NRL after train-and-trial contracts: Reuben Porter’s journey to the top via four different clubs

For many NRL players, the journey to first grade is a tough slog of trialling, trialling, and trialling again – like Wests Tiger Reuben Porter, who found a home after years of trying to crack a top 17. See the list of 2024’s train-and-trial success stories.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 01: Reuben Porter of the Tigers during the round 22 NRL match between Wests Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys at Leichhardt Oval, on August 01, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by James Gourley/Getty Images)

Four train-and-trial contracts at different clubs, a brief moment of almost giving up the game, but 27-year-old Reuben Porter has proven that the hard road to securing a contract can be the most rewarding.

Starting the year earning a mere $1200 a week, Porter was initially let go by the Tigers’ first-grade squad, even returning to work as an electrician before receiving a call that would change his life.

“After the pre-season, I kind of thought it was all over,” Porter said.

“My partner and I had some conversations and we thought this probably wasn’t going to work out. The pre-season felt like my last shot.”

It’s been quite the journey to first grade for 27-year-old Reuben Porter. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

The NSW Cup veteran had resigned himself to the idea that his rugby league dreams were destined to remain just that, before Benji Marshall recalled a player who hadn’t made the initial cut but would eventually become a standout in a struggling Tigers team.

“I went back to work for about 10 weeks, and then came back into the squad. Benji said they would keep me on for the rest of the year.”

Porter, who had previously tried to crack the NRL with the Roosters, Raiders, and Bulldogs, now understands the traditional contract process is more important than ever for clubs and their results.

As part of a competitive 2024 train-and-trial class, Porter noticed more players who started the year without contracts playing key roles in the premiership hunt for most clubs.

“This is the first year I have started with a train and trial and ended with a contract,” he said.

“It has a lot to do with the speed of the game, a few injuries, and the concussion protocol.

“Due to all the rules and regulations, more opportunities have opened up for players like me to showcase our skills.”

Porter has found that this process greatly assists players of his age group in fulfilling their dreams without clubs having to take significant risks.

Reuben Porter at the Roosters in 2018. NRL Imagery

Reuben Porter at the Raiders in 2019. NRL Imagery

“It gives them another opportunity without the clubs having to commit long-term. For us, it’s a chance to prove ourselves, and that’s why many train-and-trial boys have stood out this year,” Porter said.

“They know they might never get this opportunity again, so they play hard every week.”

Despite being one of the Tigers’ oldest players, Porter remains one of their least experienced with only seven NRL games under his belt.

Reuben Porter playing for Cook Islands in 2023. Picture: NRL Photos

“Every day I go to training, it still doesn’t seem real,” he said.

“I still get the same feeling as I did on my first day.”

Looking to extend his time at Concord, the Cook Islands international admits that every time he steps onto the field, it still feels like the first.

Originally published as NRL after train-and-trial contracts: Reuben Porter’s journey to the top via four different clubs