Holden Cup Team of the Year

Players from nine clubs have been selected for the Holden Cup Team of the Year which was unveiled by the NRL today.

NRL Head of Football, Todd Greenberg said the National Youth Competition, known as the Holden Cup, is proving more important than ever before in preparing young players for the NRL.

He said the NYC had developed a host of young stars in 2014 who were already establishing themselves as first grade regulars.

These include Jake Mamo (8 first grade games), Joseph Tapine (7) and Sione Mata’utia (5) from Newcastle, Valentine Holmes (5) from the Sharks, Nene Macdonald (7) from the Roosters and Tepai Moeroa (7) from the Eels who had all been included in the Holden Cup Team of the Year.

“Some of these players, like Nene and Tepai, may have the opportunity to play Finals football in the NRL this year,” Mr Greenberg said.

“That is an incredible achievement – to go from the youth competition to the finals of the toughest competition in the world in the same year.

“But I think that indicates how strong the Holden Cup has become – and how well it prepares our young players for the NRL.”

Among the players from last year’s Holden Cup Team of the Year who played first grade this year were Luke Brooks, Michael Lichaa, Bryce Cartwright, Corey Oates and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

Mr Greenberg said the Holden Cup had been closer than ever this year with more than 50 games being decided by a margin of six or less.

Mr Greenberg said he was particularly pleased that so many Holden Cup players were taking on full time careers in addition to their football.

“Naturally we hope our young players will have successful NRL careers but the reality is that many of them will not become full time footballers.

“So it is important they pursue other employment and the NRL provides careers advice to help them move into tertiary studies and other work.

“It is no surprise, therefore to see members of the team of the year working in everything from hospitality and small business to nutrition and telecommunications.”

The official Holden Cup team of the year is:

 

No.	Position	Player Name	Club	work/study
1	Fullback	Jake Mamo	Knights	Certificate 4 Small Business Traineeship
2	Wing	Valentine Holmes	Sharks	Warehouse Assistant / Certificate 3/4 Fitness
3	Centre	Sione Mata’utia	Knights	Certificate 4 Small Business Traineeship
4	Centre	Brendan Elliot	Roosters	Hospitality – Easts Leagues Club
5	Wing	Nene Macdonald	Roosters	Fulltime Training Squad – Roosters
6	Five-Eighth	Te Maire Martin	Tigers	Telecommunications Trades Assistant
7	Half-Back	Drew Hutchison	Dragons	Bachelor of Physical and Health Education
8	Prop	Andy Saunders	Panthers	Advanced Certificate of Nutrition
9	Hooker	Manaia Cherrington	Tigers	Scaffolding / Certificate 4 in Fitness
10	Prop	Sam Lisone	Warriors	Self Employed – Mentor/Coaching in Schools
11	Second-row	Nelson Asofa-Solomona	Storm	Warehouse Labouring – Silk Contract logistics
12	Second-row	Tepai Moeroa	Eels	Certificate 4 Youth Work – Tafe
13	Lock	Willis Meehan	Roosters	Fulltime Training Squad – Roosters
14	Interchange	Danny Levi	Knights	Storeman – Hunter Pods
15	Interchange	Joseph Tapine	Knights	Certificate 4 Small Business Traineeship
16	Interchange	Addin Fonua-Blake	Dragons	Meat Packer – Aust Wholsale Meat / Cert 3/4 Fitness
17	Interchange	Kane Elgey	Titans	Landscape Gardener
	Coach	Mick Crawley	Knights

 

Photo: Jake Mamo scores in the corner despite the attempts of Lote Tuqiri NRL Rugby League, Round 21 South Sydney Rabbitohs v Newcastle Knights at Barlow Park, Cairns, Sunday August 3rd 2014.  (photo: Colin Whelan copyright: nrlphotos.com)