NRL 2020: The best young gun at every club you’ve never heard of
Tex Hoy won his way on to Newcastle’s roster with a superb pre-season but the Knights have another budding star within their ranks — check out the best young gun you’ve never heard of at every club.
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They’re the future of the NRL – and hold the hopes of your club’s chances of winning the 2026 NRL title in their hands.
Here are 16 budding superstars ready to announce themselves to the rugby league world – with one from every team.
In it we’ve uncovered man mountains, dynamic outside backs and young playmakers who could be tasked with turning around the fortunes of the Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra Dragons.
So without further ado, here’s the best rising rugby league talents you’ve never heard of.
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Tesi Niu (Broncos)
He has been earmarked as a future NRL player by Broncos assistant coach Corey Parker and there’s obvious reasons why.
He has been smashing it in the lower divisions – he’s still only 18 – and has represented both the Broncos (in the Nines) and Tonga (in last year’s Test).
He has footwork like Benji Marshall and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, combined, and plenty of speed to burn.
Broncos assistant coach Kurt Richards has also confirmed he should play NRL this year.
– Chris Honnery
Tukimihia Simpkins (Cowboys)
The man-mountain towers over most players on the field, standing at 192cm and weighing 105kg.
The scary thing is, he’s only 18 years old.
He was picked up by the Cowboys after they were left in awe of him during the 2016 New Zealand under-15s Rugby League National Championships.
Simpkins was on the radar to sign with one of the Super League franchises but opted to hop codes from rugby union into league.
Having been promoted straight into North Queensland’s Top 30, rather than a development contract, is a sign the youngster is close to an NRL debut.
– Chris Honnery
Jake Averillo (Bulldogs)
The Bulldogs NRL bolter is expected to be an outside back named Jake Averillo. A Canterbury Junior hailing from Moorebank, Averillo was a last-minute addition to the Bulldogs full-time squad and is expecting to push for an NRL spot this year. He is privately being tipped by the coaching staff for big things.
– James Phelps
Cody Ramsey, Jayden Sullivan (Dragons)
Dragons star Corey Norman has nominated two players from his club to be future NRL stars — but not just yet. They are Nines shining light Cody Ramsey and half Jayden Sullivan.
“They are a year or two years away from first grade but they have the potential there to be exciting young players,” Norman said.
Ramsey, who hails from the small NSW central west town of Molong, is a rising fullback who starred in the Red V No.1 jersey in the under 20s last year.
Norman added that 19-year-old Jason Saab, who played three top grade games last year, is destined for big things.
“He loves the game and is so professional,” Norman said.
– Michael Carayannis
Harley Smith-Shields (Raiders)
A Gungahlin junior, Smith-Shields was Canberra’s Jersey Flegg player of the year in 2019, scoring 15 tries in 17 matches and averaging 173 run metres per game and the robust young centre was rewarded with elevation to the club’s top 30 squad for this season.
Smith-Shields will start the season in NSW Cup with Mounties, but should injuries strike the Canberra backline don’t be surprised if he earns a first grade debut sooner rather than later.
- Nick Campton
Stefano Utoikamanu (Eels)
Stefano Utoikamanu might be on his way out in 2021 after he agreed to join the Wests Tigers but that doesn’t change the fact the giant forward is still one of the brightest prop prospects in the game. Arthur insists if he’s ready, Utoikamanu will get to debut in 2020.
“It’s hard to put a round or number on that but he’s really close and there are still some things he has to work on. He’s had a hit out in the Nines, got an opportunity against Souths but there are still some things… we have to make sure he is really confident in what he’s doing to put him on the field,” coach Brad Arthur said.
– Fatima Kdouh
Simi Sasagi (Knights)
At just 18, Sasagi exploded on to the scene at the NRL Nines.
But they reckon this young five-eighth with blistering speed and who loves to play eyes-up footy could well be ready to make the next step into the real world of NRL at some stage this year.
The young Kiwi debuted in under-20s Jersey Flegg early last year and scored three tries in 25 minutes before he suffered a back injury soon after that sidelined him for the rest of the season.
But he has now come through his second NRL pre-season in fine style.
Given he is on a development contract, it means Sasagi can’t play in the top grade until after June 30.
But remember the name.
– Paul Crawley
Jaxson Paulo (Rabbitohs)
Breaking into the Rabbitohs backline this year is not going to be easy but this youngster who arrived from Gold Coast midway through last year looks like he has a huge future ahead of him.
Still eligible for under 20s Jersey Flegg, Paulo stands at 193cm (6 foot 3 inches in the old measurement), weighs 101kg and can play centre or wing.
While you always hear plenty about the promising young forwards to have come out of Keebra Park High in recent years, insiders at the Rabbitohs reckon it’s only going to be a matter of time before this kid gets his shot, regardless of who it is standing in his path at Souths.
