Top 50 under-18s in Australia: 9 are Roosters

[Waylander]

Interesting article I ran across (link below) ranking the top 50 under 18 schoolboy players at the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League National Championships (July 2-8).

These are the players affiliated with the Roosters and what they say about them:

#35 - Alex Leapai
State: Qld
Position: Prop
Affiliation: Roosters
School: Mabel Park SHS
The son of former Aussie heavyweight boxing champion Alex senior, Leapai is the biggest player in the Langer Trophy.
Signed by the Roosters, Leapai is a big, motivated prop who is only in Year 11. He benefited from an off-season with the Roosters and playing Harold Matthews under 17s.

#30 - Zac Sarfati
State: NSW
Position: Fullback
Affiliation: Roosters
School: Randwick Boys High
Roosters Harold Matthews back of the year, Sarfati is an exciting prospect at the back.
A number of clubs will be watching him closely over the next few years.

#21 - Zach Fittler
State: NSW
Position: Backrow
Affiliation: Roosters
School: The Scots College
The son of rugby league legend Brad Fittler, Zach is already bigger than his famous father at 15.
A backrower with uncanny resemblance to “Freddy”, Zach starred for the Roosters this year in the Harold Mathews competition and was selected in the Under 16’s City team.
Zach is still eligible to play Harold Mathews next year but may be fast tracked into the SG Ball.

#20 - Blake Steep
State: NSW
Position: Backrow
Affiliation: Roosters
School: The Scots Coll
Another barnstorming backrower, Steep combined with Roberts (#6) and Fittler (#21) to give the Roosters the best backrow in the Harold Mathews competition.

#17 - Cassius Tia
State: NSW
Position: Halfback
Affiliation: Roosters
School: Hills Sports High School
Tia has been earmarked by the Roosters as a future NRL player.
An exceptional talent who could join the fulltime squad at the end of the year.

#11 - Cooper Toy
State: NSW
Position: Centre
Affiliation: Roosters
School: Port Hacking High
An excitement machine who won Roosters Harold Matthews player of the year when he was just 15, Toy is on the verge of earning himself a full-time deal.
Still in year 11, the lightning-fast centre or fullback could find himself doing an NRL preseason with the Roosters at the end of the year.

#9 - Toby Rodwell
State: NSW
Position: Halfback
Affiliation: Roosters
School: Edmund Rice College
Son of former Steeler Brett, Toby announced himself as an NRL star in the making when he demolished Country in a man-of-the-match performance while playing for the City Under 16s team earlier this year.
Toby has been contracted to the Roosters.

#6 - Ethan Roberts
State: NSW
Position: Backrow
Affiliation: Roosters
School: Christian Brothers – Lewisham
A blockbusting backrower, Roberts has been upgraded to a top 30 deal at the Roosters after the Rabbitohs attempted to sign him.
A stand-out in this year’s Harold Matthews.

#2 - Rob Toia
State: Qld
Position: Centre
Affiliation: Roosters
School: Nudgee College
Signed by the Roosters on a four-year deal, the powerful centre is one of Queensland’s emerging stars.
The 17-year old will be brought down to Sydney at the end of the year for the NRL pre-season with the Roosters. Expect to see him in the NRL next year.

See the full article here:
Top 50 under-18s in Australia - OurFootyTeam

[RoosterBooster]

Thanks for posting, my hope is Manu moves to 5/8th and Rob Toia moves into the centers

[007]

Thanks Waylander - was an interesting read. I know they are still under-18s and not only 9 in the top 50, yet 7 in the top 21 so very impressive. You have to start somewhere.

A nice spread of backs, halves and forwards too.

[Batemans Bay Rooster]

Thanks for posting that is excellent stuff. I thought I'd pick one name to google and learn about. I picked Cassius Tia. He looks very promising. He's a halfback.

[ARD]

Cool post, cheers.

[Lydon]

Thanks for sharing Waylander

Toby Rodwell sounds like a promising halfback, comes from good genes also..

[Roosterfarian]

Thanks for sharing Waylander

Toby Rodwell sounds like a promising halfback, comes from good genes also..

A year below my son at Edmund Rice College. Was a step above everyone else in the juniors here at the Gong.

[eddie]

I think our talent scouts are still doing a pretty good job.

[Mickie Lane]

Scots College for Zac Fittler. Along way from Freddys up bringing.