From young guns to journeymen: The player at every NRL club ready to take next step

From rookies, to journeymen, to exciting transfers - we reveal the men who can lift your club’s 2024 season.

There’s a young superstar out to bust the myth of the second-year syndrome, a journeyman who finally gets to start as playmaker and an electrifying backline whiz making a positional change.

They’re all very different, but have one thing in common – 2024 will be the year they take their game to the next level.

Selwyn Cobbo (Broncos)

Age: 21

Games: 49

The challenge is set and Cobbo will answer it. Kevin Walters’ call that centre is a more natural position for Cobbo should send shivers down the spines of NRL rivals. He’s freakish enough as a winger but for his coach to come out make that declaration should have Broncos fans and Cobbo excited about the grand finalists' chances of going one better in 2024.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Scored 35 tries, made 43 linebreaks and busted 205 tackles in the past two seasons.

Canterbury recruit Josh Curran has plenty of talent. Picture: NRL Photos

Josh Curran (Bulldogs)

Age: 24

Games: 61

Coach Cameron Ciraldo’s hard-nosed training regimen, combined with a fresh start, will be just the things to launch the former Warriors back rower to the next level at his new club. A great talent and character who has the ability and, mullet, to cement himself as a crowd favourite with the Belmore faithful and become a key member of the Bulldogs squad.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Started just six games last season, but averaged almost 40 tackles in those matches.

Heilum Luki (Cowboys)

Age: 22

Games: 38

Has been held back by injuries but so far, so good this pre-season and that is great news for the Cowboys and, who knows, the Maroons. This off-contract, powerhouse back-rower has all the tools to be a superstar and this is the year for him to knock it out of the park. After suffering a torn ACL in 2022 and facial fracture last year, he’s due for a change of luck.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Only chalked up big numbers a couple of times last season, but his two-try, 157m, seven-tackle busting effort against the Dragons in round 11 showed his full potential.

An injury-free Helium Luki will be a great addition for the Cowboys. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins)

Age: 24

Games: 79

Wayne Bennett will give the Englishman a licence to thrill at the Dolphins and that’s not going to be good for opposition teams. A fresh start and coming off a grand final appearance, Farnworth will keen to show he’s worth his big money, three-year deal with the Redcliffe club. He’s already rated one of the best centres in the game and by the close of the season he could be the best.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Scored 15 tries, had 14 linebreaks, made 115 tackle busts and 32 offloads last season.

Zac Lomax (Dragons)

Age: 24

Games: 93

Some tough love from hard-nosed new Dragons coach Shane Flanagan will help launch Lomax into his best season yet and deliver the type of the year St George Illawarra fans have been waiting for from this enigmatic talent. Time for this bloke to stand up and be the superstar he’s promised to be. Most likely to start in the centres, Lomax is ready for a big season and, if he delivers it, the good times will return to the Dragons once more.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Three of his best four career games for metres came at the back end of last season including a two-try, 206-metre effort against the Raiders in round 19.

Parramatta centre Will Penisini. Picture: Instagram

Will Penisini (Eels)

Age: 21

Games: 57

Coach Brad Arthur is under pressure after missing the finals last year and Penisini knows he can do something about helping his mentor out of a hole and that will be enough to see the centre show his best for Parra. The Eels need this bloke to fire to be any chance of breaking back into finals footy and, after a disappointing season, Penisini is ready to rocket back to tackle busting best for Parra.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Scored eight tries and helped set up 10 others in 2023.

Bradman Best (Knights)

Age: 22

Games: 70

Heads into 2024 full of confidence knowing he is one of the most lethal strike centres in the game. Proved himself in the cauldron of Origin with an outstanding performance for NSW last year. It’s not all about Kalyn Ponga in Newcastle, Best is a freakish talent and is he ready to launch to another level this season and take the Knights along for the ride as they chase a deeper run in the finals.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Missed only one game for the Knights last season while scoring 13 tries, setting up 17 others and averaging 120 run metres.

Daine Laurie (Panthers)

Age: 24

Games: 52

Jarome Luai’s departure to the Tigers in 2025 opens an incredible opportunity and incentive for Laurie to step up to the plate in his return to the Panthers this season. It all starts with a possible crack at a World Club Challenge spot for Penrith with Luai still in doubt for the clash against Wigan next month as he works his way back from post grand final shoulder surgery.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Missed the majority of last season, playing just 11 games.

Everything is in place for Laurie to have a big season. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Keaon Koloamatangi (Rabbitohs)

Age: 25

Games: 82

With a massive contract signed, Koloamatangi will have a lot of eyeballs on him and will use it as motivation to dominate this year. The new, big fresh contract, brings with it expectation from the Rabbitohs and will light a fire under the powerhouse back rower. Only scratching the surface so far, Koloamatangi has a lot more to offer and is a key man for the Rabbitohs’ premiership hopes.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Has some injury troubles in 2023, but still averaged 110 metres and almost 27 tackles per game.

