Benji Marshall rated the top NRL product to come from Keebra Park and Palm Beach Currumbin

The rugby league talent that has emerged from renowned Gold Coast schools Keebra Park and Palm Beach Currumbin over the years is simply remarkable and it just keeps on coming.

THE rugby league talent that has emerged from renowned Gold Coast schools Keebra Park and Palm Beach Currumbin over the years is simply remarkable and it just keeps on coming.

Ahead of the archrivals’ next generation going head-to-head in the Allan Langer Cup on Wednesday night, the Bulletin looks at their combined top 10 products, ranked in order.

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10. Corey Norman (Keebra Park)

Corey Norman has excelled for the Dragons. Picture: AAP Image

The five-eighth has had his dramas off the field but there is no doubting his talent. Has tallied 180 NRL games by the age of 28 and there’s no slowing him down, as has been seen by a series of match-winning efforts for St George Illawarra this year.

9. Ryan James (Palm Beach Currumbin)

Ryan James leads the Titans out earlier this year. Picture: AAP Image

James has carved out a respected career as a one-club workhorse across a decade at his hometown team, the Gold Coast Titans, and has come agonisingly close on multiple occasions to a State of Origin call-up for NSW. Has captained the Titans since 2017.

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8. Ben Ikin (Palm Beach Currumbin)

Ben Ikin playing for the Broncos in 2004. Picture: Darren England

Best remembered for making his Origin debut for Queensland at just 18 years of age back in 1995. A centre or five-eighth, he went on to represent the Maroons another 16 times and played in the halves in Brisbane’s 2000 premiership.

7. Jai Arrow (Keebra Park)

Jai Arrow celebrates as Queensland win State of Origin Game One this year. Picture: AAP Image

This time last year Arrow didn’t even make our best XIII in Keebra history. How times have changed. Arrow has by far the least games of anyone in this list but that’s indicative of the impact he has made with his consistently excellent efforts for the Titans and Maroons.

6. Ben Hannant (Palm Beach Currumbin)

Ben Hannant during his Cowboys days.

‘The Polar Bear’ became a likeable, reliable prop across 12 years at the top level that netted him 245 first grade games, two premiership rings, 12 Maroons appearances and six Kangaroos jerseys.

5. Jordan Rapana (Palm Beach Currumbin)

Jordan Rapana. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Rapana played five games for the Titans in 2008 and then wasn’t seen in the NRL until six years later at the Green Machine. We’re glad he made it back. The New Zealand international is arguably the most feared winger in the game with his ability to break tackles and find the tryline. A record of 70 tries in 106 first grade games speaks for itself.

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4. Greg Eastwood (Keebra Park)

Greg Eastwood playing for New Zealand at the 2016 Four Nations. Picture: Getty Images

The lock forward was just 18 years of age when he debuted at the Broncos and did a lot of things right from there. Eastwood’s games tally appears to have stopped now at 241 in the NRL – he played at least 15 games a year from 2006 to 2018 – not to mention a total of 28 Tests for New Zealand.

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3. Kevin Proctor (Palm Beach Currumbin)

Veteran second-rower Kevin Proctor celebrates a try for the Titans. Picture: Getty Images

Especially during his Melbourne Storm tenure while running off Cooper Cronk, Proctor established himself as one of the game’s premier forwards. Has struggled to quite match that level back on the Gold Coast but is still a supreme defender and a 21-time Kiwis representative.

2. Darius Boyd (Palm Beach Currumbin)

Darius Boyd. Picture: AAP Image

We’ll let the numbers do the talking here: 14 years in the NRL; 305 games; two premierships; 17 tries across 28 Origin matches for Queensland; 16 tries in 23 starts for Australia; and both the Clive Churchill Medal and RLPA Player of the Year in 2010.

1. Benji Marshall (Keebra Park)

Benji Marshall. Picture: Getty Images

A fair argument could have been made for Boyd to take out top spot but we can’t go past the champion New Zealand playmaker who famously guided the Tigers to the 2005 title. Few players have left such a mark on the game as Benji and his entertaining style of footy. Long live the flick pass.