Eels Blogs

TO AVOID REPETITION: This is more of an update on the players development. Please read the previous blog on these players if you want to know more about their history. https://www.1eyedeel.com/forum/topics/ea-sb-sg-ball-rookie-watchlist 

Cameron Bamblett → Fullback/five-eight - 19

• His best position is fullback, but due to injuries to Fletcher he has played most of the games this year at five-eight. Whilst he has had a couple of great moments in attack, he has been inconsistent this year not only from game to game but within games themselves. He has moved up to Jersey Flegg with SG ball over. All his games last year in JF were at fullback but again with the injuries he is playing five-eight right now.These reasons are why I believe last year's fullback for the Australian Schoolboy will NOT make the U19 blues origin team with players like Rex Bassingthwaighte (Roosters) in front of him.
• Been quite vocal about his flaws. His defensive reads are horrible. He defends with his feet planted against shape which leaves his centre in two minds on whether Bamblett will get to his player or not. His contact in defence is shit too. He rarely looks to pass and doesn't organise/ get the ball to his edge in attack because he just wants to run the ball. Also I have said he has time to fix this if the club persists.
• His strengths to me will always be his running game. He glides across the field and is strong through contact especially with his runs behind the ruck on yardage. He is very dangerous on the back of sweep plays when he is at fullback. Was his best quality last year. 
• Will build into his frame still cause he is quite tall and skinny. Similar to when Russel made his debut. However, Bamblett has plenty of natural strength.

Liam Martin → Fullback - 17

• Recruited from Knights over the off-season, Martin won the fullback spot in the HM team and was probably one of their most consistent players. He is a goal kicking fullback (albeit to start the year the goal kicking was woeful). Not the best passing game but he has good support play and running game. Scored a good number of tries this year with that running game and footwork. A good defender as he has a nice tall build. He will move to SG ball next year but with Davis there he may have to play centre which he did a bit during the HM trials at the start of this year.
• Playing fullback at Westfields for the rest of the year.

Riley Davis → Fullback - 18

• This kid has electric speed and elusiveness. He is the prototypical modern game FB where speed is the most important tool to have. Reminds me of a young Billy Slater - not saying he will be him but the raw speed and effort is similar to what Slater had coming into grade
• He's very effective when targeting tired middles and slicing through. A very good support player and a very good last line defender, he's cut down runaway players on line breaks many times and also has shown the grit to make effort on effort plays in defence when scrambling. 
• Not much of a ball player, when he gets the ball he is running most of the time but with his speed that's understandable also has had some errors at crucial times so there is still something to work on.  
• Will be in SG Ball again next year. I look forward to seeing him combine with Risati, Trey-Stewart and Bell. I think he will shine more without Bamblett.

Samuela Sorovi → Winger - 18

• Winger of union pedigree with the Warratahs. Did not start in the first choice SG Ball team but got his chance when Rokusuka got injured. He has a very high upside if he continues to develop. Strong under the high ball and a good finisher. Very strong in yardage carries as he is built very athletically and strong. Decent pace as well.
• He does need to work on his defence as he can sometimes take the easy option or get stuck in the middle of nowhere when defending his wing.
• Will start in SG Ball again this year. Potential to play JF this year.

Lorima Rokusuka → Winger - 19

• Athletic winger with good footwork, finishing and ability under the high ball. Like his teammates on the wing, he can sometimes be exposed for poor reads/positioning. Not sure what injury he had that kept him out of the team for a while. Has good potential but still has lots to work on.
• Since he played a lot of JF last year, I expect him to eventually make the JF team again this year.

Cyrus Bloomfield → Winger/Centre/Fullback - 18

• One of multiple top rugby union prospects who have represented the jnr wallabies in our side. I'm not sure if he has committed to league yet so may be a flight risk
• He is a big, powerful, fast, athletic outside back. He is a damaging ball runner and solid under the high ball. I would say he was elite under the high ball this year in SG Ball (EA) whether it was defusing kicks or competing in try scoring situations. Also become a bit of a intercept specialist of late too.
• I think Wing is his position going forward as his ball playing and passing isnt top tier however the amount of touches he gets from wing where he just focuses on running has benefitted his game
• He has a bit of x factor about him and doesn't mind the niggle. Does have to work on his defensive reads still.
• He is in year 12 this year and still has union commitments so I assume that is what he will be doing for the rest of the year. I do not see him playing for JF, but he will be pushing to play for the Aussie schoolboy rugby league team and u18 wallabies team.

