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Ahead of Round 17 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 Darren Nicholls.

Darren Nicholls

Club: St. George Illawarra Dragons
Position: Halfback
Age: 29
Intrust Super Premiership games played: 62
Representative honours: Intrust Super NSW Residents 2015

They say persistence and perseverance has no failure, and there's no doubt that Darren Nicholls will typify that exact phrase when he makes his first-grade debut for the Dragons against the Melbourne Storm on Thursday night. 

At the age of 29, he's enjoyed a stellar rugby league career to date having won the Intrust Super Premiership NSW Grand Final with the Panthers - where he was rewarded with Man of the Match honours after an clinical individual performance. 

Boasting a wealth of experience and classy ball-playing skills, Nicholls has crafted his trade alongside the likes of Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt in 2018, but not before stints at the Broncos and Rabbitohs where he was part of the first-grade squad.

A well-deserved debut selection, the dynamic halfback will be looking to take this opportunity with both hands when he faces the defending premiers this Thursday, and with a host of Origin players out, there is little doubt he will be ready to shoulder the responsibility as the Dragons new No.7.

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)

• Manase Fainu - Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (Round 16 v Penrith Panthers)

• Lachlan Lewis - Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Round 16 v Newcastle Knights)

• Ofahiki Ogden - Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Round 16 v Newcastle Knights)

• Darren Nicholls - St George Illawarra Dragons (Round 17 v Melbourne Storm)**

*Finished 2017 season in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW

**Named to debut in Round 17

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New South Wales Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.

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