11 potential future NRL stars emerging amid code war for junior talent, what their status is for 2025

Heamasi Makasini is the latest junior talent to side with the 13-a-side game amid the ongoing tug-of-war between the NRL and Rugby Australia. See our analysis of 11 emerging stars that are stuck between codes and what their status is heading into 2025.

Heamasi Makasini, Callum Grantham and Zach Fittler all have two things in common.

They are the future of Australian sport, and they have spent the last year in between a massive tug-of-war between the NRL and Rugby Australia.

Makasini made his allegiance clear when signing earlier this week with the Tigers on one of the biggest contracts for a teenager.

Despite rugby’s best efforts, Makasini’s dream of playing left centre for the Wests Tigers was too hard to turn down.

A message from coach Benji Marshall to Makasini and his manager Mario Tartak was all that was needed to land the crucial blow over the NRL’s 15-man counterpart.

“Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers coach) has told Heamasi and his parents that he could play NRL as soon as next year while still at school,” Tartak told this masthead.

Fittler saw his future with rugby after signing a two year deal with the Waratahs, and Grantham has agreed to a long term deal at Cronulla, with rugby losing yet another prospect.

While these three have made headlines and their signatures were chased quite publicly by both codes, the war is even bigger below the surface.

This masthead can reveal 11 players who have been stuck between both codes this year, and what their current status is heading into season 2025.