#KiwiNRL Reserve Grade Grand Finals
Can't sleep on the ressies
As the inter-state reserve grade game, aka a national reserve grade final goes down before the NRL Grand Final, this weekend we have the Queensland and New South Wales finals. As you'd expect, we've got a sprinkling of #KiwiNRL funk in either state's Grand Finals and along with that, it's important to celebrate Papa New Guinea Hunters who have made the Queensland GF only a few years after entering the competition.
Obviously this sparks some noise about expansion and opening the door for rugby league to enjoy a stronger hold in places like PNG. PNG has long been a heartland for rugby league and it's probably the only country in the world where rugby league is loved as much as it is, so chur to everyone involved in PNG Hunters' swift rise to the top of Queensland's Intrust Super Cup.
The Hunters will take on Sunshine Coast Falcons, who are one of two Melbourne Storm feeder clubs. Melbourne have a strong history in Queensland having formerly been tied to Norths Devils where Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk all did time before cracking the NRL and the Storm then linked with Easts Tigers before setting up a nifty development spot up on the Sunshine Coast.
Brandon Smith is the key name listed for Sunshine Coast and the Waiheke Island product is set to start at hooker for the Falcons. Smith was ruled out for the back-end of the season through injury, but came back into the Falcons side in week three of the finals series, playing last week and now this week. Given that Smith looked at home in the NRL earlier this season when Cameron Smith was on Origin duty, having Brandon Smith in your reserve grade side is nothing but an asset.
Joining the #KiwiNRL youngster who arguably has the most potential of anyone not named Nelson Asofa-Solomona in the Falcons side is Jeremy Hawkins. Hawkins has been named on the wing for Sunshine Coast and after emerging as a young kiwi to watch out for a few years ago with Canberra Raiders, leading to him making the Junior Kiwis in 2013. After being released from his deal at the Raiders, Hawkins joined Melbourne on a two-year deal and that deal's almost up so Hawkins will be eager to impress in the GF with the Falcons.
Still only 24-years-old, the Wellington junior can still carve out an NRL career and there's no better system to be involved with than the Melbourne Storm. Jahrome Hughes hasn't been named at fullback for the Falcons and was named on an extended bench for Melbourne Storm, yet if Hughes isn't required for Melbourne, expect to see another Wellingtonian in the Falcons starting line up.
Hughes was also hugely impressive for the Storm in limited opportunities this season at fullback and he's swiftly become someone to keep tabs on as the Storm look for a replacement for Billy Slater. There's a chance Hughes won't play if he stays with the Storm for their NRL Finals game against Brisbane Broncos, although the wise move would be to send Hughes back up to Queensland and give the Falcons a boost.
In Sydney we have the Penrith Panthers taking on Wyong Roos. Penrith are obviously feeding into the Panthers NRL side and that allows them the luxury of rolling with Sitaleki Akauola at prop, a player who should have played more NRL footy. Akauola hasn't had too many opportunities at Penrith this season, despite being a monster last season after shifting from the edge to the middle. Warrington Wolves noted Akauola's lack of NRL work and offered him a two-year deal, this could make Akauola someone to keep tabs on over in England as he's likely to earn cult-hero status among Wolves fans.
When the Junior Kiwis team was announced earlier this year, I found some glorious footage of Panthers half Jarome Luai in the Under 20s. Luai was named in the halves for the Junior Kiwis and his highlights package is well worth the watch, twice:
Luai is obviously still eligible for the Under 20s but has already graduated to big boy footy and his situation reminds me of Te Maire Martin a few years back. Martin left the Tigers because Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses were in the halves and then Martin couldn't hold down a spot in Penrith's halves with Nathan Cleary joined by either Matt Moylan or Tyrone May.
May is doing a decent job alongside Cleary and with constant speculation that Moylan is likely to move on from Penrith, May could get further opportunities. May is however a versatile young lad, which could mean Luai gets a run in the halves sometime next season, or Luai can also play fullback. Ah, but Dylan Edwards was great in his debut NRL season for Penrith, so there doesn't seem to be much of a pathway for Luai to crack the NRL. If Luai demands selection, Penrith will slot him in somewhere but if the Panthers look settled, Luai could become one of the hottest reserve grade prospects.
Penrith have also named Nick Lui Toso on their bench, he's from Auckland and was a Glenora Bears junior before spending time in the North Queensland Cowboys system. Lui Toso is yet another example of the excellect NZRL development program as he was part of the 2014 Aotearoa Residents Under 18s team, along with the likes of Erin Clark, Ata Hingano, Ofa Ogden and Fabien Paletua-Kiri (2017 Junior Kiwis). They played against the Taurahere Kiwis team made up of Aotearoa eligible lads based in Australia and that Tauhere team featured James Fisher-Harris, Jamayne Isaako, Joseph Manu, Siosifa Talakai and a few others such as Kalani Going who is still impressing in the Under 20s.
Wyong Roos have Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck on the wing, younger bro of Roger. Tuivasa-Sheck was a stand out alongside Joseph Manu in the Roosters Under 20s Champions team last year and don't be surprised to see Johnny emerge as a possible target for the Warriors given the link with Roger.
The Roos also have Jayden Nikorima in the halves, who is Kodi's younger bro. Jayden has opted to go the Queensland/Aotearoa route unlike Kodi, which is fair enough given he was a wee lad when the Nikorimas moved from the Manawatu to Brisbane. Nikorima's still a hearty cuzzie though and the match up between Luai and Nikorima will be enticing; reason alone to have a geeze.
Peace and love 27.
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