Blues coach Brad Fittler has declared Warriors workhorse Josh Curran as a shock early bolter for State of Origin selection this season.
Curran has been a standout in a struggling Warriors side in the opening two rounds and Fittler sees the 22-year-old as a big chance of selection if he maintains his form.
“You’ve just got to love his attitude – he is a real competitor and that is what you want,” Fittler said.
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“There is still plenty of football to be played before we select the team, but he has certainly got the early jump on the field.
“In attack and defence, he leads the way and I just love watching him play – he’d fit into our side very well.”
Curran is a Parramatta junior who played one game for the Roosters before switching to the Warriors in 2019.
He has played in the Indigenous All Stars game for the past two years and Fittler has no doubts he could handle the step up to the Origin arena.
Dolphins to chase Souths forward
The Dolphins have made rising Souths hit man Tallis Duncan their next target for their entry into the NRL in 2023.
Duncan is seen as one of the best up-and-coming forwards in the game and plays an up-tempo, aggressive style like Souths’ Cam Murray and the Roosters’ Victor Radley.
The youngster was given a taste of first grade in the trials and looked right at home in top company – until he got sin binned for his take-no-prisoners approach.
Souths want to keep Duncan and have plans to sign him long term, but his path to first grade would be a lot quicker at the Dolphins.
Tigers could nab Sharks lock
Long-suffering Tigers fans could use some good news right now – and I have some.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that the club was interested in signing talented Sharks lock Briton Nikora.
The Sharks want to keep the Kiwi Test forward – and several other clubs are also keen on the 24-year-old.
But in an encouraging sign for the Tigers, one of my spies spotted Nikora sharing a quiet coffee with under-siege Tigers coach Michael Maguire last week.
It’s not quite over the line just yet – but the Tigers at this stage are the favourites to sign the long-striding back-rower.
Watmough’s son on the rise
Manly has graded the son of club legend Anthony Watmough.
Jake Watmough, a 20-year-old back-rower, is taller and leaner than his dad but has made a good impression on club officials and is in the Manly Flegg Cup squad.
The youngster is following in big foosteps – dad Anthony played over 300 games for Manly and the Northern Eagles and is regarded among the best players the club has produced.
“Jake is a good kid and we will follow his progress with interest,” Manly’s recruitment manager Scott Fulton told Wide World of Sports.
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