Warriors lock up rising star
It’s taken just two NRL games and less than 10 rugby league matches to convince the Warriors a son of a former All Black is heading for stardom.
Rocco Berry, a try-scorer in the Warriors’ 24-20 victory over the Cowboys on Sunday, has recommitted to the club with a contract extension until the end of the 2024 season.
The 19-year-old made his NRL debut the previous week against the Melbourne Storm on Anzac Day.
Berry was plucked out of Wellington’s first XV competition when he was a star of the St Patrick’s Silverstream College backline in 2019.
The son of former All Blacks midfielder Marty Berry, had never played league at the time.
His 2020 development with the club was hit hard by Covid-19 – that ended the New South Wales Cup competition after just one round – and a back injury.
But with a rising injury toll in the outside backs in 2021, Berry has found himself in the Warriors’ first grade side for two consecutive weeks.
Warriors head coach Nathan Brown believes the rookie centre will be a key player in the club’s future.
‘‘Rocco has done everything right since pre-season and fully deserved his NRL debut against the Storm,’’ Brown said.
‘‘His form in the trials and for our feeder club Redcliffe in the Queensland Cup has been very impressive.
‘‘He’s still new to the game with just a handful of rugby league appearances so far but he clearly has so much to offer. He’s a terrific trainer and has a great desire to improve. He’s a pleasure to coach and has a big part to play in our club’s future.’’
Warriors recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan said it was always a matter of if, not when, Berry made his NRL debut.
‘‘Rocco has been a standout since the first moment I laid eyes on him,’’ O’Sullivan said.
‘‘It’s exciting to lock him in long term. He is an integral part of our planning as we build for the future and is equally a key player for our present.’’
Former Warriors coach Stephen Kearney often talked about Berry with high praise in 2020 and suggested he would have made his debut last year had it not been for the back injury.
At 191cm tall and 95kg, Berry has the physical attributes, skills and speed to make it as an NRL centre and Warriors chief executive Cameron George said the young gun also has the character the club is after.
‘‘We have said all along we are planning for now, short term and our long-term future. Rocco fits all of the above – quality player and person who fits all the criteria we want at our club.’’