The 2021 season saw talent from the Intrust Super Cup shine, with 24 Cup players moving up to make their debuts in the NRL.
Players stepped up into the NRL from Round 1 through to the final round of the regular season in 2021, showing how time spent in Queensland’s statewide competitions, including the Hastings Deering Colts, can help prepare athletes to reach the top level of the game.
Intrust Super Cup to NRL graduates 2021
1. Tyson Smoothy
Intrust Super Cup club: Sunshine Coast Falcons
NRL club: Melbourne Storm
NRL debut: Round 1 v South Sydney Rabbitohs
The Hastings Deering Colts player of the grand final in 2019, Smoothy returned from a stint with Penrith Panthers in 2020 where he played NRL Nines to re-join the Sunshine Coast Falcons, where he featured in Round 1 of the 2020 season. In Round 1 of the 2021 season, Smoothy made his debut for Melbourne Storm during their victory over South Sydney Rabbitohs, capping a stellar rise to the top.
2. Trent Loiero
Intrust Super Cup club: Sunshine Coast Falcons
NRL club: Melbourne Storm
NRL debut: Round 4 v Brisbane Broncos
Loiero started this year as he did last year, playing Cup for the Sunshine Coast Falcons. This season, he was able to put his experience of living in the NRL bubble with Melbourne Storm in 2020 to good use, slotting straight into the action during his NRL debut in Round 4 against the Brisbane Broncos. The Sunshine Coast junior went on to play four more NRL games this season, scoring two tries.
Let’s go Trent Loiero
3. Wiremu Greig
Intrust Super Cup club: Northern Pride / Parramatta Eels (NSW Cup)
NRL club: Parramatta Eels
NRL debut: Round 6 v Canberra Raiders
It was an auspicious start to the season for the big prop who was included in the Maori side to play in this year’s NRL All Stars clash. Greig then started the Intrust Super Cup season with a bang for Northern Pride, scoring a Round 1 double. This year, he played in one more game for the Pride before being released by the North Queensland Cowboys to join the Parramatta Eels where he played two NRL matches this season.
4. Reece Walsh
Intrust Super Cup club: Norths Devils / Redcliffe Dolphins
NRL club: Warriors
NRL debut: Round 7 v Melbourne Storm
An early-season NRL club switch paid off for rising star Walsh, who started the season with Norths Devils before switching to the Redcliffe Dolphins on his way to his NRL debut with the Warriors. His elusive speed, ball skills and eagerness to learn from mentor Roger Tuivasa-Sheck saw him make an immediate impact in the NRL, with his form earning him selection in the Queensland Maroons squad for Game II, before injury ruled him out.
5. Rocco Berry
Intrust Super Cup club: Redcliffe Dolphins
NRL club: Warriors
NRL debut: Round 7 v Melbourne Storm
Berry is quickly making a name for himself in rugby league, but sporting prowess runs in the family with his father Marty Rocco a former All Black. This season, Berry made his Cup debut in Round 1, scoring a double for the Dolphins in their win. He went on to make his NRL debut against Melbourne Storm in Round 7, following up that milestone the next round by scoring a try in his side’s win over the North Queensland Cowboys.
6. Dean Ieremia
Intrust Super Cup club: Brisbane Tigers
NRL club: Melbourne Storm
NRL debut: Round 8 v Cronulla Sharks
The Sunbury Tigers junior was the talk of Victoria when he made his NRL debut with the Storm in Round 8 this year. Ieremia got his opportunity following some fantastic form with Brisbane Tigers where he scored six tries in six appearances, including a hat-trick in a big 50-10 win against Burleigh Bears in Round 3. This season, Ieremia ran out in 10 games for the Storm and scored six tries, including bagging an NRL hat-trick against the eventual premiers the Panthers in Round 20.
7. Edward Kosi
Intrust Super Cup club: Redcliffe Dolphins
NRL club: Warriors
NRL debut: Round 8 v North Queensland Cowboys
The big winger made nine Cup appearances for Redcliffe during 2021, where he proved a handful, scoring four tries. His NRL debut in Round 8 came as a bit of a surprise, with the Mangere East Hawks junior receiving only one hour’s notice about his call-up to the Warriors side where he filled in for an injured David Fusitu’a in the win against North Queensland Cowboys. In 2021, Kosi played five games for the Warriors and scored a try in Round 22.
8. Kobe Hetherington
Intrust Super Cup club: Souths Logan Magpies
NRL club: Brisbane Broncos
NRL debut: Round 11 v Sydney Roosters
After pressing his claims for an NRL debut with some strong showings in both Colts with Norths Devils and Cup with South Logan Magpies over the past few seasons, versatile forward Hetherington got his chance with Brisbane Broncos in their Round 11 win against Sydney Roosters. In 2021, Hetherington played 14 NRL games and crossed for three tries.
Kobe Hetherington, always solid