We’ve analysed the rookies to watch at every NRL club, so what about those who’ve had a taste of first grade and are ready to become regular starters?
At almost every club there’s a vacant position ready to be filled, like the Cowboys who have lost Valentine Holmes, leaving a gaping hole in the centres.
However, there’s a young gun, with a handful of NRL appearances under his belt ready to jump into that spot and make a name for himself.
Elsewhere, the Bulldogs have a forgotten prodigy who is priming himself for a 2025 return, while the Titans’ rugby union convert will be pushing for a debut.
So here’s a player from every club with 10 NRL appearances or less who could force their way into their respective best 17s by the seasons’s end!
BRONCOS — Benjamin Te Kura
Benjamin Te Kura has been hailed as a regular first grader in the making since it emerged the Broncos had a 205cm enforcer in their ranks. The 20-year-old is currently the NRL’s tallest player, and he made his debut in Round 5 of the 2024 season, going on to play a further two games to close out the year. Te Kura scored in his first NRL appearance, but battled with a Lisfranc injury during the season that kept him sidelined for an extended period. However, on return to Queensland Cup, it only took two weeks before he returned to the Broncos first grade outfit. With a clean slate under new coach Michael Maguire, Te Kura could emerge as an impact option off the bench and the hulking forward will be desperate to have his best NRL season to date.
RAIDERS — Chevy Stewart
Chevy Stewart showed he was what it takes to be an NRL star in 2024. The 19-year-old played three first grade games in 2024, and was tested at time at fullback. Namely, his first half performance against the Broncos was one he’d love to forget. However, after a halftime Ricky Stuart pep talk, and the Raiders coach had nothing but praise for the way he responded in the second 40 minutes. “If Chevy Stewart wasn’t a tough kid he would have crumbled tonight because a lot of kids at 18 years of age, you’ve got to remember that,” Stuart said. “I know at 18 I wasn’t ready to play NRL. At 18 him out there tonight how he handled that second half he showed me that he has a future in the NRL.” What’s more is there’s now a potential path for the teenager to make a home in the No.1 jersey, with Jordan Rapana departing the nation’s capital. Kaeo Weekes will be first choice fullback, but Stewart will be breathing down his neck waiting for an opportunity.
BULLDOGS — Karl Oloapu
Karl Oloapu endured a turbulent 2024, being forced to go under the knife to start the year after suffering a horror neck injury. There were even talks Oloapu could be forced into retirement, with the young gun battling a painful bulging disc during his rookie NRL year. “It was a big shock for me, people trying to say that I was going to retire,” he said. Oloapu has been quietly plotting a first grade comeback ahead of the 2025 season and he was given the green light to return to the sport he loves next year. Oloapu has played seven NRL games to date, featuring at five-eighth and off the bench. But his big frame has many pundits believing he will become a roaming middle forward, and next season he will be desperate to cement a spot in the Bulldogs side, potentially becoming a handy No.14 that can slot into the halves if called upon. However, it’s likely he will be eased back into the action via NSW Cup.
SHARKS — Sam Stonestreet
Sam Stonestreet fulfilled his life’s dream when he was able to take the field for his beloved Cronulla Sharks in 2024. The gun winger played five games under Craig Fitzgibbon this year, scoring a remarkable eight tries in a true showing of finishing prowess. What’s more, is Stonestreet scored from all parts of the field and has blistering pace to streak away from his opponents. The 22-year-old completed three years for the Jets before being given his first grade opportunity, and now he’s the next cab off the rank in the Sharks winger standings. Should Sione Katoa or Ronaldo Mulitalo be unavailable, Stonestreet will once again get his opportunity and it won’t be long before he’s a regular first grader.