The kids are killing it in the NRL this year. It would be easier to stop Payne Haas on a surge towards the try-line than stop him from winning Rookie of the Year. He was joined in Origin by another babyface, David Fifita.
Bronson Xerri is still 18 but already a jet. You can’t have missed the spectacular efforts by flying teenage backs Jason Saab and Dylan Brown, and the Storm’s Tino Fa'asuamaleaui has only needed one outing to become hot property.
But the glow of these shiny new stars should not distract us from appreciating a vintage crop of veterans. The 10 oldest players in the league will not be around forever (with the obvious exception of Cameron Smith, likely to still be playing when Halley’s Comet next puts in an appearance) and we should enjoy this bunch of quirky individuals while we can.
Gavin Cooper
Life after JT (the scheming halfback, not the runaway truck wearing number 13) was never going to be easy for the Cowboys, but few players have missed him more than Cooper. After 13 tries running off Thurston’s hip in 2018, Cooper has only crossed the stripe twice in 2019. Far from the Cowboys’ worst player in 2019, and notched his 300th, but a tough year nonetheless. Probably time to stop thinking of him as Dustin Cooper’s little brother.
“This year the Cronulla captain became the player with the most losses in history”
Priceless, where is Ronnie when you need him ?