By STEVE MASCORD
JASON Taumalolo didn’t change cities as a teenager to become a professional rugby league player. He changed countries. At 12.
And by the time he was 22, the devastating North Queensland and New Zealand second rower admits, he was close to burnt out. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to play rugby league any more.
Which is why he has a watchful eye on Cowboys club-mate Kalyn Ponga.
“I’ve seen him play. He’s a great player,” says Taumalolo. “For his young age, not many times have I seen a fullback play like that.
“I think the last time I saw someone play that kind of footy, pretty much carve every team, was … I remember playing against James Roberts, under 15s. He was playing for NSW, I was playing for Queensland and he was running rings around us like there was no tomorrow. I’d never seen someone single-handedly beat a team.”
But Taumalolo knows about the hurdles. “I just hope he has the right head on his shoulders and the best support he can (get), mainly from his parents. I’d like to see him one day become one of the greatest players to play NRL.”
For those of you who were staggered that you’d never heard of Latrell Mitchell when you saw him play for Sydney Roosters in the World Club Challenge, here’s some breaking news – there’s probably one of them at every club.
In no particular order, then, 10 NRL rookies to watch:
NELSON ASOFA-SOLOMONA (Melbourne)
THE 20-year-old second rower or prop from Wellington College in New Zealand has already had a taste of NRL. In his first year in the Under 20s competition, he was named in the Holden Cup player of the year. Rangy and powerful, Asofa-Solomona made his debut on Anzac Day 2015 against Manly. By the time he was 20 he already had an NRL finals series under his belt. He’s represented the Junior Kiws and also played in the Auckland Nines.
BEVAN FRENCH (Parramatta)
THE first star youngster we really got a look at this year was Parramatta’s Bevan French. He scored eight tries with Parramatta as they took out the Auckland Nines and at 20, is old enough for first grade. But we’ve not seen him since. Bevan played first grade for Tingha Tigers at the age of just 15, before his mother forcibly removed him from the dressing room to prevent putting him at the mercy of men twice his age any longer. Eight clubs chased his signature and he’ll no doubt be a mainstay of the Eels in years to come.
VILIAME KIKAU (Penrith)
FIJIAN born Kikau had a stint at the Cowboys before linking up with Anthony Griffin at Penrith. He’s a 21-year-old prop who has already played one full international for the Bati and originally guested with North Queensland for training stint in 2013. Originally a centre in rugby union, he switched the front row when he won a contract the following year. Viliame has also played one NRL trial for the Cowboys. He does not qualify for Origin because he did not live in NSW or Queensland before the age of 18 but could make a similar choice to Semi Radradra when it comes to Australian selection.
LIAM KNIGHT (Manly)
THE Manly junior was looking close to make his debut when he was caught driving more than 45 kmph over the speed limit with a high blood-alcohol reading in March. At the time he was already negotiating with a number of clubs about 2016 – now he’s just trying to keep his career alive. At the time of writing he was currently under suspension pending a court appearance. Knight is a prop who will have no troubling finding another club if the Sea Eagles set him loose – an inherent flaw in the was club discipline works.
BROCK LAMB (Newcastle)
AS a Maitland local, Brock Lamb was Newcastle Knights’ player to lose – and they made sure they didn’t. Lamb was the man of the match when in the First Test between the Australian Schoolboys and England in 2014 and renewed his contract with the Knights when he got home. The stand-off is being blooded in the NSW Cup but was given an airing in top company during the NRL Nines in February. At the moment he’s behind representative halves Jarrod Mullen and Trent Hodkinson.
TE MAIRE MARTIN (Penrith)
ANOTHER fellow who is being blooded in first grade at the moment, the Panthers cub kicked the winning field goal earlier this year against Brisbane. He’s been compared to Benji Marshall and the Tokora, New Zealand, born 20-year-old is being brought along slowly by new Penrith coach Anthony Griffin. Like Marshall, he was recruited from New Zealand by the famed Keebra Park College on the Gold Coast. He played 40 matches in the Under 20s at Wests Tigers before transferring to the foot of the mountains this year.
LATRELL MITCHELL (Sydney Roosters)
YOU saw the nimble-footed Mitchell in World Club Series but unfortunately he’s returned home to a losing side, with one of the most successful teams of recent years dragging the chain at the bottom of the table. From Taree, north of Newcastle, he made his name in the Holden Cup. When the Sydney Roosters lost Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to the Warriors late last year, they made sure they tied up Mitchell until 2019. However, Mitchell’s habit of ambling up to the defence before accelerating away with deceptive pace doesn’t work quite as well in first grade. The Tri-colours have been linked to Lachlan Coote for next year.
JAYDEN NIKORIMA (Sydney Roosters)
USED in the halves during the World Club Series, the brother of Kiwis half Kodi may have been promoted a little too early. After a few weeks of losses at home, coach Trent Robinson put him back on the bench and picked Italy back-rower Aiden Guerra at stand-off. Still, at 19 the Palmerston North-born Jayden has plenty of time to reach his potential. Unlike his brother, he has pledged his allegiance to Queensland and Australia. Could we one day see an international sibling rivalry to match Chris Morley versus Adrian Morley?
KALYN PONGA (North Queensland)
THIS young man is the reason the Cowboys may be willing to let Lachlan Coote go. He was signed in 2014, aged just 15, from Anglican Church Grammar School in Brisbane. Not only is he a talented golfer but he was chased by – get this – Brisbane Lions AFL, Queensland Reds rugby union, Sydney Roosters, Brisbane Broncos and the Cowboys! He played for the Australian Under 15s rugby lesgue team when he was just 14 and chose Townsville because it would be better for his family. That is, not his wife and kids – he’s too young for that – but his parents! This is going to be a fascinating career.
ASH TAYLOR (Gold Coast)
AGAINST all odds, Gold Coast tempted Ash Taylor down the road from the Broncos and the Toowoomba product has been a mainstay in the a side that has performed surprisingly well this season. The loss of Kane Elgey to a pre-season training mishap meant Taylor was going to have more responsibility than he expected. He then lost another potentially permanent halves partner, Tyrone Roberts, to injury but still didn’t wilt under the pressure. “I’m really enjoying the responsibility and getting more confident each week,” he says.
This story appeared in the May 2016 edition of Rugby League World