Nathan Howlett → Centre/Fullback - 19

• I think we got more of the same from Nathan in his 2nd year of ball. Very solid player. He puts in a lot of effort. He is a high floor, but low potential guy for me. Not saying that is bad, he plays a 7/10 each week but doesn’t have that upside to be elite.
• Can play anywhere in the backline and will do his job but he's not a star player. He is like your Nick Meaney type of player.
• Should hopefully get some JF game time this year since he did last year.

Lorima Seuseu → Centre/Fullback - 16

• This kid is a unicorn. Its not often you see kids come through with the physical gifts that Lorima has. The size, speed, agility, balance combination is off the charts for someone his age. He is built like a forward, is prob the fastest in the team, has excellent footwork and is someone who can break through contact
• Played waratahs u15 last year
• He was wasted a bit this year in matts as his halves couldn't get him quality ball where he was one on one yet he was still able to create plenty of highlights.
• Given hes still very young its not guaranteed that he will continue to develop or hold his talent advantage by the time he hits grade but its impressive to see him be dominant at such a young age. 
• The question is what you do with Lorima next year. Skip HM and go straight to SG Ball next year? Alamoti had done it. Play him at fullback in HM? Genuine chance to play NRL at 18 years old in 2028.

Talen Risati → Five-eight/fullback/halfback - 18

• Highly touted union prospect playing for the waratahs and jnr wallabies. Is one of the brightest flyhalf prospects coming through the union pathways. No guarantee to pick league over union
• The club has been working on developing his long kicking, and game management the past couple of seasons as he has been called on to be the traditional 7
• Strength is his running game. Carved up in the NSW u18 game at the end of 2025 playing fullback
• He has a very solid all round game. Im keen to see how he performs next year in ball as the dominant half. I'd like to see him impose himself more.
• Pretty sure he is still in year 12 playing union for Kings school now. Doubt he plays JF this year.

Lincoln Fletcher → Halfback - 19

• Played a lot more controlled and within the system this year, he played more the general out there and you could see him marshalling the boys to get in certain spots and run specific lines when you watch him off the ball
• As noted in our prior write ups historically been a running half but you can see he been working on the fine arts of halfback play in the communication, positioning, using the team to execute the gameplan
• He still flashed his speed and running game this year but he really picked his moments
• I think a development point for him would be his contact in defence, he tends to grab/catch players rather than thrusting into contact at times. Given he defends in the halves its understandable that he doesn't want to overcommit but even when it calls for a strong shot to shut down the play he can be passive. Not uncommon for halves. He has the size/speed to be a strong defender in the future.
• Didn’t actually play many games this year due to injuries. Started the year injured and got injured again mid-way through the SG ball season. When he returns in rd 12/13 expect him to be halfback in JF. Cannot see him making the u19blues team due to inconsistent form and injury. Marketo (roosters) will probably get it and he is a year young.

Ryda Talagi → Prop - 19

• Obviously very well known amongst eels followers now. I (EA) made a comment earlier in the year that Koina will debut before Talagi. I am not sure anymore. Not because Koina has been poor. Koina has been elite. But the past 3 weeks Talagi has delivered some great performances in SG ball, JF and NSW Cup. I have been very impressed with his physicality in NSW Cup so far. Running hard and hitting hard in defence. Teams have struggled to contain him a bit.
• I was a bit concerned with Talagi to start the year because it felt like he was playing within himself and not playing like someone who had done an NRL pre-season. He was being outshone by other middles in the Eels SG Ball team. I did make a comment that I feel Talagi may have an attitude/mentality problem where his performance is based on the importance of the game and grade of the competition.
• Good thing about Talagi is he likes to be and take on the alpha of any forward pack. He loves the niggle and fight. Plays with aggression and will want to be that forward leader. Need that because Tuivita and T Brown are quieter players. Still got his good footwork/agility for his size, offload and attract multiple defenders in order to tackle him.
• My only concern in the future is that with the modern game, can you play Talagi, T Brown and Tuivita in the same team because they are big boys in a very quick game. The good thing is the other elite talents coming in the middles like Popo, Visconti, Koina, Bell are smaller bodies that will compliment those other 3 with their high work and defence rate. So hopefully it works as its not like Tuivita, Talagi and T Brown are slouches in defence.
• U19 blues team for sure.

