Forgotten Bulldogs prodigy, Eels defector and teen Cowboys ace: 2025 Breakout Stars

We’ve analysed the rookies to watch at every NRL club, so what about those who’ve had a taste of first grade and are ready to become regular starters?

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At almost every club there’s a vacant position ready to be filled, like the Cowboys who have lost Valentine Holmes, leaving a gaping hole in the centres.

However, there’s a young gun, with a handful of NRL appearances under his belt ready to jump into that spot and make a name for himself.

Elsewhere, the Bulldogs have a forgotten prodigy who is priming himself for a 2025 return, while the Titans’ rugby union convert will be pushing for a debut.

So here’s a player from every club with 10 NRL appearances or less who could force their way into their respective best 17s by the seasons’s end!

BRONCOS — Benjamin Te Kura

Benjamin Te Kura has been hailed as a regular first grader in the making since it emerged the Broncos had a 205cm enforcer in their ranks. The 20-year-old is currently the NRL’s tallest player, and he made his debut in Round 5 of the 2024 season, going on to play a further two games to close out the year. Te Kura scored in his first NRL appearance, but battled with a Lisfranc injury during the season that kept him sidelined for an extended period. However, on return to Queensland Cup, it only took two weeks before he returned to the Broncos first grade outfit. With a clean slate under new coach Michael Maguire, Te Kura could emerge as an impact option off the bench and the hulking forward will be desperate to have his best NRL season to date.

RAIDERS — Chevy Stewart

Chevy Stewart showed he was what it takes to be an NRL star in 2024. The 19-year-old played three first grade games in 2024, and was tested at time at fullback. Namely, his first half performance against the Broncos was one he’d love to forget. However, after a halftime Ricky Stuart pep talk, and the Raiders coach had nothing but praise for the way he responded in the second 40 minutes. “If Chevy Stewart wasn’t a tough kid he would have crumbled tonight because a lot of kids at 18 years of age, you’ve got to remember that,” Stuart said. “I know at 18 I wasn’t ready to play NRL. At 18 him out there tonight how he handled that second half he showed me that he has a future in the NRL.” What’s more is there’s now a potential path for the teenager to make a home in the No.1 jersey, with Jordan Rapana departing the nation’s capital. Kaeo Weekes will be first choice fullback, but Stewart will be breathing down his neck waiting for an opportunity.

BULLDOGS — Karl Oloapu

Karl Oloapu endured a turbulent 2024, being forced to go under the knife to start the year after suffering a horror neck injury. There were even talks Oloapu could be forced into retirement, with the young gun battling a painful bulging disc during his rookie NRL year. “It was a big shock for me, people trying to say that I was going to retire,” he said. Oloapu has been quietly plotting a first grade comeback ahead of the 2025 season and he was given the green light to return to the sport he loves next year. Oloapu has played seven NRL games to date, featuring at five-eighth and off the bench. But his big frame has many pundits believing he will become a roaming middle forward, and next season he will be desperate to cement a spot in the Bulldogs side, potentially becoming a handy No.14 that can slot into the halves if called upon. However, it’s likely he will be eased back into the action via NSW Cup.

SHARKS — Sam Stonestreet

Sam Stonestreet fulfilled his life’s dream when he was able to take the field for his beloved Cronulla Sharks in 2024. The gun winger played five games under Craig Fitzgibbon this year, scoring a remarkable eight tries in a true showing of finishing prowess. What’s more, is Stonestreet scored from all parts of the field and has blistering pace to streak away from his opponents. The 22-year-old completed three years for the Jets before being given his first grade opportunity, and now he’s the next cab off the rank in the Sharks winger standings. Should Sione Katoa or Ronaldo Mulitalo be unavailable, Stonestreet will once again get his opportunity and it won’t be long before he’s a regular first grader.

DOLPHINS — Oryn Keeley

Oryn Keeley will be desperate to stamp his mark in this side in 2025, and the gun back rower could be an emerging star under rookie coach Kristian Woolf. The 21-year-old made the move from the Knights, travelling north ahead of the 2024 season by signing a three-year deal that cemented him in the 17th franchise’s top 30. Keeley made a singular appearance for the Knights in 2022 and 2023, but as of the belief his path to regular first grade was blocked and decided to look for greener pastures. In 2024, for the Dolphins he played very game bar one off the bench, slotting into the front row in Round 22. Keeley is a hard-running and tough character, who could be the perfect man to once again feature off the pine in 2025 before he graduates to the starting side, with a host of experienced Dolphins players coming towards the back-end of their respective careers.

