Revealed: 2024 Peter Mulholland Cup team of the year

A new coach and a wealth of future talent at their disposal, long-suffering Eels fans can finally rejoice. Find out how they topped the NRL clubs in the Peter Mulholland Cup team of the season.

The Parramatta Eels have given fans reason for hope with the club leading the way in the Peter Mulholland Cup team of the season.

The Eels, who haven’t tasted premiership success in the top grade since the 1980s, have two contracted players among the top 13 schoolboys in NSW.

They are tied for the most players in the list along with NRL rivals Cronulla Sharks, who had two players involved in Endeavour Sports High’s run to the PMC final.

The Eels duo includes two stars of Peter Mulholland Cup champions Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown in exciting dummy-half Lachlan Coinakis and lethal finisher Jack Nicholas.

Patrician Brothers College teammate Jacob Halangahu, who was named in the backrow in the PMC team of the season, was in the sights of the Eels at one point before he was lured to the St George-Illawarra Dragons on a multi-year deal.

Check out the full PMC team of the season below, and let us know if you think we missed anyone.

FULLBACK

Waka Hammond – Hallam College/Melbourne Storm

Melbourne Storm young gun Waka Hammond. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography.

He was the human highlight reel that caught the eye of everyone – including the Melbourne Storm superstar fullback he one day hopes to replace. Hammond was a driving force behind Hallam College’s rise to Storm Cup champions, and pulled off the matchwinning play in their dramatic finals play-in win over Patrician Brothers College Fairfield. Blessed with blistering speed and sharp footwork but above all else an insatiable hunger to compete.

Honourable mentions: Jack Attard (St Dominic’s College), Cameron Bamblett (Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown), Cooper Dean-Potaka (Central Coast Sports College), Ali Karnib (Bass High)

WINGERS

Joshua Fesolai – Central Coast Sports College/CC Roosters

Jack Nicholas – Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown/Parramatta Eels

Joshua Fesolai.

Jack Nicholas.

They were semi-final rivals and proved too hard to go past this season simply based on their finishing ability and work rate. Fesolai had an unforgettable semi-final performance, scoring three tries to almost pull off the unthinkable against Patrician Brothers College. It was merely a fitting finish to a fantastic season on the flank for the teenager. Nicholas was one of the unsung heroes of Patrician Brothers’ title campaign with his tough work out of the back-field often overlooked. Scored a crucial try in the PMC final and was unlucky to miss the national final through injury.

Honourable mentions: Lorima Rokosuka (Westfields Sports High), Samuel Mardini (Holy Cross College), Patrick Slade (Hunter Sports High)

CENTRES

Nikora Williams – Endeavour Sports High/Cronulla Sharks

Dayne Jennings – Central Coast Sports College/South Sydney Rabbitohs

Dayne Jennings.

Nikora Williams.

There is a reason Nikora Williams is a two-time Australian Schoolboys centre. The Sharks young gun is just that good and should be fast tracked to the top grade after another standout season on the football field. He has the ability to step off both feet and made a habit to set up his outside men with a Gidley-esque flick pass. The ‘Dayne Plane’ certainly took off this season. The Central Coast centre had multiple highlight reel-worthy moments this season and had the ability to tear open a game with a tackle break, chip and chase or sheer pace off the mark.

Honourable mentions: Harry Hudson (Erindale College), Jope Raque (Holy Cross)

FIVE-EIGHTH

Jared Haywood – Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown/Wests Tigers

Jared Haywood.

With how well Jared Haywood steered his Patrician Brothers side to the state title, it’s hard to believe he played the season out of position. The Wests Tigers junior’s first-choice position is hooker, but plenty at the club will be impressed by the versatility he showed in the Schoolboys Cup. Has an impressive ability to attack what he sees on the field, but also helped manage a lot of the side’s go forward in the absence of injured halfback Jhett Sydir. Was a deserved selection on the bench for the Australian Schoolboys side.

Honourable mentions: Isaac Fotu-Moala (Central Coast Sports College), Cooper Black (St Gregory’s College)

HALFBACK

Jonah Anderson – Erindale College/Canberra Raiders

Jonah Anderson.

