Rugby league will need to produce at least another 60 NRL-standard players to fill the rosters of the Perth Bears and PNG Chiefs in the next two seasons.
But a brief look at the rookie of the year contenders would be enough to have fans wondering if there is enough young talent coming through to sustain a healthy, expanded NRL.
That is not to question the quality at the top of this year’s rookie class, but the depth is a real concern.
Who is in the mix to be crowned the best first-year player at the Dally M awards next month?
Cooper Clarke has been excellent for the Melbourne Storm in 2026, particularly given the 20-year-old had never played in the back row, nor against men, until this year. He has made the leap from SG Ball (under-19s) and Jersey Flegg (under-21s) in 2025 straight to the NRL, and played 22 games along the way.
Ethan Sanders also deserves to take a bow after stepping into big shoes in the all-important halfback position at the Canberra Raiders, often behind a pack that had middle forwards out injured or forced to play wider.
But who else is in the hunt?
Maybe Gold Coast pair Cooper Bai and Oliver Pascoe? Possibly Newcastle’s Francis Manuleleua or Wests Tigers outside back Heamasi Makasini? There was a lot of hype when Manly’s Joey Walsh came into the top grade, but he has struggled for consistency, largely due to injuries.
They’re all fine players, but when you consider future Immortal Nathan Cleary played 15 matches in 2016 and was beaten to the rookie title, that shows how difficult the award has been to win historically. For the record, Gold Coast’s Ashley Taylor took home the award in 2016, while Latrell Mitchell and Suliasi Vunuvalu were the other finalists.
Last year’s rookie winner was Sydney Roosters star Rob Toia, who beat Parramatta’s Isaiah Iongi and New Zealand Warriors cult hero Leka Halasima. The NRL changed the criteria so Toia’s teammate Mark Nawaqanitawase could not win because he had already represented Australia at a Rugby World Cup and the Paris Olympics.
In 2024, Jack Bostock beat Cronulla’s KL Iro and Raiders playmaker Ethan Strange. Lachie Galvin was ineligible due to suspension. Bostock and Strange were part of the victorious NSW Origin squad this year, while Galvin spent time in Blues camp.
Sunia Turuva took home the gong in 2023, beating future Wests Tigers teammate Jahream Bula and Melbourne flyer Will Warbrick.
Several NRL club officials, talking on the condition of anonymity to speak freely, said the lack of depth in this year’s rookie race was certainly a worry given the looming arrivals of the Bears and Chiefs, then potentially a 20th team from New Zealand or Queensland in 2029, and possibly more after that.
One coach suggested increasing the number of players who were allowed to train with NRL squads on a full-time basis so they know what to expect when they are called into the top grade.
Another official suggested scrapping the Jersey Flegg competition, which would allow kids graduating from the under-19s SG Ball competition to go straight into playing against men.
A third official even questioned if the standard of the NSW Cup had dipped and was still an adequate way to prepare the next generation.
Several club bosses have recently spoken about directing a large portion of the money from the game’s new $5.4 billion broadcast deal to development to address concerns about the depth of talent.
Clarke said many of his mates had been lost to the game when it resumed after the COVID-enforced cancellation of the 2020 junior representative season and the abandonment of the 2021 campaign, even though the enforced lay-off helped him rediscover his love for league.
The 20-year-old grew up in Campbelltown, played Harold Matthews with the Western Suburbs Magpies and was then poached by the Storm, where he will remain until the end of 2029.
The one-time middle forward, who ballooned to 150kg during the pandemic, has certainly been one of the feel-good stories for Melbourne, who will miss the finals for the first time since 2010, when they were stripped of their competition points because of salary cap breaches.
“Coming into this season, all I wanted to do was play NSW Cup, not Jersey Flegg,” Clarke said.
“‘Belza’ [coach Craig Bellamy] asked me before Christmas if I’d give the back row a shot. I’d never played there before – I’d never actually played against men – but told him I’d do whatever he needed me to do.
“I was lucky to have [injured teammate Eli Katoa] there to teach me how to play back row. He made me look at the game differently, and to have that mindset of I’m going to go at you all game, and I won’t let you stop me when it came to your opposite.
“To win rookie of the year would be a massive honour and a great achievement, even a confidence boost, but like everyone says, I really am all about the team.”
Rookies cannot have played more than five NRL games in a previous season to be eligible. Sanders played two games for the Raiders in 2024 and again in 2025.
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