Sharks forwards Siosifa Talakai and Toby Rudolf, try scoring ace Sione Katoa and young hooker Blayke Brailey have been rewarded for their consistently high standard of play during the 2020 season with invitations to attend the NSW Emerging Blues camp at the NSWRL Centre of Excellence tomorrow (Saturday, Jan 30).
Both Talakai and Rudolf enjoyed outstanding debut seasons at the Sharks, Katoa was spectacular in crossing for 16 tries in 19 games on the wing, while Brailey’s dependable defence and skill from dummy half has also caught the eye in his time in the top grade.
The four will attend a camp at which NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler looks to bring the next generation of representative stars together at the Emerging Blues camp
The camp represents the first step for Fittler in returning the Ampol State of Origin Shield to NSW following the series loss to Queensland last year.
The Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues won consecutive series in 2018-19.
Players attending the camp are from NSW only due to COVID-19 restrictions that were only recently eased by Victoria and Queensland.
The opening game of the 2021 Ampol State of Origin series will be on Wednesday 9 June, Game Two will be on Sunday 27 and Game Three will be on Wednesday 14 July. The venues are yet to be announced.
The emerging blues squad for the camp tomorrow is listed below.
EMERGING BLUES SQUAD
Jake Averillo (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Bradman Best (Newcastle Knights)
Shawn Blore (Wests Tigers)
Blayke Brailey (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Nat Butcher (Sydney Roosters)
Kyle Flanagan (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Campbell Graham (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Emre Guler (Canberra Raiders)
Jack Hetherington (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Tex Hoy (Newcastle Knights)
Sione Katoa (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Spencer Leniu (Penrith Panthers)
Moses Leota (Penrith Panthers)
Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)
Tyrone May (Penrith Panthers)
Toby Rudolf (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Jacob Saifiti (Newcastle Knights)
Josh Schuster (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Charlie Staines (Penrith Panthers)
Joseph Suaalii (Sydney Roosters)
Moses Suli (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Siosifa Talakai (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Tommy Talau (Wests Tigers)
Tevita Tatola (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)
Stefano Utoikamanu (Wests Tigers)
Sam Verrills (Sydney Roosters)
Brandon Wakeham (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
