Rugby league legend Laurie Daley has made the huge call by suggesting that Eels young gun Will Penisini is just as good as Roosters prodigy Joseph Suaalii.
Suaalii will debut for the Roosters’ feeder team the Bears in a trial this weekend, but fellow Kings School graduate Penisini could find himself fast-tracked into first grade in light of Michael Oldfield’s injury.
Oldfield was expected to replace the stood down Michael Jennings in the centres, but a knee injury will see him miss the first month of the season, opening the door for Penisini.
“I think he was just as good as Suaalii,” Daley said on The Big Sports Breakfast.
“Obviously everyone rates Suaalii quite highly and he is something very special, but this kid is not far off him.
“But whether he is ready to go straight away or not I don’t think he will be. But by the end of the season he might be.
“But with Oldfield, Tom Opacic, Penisini and Waqa Blake you would think they would be the centres they have to choose from.”
Eels skipper Clint Gutherson confirmed the hype around Penisini is justified after he impressed his teammates with an excellent pre-season.
“The sky is the limit for him,” Gutherson told The Sydney Morning Herald.
One thing Penisini has over of Suaalii is clearance to play in Round 1 as he turned 18 last July.
The NRL is expected to allow an exception for the Roosters to play Suaalii before his 18th Birthday on August 1, but the official announcement is yet to be finalised.
Penisini has been playing in Jennings’ left centre position and scored a try in the Eels’ trial against the Dragons last Thursday.
The Eels are reluctant to put too much pressure on the youngster, with Penisini only on a development contract at this stage and will likely debut him later in the season.
However if he continues to impress and injuries strike, Brad Arthur may have little choice but to blood him earlier.
Replies
Just hope he lives up to the hype.
And stays at the club.
Wow exciting stuff
LOL
Hopefully we secure his signature for a few seasons before he receives an offer too good to refuse from another club
That's a big call from Dayley. Honestly he's probably seen a game or two max of Penisini
Chief I'm no genius in talent but from what I saw last week, he's two years away. He may play first grade before then but will get owned by the good centres.
Throw into the mix haze playing first grade next year with fergo gone, do we see sivo go too? I hope not. Im not that confident we will get staggs, but im certainly not in the know there.
Gone hopefully
He'll get his chance. Hope he rips n tears when he does.
Good to see a guy like Daley has such a high opinion of him. I hope the kid goes well, and I wish him all the best. I just hope he doesn't become a star and some other club poaches him; which has happened before of course