TITANS — Carter Gordon

Carter Gordon hasn’t even been playing rugby league for 12 months, but the gun flyer’s set to have a huge season on the Gold Coast. The 23-year-old was granted a release by Rugby Australia, joining his Titans teammates early after signing a two-year deal for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. The talented footballer got off to a flyer with the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the Queensland Cup, scoring four tries in four games playing in the centres and at five-eighth. With a full pre-season under his belt, it looms as only a matter of time before Gordon gets a crack in the NRL, but his debut is unlikely to come in the halves with Jayden Campbell, Tom Weaver, Kieran Foran and AJ Brimson all fighting it out for the No.6 and No.7 jerseys. Gordon may be resigned to playing in the outside backs, and with his pace and a smart kicking game, the former Wallaby could be a genuine handful for defensive lines in 2025.

SEA EAGLES — Clayton Faulalo

Clayton Faulalo made his NRL debut in 2024, and while it could be an uphill battle to get minutes next season, he’s a star of the future. Anthony Seibold has a surplus of quality outside backs in his squad, with speedster Tolu Koula being relegated to the bench last season in favour of the emerging Lehi Hopoate. However, a handful of injuries and Faulalo could find himself securing regular first grade minutes, or even become the club’ bench utility. He played three games in 2024, featuring off the bench and on the wing once. The rising star scored a staggering 29 tries in his first NSW Cup season in 2023, and his 14 four-pointers in 20 games in 2024 is also nothing to turn your back on. Faulalo is a regular first grader in the making and it looms as a matter of when, not if he’s consistently on TV screens across the country.

STORM — Lazarus Vaalepu

Lazarus Vaalepu was at the centre of a big decision that Craig Bellamy had to make ahead of the NRL grand final. With front rower Nelson Asofa-Solomona rubbed out due to suspension, Bellamy called upon the rising star to fill his void in the middle. The 25-year-old played only nine minutes off the pine, but he’s set to be the next cab off the rank in Melbourne’s forward pack heading into the 2025 season. He had arguably his best game in Storm colours in Round 26 in a loss against the Cowboys, playing 41 minutes. He’s played seven NRL games overall, but one or two injuries in the middle of the park could see him become a regular on the pine, although he now has recruit Stefano Utoikamanu to contend with who will almost certainly slot into the starting side.

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KNIGHTS — Matt Arthur

Jayden Brailey was given permission to negotiate with rivals at the back-end of the 2024 season, and as it stands he remains at the Knights. However, the recruitment of Matt Arthur could still signal a shift in the dummy-half ranks, and the former Eels star is one of the most promising No.9s in the country. Arthur, the son of former Eels coach Brad, made his NRL debut to close out the 2024 season, featuring three times in first grade with only 20 reserve grade games under his belt as it stands. The 19-year-old played for the NSW under 19s this year, and he’s a crafty character out of the ruck. However, for his own longevity in the game and to succeed, the young gun may be focusing on bulking up in pre-season. Should he be able to withstand the physical rigours of wearing the No.9 jersey, Arthur’s set to have a long and successful NRL career, hopefully cementing his spot under Adam O’Brien.

COWBOYS — Jaxon Purdue

Jaxon Purdue is a name that’s on every Cowboys fans lips, and he’s already shown glimpses of the star he’s set to become. The 19-year-old has played eight NRL games to date, making his debut with an 80-minute display in the centres against the red-hot Roosters in Round 13. He later featured on the wing and off the bench, but it was clear for all to see he’s a superstar in the making. With Valentine Holmes departing the North Queensland club, there’s a centre spot up for grabs and Purdue could be set to grab it with both hands, while he could also slot onto the wing. The young gun has also played at five-eighth and halfback in the Queensland Cup, meaning he could also be a chance to feature in the No.6 or No.7 at some point in 2025 following the departure of veteran playmaker Chad Townsend.

EELS — Isaiah Iongi

Jason Ryles made Isaiah Iongi a priority signing when he landed at the Eels, letting go of skipper Clint Gutherson in a huge call. The rookie coach has gone about reshaping his squad, and it looms likely Iongi, with only one NRL game to his name, will wear the No.1 in 2025. The 21-year-old signed a three-year deal to join Parramatta, having delivered an impressive NRL debut in Round 22. He ran for 257 metres and broke eight tackles, showing why he’d previously won NSW Cup Fullback of the Year in 2023 and also was named for the Queensland under 19s in the past. The 2025 season shapes as a genuine chance for Iongi to join the NRL’s red-hot crop of fullbacks, and after a lengthy apprenticeship under Dylan Edwards at the Panthers, he’s a strong chance of succeeding.