The Erindale halfback was one of the key cogs in their run to the Peter Mulholland Cup finals. Into his third season in the NRL Schoolboys Cup, the confident playmaker showed that experience counts for plenty as he schooled several high-profile defences. The Raiders-bound playmaker turned plenty of heads this season including in the NSW Rugby League junior ranks where he was named Laurie Daley Cup player of the year.

Honourable mentions: Alex Isdale (Patrician Brothers College, Fairfield), Lewis Sargeant-Wilson (Endeavour Sports High), Jesais Ah Kee (Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown)

PROPS

Simione Laiafi - Bass High/Manly-Warringah Sea-Eagles

Cody Hopwood - All Saints College/Newcastle Knights

Simione Laifai.

Cody Hopwood.

The barnstorming front rower was crucial in the Bass High run to the Peter Mulholland Cup finals with his mix of raw power and ballplaying ability in the middle of the field. Laifai finished the year in the Australian Schoolboys side and was rewarded with a contract extension at the Sea Eagles which will have him in the Top 30 squad in 2026. Knights young gun Cody Hopwood is arguably the best front row prospect in the country. Raw talent and high work rate combine to deliver the ultimate package in the middle, a two-time Australian schoolboys representative, NSW Under-19s Origin champion and already had a taste of NSW Cup action before finishing school.

Honourable mentions: Christian Taupau-Moors (Patrician Brothers Blacktown), Hemi Blackburn-Kingi (Endeavour Sports High), Ryda Talagi (Westfields Sports High), Jean-Paul Kawtal (Holy Cross)

HOOKER

Lachlan Coinakis – Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown/Parramatta Eels

Lachlan Coinakkis.

The crucial piece to the Patrician Brothers College spine, the Eels junior had a massive season on the Schoolboys Cup fields this season. Has the ability to read a defence in a split second and his decision making out of dummy-half was second to none in the competition. Coinakis also possesses decent acceleration out of the ruck and can take pressure off his kickers. Was picked in the Australian Schoolboys side at dummy-half.

Honourable mentions: Mitchell Brophy (Erindale College), Lachlan Simpson (Central Coast Sports College), Aaron Keppie (Bass High)

SECOND-ROW

Jacob Halangahu (c) – Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown/St George-Illawarra Dragons

Yuri Hromow – Erindale College/Unsigned

Jacob Halangahu.

Yuri Hromow.

He has a fair bit of claim to being the best schoolboys league player in the country, and Jacob Halangahu backed up the hype in 2024. The Patrician Brothers backrower capped off an incredible year on the field, which included an SG Ball title and NSW Under-19s Origin berth, by steering his team to the Peter Mulholland Cup. Halangahu is in the barnstorming mould of David Fifita with a work rate to rival Cameron McInnes. The Canberra flyer Yuri Hromow burst onto the scene this season with a mid-season switch from fullback to the backrow. He rarely looked out of place, with his burst of speed off the mark and impressive partnership with centre Harry Hudson causing headaches for rivals.

Honourable mentions: Phoenix Godinet (Bass High), Blake Watman (Endeavour Sports High), Byron Laupepa (Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown)

LOCK

Thomas Dellow – Endeavour Sports High/Cronulla Sharks

Thomas Dellow.

The Australian Schoolboys lock is the perfect example of a rugby league workhorse. Dellow is a no-nonsense, roll up the sleeves and get to work style player. He was the heart and soul of the Endeavour side and played the perfect foil to the teams flashy halves and outside backs. Dellow breaks tackles for fun and has the ability to find the chalk, and has caught the eye of the Sharks hierarchy after sweeping the club’s under-17s awards earlier this year. He will be back to lead the Endeavour side again next season.

Honourable mentions: Josiah Fesolai (Central Coast Sports College), Tyson Sangalang (Patrician Brothers College, Blacktown)

Patrician Brothers College Blacktown might have retaken the mantle as the best schoolboys league side in NSW, but the 2024 Peter Mulholland Cup season was about much more than just the champions.

It was a season with plenty of twists and turns, from the dramatic downfall of reigning champions Westfields Sports High to the rise of unsung powerhouse Central Coast Sports College.

There was the dramatic fightback of grand finalists Endeavour Sports High after a shock opening round loss, and who could forget the finals fairytale that was the Hallam boys.

Originally published as Revealed: 2024 Peter Mulholland Cup team of the year