NRL pipeline: The staggering numbers that show NSW U19s dominance over Queensland

New South Wales has long done the heavy lifting in producing NRL talent, and the latest stats prove that. See the staggering State of Origin U19s numbers showing just how many make the grade.

They’re the stats that show NSW is developing more first graders through the U19s Origin fixture.

An underage fixture has always served as a curtain raiser to State of Origin, only shifting to this age group in 2022.

In that period, the Blues have used 49 players over the three years, compared to 47 from Queensland, with a few earning selection in back-to-back years.

From those 49 NSW players chosen, 30 have gone on to play at the NRL level already, compared to just 13 from Queensland.

That’s a percentage of 61.22% to the Blues and just 27.7% to the Maroons.

Over the last two years, just two unique players from Queensland have played first grade, with Blake Mozer and Ben Te Kura both dual reps in 2022 and 2023.

There is one area that Queensland has the upper hand in however.

From the last three years, only Robert Toia has gone on to play at the State of Origin level.

It was a surprise selection at the time, but the young Roosters centre was very solid in his debut outing after just 10 games of NRL to that point.

Here’s a year-by-year breakdown of NSW’s dominance in fostering the next generation.

2022

Incredibly 11 of Queensland’s 17 have gone on to play first grade footy.

Isaiah Iongi has cemented his place as Parramatta’s fullback, Jack Howarth has played in a grand final, Toia made his Origin debut this year and Jye Gray led the Dally M through the early portion of this season.

Not to be outdone, NSW has seen 10 players blooded at the top level, including premiership winner Paul Alamoti, tryscoring machine Jack Bostock and highly promising forwards Toby Couchman and Oryn Keeley.

2023

Here’s where things start to skew in favour of the Junior Blues.

From that NSW side, 13 of the 17 have gone on to play in the NRL, with just two from Queensland doing the same.

Six of the seven who started in the backline have played first grade, including Raiders regulars Ethan Strange and Savelio Tamale, as well as future gun halves Latu Fainu and Ethan Sanders.

Nick Tsougranis came off the bench that night, and his recent maiden outing means every interchange player from 2023 (Joah Papalii, Sam Tuivaiti and Luron Patea) have made the grade.

2024

Kaidan Lahrs’ recent debut made him the eighth player from the 2023 team to feature in the NRL, compared to just Jaxon Purdue and De La Salle Va’a from Queensland.

Of those NSW eight, Loko Pasifiki Tonga, Noah Martin, Jermaine McEwen, Tuivaiti and Lahrs have all been blooded for the first time this year.

Originally published as NRL pipeline: The staggering numbers that show NSW U19s dominance over Queensland