Reserve Grade Kiwis #5
As mentioned on NRL 360 last night, Esan Marsters is in demand.
Only one former Junior Warrior in our Reserve Grade Kiwis this week, I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing but either way it's interesting.
Zach Dockar-Clay | 21 years | Bell Block Marist Dragons
Kiwi rugby league fans will know all about Zach Dockar-Clay as he was a staple of the Junior Kiwis for three years from 2013 to 2015, forming a lethal combination with Te Maire Martin in the halves. Consider it a wise recruitment move from Phil Gould and Penrith then that Dockar-Clay was snapped up by the Panthers from Parramatta and that Martin was also snapped up from Wests Tigers.
Martin swiftly made the jump into the NRL while Dockar-Clay has enjoyed consistent game time in reserve grade where he's played in the halves and at hooker. This week Dockar-Clay is in the halves with Jamie Soward which is kinda crazy, on top of that James Segeyaro has been named to start at hooker, meaning Dockar-Clay will form a spine with two certified NRL players. The dramas around Penrith's NRL squad has also seen former Junior Kiwi and Tongan international Sione Katoa get game time as an edge forward after spending much of his Under-20s and reserve grade footy at hooker.
It's hard to judge Dockar-Clay's standing at Penrith, mainly because he's an extremely versatile footy player who does a fine job in both the halves and at hooker. Dockar-Clay was recruited by Penrith and has actually captained their reserve grade side this season, but when Soward was dropped, it was Nathan Cleary who got the promotion, after Martin was given the first shot to partner Soward earlier this season. That means that both Martin and Cleary are ahead of Dockar-Clay in the halves.
Segeyaro could be heading out the door, which could mean an opportunity for Dockar-Clay at hooker, especially with Katoa getting more game time as a forward. Penrith coach Anthony Griffin does love young footy players which means that Dockar-Clay will get an opportunity at some stage and all he can do for now is to play well in whatever position he is asked to fill.
Penrith Panthers vs Newcastle Knights | Pepper Stadium | 3pm Saturday (Aus)
Esan Marsters | 19 years | Mount Albert Lions
I had jotted Esan Marsters' name down as I prepared for my weekly dose of Reserve Grade Kiwis and then I sat down to watch NRL 360. Amongst all of the Origin talk and NRL news, Ben Ikin threw in a curveball as he said that at least five clubs were in pursuit of Marsters, a young Tigers forward and my antenna perked up.
This is because Marsters scored 14 tries in 21 games last season for the Tigers Under-20s side, which saw him make his international debut for the Cook Islands. Marsters was a Junior Kiwi this year, still eligible for the Juniors despite playing plenty of reserve grade footy and he lines up this weekend for the Tigers as an edge forward alongside Manaia Cherrington who starts at hooker.
It's hard to gauge Marsters' future prospects with the Tigers as Fox Sports are reporting that he is being head-hunted by the Sharks, Manly, Rabbitohs and Knights while the Tigers would also be wise to snap him up. If Marsters does opt to stay with the Tigers, there's a clear pathway for him there as the Tigers do lack a dangerous edge forward with Chris Lawrence offering a veteran presence and the likes of Kyle Lovett not really offering much of a threat.
Marsters has shown that he's a beast, with slick hands so the Tigers would definitely benefit from keeping him around and bringing him through to the NRL, although Fox Sports also reported that second-tier salary cap issues will keep him from making his NRL debut this season.
Wests Tigers vs North Sydney Bears| North Sydney Oval | 3pm Saturday (Aus)
Matiu Love-Henry | 20 years | WaiCoa Bay Stallions
Former Junior Warrior Matiu Love-Henry was spotted by the Warriors playing out of Taupo and as there aren't too many folk from Taupo running around in the NRL, we'd have to assume that Love-Henry is in rare air in hailing from Taupo. He enjoyed a long stint with the Junior Warriors but wasn't rewarded with a fulltime gig after graduating from the Juniors, so when I saw his name pop up in Queensland's Intrust Super Cup I was intrigued.
Also intriguing was a story from the Warriors last year that said that Love-Henry is fluent in Te Reo and that he can envision himself teaching in a kura (Maori school) one day. How cool is that?
There's not shortage of edge forwards at Mt Smart but that same story from the Warriors highlighted that Love-Henry had 7 tries in 9 games last season and averaged 120m a game (at that stage) so it's odd that the Warriors weren't keen to develop Love-Henry into an NRL player. Instead, Love-Henry is now playing for Norths Devils in Brisbane and that's far from the worst place for a talented young forward to be as Norths are aligned with the Broncos and Love-Henry will line up this weekend alongside Lachlan Maranta, Francis Molo and Jai Arrow who have all played for the Broncos.
Love-Henry appears to have been signed by Norths and not Brisbane, so playing for Norths won't mean any direct connection to the Broncos. That Love-Henry is training and playing in front of Broncos folk is a huge positive though and I've seen Love-Henry's name starting on the edge for a number of weeks now, which means he must be doing something right.
Norths Devils vs CQ Capras | Salter Oval | 6pm Saturday