TEAMS, PREVIEWS, RESULTS: U19 State of Origin 2022

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Under 19's State of Origin to be played Thursday 23 June at Leichhardt Oval.

Times are AEST

Under 19 Women's Origin
New South Wales v Queensland
Thu June 23 2022, 5:45pm
at Leichhardt Oval, Lilyfield NSW

1. Jada Taylor 2. Petesa Lio 3. Andie Robinson 4. Mia Middleton 5. Cassey Tohi-Hiku 6. Losana Lutu 7. Tayla Montgomery 8. Monalisa Soliola 9. Rueben Cherrington 10. Ruby-Jean Kennard 11. Leilani Wilson 12. Chantel Tugaga 13. Iesha Duckett
Interchange: 14. Anneka Wilson 15. TIana Kore 16. Tahleisha Maeva 17. Jules Kirkpatrick 18. Rosemarie Beckett 19. Chloe Jackson 20. Alana Dummett 21. Salma Nour 22. Milly Lupo

Coach: Blake Cavallaro.

1. Chantay Kiria-Ratu 2. Jetaya Faifua 3. Jasmine Peters 4. Emmanita Paki 5. Helen Uitualagi 6. Jada Ferguson 7. Jayde Herdegen 8. April Ngatupuna 9. Lily-Rose Kolc 10. Fiona Jahnke 11. Otesa Pule 12. Hannah Larsson 13. Georgina Tuitaalili
Interchange: 14. Montana Mook 15. Lavinia Kitai 16. Felila Kia 17. Jacinta Carter 18. Ellie Williamson 19. Sunny Gerrard 20. Tahlia Marshall 21. Lillian Yarrow 22. Atlanta Peters

Coach: Ben Jeffries

Referee: Karra-Lee Nolan; Sideline Officials: Mitch Currie, Tori Wilkie; Video Referee: Kasey Badger

Match Preview

by Tim Costello

Growth of the Women's game on show in competitive Under 19's Women's Origin

The 'stars of tomorrow' are already making names for themselves in their respective state competitions - the NSWRL Tarsha Gale Cup and QRL's Harvey Norman U19's tournament.

A number of names in this contest will be familiar to those who have followed the women's game, with Blues backrower Chantel Tugaga having made her NRLW debut for St George Illawarra in Round 3 of the 2021 season, played earlier this year. Rueben Cherrington lines up at hooker for NSW - the younger sister of Parramatta's Kennedy Cherrington.

For the Maroons, there are several players with NRLW experience - centre Jasmine Peters featured in the Titans' side and five-eighth Jada Ferguson made several appearances for Brisbane. The side has strength across the park, including Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy premiership back-rower Otesa Pule, who scored the match-winning try in this year's Tarsha Gale Cup Grand Final. Pule didn't make her NRLW debut in the 2021 season but was routinely listed on the Roosters' reserves bench throughout - indicating she may just break through in the 2022 season later this year. This match may well be a big chance to impress. 

LAST MEETING: U19 Women's Origin 2021 - NSW 16 QLD 12, Sunshine Coast Stadium

Who to watch: Props Ruby-Jean Kennard (NSW) and April Ngatupuna (QLD) have been strong performers in 2022.

Kennard - whose father Ben Ellis featured for St George Illawarra in the late 2000's, has spent her recent years in the Parramatta system - featuring for the Eels in Tarsha Gale Cup and the Wentworthville Harvey Norman Women's Premiership side. She's managed to pick up an NRLW contract for the Eels' upcoming 2022 season and will be keen to further her credentials up front against a player who's already broken through.

For a 19-year-old, Ngatupuna has an already impressive rugby league resume. Featuring in last year's match at Sunshine Coast, she's appeared for the Wests Panthers in the QRL's U19 tournament in recent years, this year stepping up to senior level with a Titans NRLW contract. Once the 2021 season concluded in April, she switched lanes to the statewide BMD Premiership competition, playing prop in the North Queensland Gold Stars' run to premiership glory, playing 45 minutes in the side's 14-12 over the Capras in the Grand Final just three weeks ago.

Favourite: The weight of experience should see the Queensland side home in this contest.

My tip: The experience and development in the Queensland side looks hard to beat - but at this level anything can happen. I'm backing the Maroons to get the win here, but don't count the Blues out. Queensland Under 19's by 6.

Result: New South Wales 22 (Andie Robinson 3, Jada Taylor 2 tries; Rueben Cherrington 1 goal) def Queensland 6 (Jada Ferguson try; Chantay Kiria-Ratu 1 goal) at Leichhardt Oval. Halftime Score: NSW 8 QLD 6.

Under 19 Men's Origin
New South Wales v Queensland
Thu June 23 2022, 7:45pm
at Leichhardt Oval, Lilyfield NSW

1. Terrell Kalo Kalo 2. Utuloa Asomua 3. Paul Alamoti 4. Brad Morkos 5. Jack Bostock 6. Thomas Weaver 7. Jonah Pezet 8. Max Bradbury 9. Tyler Moriarty 10. Justin Matamua 11. Oryn Keeley 12. Brandon Tumeth 13. Trey Mooney
Interchange: 14. Jack Cole 15. Toby Couchman 16. Larry Muagututia 17. Jacob Webster 18. Charlie Thompson 19. Oskar Bryant 20. Samuela Fainu 21. Jaylan De Groot

Coach: Andrew Ryan.