Steven Nunn → Prop - 18

• Very well balanced hard impactful runner, this allows him to not only generate a lot of force when hitting the defence but his balance allows him to power through contact and create tackle breaks and often leaving defenders on the ground.
• He has a smaller frame but he is so powerful in his lower body
• He is sound defensively and i have noticed he is really good at getting off the ground and back to marker (something our system requires)
• Will be ball eligible next year and a very exciting prospect that has already been signed long term by the club. He will be in SG ball again next year but has already moved up to JF this year which he should remain in for the rest of the year. He is also still in year 12 so is competing in the schoolyboy competition.
• Sometimes his second stint isn't as damaging as his first but thats nitpicking 

Nicholas Kotorac → Prop/backrow - 18

• Strong union pedigree playing for both the waratahs and jnr wallabies. You can see it in the way he plays and emphasises body height when running and tackling to have a strong base and low centre of gravity.  
• Very strong in the fundamentals. His technique and motor are his strong point. Doesn't posses elite burst/high twitch athleticism relative to the other middles but still is a good athlete with good size and high fitness. His technique and fitness puts him in advantageous positions to chop a player down in defence or run through tired or poorly set defenders
• Given the current speed and high attrition game of the NRL these high motor fundamentally sound style middles that are able to repeat efforts and do the boring stuff over and over again are starting to shine over the power impact style.
• Will start in SG Ball again next year. I expect him to move to JF very soon. Surprised he is not already in JF to be honest. Perhaps just needs to get used to the JF system/players since he is a new signing this year.

Jackson Koina → Lock/Prop - 19

• Someone I have been very high on this year (EA) for those who have read my comments. I compare him to Pat Carrigan. A lock forward but can also play prop. A good motor that competes on everything. Not a massive boy but still a good built. Can ball play well. Surprisingly able to break plenty of tackles and have line breaks with his running game. Can score tries too. He works very hard in defence. In JF over the weekend he won the eels the game by chasing down a line break from the other side of the field. All heart. Can see the highlight of it on ShortBall instagram. To do it after playing the full game too.
• He is already too good for JF after 2 games and is just waiting for his chance in NSW Cup.
• To me his biggest weakness right now is defending 1 on 1 against players with good footwork which sometimes leaves him posted. Something I am confident he can improve as he gets older. The only shit thing is he is a Qld’er. Will make their u19 team.

Maison Ong → Prop - 19

• After essentially missing all of last year due to injury, Ong returned to his impact role on the bench. Your Leota type of middle. No passing, just running straight with aggression and leg speed. Made his JF debut this weekend and ran the ball really hard and broke plenty of tackles. Hopefully stays there and will be there again next year to continue to develop to see if he can reach another level and be a potential NRL player.

Jirah Trey-Stewart → Hooker - 18

• Probably the most underrated player in the SG ball team. Don’t hear anyone talking about him. Will be there again next year. I hope he gets gametime in JF this year as Coinakis and Young need to be promoted permanently to NSW Cup. However, he is still in school so will have schoolboy footy now so might have to wait a bit before getting a chance.
• A running threat from hooker whenever he gets the chance. Built like a nugget. Very good conversion rate when he does the barge over from dummy half. He is underrated with his defence. Hits hard, leads the line speed and does a lot of work.

Wesley Tongamoa (Pakatoi) →  Lock/Hooker - 19

• Smaller frame but very mobile and comes on off the bench to bring some speed in the ruck in attack and help linespeed and cover in defence
• Hes very athletic for a forward and has great hands and some passing ability. I liked the look of him in trials playing lock and filling in as the link man
• Id like to see him go pedal to the metal a bit more coming off the bench to really lift the tempo. I dont think if he does many middles will be able to go with him
• There is a player there and i hope the club develop him as i think he fits the modern game. I believe the club see it because he did move straight to JF once Ball was over.

