Welcome back to the Goosestep!
A while back, we did the Women’s version, and we are now getting the the young men who will be looking at the future. With the NRL team on the horizon, people are wondering if WA has the talent to support an NRL side in both the Men’s and the Women’s game. And here at the Goosestep we are here to answer the question.
12 players will be listed below, two from each Premiership club. In no particular order. And we have followed a few rules
- Must be under 25 years old. (24 or younger)
- Played NRL WA Juniors or at least 2 years of Premiership.
- Must have played senior tackle rugby league in the Fuel To Go & Play Premiership competition at the time this article is written.
- Must be In our state or ANZAC squads in 2025, or played senior representative rugby league for Western Australia in the past at any senior level (U17/U18 Schoolboys, CAS, Men’s)
Yes unfortunately we are unable to include ex NRL and Super League player, Samisoni Langi, and some brilliant rugby league players such as Kainoa Gudgeon, Chris Siddons and Jeremy Wallace but lets have a crack anyway. While there are many brilliant players, we can’t include everyone!
Photo – NRL WA
Fremantle Roosters – Ryan Woolley – Utility
Well to kick us off lets go with Woolley, who is a bit of an enigma, wrapped in a mystery. A dashing outside back, who can play in the backrow, Woolley did head east a couple years back and had a crack with the Raiders. Heading back to Perth, he still has many admirers, but injury has held him back from reaching his full potential. A great defender and strong ball runner, Woolley when he wants to be is an elite outside back, with speed to burn.
Photo – Total Sports Photography
Fremantle Roosters – Eli Beattie – Centre
A true out and out centre, Eli was considered by his peers to be the premier outside back, who isn’t a fullback, in the competition in 2025. He won Fremantle’s MVP for the season and powered his way to 12 tries for the year. A nightmare matchup for anyone, he had a rare combination of speed and power. A game winner in his own right, he stood up for the NRL WA Men’s state side as they successfully returned the trophy back to Western Australia.
Notable Mentions – Luke-David Talamaivao, Tuakana Rangihaeata, Nicholas Riggs & Jaydon Solomon
Photo – Total Sports Photography
Joondalup Giants – Lincoln Williams – Halves/Fullback
The youngest player on our list, Williams is from a very good rugby league family. Mum, Shelley, was a premier player back in her day, and elder brother Tiger is making a name for himself as a utility premiership player for the Giants. But Lincoln might be the one with the most potential. Gifted with great instinctual play, amazing speed and an ability to read the game well above his years, young Linc has the world at his feet.
Photo – Total Sports Photography
Joondalup Giants – Brodie Dunn – Halves/Lock
Beating out a score of youngsters from the Giants, Dunn gets the nod after a year where he started every game for the Giants in Premiership. A shadow for CAS Schoolboys, he will be a player the Giants look to for the future, if he doesn’t grab other opportunities. Learning from Marshall and Sheehan all season long, he honed his skills and will be looking to be the primary playmaker in 2026. A brilliant passing game, with great size and strength, when you add some experience to Dunn the sky is the limit for this young playmaker
Notable Mentions – Jack Bullard, Isaiah Rapana, Tiger Williams & Phil Saunderson
Photo – Total Sports Photography
North Beach Sea Eagles – Thomas Sinclair – Hooker
The young hooker from the Sea Eagles really went from strength to strength this season. Debuting in reserve grade, he quickly slid into the Premiership side with no problems, and if not for the depth at the Sea Eagles would have stayed there all year. Stuck behind Aiesi, Stein and Buckley, Sinclair toiled away and was awarded the Player Of The Game in a losing team in the grand final in Val Murphy Trophy. Smart, with great decision making, and quicker than he looks, Sinclair could make the next step to the big leagues.
Photo – Total Sports Photography
North Beach Sea Eagles – Bailey Millar – Fullback
You cannot coach speed. It is the one truism in sports that continues to hold. And while you can get a bit faster with training, true pace is something you have or you don’t. Bailey has it in bucketloads. He can accelerate from a standing stop, and has a top line speed that has seen him drag in some of the quickest players in our game. And being fast with the ball in hand is not easy, but Bailey glides along the grass with aplomb. Tougher than he looks, the window is not closed for this young game breaker.
