Nine NRL players who will catch fire in 2016
THEY’re right on the cusp of breaking through to superstardom. See our picks for the nine NRL players who will catch fire.
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EVERY year there’s a handful of players who catch fire and ascend to the level of superstars.
Taking the leap from ordinary first grade or promising rookie to genuine NRL heavyweight doesn’t happen overnight but when talent meets opportunity wonderful things can happen.
We’ve run our eye over the emerging NRL ranks and identified 11 up and comers we think will catch fire in 2016.
Cameron Munster
How special is Cameron Munster? Special enough to have Melbourne thinking about their future once Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk ride off into the sunset. Once Slater went down with a shoulder injury last season Munster filled the breach admirably and really found his feet late in the season — he was their best player in the Storm’s two semi-final matches.
He’ll be shifted to the centres due to Slater’s return and Origin is out of the question this season due to his recent trouble in the Emerging Maroons camp but look for the 21-year old to again play a big part in the Storm’s season.
Bryce Cartwright
Break out the beers and crank up the tunes because 2016 is set to be a Carty Party. Bryce Cartwright has shown flashes of his incredible ball skills since he made his debut in 2013 but he’s yet to secure a place as a regular starter.
With excellent footwork and a penchant for jaw-dropping flick passes, Cartwright has the potential to be one of the most dangerous attacking players in the game and if he can secure a spot in the Panthers starting line-up this season higher honours will not be beyond him.
Aidan Sezer
Sezer has been one of the NRL’s best kept secrets on the Gold Coast since he made his debut in 2012. A strong organiser with a howitzer of a left boot, the Lakemba junior was a real bright spot during a difficult period for the Titans and his combination with Albert Kelly in 2013-14 looked to be a halves duo the club could build their future around.
Forced out of the club by the aborted Daly Cherry-Evans move, Sezer has landed in Canberra and is a very real chance of emerging as a State of Origin candidate. Behind an underrated forward pack and partnered in the halves by the electrifying Blake Austin, Sezer’s temperament, kicking game and poise will come to the fore in his first season in the national capital.
Shannon Boyd
The biggest, meanest and angriest thing in green since the Hulk, Raiders prop Shannon Boyd enjoyed a breakout season in 2015 playing in 20 matches and scoring five tries, the second most of any prop in the competition.
A wrecking machine off the bench, Boyd is a green version of David Klemmer and along with fellow bookend Paul Vaughan he forms one of the best up and coming prop duos in the league. Boyd is fully capable of taking the next step and forming a fearsome duo with Klemmer off the bench for New South Wales.
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Tyrone Peachey
Like his Panther teammate Bryce Cartwright, Peachey has been there or thereabouts for a couple of seasons. The Wellington junior made his debut for Cronulla in 2013 and joined Penrith the following season but has yet to fully realise his immense abilities.
As the Panthers season crumbled around them under the weight of injuries last season, Peachey was one of the sole constants and his form in the final weeks of the season went a long way towards helping the mountain men avoid the wooden spoon. Peachey works best when he starts and is able to feel his way into the game and with the Panthers and with Sika Manu and Lewis Brown moving on him and Cartwright seem certain to strike up a potent combination.
Ethan Lowe
One of the unsung heroes of the Cowboys premiership victory was tireless backrower Ethan Lowe. He was one of just four Cowboys to play in every game in 2015 and was a fixture on the right edge with his excellent footwork, line running ability and work rate making him stand out from the rest of the pack. Lowe has all the tools a coach could want in a modern backrower and is a representative player of the future.
The Goondiwindi junior is a genuine Maroons bolter in 2016 and along with Gavin Cooper and Jason Taumalolo has formed one of the most efficient and effective backrow combinations in the NRL.
Corey Oates
If you didn’t know Corey Oates before the grand final you damn sure knew him afterwards. His sensational 70-metre try early in the first half was one of the best grand final touchdowns in some time and while the late equaliser to Kyle Feldt was scored down his wing Oates had shown the rugby league world just what he’s capable of. A second rower coming through the ranks, Oates has found a home on the left wing for the Broncos and has already become one of the best metre-eating wingers in the competition.
With the bulk to smash through defenders and the speed to go the distance once he gets in the clear, Oates’ move back to the pack may have to wait a while — with the banning of Valentine Holmes from Origin he’s a prime candidate to make his Maroons debut should injury strike the outside backs.
Michael Lichaa
After joining the Bulldogs on a lucrative deal from Cronulla the learning curve was steep for Michael Lichaa in 2015. There were good days and bad before he went down in Round 23 with a knee injury but he’ll be better for the run and is one of the players who should experience a real rise this season.
Lichaa’s work rate and service was strong all season but his running game — which was one of his greatest assets in the lower grades — came and went week to week. If Lichaa can run more consistently and effectively in 2016 it’ll take his game to the next level and given the age of Robbie Farah and Michael Ennis it could make him a genuine long term option for New South Wales.
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Matt Parcell
Some big names have joined the Sea Eagles over the summer but their most important recruit might be lightning fast hooker Mat Parcell, who joins from the Ipswich Jets. Although he has just six first grade games under his belt Parcell was one of the Jets best in their improbable run to the State Championship last season — in fact, he was the only player in the team with NRL experience.
Quicker than quick and with a keen eye for lazy defenders, Parcell is a definite upgrade from the steady but slow Matt Ballin and offers the Sea Eagles a genuine running threat out of dummy half, something they haven’t had in a long time. Parcell was named man of the match in the State Championship last season and scored an incredible five tries in the Queensland Cup preliminary final victory over the PNG Hunters. Manly fans and SuperCoach fanatics alike will keep their eye on the 23-year old.
Originally published as Nine NRL players who will catch fire in 2016
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