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FOR a kid people thought was “never going to amount to anything”, Nick Meaney has the makings of a future star and Canterbury believe he’s a foundation stone of their rebuild.
The young fullback might describe himself as just “a skinny kid from Ballina” but if that’s all he is, he punches well above his weight.
Junior representative honours weren’t a given for Meaney, but he’s made up for it since he first signed with Newcastle three years ago.
He excelled in their system, winning awards each season. In Holden Cup in 2016 he took out the under-20s player of the year. He backed that up the next year with reserve grade player of the year. Then he capped off his time in the Hunter with the Rookie of the Year award this September.
“I never thought I’d come this far so quickly,” Meaney said.
Nick Meaney celebrates scoring a try for the Knights. Picture: Getty Images
“Coming from Ballina as a skinny kid back then playing football. I’m pretty proud of myself, I guess, with where I’m at right now. I never really made too many rep teams, just played local and school football.
“I guess there would have been a few people there thinking he’s never going to amount to anything.
“But it all comes down to hard work and what you want to do with your life really.”
As a 16-year-old, in 2014, he got a start playing A-Grade for the Ballina Seagulls. The club had lost Brian Kelly as its winger and trialled some replacements.
Then-coach Greg Barnes wanted to have a look at Meaney as a back-up player, but the teenager’s work ethic demanded selection.
“We gave him a trial to see how he would handle it and if we could use him throughout the year at some stage but he really excelled early on and he cemented a position all year,” Barnes said.
“He was a major contributor in us going back-to-back in the A-grade comp with Ballina in that 2014 season.”
Nick Meaney was named rookie of the year this season for Newcastle. Picture: AAP
His efforts didn’t only impress locally. While Meaney might talk down his success at junior level, he was catching the eye of recruitment managers in Sydney.
Bulldogs general manager of football Gareth Holmes was working as elite programs manager of the NRL in 2015 and knew of Meaney.
Then-West Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonald was tipped off about the “skinny kid from Ballina” and tracked his progress. He missed out on getting him to Concord, the Knights signing him instead, but now Holmes finally has the chance to work with him. And he’s expecting big things.
“His physical attributes, he’s tall, he’s got great leg speed, he’s tasted a little bit of NRL this year, great under a high ball,” Holmes said.
“Those little characteristics that in some areas we might not have necessarily had or been utilising to our full potential, he’s got.
“He’s a player who my recruitment managers had been tracking since he was 16 years old.
“He has attributes to add some speed to our game and I’m confident he’ll be in that starting fullback position to start the season, all things going to plan.
“We’re excited about him.”
The young fullback might describe himself as just “a skinny kid from Ballina” but if that’s all he is, he punches well above his weight.
Junior representative honours weren’t a given for Meaney, but he’s made up for it since he first signed with Newcastle three years ago.
He excelled in their system, winning awards each season. In Holden Cup in 2016 he took out the under-20s player of the year. He backed that up the next year with reserve grade player of the year. Then he capped off his time in the Hunter with the Rookie of the Year award this September.
“I never thought I’d come this far so quickly,” Meaney said.
Nick Meaney celebrates scoring a try for the Knights. Picture: Getty Images
“Coming from Ballina as a skinny kid back then playing football. I’m pretty proud of myself, I guess, with where I’m at right now. I never really made too many rep teams, just played local and school football.
“I guess there would have been a few people there thinking he’s never going to amount to anything.
“But it all comes down to hard work and what you want to do with your life really.”
As a 16-year-old, in 2014, he got a start playing A-Grade for the Ballina Seagulls. The club had lost Brian Kelly as its winger and trialled some replacements.
Then-coach Greg Barnes wanted to have a look at Meaney as a back-up player, but the teenager’s work ethic demanded selection.
“We gave him a trial to see how he would handle it and if we could use him throughout the year at some stage but he really excelled early on and he cemented a position all year,” Barnes said.
“He was a major contributor in us going back-to-back in the A-grade comp with Ballina in that 2014 season.”
Nick Meaney was named rookie of the year this season for Newcastle. Picture: AAP
His efforts didn’t only impress locally. While Meaney might talk down his success at junior level, he was catching the eye of recruitment managers in Sydney.
Bulldogs general manager of football Gareth Holmes was working as elite programs manager of the NRL in 2015 and knew of Meaney.
Then-West Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonald was tipped off about the “skinny kid from Ballina” and tracked his progress. He missed out on getting him to Concord, the Knights signing him instead, but now Holmes finally has the chance to work with him. And he’s expecting big things.
“His physical attributes, he’s tall, he’s got great leg speed, he’s tasted a little bit of NRL this year, great under a high ball,” Holmes said.
“Those little characteristics that in some areas we might not have necessarily had or been utilising to our full potential, he’s got.
“He’s a player who my recruitment managers had been tracking since he was 16 years old.
“He has attributes to add some speed to our game and I’m confident he’ll be in that starting fullback position to start the season, all things going to plan.
“We’re excited about him.”