1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Jacob Mene 3. Sosefo Fifita 4. Robert Toia 5. Xavier Chatfield-Mooka 6. Harradyn Wilson 7. Thomas Duffy 8. Xavier Va'a 9. Blake Mozer 10. Paul Bryan 11. Edward Hampson 12. Jack Howarth 13. Luke Jack
Interchange: 14. Jye Gray 15. Benjamin Te Kura 16. Josiah Pahulu 17. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 18. Ragarive Wavik 19. Tane Kiriona 20. Kaleb Ngamanu 21. Shaun Packer 22. Angus Hinchey

Coach: Kurt Richards.

Referee: Wyatt Raymond; Sideline Officials: Cameron Paddy, Nick Pelgrave; Video Referee: Kasey Badge

Match Preview

by Lachlan McIntyre

New wave of rugby league talent take to Leichhardt Oval as junior Origin rivalry reignites.

The Men's State of Origin U19's will see the intense NSW v QLD rivalry head to Leichhardt Oval as the game's next generation get the opportunity to represent their state on the big stage. A part of the massive representative round line-up that will culminate in the Men's State of Origin game 2 on Sunday, the match is the second in an U19's double header to be held on Thursday night.

With junior State of Origin fixtures being played inconsistently over recent times, the NRL is attempting to revive the fixture despite the lack of junior representative action as a result of covid over the course of the pandemic. In previous years, junior State of Origin matches have been played directly before the Men's games, and have often not been broadcasted. This year, the NRL has seen an opportunity to sell the game as a stand-alone fixture to fans, and they are offering free admission in the hopes of getting a big crowd along. Broadcast partners Nine and Fox will also broadcast the game, which will give up and coming players a chance to get their name out there.

The Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the junior systems, which has resulted in the changing of competition age groups. In NSW, the majority of players have been selected from the NSW Cup and the Jersey Flegg Cup (21s), with only a handful of players being picked from the statewide U19's competition, the SG Ball Cup. The Queensland squad is made up of players from the Hostplus Cup (QLD Cup), the Hastings Deerings Colts (21s), and the Mal Meninga Cup (18s).

Each team has also been allowed to select two U20's "marquee" players, who are contracted to NRL clubs. There was initial speculation that the likes of Joseph Suaalii, Ezra Mam and Reece Walsh could be selected, however NRL coaches were understandably against the idea of letting their star players risk injury in a representative fixture. Davvy Moale and Trey Mooney were picked for NSW from the Rabbitohs and the Raiders respectively, however Moale was later called up to the Cook Islands team to take on Samoa this Saturday, and as such will not take part this Thursday in a blow for the Blues. For Queensland, Jack Howarth from the Melbourne Storm and Sosefo Fifita from the Titans have been picked in the squad.

At the helm of the Queensland Under-19's squad is their head coach, Kurt Richards. Working with the Brisbane Broncos for 13 years in a multitude of roles, he has recently joined Wayne Bennet at the Dolphins as they prepare to enter the NRL. There, he is the Head of Pathways, a role that is designed so that the best young talent find themselves in the Dolphins system. There can be no doubt that players he has selected in the squad for the upcoming fixture are on the Dolphins watch list, and the young players will be wanting to impress and show their coach why they would be worthy of a deal at the NRL's newest team.

Fronting the New South Wales Under-19's is their coach Andrew "Bobcat" Ryan. Having played twelve games for the Blues over his long career, Ryan is very familiar with the NSWRL system. He has also been a part of the coaching team in previous U18's and U20's NSW camps that have taken place over the past five years, and his experience working with juniors should benefit his side greatly.

Who to watch: Making his NRL debut only a few weeks ago, Trey Mooney will be a key player for the NSW Under-19's. With a much higher level of experience compared with his teammates, his side will need him to lead by example. Named to start at lock despite playing all his NSW Cup games so far this season in the second row, the Blues chances hinge significantly on his performance in the centre of the ground.

For the Queensland Under-19's, Jack Howarth has been named to start in the second row. The Storm top-30 member has spent this season splitting time between the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup and the Victoria Thunderbolts in Jersey Flegg. Playing mostly as an outside back in the Storm system, the switch into the forwards in such a high profile game could be tough. But the Melbourne Storm have shown faith in his talent, having signed him to the club through until the 2027 season.

Favourite: The NSW side is expected to get the job done on their own turf at Leichhardt Oval.

My tip: While there is a lot of unknown coming into this match, the home crowd advantage should get Andrew Ryan's side over the line. NSW Under-19's by 2.

Result: New South Wales 32 (Utuloa Asomua 2, Paul Alamoti, Jack Bostock, Thomas Weaver tries; Thomas Weaver 6 goals) def Queensland 4 (Jacob Mene try) at Leichhardt Oval. Crowd: 3174. Halftime Score: NSW 24 QLD 4.