It barely feels like the NRL season has ended, particularly with international rugby league in full swing. And yet, another preseason is on the horizon.
NRL players under 22 (clockwise from top left): Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam, Zac Laybutt and Isaiya Katoa.Credit: Marija Ercegovac
Queensland’s clubs will start returning to training within the next week, giving a host of rising stars the chance to fight for their futures or prove they belong at the top.
Here, we break down the top 22 Queensland-based prospects younger than 22, and what their preseason story arcs will entail.
Brisbane Broncos
On the back of their grand final exploits, the Brisbane Broncos will have a delayed start to their preseason – beginning on November 23.
All eyes will be on Reece Walsh, who after a breakout season will be a target from rival defences come 2024. The contract saga of Ezra Mam will be a hot topic – he’ll trigger a frenzy on the open market if unsigned by November 1 beyond the end of his 2024 deal.
Brisbane has a tough task ahead to retain a successful roster, with Jordan Riki, Kurt Capewell, Adam Reynolds and Brendan Piakura also off contract at the end of next year.
And a battle for positions will ensue to replace outgoing centre Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins) and prop Keenan Palasia (Titans).
Gold Coast Titans
The Des Hasler reign is about to begin on the Gold Coast.
The question looms over who takes the fullback jumper, with AJ Brimson in line for a potential shift to the centres to accommodate for Jayden Campbell. However, Campbell showed his versatility by impressing at times in the five-eighth jumper, and with veteran Kieran Foran’s injury history coupled with the Titans’ inability to find a stable halfback since Jamal Fogarty’s move to the Raiders, the halves could be an option for him.
That would open the door for rising star Keano Kini, who last preseason was likened to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. Tanah Boyd and Tom Weaver are set to fight for first crack in the No.7, while rookie forward Klese Haas will also be free to negotiate with rival outfits from November 1, with his playing time likely to be cut due to the injury return of Beau Fermor and recruitment of Keenan Palasia. Hasler’s first preseason with the club will begin on November 6.
Dolphins
As the NRL’s newest outfit, the Dolphins’ junior pathways will take time to develop.
However, as their academy takes shape, a cohort of youngsters has been given an early taste of life at the top. This preseason looms as their chance to prove they are the future of the club.
Dolphins’ CEO Terry Reader has said before they would not rush recruitment, and would ensure they are bringing in the right people who fit the direction they wish to take.
It gives the developing contingent in their ranks the chance to shine under coach Wayne Bennett throughout the summer, with the halves battle and interchange roles likely to be the most hotly contested. The Dolphins will launch their preseason on November 6.
North Queensland Cowboys
The Cowboys have been light on the recruitment front thus far, so to crack back into the top eight in 2024, coach Todd Payten will need to strengthen his side from within.
How they replace veteran centre Peta Hiku looms as the biggest selection headache, while the emergence of a rookie forward will create an interesting battle throughout the preseason, and a juggling act once the campaign kicks off.
Premiership-winning halfback Chad Townsend will also enter the final year of his contract, and should he not be re-signed, the chance could beckon for a young gun to make his case for the No.7 jumper long-term.
When North Queensland begin their preseason on November 1, Payten will be determined to improve his squad’s fitness, after a host of young players who turned in break-out 2022 seasons suffered from fatigue and began training late following their World Cup exploits.
Kaiden Lahrs: His official high school graduation is still approaching, and yet Kaiden Lahrs is already about to enter his first NRL preseason as a member of the Cowboys Top 30 squad. The teenage lock is the son of former New South Wales prop Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, and created Kirwan State High School history when he became the youngest recipient of the Sam Thaiday Medal as the esteemed rugby league school’s player of the year. Originally signed to the Broncos in his junior days, the Cowboys’ poaching raid of Lahrs shows how invested they are in the youngster, and while a season in the Queensland Cup is most likely, he will no doubt be on the radar for higher honours.
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