The CABE NSW Under 19s Men have won the past three State of Origin Under 19s matches and will be looking to make it four when they face the Queensland Under 19s Men at Sunshine Coast Stadium on the Sunshine Coast tonight. nswrl.com.au casts its eye over the team.
CABE NSW Under 19s Men
1. Cooper Votano
Club: Newcastle Knights. Position: Fullback.
A big body who is strong, moves incredibly well and is a great aerial threat, Votano is a product of the Knights pathways who joined the NRL squad for 2025. He earned the Kurt Gidley Award for the UNE Harold Matthews Cup Player of the Year in 2023 and last year made his debut in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup as well as representing the CABE NSW Under 19s. Votano has made 10 appearances in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup this season for four tries, 31 goals, four try assists and three line breaks.
2. Luke Laulilii
Club: Wests Tigers. Position: Winger.
Laulilii has made a rapid rise through the ranks and already has two NRL appearances and two tries to his credit this season. A former Australian Schoolboys representative, he was part of the Western Suburbs Magpies outfit that claimed a premiership in the 2022 UNE Harold Matthews Cup. After captaining the Magpies again in 2023, Laulilii progressed in 2024 to play UNE SG Ball Cup, The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup and the NRL where he scored a try on debut.
3. Hayden Buchanan
Club: St George Illawarra Dragons. Position: Centre.
A centre with strength and speed to burn, Buchanan was part of the CABE NSW Under 19s team that held on for a gritty 14-10 win over Queensland last year. He is used to doing things a year young after playing up an age group in UNE Harold Matthews Cup and UNE SG Ball Cup. He had his first taste of NRL training at 17 and had made nine appearances in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup this year for three tries, three line breaks and five try assists.

4. Nikora Williams
Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Position: Centre.
A goal-kicking centre who possess great footwork, Williams trained with the Sharks NRL squad during the pre-season. He took out the coveted Val Lembit Memorial Trophy for the Most Outstanding Male Representative at the NSW Combined High School Sports Awards in November last year which has previously been presented to sporting stars including Ian Thorpe, Steve Waugh and Westpac NSW Blues centre Zac Lomax.
5. Jethro Rinakama
Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Position: Winger.
A prolific try-scorer with express pace, Rinakama has been progressing through the Bulldogs pathways system and enjoying success along the way. He won the UNE Harold Matthews Cup in 2023, and then progressed to a premiership with the Jersey Flegg Cup team in 2024. He has made 10 appearances in The Knock-On Effect NSW cup this season for 10 tries, 14 tackle busts and nine line breaks.
6. Toby Rodwell
Club: Sydney Roosters. Position: Halfback.
Rodwell has been in the Roosters system since 2022 and is earmarked as a player of the future after playing in a NRL trial at the start of the year and being promoted to the top 30 squad until 2028. He collected the Harry Phipps Rising Star Award in 2024 and has alternated between The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup and UNE SG Ball Cup this year. Was named Player of the Match after helping engineer a miracle win in the UNE SG Ball Cup Grand Final.
7. Mitchell Woods (c)
Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Position: Halfback.
Woods has already represented his state after playing for the CABE NSW Under 19 Men’s team that scored a hard-fought 14-10 win over Queensland at Leichhardt Oval last year. A talented halfback with a big future ahead of him, Woods captained Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs to a UNE Harold Matthews Cup premiership in 2023, was named Player of the Series after steering the club to the SG Ball Cup Grand Final in 2024, and made scored a try on debut in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup this season. Has a great kicking and passing game and is a quick thinker.
8. Cody Hopwood
Club: Newcastle Knights. Position: Prop.
A towering prop with great go-forward and ball skills, Hopwood is another player with a bright future in front of him. Already a two-time Australian Schoolboys representative, Hopwood was part of the CABE NSW Under 19s team that beat Queensland last year. He made his debut for the Knights in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup last year when he was still in high school and has been a mainstay in the team this season.
9. Jaxson Allen
Club: Sydney Roosters. Position: Hooker.
Like all good No.9s, Allen has speed, guile and vision. He can sense an opportunity close to the line or is just as happy to set one up for his team-mates. Allen made his debut for the Roosters in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup in Round Two this year and captained the UNE SG Ball Cup team to a memorable premiership win in extra time against the Parramatta Eels in May.
10. Cooper Clarke
Club: Melbourne Storm. Position: Prop.
A former Wests Tigers Junior, Clarke has now signed with the Melbourne Storm where he is part of their elite development program. A human wrecking ball with the ability to skittle defenders, Clarke won the fan’s vote for the Mal Meninga Cup Weapon of the Year in 2024 and backed that up in 2025 when he was named the Storm’s SG Ball Cup Player of the Year.
11. Jacob Halangahu
Club: St George Illawarra Dragons. Position: Second row.
Halangahu boasts both size and power and won’t be going anywhere soon with the club tying him to a contract extension until 2027. He was named Player of the Match after helping the Dragons break a 32-year drought in the SG Ball Cup Grand Final last year before captaining the Australian Schoolboys. He has made nine appearances in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup this season for an average of 108 running metres per game.
12. Jezaiah Funa-Iuta
Club: Parramatta Eels. Position: Second row.
A strong and powerful edge back-rower, Funa-Iuta was part of the Eels UNE SG Ball Cup team last year and played a key leadership role in helping top steer the club to a Grand Final in the same competition this season. He has progressed to the Jersey Flegg Cup and recently signed an upgraded contract with the Eels which will see him elevated to the NRL’s top squad in 2027.
13. Jordan Uta
Club: Canberra Raiders. Position: Second row.
An athletic back-rower who predominantly plays on the left side, Uta was part of the Parramatta Eels team that made a Preliminary Final of the UNE Harold Matthews Cup in 2023 before heading down the Federal Highway to Canberra. He featured in the Raiders UNE SG Ball Cup team in 2024 and has gone on to play Jersey Flegg Cup this season.

