NRL Stars of the Future.
THEY are the hottest young properties in the NRL. Young, bright and extremely talented, these 10 emerging talents are
already on their way to becoming the stars of tomorrow.
STEVE MASCORD and BARRY TOOHEY take a look at just what makes them special and you can check out our exclusive online
picture gallery of the players.
1. FELETI MATEO: Parramatta second rower
ONE man in the Wests Tigers dressingroom on Monday night was utterly unsurprised at the way Parramatta's Feleti Mateo
has earlier dismantled the joint venture side.
Mateo, 23, scored two tries in the 38-8 Eels success to end a six-game winning run for Wests Tigers. Assistant coach
Royce Simmons, who first saw the second-rower when he guided Tonga two years ago, just shook his head.
"He came back from London, I didn't know much about him at all,'' Simmons recalled of the international against Samoa
at Campbelltown Stadium.
"All the Tongan boys, they said 'he can play halfback'. They were all monsters, weren't they? I said 'we'll give this
bloke a go' and he played really good. Obviously he's got some skill. He's got ball-playing ability. He can pass before
the line, that's what he did playing (five-eighth) for the Tongan side. He's got a lot bigger since then.
"He can kick the ball, believe it or not. He's not your No.1 or No.2 kicker but he's got that ability in his game. He
runs a real good line and he's got a real good off-load, hasn't he? He's got a lot of things covered.''
Despite having been loaned out by Parramatta, Mateo's performance was enough for him to win a nomination as 2005's Best
International Newcomer at the Gillette Awards. Yet he failed to make an impact in his first year back in Australia, 2006.
"I always knew he was going to make first grade, it was just a matter of time,' said team-mate Nathan Hindmarsh. "He had
to work hard on his fitness this year. That's why we sent him away and gave him a taste of first grade over there. Even
(against) Wests Tigers, he was struggling a bit.
"(But) he's going to progress into a great player. When he gets that right hand out with the ball in one arm, it's a bit
scary. He's just got to learn sometimes just to tuck it under the wing.''
4. KRISNAN INU: Parramatta centre
MADE his Test debut for New Zealand at fullback earlier this season after just one top grade game for the Eels. What's
more, he was one of the Kiwis' best players in a performance which had future star written all over it.
Inu has not nailed down a permanent first grade spot yet but is being groomed for Timana Tahu's centre position for next
season. "He is a very talented player - a tremendous prospect,'' Eels assistant coach David Fairleigh said. "He showed a
lot of character the way he handled fullback in the Test.''
Mark Hughes says Inu had huge raps as a schoolboy. "Three years ago I was tipped off on Inu,'' Mark Hughes said.
"Westfields Sports coach Wayne Lamkin said he was one of the best player to have ever gone through the school. It was a pretty big
rap but he, along with Mateo, have really burst onto the scene this year.''
With thanks
Friday 8th June 2007
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