Morgan Smithies (Raiders)

Age: 23

Games: Nil NRL; 114 Super League

Comes with a big reputation from the Super League as a premiership winner with Wigan. Ricky Stuart has a good eye for English talent and Smithies has backed himself to step up in the best competition in the world. The hard man from the UK rounds out a scary forward back in Canberra and back rower/lock will become a household name after the 2024 season is over.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Racked up over 100 games already and has a Super League title under his belt as well as an England cap.

Siua Wong (Roosters)

Age: 20

Games: 10

Bumped up the pecking order at the Roosters to emerge as a starting back rower with superstar ability. The confidence he gained from his NRL debut season, which included aiming in the finals series, holds him in good stead to continue hia rise in becoming an edge weapon of the competition. Gets to showcase his powerhouse talents to a US audience when the Roosters tackle Brisbane in their season opener in Las Vegas.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Made 17 tackle busts, four line breaks and seven offloads in his debut season.

Morgan Smithies has joined Canberra for the next thrree seasons

Tolu Koula (Sea Eagles)

Age: 21

Games: 39

Impressed so much during a stint at fullback last year that he prompted calls to shift superstar No. 1 Tom Trbojevic to the centres to help manage his workload. That won’t happen for now and Koula will be doing his best at lightning speed in the centres. Koula has heard all the raps and is full of confidence and, make no mistake, this youngster is ready to take off for a fresh looking Sea Eagles side who have a new half in Luke Brooks helping call the shots.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Eight tries, 14 linebreaks and 135 metres per game from his 19 appearances last season.

Braydon Trindall (Sharks)

Age: 24

Games: 51

Craig Fitzgibbon has placed his trust in Trindall locking down the Sharks’ No. 6 jersey. The faith shown in him by the coach will be a huge confidence booster for the very talented playmaker to realise his full potential. The pressure from some of the Sharks’ emerging playmakers like Kade Dykes and Daniel Atkinson will also help bring out the best in Trindall.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Four tries, 14 try assists/contributions and three 40/20 kicks last season.

Nick Meaney (Storm)

Age: 26

Games: 113

Competition for sports is heating up in Melbourne with Ryan Papenhuyzen and Sua Faalogo read to rip in 2024, expect Meaney to be one of the best in the Storm’s best and his expected full-time shift to the centres to a be a winner for the speedster who hasn’t looked back since moving to Melbourne from Canterbury in 2022.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Set new career highs for try assists (12), run metres 3081 (average 123m) and tackle busts (87m) in 2023.

Sam Verrills has the opportunity to have a breakout season. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Sam Verrills (Titans)

Age: 24

Games: 59

Ready to put a frustrating first season at the Titans behind him, Verrills has already said he’s loving life under new Gold Coast coach Des Hasler and that’s a good thing for the side who need the No.9 at his best if they are to achieve anything this year. Played just 11 games for the Titans last year due to issues with his collarbone. The 2019 premiership-winning former Rooster, Verrills, has so far enjoyed a good pre-season and he’s ready to get back to his speedy best out of dummy-half this year.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Still looking for his first injury-free season, has not played more than 15 games in a year since his debut, and managed just 11 in 2023.

Kurt Capewell (Warriors)

Age: 30

Games: 139

The enormous faith Warriors management have shown in the back rower by signing him to a three-year deal will have Capewell feeling bulletproof and have him primed for a massive year. Expectations are high among Warriors fans after a finals runs in 2023 and the extra buzz from having quality players like the returning Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Capewell will the Auckland-based club’s fans dreaming of silverware. That will sit well with Capewell who is a winner.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Six tries, eight linebreaks, five try assists and 16 offloads in 2023 were all season personal bests for Capewell.

Jahream Bula (Tigers)

Age: 21

Games: 18

Will prove second-year syndrome is a myth. With a sensational debut season under his belt and plenty of fresh faces at the club, Bula is part of the next generation of Tigers. Exciting, fast and full of confidence, Bula has a few more gears to get through and we’ll see him purring from the back for the Tigers this season. Will enjoy playing alongside new, running half Jayden Sullivan – stand by for something to finally cheer about Tigers fans! Bula and his fellow young Tigers will also be pumped about the pending arrival of Jarome Luai from the Panthers in 2025.

Fox Sports stats that matter: Averaged 136 metres and scored five tries with 11 other try assists/contributions in his debut season.

Originally published as From young guns to journeymen: The player at every NRL club ready to take next step