14. Zane Harrison
Club: Gold Coast Titans. Position: Halfback.
A highly-touted halfback with an array of skills, Harrison is touted for a big future in the game. He can organise, has a great kicking game and vision and strong defensively. Harrison steered the Tweed Seagulls to a premiership in the Mal Meninga Cup (Under 18s) and was later named Player of the Year. He has already made three appearances in Queensland’s Hostplus Cup this season.
15. Cyrus Stanley-Traill
Club: St George Illawarra Dragons. Position: Second row.
An edge back-rower who can hit a hole or bust a tackle, Stanley-Traill began training with the Dragons NRL squad in 2025 with a view to earning a spot in 2027. He was part of the UNE SG Ball Cup team that won the premiership last year. He has progressed this season to the Jersey Flegg Cup with the Dragons currently sitting second on the ladder.
16. Hokafonu Lemoto
Club: Penrith Panthers. Position: Prop.
A mobile prop who works hard to get his team on the front foot and a rugged defender, Lemoto has been progressing through the pathways at the Panthers. He was part of the UNE Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s) team in 2023 and progressed to the UNE SG Ball Cup team in 2024 where he was claimed the Emerging Talent Award at the club’s awards night.
17. Kanaan Magele
Club: Sydney Roosters. Position: Prop.
A tackle-busting front rower who enjoys charging into the opposition defence, Magele was talent spotted by the Roosters in Auckland and played in their UNE Harold Matthews Cup in 2023. He then switched to play in the Mal Meninga Cup (Under 18s) in Queensland before returning to the Roosters where he has played UNE SG Ball Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup this season.
18. Heamasi Makasini
Club: Wests Tigers. Position: Centre.
Makasini has already been touted as the next big thing by the Wests Tigers and was crowned the UNE Harold Matthews Cup Player of the Series in 2024 after helping Western Suburbs Magpies to a Grand Final appearance. A goal-kicking left centre who has strength, speed and a powerful fend, the 17-year-old has signed a deal which will keep him at the club until 2028.

19. Jack Hilliar
Club: Newcastle Knights. Position: Prop.
A no-nonsense front rower who does everything at full speed, Hilliar isn’t fazed about doing the tough stuff and can find his way across the line. He was part of the team that got the Knights to a Semi-final in the UNE SG Ball Cup last year and his efforts do not go un-noticed by his teammates after he took out the Players’ Player Award in the same competition for 2025.
20. Mitchell Brophy
Club: Canberra Raiders. Position: Hooker.
Brophy offers great service out of dummy-half and gets through plenty of defensive work in the middle. After helping the Monaro Colts to a win in the SLE Laurie Daley Cup (Under 18s) last year, Brophy turned his attention to the Raiders in the UNE SG Ball Cup and played a leading hand in steering them to a Preliminary Final against eventual Premiers Sydney Roosters.