Highly rated Sharks youngster Jesse Ramien will make his NRL debut after the team to play the Knights was revealed at 1.00pm by coach Shane Flanagan.
A star in the NYC, the 20-year-old Ramien has also been a standout for the Newtown Jets during the Intrust Super Premiership season, thoroughly earning his chance in the NRL side for the game later today.
Ramien comes into the Sharks team in the centres, with Flanagan preferring to leave out established NSW Origin stars Wade Graham and Jack Bird as they recover from niggling injuries.
Kurt Capewell and Jayson Bukuya will share Graham’s duties in the back row.
A member of the Sharks World Challenge Cup team early in 2017, Ramien has since bided his time in the lower grades, having played eight matches in the NYC and the remainder of his football for the Jets in the ISP.
He has scored 11 tries in just eight matches in the Holden Cup, proving to be a handful for opposition defenses in the under-20’s competition.
Ramien joined the Sharks late in 2016, transferring mid-year from the Manly Sea Eagles, however a hamstring injury limited his input and effectiveness last season.
A strong pre-season campaign saw him called up for the trip to the UK in February, with Ramien playing on the wing the Sharks lone try scorer in a 22-6 loss to Wigan.
Originally from Dubbo, Ramien played his junior football for the Coonamble Bears.
A solidly-built, strong running centre, Ramien will play in jersey number 20 in the match against the Knights today.
