NRL Rookie Watch: The best young players at every club

The Dragons may live to regret letting this Wayne Bennett poach young star Jack Bostock, who is set to earn a spot in the Dolphins Top 30 squad. See the best rookies at every club.

St George Illawarra might live to regret not doing more to keep former gun junior Jack Bostock, if Wayne Bennett is any sort of judge of rugby league talent.

The word at the Dolphins is that Bostock has been so impressive over the summer that he is about to get upgraded into the top 30 NRL squad.

That news comes as Bennett named Bostock on the wing in the Dolphins team to take on the Cowboys in Sunday night’s trial at Barlow Park.

Scroll down for the full NRL rookies to watch in 2023.

Dolphins youngster Jack Bostock is set to earn a Top 30 spot in 2023. Picture: NRL Imagery.

Bostock was always seen as a talent at the Dragons but with a few too many players ahead of him in the outside backs he chose to chase his dream at the Dolphins.

Bostock played NSW under 19s last season after starring for the Steelers in SG Ball.

But it’s fair to say Bennett has been watching with interest as he developed further over this pre-season, to the point where he is now legitimately banging down the door for top grade selection, if not for the opening round showdown against the Sydney Roosters than certainly in the not too distant future.

While Bostock’s preferred spot is in the centres, he will partner Oliver Gildart on the wings this weekend with Tesi Niu and Euan Aitken the starting centres.

Other centre options include Brenko Lee, Robert Jennings and rookie rugby convert Valynce Te Whare who has been named on the bench for this weekend’s trial.

Wayne Bennett has been impressed with Bostok this pre-season, handing him a starting spot for their trial match against the Cowboys. Picture: Gaye Gerard / Daily Telegraph.

ROOKIE WATCH

This is the hottest list of emerging rugby league talent you will read about this summer.

Paul Crawley has identified three standout stars of the future, from each of the 17 NRL clubs, that are set to explode in 2023 and beyond.

They range from the most dominant schoolboy athletes banging down the door to become the next Joseph Suaalii or Jeremiah Nanai, to a young fullback who is a flashback to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, and a gun halfback some good judges reckon could be the next Johnathan Thurston.

There is also a new generation of some famous surnames, while some that even the rusted on fans may not be aware of could become household names in years to come.

What all of them have to prove now is that they not only have the talent, but the character and commitment to cut it in the toughest team contact sport on the planet.

Originally published as NRL Rookie Watch: The best young players at every club