couple of weeks, it was really pleasing” Panthers‘ Jersey Flegg coach Ben Harden said.

The playmaker has been in Penrith’s system since he was 16-years-old and represented his club in the NSWRL Harold Matthews and SG Ball Cups over the years.

Now Bonanno, who attended Patrician Brothers Blacktown alongside NRL Panthers Spencer Leniu and Stephen Crichton, is co-captain of Penrith’s under-21s side.

Penrith youngster Hayden Bonanno in action for the Panthers. Picture: Panthers Digital

“I suppose his style is a bit like Jarome Hughes, he’s played a bit of fullback and can organise, but plays his best when he runs,” Harden said.

“He’s a very good communicator, he’s a really respectful young man. He’s been in and around our system for five or six years, he’s someone the players and staff trust.”

After last week’s thriller, Penrith now sit third on the ladder, behind St George Illawarra and the undefeated Wests Tigers.

“It was good to get back in the winners circle ... it was a good quality game. The Sharks were in the same boat, they were coming off the back of three tight losses,” Harden said.

“Both two teams were pretty desperate. We did well to stay patient, hang in there and get the win.”

A couple of SG Ball Panthers have also settled into the Flegg side — Connor Mason and Kristian Li-Mai.

“Connor played the first two SG Ball games, but has pretty much played since Round 1 for us in Jersey Flegg,” Harden said.

Kristian Li Mai in action for Patrician Brothers. Picture: Toby Zerna

“We’ve transitioned him to hooker in the last three to six months … he’s doing a great job at evolving his game at No.9 and improving every week.

“Kristian is the same, plays centre and wing, can play anywhere across the backline. Anytime he’s been called to fill in, he had to go to fullback for the last 20 minutes on the weekend, he’s just no fuss, done his job, very good game awareness.”

On Friday, the Jersey Flegg Panthers and Roosters will battle in an NRL curtain-raiser.

Harden expects the clash will be tough.

“With this competition, anyone is beating anyone at the moment, except for the Tigers,” Harden said.

“(The Roosters) didn’t play last week, but their last start they beat Manly by around 50 points. They have strike across the park but in particular on their edges. Their centre-wing combinations are dangerous.

“So for us, it’s about that control through the middle and just being aware that they could strike.”