Another youngster who has impressed in pre-season is Blake Taaffe who was a standout for Souths at the NRL Nines and also in the trial win over Parramatta.
While the 20-year-old from the Central Coast is not yet in the top 30 squad or even on a development contract, there is a few spots still available on Souths’ roster.
That means Taaffe could get an upgrade in the coming months if the Rabbitohs suffer any injuries in the halves.
– Paul Crawley
Shawn Blore (Panthers)
After captaining the Panthers’ SG Ball side in 2018, an ACL injury at training wiped out his 2019 season before it really got going. But the club is extremely confident the 19-year old Penrith junior, who stands at 190cm and weighs in at 108kg, will be a star of the future.
In 2018 he earned Junior Kangaroos honours and played against older brother Dean, who represented the Junior Kiwis.
Dean Blore, 21, is a talented five-eighth also contracted to the Panthers.
– Nick Campton
Daniel Fifita (Roosters)
The young forward impressed Trent Robinson so much playing Jersey Flegg and Canterbury Cup that he was upgraded into the club’s Top 30 for 2020. But Fifita wasn’t just promoted into the squad, he was rewarded with a three-year deal until the end of season 2022. Look away now South Sydney fans, the promising forward is a Rabbitohs junior and played for the Matraville Tigers.
– Fatima Kdouh
Zac Saddler (Sea Eagles)
Unknown now, young prop Saddler is ready to make a significant impact this year. Some at Manly even believe he is ready to debut in the NRL now.
Saddler came from nowhere to be chosen in Laurie Daley’s Indigenous All Stars side. “He looks a first-rate prospect,” Daley said. “He has all the attributes to be a long-term NRL player.”
Insiders at Manly were highly impressed with his maturity in the All Stars game.
– Dean Ritchie
Judda Turahui (Storm)
Got a taste of the tough stuff when he made his club debut in the Nines tournament last month, but prior to that the high school rugby union star impressed the Storm coaching staff in his first off-season with the club.
Turahui has been on the Storm’s books since he was 15 and has a development contract – which means he won’t feature in first grade unless he’s upgraded into the club’s top 30.
But given a lack of out-and-out centres, following the departures of Will Chambers, Curtis Scott and Solomone Kata in the off-season, the 18-year-old could easily be called on after June 30.
With the size of a rugby union backrower, and the speed and footwork of a dashing winger, he’s a damaging prospect running the ball and looms as the perfect prospect player to develop under coach Craig Bellamy.
– Joe Barton
Jackson Ferris (Sharks)
A former Junior Kiwis centre, Ferris has been a slow-burn at the Sharks, having arrived from New Zealand in 2016 to progress through the club’s successful SG Ball and Newtown Jets sides.
Powerful with special footwork, similar to that of premiership-winning centre Ricky Leutele, Ferris, 22, seems to have realised that with disruptions to the Sharks backline around Josh Morris and injuries to Matt Moylan and Josh Dugan, that 2020 could be his window of opportunity.
Ferris was outstanding in the Sharks trial match in PNG against Canterbury, where he stood up genuine first-grader Reimis Smith on several occasions.
He then handled his own on the wing in the Sharks final trial against Manly.
The tip is that for the young Kiwi to make the step-up to become an NRL player, he only needs to sharpen his off-field preparation.
- David Riccio
Greg Leleisiuao (Titans)
He made a name for himself in the NSW Cup last season, topping almost every attacking statistic.
Most post contact metres (1535), most tackle breaks (196) and most run metres (4513) are just a few of his achievements for the former Wentworthville centre in his 2019 year.
The 22-year-old has had massive wraps for his try-scoring ability (12 tries last year) and will be a handy asset for Holbrook to use in the outside backs.
– Chris Honnery
Rocco Berry (Warriors)
The son of an All Black, you know this young star has the right bloodlines to make it in top-level sport.
A playmaking fullback/five-eighth, Berry got two games in the Warriors’ underwhelming Nines campaign – but did catch the eye of talent hunters by scoring a try against the Roosters.
The Warriors have earmarked the teenager as a long-term prospect, beating a host of league and union clubs to ink him to a four-year deal.
Give Berry some time under the tutelage of his idol, Dally M-medal-winning fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and watch him blossom.
- Joe Barton
Jock Madden (Wests Tigers)
Could a country kid from Scone replace Benji Marshall in the No.6 jersey? Still only 20, Jock Madden is the 2018 Australian Schoolboy who the Tigers recruited from Newcastle after he also finished that same year as the SG Ball leading pointscorer. Given his status as a Development Player, Madden is currently ineligible for NRL selection until Round 17 but will move into the Tigers top squad for 2021.
– Nick Walshaw
Originally published as NRL 2020: The best young gun at every club you’ve never heard of