A quick glance at the NZRL's 2010 17s Merit team, named at the
end of the inaugural National Competition season, will impress even
the most casual of rugby league followers. From fullback Roger
Tuivasa-Sheck (Roosters) to Ngani Laumape (Warriors) to junior
players Jeremy Hawkins (Canberra Raiders), Cade Umanga
(Melbourne Storm), Tama Koopu , Viliami Lolohea, Michael Sio, David
Bhana and Siliva Havili (Warriors), this is a team which has gone
on to bigger and better things.
Most made the NZ Residents 18s in 2011 and were signed to
various NRL clubs junior NYC teams. Two have since made the step up
to first grade, Tuivasa-Sheck in 2012 and Laumape in 2013. Today a
number including Ngani Laumape had their Warriors contracts
upgraded for the 2014 season.
Centre-winger Laumape has been signed until the end of the 2015
season while Vodafone Junior Warriors captain David Bhana, and
hooker Siliva Havili will all join the 2014 NRL squad on one-year
fulltime contracts.
Laumape and Havili, while still NYC eligible, started the 2013
season playing for the Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup
with Laumape going up another level by making his NRL debut against
Cronulla in March when he was still 19. He strung together a
sequence of five appearances for the top side and has been named on
an extended interchange bench for the club's 11th-round
NRL encounter with the Newcastle Knights at Mount Smart Stadium on
Sunday.
Loose forward Bhana, has been a key contributor in the club's
NYC team now running fifth in the competition after beating top of
the table Penrith 38-32 last Saturday night.
"There are further opportunities for other NYC players to gain
NRL contracts but we're really pleased with the way all of these
players are progressing and wanted to give them a clear signal of
where they figure in our plans," said former Kiwi now Vodafone
Warriors general manager football operations Dean Bell. "We see
them making further progress next year as they strive to succeed in
the NRL.
Bell said Vodafone Warriors junior recruitment and pathways
coach Stacey Jones was working closely with Vodafone Junior
Warriors coach John Ackland and the players in their on-going
development to become established NRL players.
Bhana, a player with a huge work ethic, was the NYC's leading
tackler last year with 957 (an average of 40 a game) and is again
high up the charts with 364 tackles in nine games this year. At the
same time, he's finishing off a science degree at the University of
Auckland.
Havili has been a Vulcans regular this year, making just one NYC
appearance. In 52 career NYC games he has scored 24 tries.