Christopher Petrus → Backrow - 19

• I think Petrus is really well documented between me, SB and PT. So not going to write an essay. Already made his NSWcup debut but with PNG Chiefs coming who knows where his future lies. He genuinely could be our starting backrower with Sua next year. Massive potential. Defensive gun, tackle breaking machine. Athletic, mobile, offloader. Everything you want in a backrower. Will be in the U19 blues team. Whilst he hasn't set NSW Cup on fire, he still has been solid.

Michael Nauer → Backrow - 18

• Intimidating hard hitting backrower
• Really excels at the physical stuff, gets in the niggle often, really shoots out looking for a shot and runs really hard hitting good lines often leading to line breaks or damaging defenders
• Played NSW u17 and city u16 so has great jnr rep credentials 
• Given he plays so physical he does have an error or 2 in him, also in defence isnt great at sliding as he can go looking for the shot when he prob should help his outside men
• If he can round his game out a bit more and develop this skill side he will be a formidable weapon. Has a massive fend and tackle breaking ability. Even a good fashion barge over the line from within 10m.

Stirling Faumui → Backrow/Halfback - 19

• He is not someone I am massive on but I thought deserves a mention.
• Played halfback in the SG Ball trials but then played the full season in the backrow whether it was starting or from the bench. I am still not sure what his best position is. He does not have that destructive ability I like in a backrower. He is too slow to be in the halves. But he has that ballplaying ability and understanding in the backrow when they use him in shape which was evident in his recent promotion to JF. Similar to Bryce Cartwright but not that level. So I wonder if his best position is lock forward in the future if he has the growth in him to play NRL/NSW cup.

Jake Capovilla → Backrow - 16

• A player that was highly rated coming into HM this year. I had never watched him but I had heard plenty. To be honest, I thought his start of the year was underwhelming for the wraps I had heard about him. He would have a poor error or defence to overshadow anything good he did. 
• As the year went on, Capovilla started to shine. His defence was great, his error rate was lower and he was more destructive in attack whether it was tries, line breaks or offloads. He has a very tall frame like Shaun Lane but given his age he still needs to build into it. Will play HM again next year.

Sam Polley → Backrow/Lock - 18

• Unfortunately he didn't play much in 2026 due to injury. Will be in SG ball again next year. Probably at backrow with Bell at lock. Not sure if he plays JF this year. I believe he will have union commitments.
• Polley is still an elite talent but due to very limited game time i dont think there is anything further to add above what we have already mentioned in our prior post. Our Cameron Murray when fit.

Hayden Bell → Lock/Hooker - 17

• Probably my favorite player in the pathways right now (SB).
• He is a very well rounded and high IQ player. Hes still got a long way to go but based off what ive seen from him so far he ticks more boxes than most prospects his age and warrants the wraps he's getting.
• Captained u16 City side last year and NSW CHS in u15
• He has leadership - he put the matts team on his back every week and arguably carried them into the finals, excellent motor, great defender, cover defender on breaks - he leads the linespeed and very active in the wrestle (put a few shots on too), the focal point of our attack - everything went through him and he is excellent at run pass options and targeting weak A/B defenders to either get meters and generate ruck speed or create space for the outside men (very much like Dylan walker does for us now or Yeo for Penrith) he creates a lot of opportunities 
• When he goes into dummy half he carries his ball playing skills over of working over the markers and A/B defenders like an Api Koroisau does and is solid defensibly however i think lock is his best positon, at least based off his play thus far
• As far as things he can work on when he goes into dummy half some of his service can be better and some of his long balls wont look crisp. Also he can be so dominant in the attack that he takes his halves out of the game (this may be due to the talent gap between him and some of his teammates in matts as in the city country game this wasn't an issue)

Potential SG Ball team 2027 → Obviously will get new signings etc.

1. R Davis
2. C Bloomfield
3. C Moala
4. K Pritchard
5. S Sorovi
6. T Risati
7.  
8. S Nunn
9. J Trey-Setwart
10. N Kotorac
11. M Nauer
12. S Polley
13. H Bell
15. B Fanene
16. C Brown
17.  
18. C Raven
19. L Martin
20. E Tahu-Apiata
21. C McCloseky