Memorable Debuts - Round 20

WELCOME to Memorable Debuts, a feature of LeagueUnlimited.com where we take a look at the upcoming matches of the round and see which players debuted in the same game all those years ago.

Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters
ANZ Stadium - Friday 7:35pm

He may have represented his country and played in Challenge Cup Finals before moving to Australia, but for Adrian Morley, his first game in the NRL came in 2001. Playing in the Roosters 30-16 win at Stadium Australia, the English firebrand achieved remarkable success during his time in the NRL. Featuring in three consecutive NRL deciders, including the successful 2002 clash over the Warriors; Morley finished his Australian career in 2006 after incurring a lengthy suspension for kneeing Corey Hughes. Since returning to Super League, Morley has tasted success with Warrington, while at age 38 he is still packing down in the front row for Salford.

Brisbane Broncos v Gold Coast Titans
Suncorp Stadium - Friday 7:35pm

While he never quite made a mark in the NRL, former Titans hooker Kayne Lawton was able to come away with a win on debut. Coming off the bench in 2009, the Titans dismantled Brisbane 34-18 with Lawton making a brief appearance late in the match. While he started 2012 in first grade, the form of Matt Srama and Beau Falloon led to the hooker shifting to Manly the following year. Unable to break into Sea Eagles line-up, Lawton retired at the end of 2013.

New Zealand Warriors v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Mt Smart Stadium - Saturday 3:00pm

If not for injury and the emergence of David Williams, former Manly winger Michael Bani may well have featured in the Sea Eagles 2008 Premiership winning side. Having debuted in Round 24, 2007, Bani displayed remarkable speed for coach Des Hasler; so much so that he was selected in the Preliminary Final win over North Queensland in only his third first grade game. Unable to secure a place in the Sea Eagles squad, Bani switched to the Cowboys mid-way through 2009 where once again he struggled for game time. After being released in 2012, Bani spent time with the Raiders lower grades before joining the local Canberra competition.

Melbourne Storm v St. George Illawarra Dragons
McLean Park - Saturday 5:30pm

With Melbourne heading towards their first finals campaign under Craig Bellamy, the Storm coach handed 22-year-old Matt King his first grade debut only three weeks out from the finals. Having come off the bench in the 22-14 win over St. George Illawarra, King featured in the centres for Bellamy until Canterbury eliminated the Victorian-based club in the semi-finals. Spending time on the wing the following season, King once again continued his development before achieving a breakthrough season in 2005 where he represented New South Wales and Australia. Playing in the 2006 losing Grand Final, King achieved redemption the following season when the Storm demolished Manly 34-8. Signing with Warrington, King continued his career in England, before returning to the NRL with South Sydney in 2012. While injury plagued his tenure at the Rabbitohs, King made a return from retirement to score the tournament-winning try in the 2015 Auckland Nines.

South Sydney Rabbitohs v Newcastle Knights
ANZ Stadium - Saturday 7:30pm

While he may have endured a forgettable debut with the Knights going down 27-4 in 1999, Timana Tahu went on to achieve tremendous success during his illustrious NRL career. Forming a lethal combination with Matt Gidley, Tahu scored 93 tries during his time in Newcastle, including the match-winning four-pointer in the 2001 Grand Final. Joining Parramatta in 2005, Tahu continued to torment opponents, with the Eels going on to feature in two Preliminary Finals during his three years at the club. Spending time in Rugby Union, Tahu returned to the NRL in 2010 where he achieved mixed results during stints with the Eels, Panthers and Knights.

Penrith Panthers v Canberra Raiders
Pepper Stadium - Sunday 2:00pm

He may have spent six seasons with Brisbane, but for Peter Wallace, Penrith will always be his home. Coming in for his debut in 2005, Wallace partnered Preston Campbell in the halves as the Panthers went down 22-14 at Canberra Stadium. Appearing to cement a place with the Panthers in 2007, the Broncos were able to sign the red-headed number seven to partner Darren Lockyer in 2008. Representing New South Wales on four occasions, Wallace returned to Penrith in 2014 where he was appointed captain.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Belmore Sports Ground - Sunday 4:00pm

While his father Stan featured in over 200 games for the Bulldogs, former Canterbury player Trent Cutler proved he was just as worthy to wear the same jersey as his father several decades later. Debuting in 2005, Cutler only managed 25 first grade games, but was instrumental in leading the Bulldogs to several lower grade titles including the 2010 and 2011 NSW Cup as captain.

North Queensland Cowboys v Parramatta Eels
1300SMILES Stadium - Monday 7:00pm

He may be known as the leader of the Cowboys engine room these days, but it took several years for Matt Scott to nail down a place in first grade. Debuting in 2004, Scott managed just four games in his first two seasons with North Queensland, before a breakout year in 2006 saw him debut for Queensland after only 14 NRL games. While injuries restricted his game time over the following seasons, 2009 saw Scott develop into one of the games premier props, solidifying his place as a starting front rower for the Cowboys and representative sides.

That's all for this week, stay tuned for next week's edition of Memorable Debuts where we'll look at a South Sydney prop who started out as a winger, one of the Warriors best forwards and the last-minute debut for Mark Gasnier.