Memorable Debuts - Round 17

WELCOME to Memorable Debuts, a feature of LeagueUnlimited.com where we take a look at the upcoming matches of the round and see which players debuted in the same game all those years ago.

Penrith Panthers v South Sydney Rabbitohs
Pepper Stadium - Friday 7:45pm

While the Panthers 2007 season ended with a wooden spoon, coach Matthew Elliott was able to give debuts to a number of local juniors who would go on to make a mark in the NRL including Michael Jennings, Tim Grant, Junior Moors and Geoff Daniela. Another of the Penrith juniors to star late in the season was Jarrod Sammut; given a debut in Round 21, the electric fullback made an immediate impact delivering the Panthers a 32-16 win at home over the Rabbitohs. Going on to play 38 games over the next two season, Sammut operated as a utility filling in at fullback, halfback and off the bench. Forced out due to salary cap constraints, the Blacktown junior has gone on to play with Celtic Crusaders, Bradford and Wakefield in the English Super League.

St. George Illawarra Dragons v North Queensland Cowboys
WIN Stadium - Saturday 7:30pm

Going back to the corresponding game twelve months ago, the Dragons prevailed 27-24 over the Cowboys courtesy of a Jason Nightingale hat-trick at Jubilee Oval. While the visitors were unable to overcome the absence of their Origin stars, three players were handed debuts by coach Paul Green; prop Sam Hoare, winger Zac Santo and second-rower Ben Spina. All three players came off the bench in the defeat, but acquitted themselves well in their first games in the NRL, Hoare and Spina have since become solid depth players during the Cowboys 2015 resurgence, while Santo has bided his time in the Queensland Cup with feeder club Townsville.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Brookvale Oval - Sunday 4:00pm

Round 11, 2004 may be best remembered as the day Manly fullback Brett Stewart announced himself to the NRL with a treble, despite the Sharks prevailing 30-28 at Brookvale Oval. However, it was a day to remember for another Manly player when Jeff Robson came off the bench for his first grade debut. Struggling for game time at the Sea Eagles with Michael Monaghan and Matt Orford preferred in the halves, Robson signed with Parramatta in 2009 and experienced a career revival after only managing six games at Manly in five seasons. Featuring in the Eels meteoric surges to the Grand Final, Robson developed into one of the most reliable playmakers in the competition and continued his strong form linking up with the Sharks alongside Todd Carney in 2012.

Wests Tigers v Parramatta Eels
ANZ Stadium - Monday 7:00pm

For any player, making their first grade debut is a moment they will never forget. Unfortunately for former Wests Tigers utility Nick Bradley-Qalilawa a 66-12 first up loss was hardly the introduction the NRL he was expecting. On a day where current Tigers coach Jason Taylor kicked 11/11 in a 26-point personal haul, Bradley-Qalilawa was helpless to prevent the Eels onslaught at Leichardt Oval. Playing 27 games for the Tigers before joining Manly in 2004, the Fijian international spent time with English club London before rejoining the Sea Eagles in 2007. Unable to break into Des Hasler's premiership winning side, he decided to hang up the boots following the Sea Eagles 2008 Grand Final win over Melbourne.

With the Maroons and Blues set to battle it out for the 2015 State of Origin title in the decider next Wednesday, lets take a look back at the players who debuted in series-deciders.

Mitchell Pearce - Game Three, 2008
With Peter Wallace succumbing to a groin injury following the humiliating 30-0 drubbing at the hands of Queensland in Game Two, Blues coach Craig Bellamy opted to hand 19-year old Mitchell Pearce his call-up for New South Wales in the series decider in Sydney, making him the third youngest player to debut for the Blues. Playing alongside Braith Anasta in the halves, Pearce was unable to get the job done on debut; with Johnathan Thurston showing off his trade-mark dummy to send Billy Slater over for the match-winning try to hand the Maroons a 16-10 win. Having featured in a further three deciders, Pearce will have a chance for redemption in his 15th appearances for the Blues at Suncorp next week.

Danny Nutley - Game Three, 2005
At age 31, Cronulla front rower Danny Nutley could be forgiven that his chances of playing for the Maroons had passed him by. But following an injury to Steve Price, Nutley was handed his only Queensland jumper in the 2005 decider. Unfortunately for Nutley, a Matt King hat-trick spoiled the party as the Blues clinched a 32-10 victory to record a third successive Origin series win.

Tony Butterfield - Game Three, 1998
Having made his first grade debut 13 years earlier for Penrith; Newcastle legend Tony Butterfield was given his only New South Wales jersey in Game Three, 1998. Starting in the front row, Butterfield and the Blues were unable to prevent the Maroons from recording a 19-4 victory at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Brent Tate - Game Three, 2002
His professional career was ended following a knee injury sustained in the second Origin match in 2014, but after only 14 games in the NRL, Brent Tate featured in the Maroons Game Three squad for the 2002 decider. While the game is best remembered for Gorden Tallis' tackle on Brett Hodgson, Tate played a part in helping Queensland retain the Origin shield following a last minute try to fellow Broncos teammate Dane Carlaw to draw the game 18-all. Going on to play 23 Origins, Tate was awarded Man of the Match honours in the first and last series deciders during the Maroons historic eight year winning streak.

That's all for this week, stay tuned for next week's edition of Memorable Debuts where we'll look at Brett Morris' first game for the Dragons, the Melbourne duo to debut on the Storm's darkest day and the only time the Minichiello brothers played together for the Roosters.