Celebrate the great
Mitchell does. He can break the game open from anywhere and is a constant threat when he touches the ball. Cody Walker: It was only three years ago that Walker was playing for Easts Tigers in the Queensland Cup and unable to get a start with an NRL side.
Fast forward to this year and Walker is the leading try-scorer in the competition and just 80 minutes away from earning his State of Origin debut.
Alongside Damien Cook, he’s formed one of the most potent attacking combinations in the NRL. Not only has Walker scored 11 tries, he’s also set up eight and has eight line-break assists to his name as well. Blake Ferguson: He may have missed out on State of Origin selection last year, but you can guarantee Ferguson’s name will be debated across the selection table as Brad Fittler tries to finalise his side for game one.
A stand-out for the Roosters in their march towards last year’s grand final win, Ferguson has carried that form into this season with the Eels.
Having him in your team is like carrying an extra forward. He averages an astonishing 170m per game, is safe as a house on the high ball and a try-scoring machine with 106 tries in 201 games. David Fifita: There are few more exciting young players in the game than this Broncos forward.
Fifita burst on to the scene last year and stamped himself as a player to watch with a stunning solo try in the Indigenous All Stars game at the start of this season.
He’s a big man with a big motor, great footwork and tremendous speed off the mark.
He’s shown that he can mix it up with the big boys in the centre of the park and also has the agility to hold his own in the backline.
He may be only 19 years of age and have just 21 firstgrade games to his name, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him named in Kevin Walter’s side for the opening game of this year’s State of Origin series. Kotoni Staggs: Like his Broncos teammate Fifita, Staggs burst onto the scene last year and announced himself as a first-grader with a try from his first touch of the football.
With a maturity that defies his 20 years of age, Staggs has shown this season he’s got all the skills to make him a 10year representative player.
Those in the know are saying that Brad Fittler is seriously looking at Staggs to fill the vacant right centre position for the Blues in game one of the Origin series. After watching Staggs this year, it’s safe to say that he wouldn’t let anyone down.
He has shown he’s a constant danger with the ball, but it’s his work off the ball that deserves just as much credit.
There are few tougher positions to defend in than the centres, but Staggs’ decision-making in defence is up there with the best in the competition. Watch every game of the Indigenous Round, live, ad-break free during play and in HD on Fox League and streamed on Foxtel Now.