North Queensland Toyota Cowboys trio Gideon Mosby, Coen Hess and Viliame Kikau have been named in the 2015 National Youth Competition Team of the Year.
Emerging NRL stars Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Ashley Taylor (Broncos), Te Maire Martin (Wests Tigers) and Latrell Mitchell (Sydney Roosters) were also among the players honoured in the 2015 Holden Cup Team of the Year.
Exciting winger Mosby this year broke the NYC’s single-season tryscoring record of 29, and currently has 38 four-pointers with at least one game remaining given the young Cowboys are through to the preliminary final. Backrower Hess made his NRL debut this year in Round 24 against the Warriors, where he scored in his first top-flight match. Damaging prop Kikau has already made his international debut for Fiji in this year’s Pacific Nations matches, the young tearaway having already crossed for 21 tries this season to make it 21 for the year, placing him in the competition’s top five in that category.
Mosby recently re-signed with the club for two more seasons, while Hess is on NQ’s books until at least 2018. Kikau is headed to Penrith.
The Cowboys NYC team finished second behind Penrith in the regular season and on Saturday won through to the preliminary final with a 36-24 win over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
“Todd Payten and his under-20s boys had have a terrific year to date, and to have these three talented young men make the Team of the Year says volumes about the elite pathways program we have in place at the club,” said Cowboys General Manager – Football Peter Parr.
“We’ve given ourselves every chance so far to be there at the end of the season, and that’s very pleasing from a club point of view.
“The combined effort of our NYC and NRL teams have netted the club its first club championship, an achievement we can all be proud of.”
The Cowboys play either Manly or West Tigers next weekend, in Week 3 of the Finals series.
NRL Head of Football, Mr Todd Greenberg, joined Sandy Alchi, Zone Manager NSW and ACT for GM Holden and members of the 2015 Holden Cup Team of the Year at Rugby League Central's Heroes and Legends Museum on Monday.
This year's team joins an honour roll that includes some of the NRL's most talented stars, including Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Valentine Holmes, Daly-Cherry Evans, Ben Barba, Kieran Foran, Marika Koroibete, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Ben Matulino, Dane Gagai, Jesse Bromwich, Jason Taumololo, Shaun Fensom, Tariq Sims, Gareth Widdop, Ben Hunt, Trent Merrin, David Klemmer, Dylan Napa, James Segeyaro, Konrad Hurrell, Luke Brooks and Bryce Cartwright.
"The Holden Cup Team of the Year is a virtual preview of the stars of the future in the NRL," Mr Greenberg said.
"When you look through the list of players who have made this team in the past it reads like a 'who's who' of the game.
"A number of those players named today have already broken into the NRL - a remarkable achievement when they are still eligible for Holden Cup.
"Importantly, all these players are undertaking training and following a career.
"So these young players not only have enormous potential on the field, but are developing exciting careers off the field as well."
All players were presented with a $1000 education grant at today's announcement.
Te Maire Martin and Newcastle's Danny Levi also joined a select group to be named in the Team of the Year in consecutive years.
Geraldine Davys, Holden's Executive Director of Marketing and Customer Experience, congratulated all the players who had made the Holden Cup Team of the Year.
"To be named as part of this team is a fantastic achievement and one they should all be very proud of," Ms Davys said.
"At Holden, we remain excited about our support of rugby league at every level, from Australia's most elite athletes to supporting rugby league at a grassroots level.
"We are committed to helping rugby league develop in local communities and we believe the Holden Cup has a fantastic approach to preparing young players for life in, and beyond, sport."
The 2015 Holden Cup Team of the Year
1. Tom Trbojevic (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles) - Double Degree: Bachelor of Applied Finance & Bachelor of Economics (Macquarie University)
2. Gideon Mosby (North Queensland Cowboys) - HSC at Kirwan State High School
3. Jordan Drew (Brisbane Broncos) - Bachelor of Education (QUT)
4. Addison Demetriou (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles) - Council Worker with SITA
5. Joseph Manu (Sydney Roosters) - Certificate III in Sport & Recreation & Labouring
6. Te Maire Martin (Wests Tigers) - Diploma of Business
7. Ashley Taylor (Brisbane Broncos) - Full-time Training squad (Apprentice Carpenter with Q Build)
8. Viliame Kikau (North Queensland Cowboys) - Certificate III Sport & Recreation Traineeship
9. Jayden Berrell (Brisbane Broncos) - Apprentice Carpenter with Stepahead
10. Joe Ofahengaue (Brisbane Broncos) - Certificate III Sport & Recreation Traineeship
11. Coen Hess (North Queensland Cowboys) - Bar Tender and Reception at Brothers Leagues Club
12. Tevita Pangai (Canberra Raiders) - Bachelor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
13. Jai Arrow (Brisbane Broncos) - Apprentice Plumber with All Trades Queensland
14. Latrell Mitchell (Sydney Roosters) - Certificate III Sport & Recreation Traineeship
15. Brent Naden (Penrith Panthers) - Full-time: Sports Development Officer (NRL Development)
16. Jayden Nikorima (Brisbane Broncos) - Full-time Training squad (Cert IV in Frontline Management)
17. Danny Levi (Newcastle Knights) - Certificate III in Fitness
Coach: Cameron Ciraldo (Penrith Panthers) - Diploma of Business
First published on NRL.com