Photo – Total Sports Photography
Notable Mentions – Kobi Aiesi, Te Ra Ahuriri, Riley Bradley & Euston Eparaima
Photo – Libby McMillan
Rockingham Sharks – Crockett Henry – Halfback
One I think everyone saw coming. Crockett had a banner year in 2025 individually. The lone CAS U18 Schoolboy (In 2024 the lone CAS player from WA….Darius Rogers), Crockett debuted in Premiership in Round 1 for the Sharks and stayed there all year. A great ball player, with soft hands and a bullet pass, he can hurt teams with his running game if given the chance. A better than average defender, Crockett has all the tools to add value to any team he is a part of.
Photo – Libby McMillan
Rockingham Sharks – Trey Emery – Second Row
Again beating out a host of other contenders for this spot, including young guns Te Rauna and Antonelli, young Emery impressed alot of people with his raw size, speed and ability this season. A left field option for the ANZAC Kiwi side, he showed up and played without fear scoring a brilliant try. With an amazing ability to hit the line at speed and change direction while the ball is in the air, there is seemingly untapped potential in Trey.
Notable Mentions – Rihare Te Rauna, Lochlan Christy, Weylan Antonelli & Kaiaua Scott
Photo – Carmel Potter-Green
Willagee Bears – Rangitukia “Tamaho” Teirney – Halves
A coming of age year for Teirney, he took the move and went to the Willagee Bears and boy did it pay off. A Premiership, starring role for the new side, along with a winning campaign with the WA State side just capped off a stellar year for the recently maligned playmaker. Accused in the past of being a bit of a maverick and choosing the big low percentage plays, he showed while he is capable of that, he can manage a game as well. Possessed with a strong running and powerful kicking game, he was a part of the Bears brilliant premiership run. But Tamaho’s star turn this year has to be when he stepped up in the halves for the WA against VIC in a brilliant second half, after Wallace got injured on half time, and led the WA team to victory.
Photo – Total Sports Photography
Willagee Bears – Rangi Thompson – Lock
Nicknamed “Spider-Man” by his team mates, young Rangi Thompson might not look like an elite premiership player. But the understated lock was a ball of energy who was a threat with and without the ball. Enthusiastic and possessing energy that could only be considered contagious, he was an undersized forward with a massive heart and never went missing in games. A standout in the ANZAC game, which led to state selection, it was a big return to the Bears for Thompson, and I’m sure they will continue to lean on him into the future.
Notable Mentions – Blake Wadwell, Jackson Hansen & Derek Chizuni
Photo – Total Sports Photography
South Perth Lions – Jayden Evans – Hooker
Another talented hooker on this list, Jayden Evans is one of the most dangerous ball running threats in the competition. Lightning fast, with the ability to cut through the markers and A defender, he added a real edge of toughness to his play this season, that saw him lead the defensive line on many occasions. Capable of nice tight ball playing, he was a focal point of the Lions attack this season, with his combination with Langi developing in a massive way.
Photo – Total Sports Photography
South Perth Lions – Jordan Tumoana – Wing/Fullback
While he has made a name for himself as a flashing outside back, Jordan actually isn’t fussed where he plays, as long as its on the field. Blessed with amazing speed and a supernatural sense of balance, he can hurt a team from almost anywhere on the field. While undersized, his natural ability to shake a defender and use the space around him was on show at multiple stages in 2025. Can he go to the next level and put himself at the forefront of wingers in the near future?
Notable Mentions – Billy Judge, Joshua Perring & Oisin Keating
And that’s 12, and while we could put in so many other players, we do have to stop somewhere. But feel free to come up with your own lists. At the end of the day, we want to give more props to our local players, whether male, female, junior or senior. The more rugby league we can get the better.
Keep your eyes open as the Goosestep gives a shout out to some of our other players moving forward.