The perfect pathway: How U/19's helps pave the way for future Origin success

For many of the young men and women who will go represent their state at Leichhardt Oval on Thursday night, it could go down as the highlight of their rugby league career.

But with 26 players named in the men's squads alone for Origin II in Melbourne having featured in junior Origin games at some point in their career, there's an even greater chance that it could just be the start of their representative journey.

The next generation of Queensland and New South Wales are ready to go head-to-head as a competition made up of NRL rookies, familiar surnames and undiscovered stars continues to grow into a pivotal event on the rugby league calendar for the role it plays in player development.

“Representative teams and playing in an arena like the Under 19s State of Origin can do so much for your confidence,” Queensland U/19's coach and former Maroons representative Ben Te’o told NRL.com.

“There’s quite a few guys in our side that have never made a representative team and this is their first one so it really gives them that confidence that they belong and they’re on the right path in their career.

“A lot of these guys can really launch their career off the back of these games. It’s televised and it’s a big deal for themselves and their families.

“They can translate this into getting an NRL debut or go further in their career and I think this game can be a real kickstart for the players and what they’re working towards.”

That was certainly true for a handful of Blues stars, with the likes of 2024 breakout stars Ethan Strange and Jack Bostock walking into their U/19's camps as boys but leaving as statesmen, ready to mark their mark on the NRL in the coming years.

"From the moment Ethan walked into camp last year you could see that he was a leader and was great around the team, so to watch him make his debut and actually make an impact on the Raiders team too, it's incredible to see," former New South Wales forward and current U/19's coach Andrew Ryan said.

"We were also in Redcliffe last year and Jack Bostock came into camp to come and have a chat about his experience in 2022 and for the boys who had watched him play NRL, that had a big impact.

"We've also got guys like Shaun Timmins, Luke Bailey and Steve Turner around who have had truck loads of NRL experience and been involved in Origin so just rubbing shoulders and hanging around with those fellas is huge for their development as well.

"We're really big on representing the jersey and trying to do what we can to give those boys that Origin experience and get a feel for it."

The new male and female under 19's State of Origin fixture was introduced by the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) in 2022, having previously being played as an Under 16's, Under 18's and Under 20's men’s competition.

Since the inception of the new competition in 2022, 16 players have already gone on to make their made their NRL debut in the men’s competition.

That number is even higher in the women's competition with a host of NRLW debutants stemming from the three years of U/19's action, while a number of players such as Emmanita Paki, Keilee Joseph, Jaime Chapman, Skyla Adams, Sienna Lofipo have already gone on to earn their senior Origin debuts.

Round 13 Cowboys debutants Jaxon Purdue and Jamal Shibasaki have named among Te'o's side to face New South Wales on Thursday, with the first-time Under 19s coach believing the competition is targeting the right age group.

“I think when you’re that young kid around whose just made their debut you’re just sort of happy to be there and quite quiet and reserved because you’re only 18 or 19 playing NRL and it’s all just a big dream for you,” the former Broncos star said.

“But when you strip back and you come into an environment like we’ve got this week, all of a sudden all the players in your camp look up to you because you’ve played NRL and you’re suddenly the leader.

“I think every football needs an opportunity to be that leader and for someone like Jaxon or Jamal, that’s something they probably feel, and I think they take that privilege quite seriously.”

Queensland stars Reece Walsh, Harry Grant, Tom Dearden and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow are among 16 of Billy Slater’s 20-man squad for Game Two to have represented Queensland in the junior competition.

That number could have been even higher too, with injured names such as Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Tom Gilbert, Cameron Munster, Coen Hess, J’maine Hopgood and AJ Brimson all playing for the Maroons' junior sides throughout their careers.

Te’o said pulling on a Maroons jersey not only lights a fire for the teenagers to reach the State of Origin arena one day, but it also shows the pathway for every kid dreaming to play for their state.

“A lot of the current State of Origin players have come through teams similar to this back in the day when there was U/16's, U/18's and U/20's which is great to see,” Te’o said.

“We try to instil in them the values that are important to Queensland, what it means to pull on the maroon jerseys and make sure those values align with the female U/19's and the men's and women's senior teams also.