Who are the NRL’s 2018 rookie of the year contenders?
THE young talent on offer in the NRL this season has been phenomenal. But who stood out from the pack? Who is in line to be named NRL’s 2018 rookie of the year?
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THE young talent on offer in the NRL this season has been phenomenal.
Many clubs are boasting the kind of young guns that means we’ll be in for some stellar rugby league in seasons to come.
But who stood out from the pack? Who is in line to be named NRL’s 2018 rookie of the year?
NRL 2018: 21 NRL guns aged 21 and under
Jamayne Isaako - Broncos
Age: 22│Games: 21
The Brisbane flyer is the short-priced favourite for Dally M rookie. Alternating between fullback and wing, Isaako has won the Broncos several games with both his goal-kicking and finishing skills. Sits third in the NRL for most points.
KEY STATS: Isaako has scored the third most points this season behind only Latrell Mitchell and Gareth Widdop and the third most goals behind only Cameron Smith and Widdop.
Jessie Ramien - Sharks
Age: 21│Games: 17
Fresh off signing Kalyn Ponga, the Newcastle Knights look to have jagged another genuine superstar of the future in Sharks centre Ramien. Busts tackles, makes metres and generally looks more dangerous than a jilted lover with sachet of Ratsak in hand.
KEY STATS: Ramien is ranked third amongst Sharks teammates for tackle busts in 2018, bagging 45 in 16 matches this year. He sits behind superstars Val Holmes (56) and Andrew Fifita (59) which is not too shabby.
Junior Tatola - Rabbitohs
Age: 21│Games: 20
Over summer, this unwanted Auburn product was offered an opportunity to train with Souths. Nothing more. He hasn’t missed a first-grade game since.
KEY STATS: A tackling machine, Tatola is one of five Souths players to have played 20 matches in 2018. Despite coming off the bench in every one of those matches Tatola has made a huge 312 tackles in 567 minutes of football - or one tackle every two minutes. That’s a higher work rate than the Burgess twins.
Rhyse Martin - Bulldogs
Age: 25│Games: 10
In a year where little has gone right for Canterbury, this Bulldogs backrower is the obvious exception. Has starred, signed a new contract and also secured the record for most points in a losing side after bagging 24 against Canberra.
KEY STATS: Martin has kicked 27 goals this season since taking over those duties with a conversion rate of 96.4 per cent.
AJ Brimson - Titans
Age: 19│Games: 11
Alone, this teenage five-eighth would excite Titans fans. But when paired alongside Ash Taylor ... well, they could be more exciting than a night out at Melbas.
KEY STATS: 11 matches, three tries, four line breaks... Exciting stuff from the Titans youngster.
Victor Radley - Roosters
Age: 20│Games: 21
Ineligible for the Dally M rookie medal after being suspended a couple of times. Good luck to whoever breaks the news to this hardest-hitting of Roosters forwards.
KEY STATS: Made the fifth-most tackles of any Roosters player this year - 426 - but you know that every one of them would have been like being hit by a truck. Just ask Dylan Walker, who copped the full brunt of a Radley tackle as the Roosters young gun crushed him to save a try in round nine.