Inside Brisbane Broncos’ emerging NRL production line: Israel Leota, Blake Mozer, Ben Te Kura, Coby Black
From an Israel Folau clone to Adam Reynolds’ long-term successor - Brisbane’s charge to the 2023 premiership has been reinforced by a host of emerging stars on the cusp of NRL stardom.
Air Izzy is coming back to the Broncos.
Leaping young gun Israel Leota is one of a host of rising stars ready to take the next step at Red Hill as Brisbane prioritises development over recruitment in the quest for long-term NRL success.
Leota, 18, will join the likes of fellow Queensland under-19 Origin representatives Blake Mozer and Ben Te Kura in pushing for an NRL debut for the Broncos next year.
Throw in emerging halfback Coby Black – considered to be the top schoolboy playmaker in the state this year – and the Broncos have a bright future.
At this stage, the Broncos have only recruited one NRL player – Roosters prop Fletcher Baker – from a rival club for next season.
While it is likely they will welcome further new signings with three spots remaining in their top 30 for 2024, the Broncos are investing in developing talent to spearhead a new era of dominance under Kevin Walters.
ISRAEL LEOTA
Age: 18
Position: Centre/wing
One of Brisbane’s top prospects is Leota, an Ipswich Grammar graduate and state level volleyball player who the Broncos lured back to rugby league from rugby union and Aussie rules.
It has been 13 years since Israel Folau soared in a Broncos and Maroons jersey, and now Brisbane’s next ‘Izzy’ is ready to launch his NRL career.
Cross-code superstar Karmichael Hunt has been coaching Leota at Souths-Logan and said he was a tremendous athlete.
“He is a really athletic, tall outside back who is growing into his frame,” Hunt said.
“He played league, rugby and volleyball. He has been an elite athlete through the juniors.
“I had him in the Mal Meninga Cup last year and he is a really good ball-carrier with tremendous speed.
“He’s actually got the quickest 40m time at the Broncos across all age groups from juniors to first grade. He has got some really wonderful athletic attributes.
“He made his Hostplus Cup debut for us this year and we’re looking to get more games into him in the near future to develop him.”
Hunt has been overseeing some of the Broncos’ top youngsters over the past two years.
He coached Leota and hooker Blake Mozer in Souths-Logan’s victorious under-18 Mal Meninga Cup team last year and has been watching Te Kura step up in the Hostplus Cup this season.
BEN TE KURA
Age: 19
Position: Front row
‘Two Metre Te Kura’ is a towering prop at 205cm who has played alongside Mozer in Queensland’s under-19s Origin team for the past two years.
“Ben has been one of our most consistent performers and best middles, which is saying a lot for a 19-year-old playing against men,” Hunt said.
“We were lucky enough to get him over from Norths earlier in the year and each week he keeps getting better and developing his game.
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“The standout performance for me from him this year was against PNG in PNG. He really led the physicality, which is saying something about his character because PNG footy players are hard to play against.
“He is athletically and biologically really gifted. Once he grows his tank and gets a better understanding of his capabilities when it comes to his size and frame, he’s going to be a really handy player for the Broncos in the future.”
BLAKE MOZER
Age: 19
Position: Hooker
At the start of this season, there was a chance highly-rated hooker Mozer could make his NRL debut at some point in 2023.
That appears unlikely with the Broncos in premiership contention and strong competition at dummy-half between Billy Walters, Tyson Smoothy and Cory Paix.
But Mozer is expected to take the next step in 2024 and Hunt said he was maturing into a quality hooker.
“He has played the majority of Cup this year and starting for us if Paixy hasn’t been there,” Hunt said.
“He’s grown as the season’s gone on. His best games have been our most recent ones.
“The future is bright for Blake. I know enough has been written about him and he’s got huge raps on him, but I’m really seeing it first-hand on the weekends.
“The big thing that’s stood out for me is he’s still got some size to put on, but he’s putting his body on the line in defence and really controlling the attack through the middle.”
COBY BLACK
Age: 17
Position: Halfback
Black, 17, will graduate from Marsden State High this year and move straight into Brisbane’s full-time NRL squad on the development list.
He has been earmarked as Adam Reynolds’ long-term successor in the Broncos’ No. 7 jersey, but Brisbane won’t rush his development given the brutal nature of playmaking in the NRL.
Other notable schoolboys on Brisbane’s books are Cameron Bukowski and Jett Bryce who starred at this year’s ASSRL carnival.
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