Isaac Lumelume burst onto the scene over the weekend with a cracking NRL debut for the Melbourne Storm against the Manly Sea Eagles but before that the talented outside back was coming through the system with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
The 22-year-old has also been part of the NSW pathways system, representing NSW Under-18’s in 2016 where they defeated Queensland 26-0 with a team boasting NRL stars Zac Lomax, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Nick Cotric, Cameron Murray and Payne Haas.
He backed that up the following season with another NSW jumper in the NSW Under-20s side where he played on the wing and Murray captained the team to a 30-16 victory.
“He just wants to do what’s best for the team, especially coming out of the back end of the field; he just loves getting his hands on the ball,” Under-20s mentor and Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues Assistant Coach Danny Buderus said at the time.
In 2018, the 1.87 metre- tall star was part of the Sharks premiership-winning Jersey Flegg side that defeated the Penrith Panthers 22-12, alongside teammates and now NRL graduates Jackson Ferris, Braydon Trindall and Teig Wilton.
Last year, the rangy back added another representative notch to his belt when he made his international debut for Fiji in their 56–14 victory over Lebanon in the 2019 Pacific Test.
He also played games for the Newtown Jets in Canterbury Cup NSW, before he was granted a release from the Sharks to take up a mid-season transfer with the Storm.
His presence was felt instantly when he made his NRL debut on the weekend, catching plenty of high balls at centre and returning them with pace as he totalled 168 run metres – 37 of those post-contact and two tackle breaks.
