Category: Canberra Raiders

Last year’s Auckland Nines tournament gave us an early glimpse at a number of talented youngsters who would go onto to make their NRL debut in 2014, including Valentine Holmes, Cameron Munster and Tuimoala Lolohea. Let’s a closer look at the NYC-eligible players who have been selected for the 2015 tournament.

Elijah Alick (Brisbane Broncos)
Born: 28/3/1996 (Brisbane, Qld)
Position: Fullback/Wing
Junior Club: Redlands
Rep Honours: Aus Schoolboys (2013), Qld U18s (2013-14)
A Redlands junior who can play at fullback or on the wing, Alick will be entering his 3rd season of NYC in 2015 and will still be eligible in 2016, having already played 30 games for the Broncos.

Jayden Nikorima (Brisbane Broncos)
Born: 5/10/1996 (Palmerston North, NZ)
Position: Hooker/Halfback
Junior Club: Aspley Devils
Rep Honours: Aus Schoolboys (2013), Qld U18s (2013)
Nikorima burst onto the scene last season, scoring 17 tries in 20 games. He sparked the Broncos second half comeback in last year’s NYC Grand Final and nearly sent the game into extra time. Nikorima was a member of the QRL’s Emerging Maroons squad in 2015.

Joe Ofahengaue (Brisbane Broncos)
Born: 15/9/1995 (Auckland, NZ)
Position: Prop
Junior Club: Ipswich Brothers
Rep Honours: Junior Kangaroos (2014), Qld U20s (2014), Qld U18s (2013)
In 2014, Ofahengaue started the year at the Auckland Nines and ended it with a Junior Kangaroos jersey. The prop forward was near unstoppable in the Broncos run to the Grand Final and may spend most of 2015 playing against the big boys in the Intrust Super Cup.

Luke Bateman (Canberra Raiders)
Born: 23/1/1995 (Toowoomba, Qld)
Position: Lock/Prop
Junior Club: Miles Devils, Souths Logan Magpies
Rep Honours: Qld U20s (2013-14), Qld U18s (2012-13)
A tough lock in the Dallas Johnson mould, Bateman played for Canberra at last year’s Auckland Nines. He has been a regular in Queensland junior rep sides and made the step up to the Intrust Super Cup in 2014 with Souths Logan.

Lachlan Croker (Canberra Raiders)
Born: 12/12/1996 (Goulburn, NSW)
Position: Five-Eighth/Halfback
Junior Club: Goulburn Bulldogs
Rep Honours: NSW U18s (2014)
One of the least experienced NYC players at the Nines, Croker is a highly regarded half/five-eighth from Goulburn. Croker played 4 NYC games in 2014, scoring 19 points, and represented the New South Wales under 18’s.

Brenko Lee (Canberra Raiders)
Born: 10/10/1995 (Brisbane, Qld)
Position: Centre/Wing
Junior Club: Logan Brothers
Rep Honours: Qld U20s (2013-14), Qld U18s (2012), Qld U16s (2011)
After scoring 20 tries in the NYC in 2013, Lee made his NRL debut in 2014, scoring 3 tries in 4 games, and spent time with Souths Logan in the Intrust Super Cup. Lee will look to use the Nines to push his claims for a starting spot in the Raiders backline in 2015.

Tevita Pangai Jnr (Canberra Raiders)
Born: 4/2/1996 (Ashfield, NSW)
Position: Second Row
Junior Club: South Newcastle Lions
Rep Honours: Junior Kangaroos (2014), NSW U18s (2013-14), NSW U16s (2012)
One of Canberra’s most impressive young talents, Pangai graduated through the Raiders junior ranks to the NSW Cup last season, despite having 3 seasons of NYC eligibility left. He is a member of the Raiders first grade squad in 2015.