Ahead of Round 14 of the NRL Telstra Premiership, just one Intrust Super Premiership graduates has been named to get their first taste of the top grade - NSWRL.com.au takes a look at
Reed Mahoney
Club: Wentworthville Magpies
Position: Hooker
Age: 20
Intrust Super Premiership games played: 6
Representative honours: Nil
After a mammoth 60-tackle performance in Round 13 of the Intrust Super Premiership NSW, Reed Mahoney has now been named to make his first-grade debut for the Eels in their clash with the Cowboys on Saturday night.
Having dominated the Under 20's competition since his club debut in 2016, Mahoney has proven more than capable of handling the physical demands of Rugby League after a seamless transition from UNE SG Ball, Jersey Flegg and the Intrust Super Premiership NSW.
Still eligible to play in the Jersey Flegg Cup in 2018, the livewire hooker has certainly made a name for himself at the Eels with his tireless defensive work-rate and crafty ball-playing ability being two of his strongest assets.
He provides significant spark out of dummy-half and will leave no stone unturned when he comes off the bench for an Eels outfit desperate to bounce back into the winners circle this weekend.
2018 Debutants
• Sam Cook – Warriors (Round 1 v South Sydney Rabbitohs)*
• Adam Doueihi – North Sydney Bears, South Sydney Rabbitohs (Round 2 v Penrith Panthers)
• Christian Crichton – Penrith Panthers (Round 3 v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
• Wayde Egan – Penrith Panthers (Round 4 v North Queensland Cowboys)
• Kurt Dillon – Newtown Jets, Cronulla-Sutherland-Sharks (Round 6 v St. George Illawarra Dragons)
• Kaide Ellis – Penrith Panthers (Round 6 v Gold Coast Titans)
• Taniela Paseka – Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (Round 6 v Wests Tigers)
• Jack Hethrington – Penrith Panthers (Round 7 v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
• Rhyse Martin – Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Round 9 v Brisbane Broncos)
• Reece Robson – St. George Illawarra Dragons (Round 9 v Melbourne Storm)
• Jarome Luai – Penrith Panthers (Round 10 v Newcastle Knights)
• Renouf To'Omaga – Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Round 10 v Parramatta Eels)
• Tom Wright – Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (Round 10 v Brisbane Broncos)
• Zac Lomax – St. George Illawarra Dragons (Round 10 v South Sydney Rabbitohs)
• Jack Williams – Newtown Jets, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Round 10 v Canberra Raiders)
• Marata Niukore – Wentworthville Magpies, Parramatta Eels (Round 11 v Warriors)
• Matt Ikuvalu – Wyong Roos, Sydney Roosters (Round 13 v Wests Tigers)
• Reed Mahoney - Wentworthville Magpies, Parramatta Eels (Round 14 v North Queensland Cowboys)**
*Finished 2017 season in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW
**Named to debut in Round 14