PANTHERS — Casey McLean

Four tries on New Zealand debut — do we need to say anything more? Casey McLean is a genuine star in the making for the Panthers, and he’s set to have a much bigger role in 2025. With Sunia Turuva leaving, the 18-year-old is shaping as a leading candidate to take over his spot on the wing. The 18-year-old has already played seven NRL games, scoring three tries after being injected into a Panthers backline that was chopped and changed due to injuries and form under Ivan Cleary. However, McLean will have shown enough to the master coach for him to know he’s got what it takes, and with yet another NRL pre-season under his belt, don’t be surprised if the young gun’s at the top end of the first grade try-scoring charts by the end of the 2025 season.

DRAGONS — Lyhkan King-Togia

Lyhkan King-Togia’s reportedly no guarantee to remain at the Dragons ahead of the 2025 season. He’s yet to re-sign to remain under Shane Flanagan, with the Red V putting a deal down ready for him to sign. However, if he does decide to stay at the club, the 19-year-old could be the first man in line to slot in for Kyle Flanagan or new recruit Lachlan Ilias in the halves. A bench spot looms unlikely for King-Togia, with Damien Cook and Jacob Liddle set to form a two-prong hooker attack, and the arrival of a host of recruits could see the rising star turn his back on the Dragons, seeking regular minutes. However, if he stays put, the teenager could be regular first grade in years to come and he’s already got four games under his belt after being plucked from obscurity to play first grade in 2024.

RABBITOHS — Lewis Dodd

Lewis Dodd is yet to feature in the NRL, signing with the Rabbitohs from the Super League ahead of the 2024 season. Dodd, 22, has been a consistent figure for St Helens since making his debut in 2020. He also kicked a match-winning field goal to down the Panthers in the 2023 World Club Challenge, however it remains to be seen if he has what it takes to handle the step up to the NRL. Dodd is set to wear the No.7 under Wayne Bennett to start the season for the Rabbitohs, who struggled immensely throughout the 2024 season. With Cody Walker shifting back to his natural five-eighth position, Dodd will assume the organisational duties and the Englishmen has a massive job on his hands at the helm for South Sydney. So will he sink or swim? We’re backing the import to have a successful first season in Australia.

ROOSTERS — Robert Toia

Robert Toia is a talented outside back that Roosters fans have been eagerly waiting to see feature in the NRL. The 20-year-old is an immensely exciting player, and has previously played for the Queensland Under 19s. However, Toia’s past seasons have been marred by several injuries. He ruptured his ACL in 2022, fractured his jaw in June last season and then ruptured the ACL in his other knee last September. Those blows have limited him to just 12 reserve grade games across two seasons, so Trent Robinson could give him time to find his feet in 2025 before a potential NRL debut. However, with Joseph Suaalii and Joseph Manu departing, there’s holes to be filled in the Tricolours’ backline and Toia is set to become a regular fixture at some point during the 2025 season.

WARRIORS — Jacob Laban

Jacob Laban could be one of the competition’s most exciting edge forwards. The 20-year-old has played seven NRL games to date, making his debut under Andrew Webster in 2024 against the Rabbitohs in Round 5. He’s only started on one occasion, facing the Titans in Round 8 and was in and out of the side last season. However, Laban’s set to only improve with another pre-season under his belt, and the hulking back rower could be one to force his way into calculations in 2025. What’s more is he’s around 190cm tall and weighs in at 110 kilograms, making his a tough proposition to bring down on the edge, and despite the Warriors boasting a host of back rowers, Laban could be one to emerge from the pack and make a name for himself across the Tasman.

WESTS TIGERS — Luke Laulilii

With Jeral Skelton and Sunia Turuva arriving at the club, spots in the Tigers’ backline could be hard to come by. However, 18-year-old Luke Laulilii has already shown he has what it takes to compete with the best in the NRL, having already played five games, crossing the white line twice. He made his debut on the wing against the Raiders in Round 16, featuring four more times in the starting side. During his first appearance, he scored an impressive four-pointer with a solo effort which stunned the crowd and the Canberra outfit alike. To date Laulilii has only played nine reserve grade games, but with further football under his belt he’s only going to get better, and he could force his way into Benji Marshall’s best 17 sooner rather than later.