Four young Sharks, three in the NSW team and one selected for Queensland, have been chosen to play in the Under-18’s Origin match as a curtain-raiser to State of Origin game 2 next Wednesday.
Sharks Jaeman Salmon and Luke Metcalf will be the NSW halves, backrower Teig Wilton has been named on the interchange bench, while Ronaldo Mulitalo is set to turn out for Queensland in the match next week.
All four played in the Sharks SG all side that qualified for this year’s Grand Final only to be beaten by Parramatta in a tight contest.
The players will assemble at The Novotel, Sydney Olympic Park on Friday, June 16 and will go into camp ahead of next Wednesday’s game.
Coached by Brad Fittler, the NSW Under-18s will be out for back-to-back victories after defeating Queensland 26-0 in 2016.
The two teams are listed below.
The NSW Under-18s team
1.John Fonua (Parramatta Eels)
2.Sebastian Kris (Canberra Raiders)
3.Campbell Graham (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
4.Zac Lomax (St George Illawarra Dragons)
5.Ethan Parry (Parramatta Eels)
6.Jaeman Salmon (Cronulla Sharks)
7.Luke Metcalf (Cronulla Sharks)
8.Oregon Kaufusi (Parramatta Eels)
9.Kyle Schneider (Parramatta Eels)
10.Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
11.Filia Utoikamanu (Parramatta Eels)
12.Joshua Curran (Sydney Roosters)
13.Lindsay Smith (Penrith Panthers)
14.Jake Hazard (Sydney Roosters)
15.Alex Seyfarth (Balmain Tigers)
16.Duwayne Fuimaono (Sydney Roosters)
17.Teig Wilton (Cronulla Sharks)
18.Elih Jackson (Central Coast Roosters)
Head coach: Brad Fittler
Assistant coach: Danny Buderus
Development coach: Mark O'Meley
The Queensland Under-18s team
1. Travis Turnbull (Western Mustangs)
2. Treymain Spry (Sydney Roosters / Ipswich Jets)
3. Murray Taulagi (NQ Cowboys / Townsville Blackhawks)
4. Ronaldo Mulitalo (Cronulla Sharks)
5. Kea Pere (Melbourne Storm / Easts Tigers)
6. Cory Paix (Western Mustangs)
7. Tanah Boyd (Souths Logan)
8. Logan Bayliss-Brow (NQ Cowboys / Townsville Blackhawks)
9. Tyson Smoothy (Brisbane Broncos / Redcliffe Dolphins)
10. Eddie Blacker (Brisbane Broncos / Norths Devils)
11. Brandon Russell (Brisbane Broncos / Ipswich Jets)
12. J’maine Hopgood (Penrith Panthers)
13. Reihana Marsh (Gold Coast Titans)
14. Kyle Paterson (NQ Cowboys / Townsville Blackhawks)
15. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Sunshine Coast)
16. Garrett Smith (Mackay Cutters)
17. Thomas Gilbert (Norths Devils)
18. Brock Diment (Western Mustangs)
Coach: Josh Hannay
Assistant Coach: Michael Roberts
Lead photo – Sharks five eighth Jaeman Salmon – courtesy of ourfootyteam.com
