News Canterbury could hand teen winger Jake Averillo a surprise debut for NRL round one

Spoonman84

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Canterbury coach Dean Pay is considering a teenage winger as his first selection shock of the year.

Jake Averillo, a centre and winger from Moorebank Rams, is close to pinching a spot in an injury depleted Bulldogs backline for the season opener against Parramatta at Bankwest Stadium next Thursday night.

The 19-year-old, who played Jersey Flegg last season, is just 183cm tall and weighs 92kg but teammates say he has wonderful footwork and “understands the game”.


Averillo played just three Canterbury Cup games last season and is on standby for the possible loss of outside backs Nick Meaney (hamstring), Marcelo Montoya (knee) and Christian Crichton (knee).

Montoya and Crichton are rated little chance of playing, while Meaney would need to be running by Friday at the latest to be selected.

Should Meaney withdraw, it is understood Averillo would be rushed in to make his NRL debut for the Western Sydney grudge match.

Averillo impressed at the Perth Nines and played some minutes in Canterbury’s trial matches against Cronulla in Port Moresby and Canberra in Port Macquarie last weekend. He scored a try against the Raiders.

Pay would not speculate on team selections but Averillo is in line to be named in the Bulldogs’ 17 next Tuesday afternoon.

Canterbury forward Adam Elliott recently spoke glowingly about Averillo.

“He’s one of those really aggressive, competitive kids,” Elliott said. “He doesn’t let anyone get it over him at training.

“From my experience, those sort of kids make it and I think Jakey’s going to have a really good season.”

Canterbury’s website reveals Averillo’s past and a tip for the future.

“The local junior, who was a product of the Moorebank Rams club, has come through the Bulldogs system, being a star member of the club’s SG Ball side in 2018, before moving on to Jersey Flegg last season,” it reads.

“He also made an impressive entry into the Canterbury Cup in 2019 and has been rewarded for his progression by being named in the Bulldogs’ top-30 NRL squad this season.

“The talented outside back extended his contract with the club until the end of the 2021 season and is a player to watch out for in 2020.”

Pay still needs to decide who his halves will be this year.

It appears certain Lachlan Lewis will be halfback but Pay is playing his cards close to his chest regarding his five-eighth. Jack Cogger and Brandon Wakeman are the frontrunners.

Parramatta will start the game as red-hot $1.35 favourites with the TAB, while Canterbury are $3.25 outsiders.

Canterbury are paying $41 to win the premiership and Parramatta have tightened into $10, equal fourth favourites alongside Manly.

Only the Gold Coast Titans ($101) are at longer odds than the Bulldogs to claim the title.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...e/news-story/3a460fc69f97c8f2098f575c314c5a4a
 

Spoonman84

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Top class journalism quoting the clubs website.....This smells like a smoke screen remember all the Harper before Round 1 last year?
 

Horse

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Hasn’t looked out of place in the trials whatsoever. Exciting prospect.

I’d say if Meaney isn’t fit then young Jake is a massive chance of lining up Rd1
 

doggieaaron

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Cracking journalism copy and paste from a couple of past articles plus comments on the website.
 

Scoooby

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If true, That would be awesome.!!! And he deserves it, worked hard an looked the goods in both trials. Good on him.
 

CrittaMagic69

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GL against Fergo.
 

c-b-b

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I'd love to see him debut but I think it's a little too early.

Smith might have to shelf the centre move for a few games and for the good of the team.
 

Mitch Connor

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Lol v Sivo or Fergo with the new kick rule too. Gooooood fucking luck ****
 

Kempsey Dog

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GL against Fergo.
Yep I rate the kid.. but talk about a baptism of fire for your debut... Their edge of Moses, Matterson, Blake, Fergo will be hard for us to contain with Lewis, CHN, Smith, Averillo being the likely ones marking up based on where Lewis and CHN lined up late last season.
 

run1500

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Don’t see why Harper doesn’t get another shot before averillo though
Let's see what happens Round 1. I dont think Averillo or Harper will get a start unless there are injuries. They were 21 and 23 for the Raiders trial afterall. 100% agree Harper deserves a shot round 1 but think that spot is Remis's. Both these young boys have talent. Harper has come through the ranks and done his time for the spot in my opinion. I worry that we could lose him if he doesn't get utilized.
 

Kempsey Dog

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Adam Elliot giving his insight once more. "In my experience those are the kids that make it" I don't really think we have alot of players in our squad younger than Elliot that have "made it"... but I guess that interpretation is wide open.

Lewis being talked up as a lock for 7 concerns me... Again put him in the 6 if he must play FFS. He had control in the first half against the Sharks trial and that's when we looked our worst that game. He was 7 in the second half against the raiders and again that's where we looked our worst. Everyone says the kid looks to have time, I don't want him to have time as he slows down our attack to much at first reciever. Put him at second receiver on our shifts and force him to dig into the line and make calls under pressure, it's the only way he will improve and learn to run the ball.
 

DogsOfWar1704

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Let's see what happens Round 1. I dont think Averillo or Harper will get a start unless there are injuries. They were 21 and 23 for the Raiders trial afterall. 100% agree Harper deserves a shot round 1 but think that spot is Remis's. Both these young boys have talent. Harper has come through the ranks and done his time for the spot in my opinion. I worry that we could lose him if he doesn't get utilized.
Nah the open slot is on the wing because
Meaney might miss the first round if he isn’t running by Friday.
 

capt obvious

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Cant please some people here, some complain that pay doesnt give the young guys a shot, the kid hasnt even been picked ,and now he has no chance against the sivos and fergos according to some, ive seen young 18/19 year olds come into 1st grade and run rings around veterans. Give him a go
 

albatross

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"It appears certain Lachlan Lewis will be halfback but Pay is playing his cards close to his chest regarding his five-eighth. Jack Cogger and Brandon Wakeman are the frontrunners".
Wonder who this DT genius reckons the other halves options are? Anyway, Cogger starting the trial and overall minutes means he's starting round one with Lewis.
 

Alan79

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It's going to be interesting to see the round 1 line up. Everybody has different opinions on who deserves to be there. And nothing short of a dominant game from the team will change some of those opinions. As a youngster I was spoiler with a team that rarely had many weak positions. So it'd be nice to see us starting to be spoiled for choice across the park.

I can understand why people enjoy listing all the players we can potentially recruit. But I do get a bit sick of the gloomy posts when we don't wind up picking up players. It would be very nice to see our junior stocks begin to produce adequate depth. We have always picked up the occasional quality player from outside the club. But the bred not bought motto is one I'd love to define our club again.
 

diddly

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It's going to be interesting to see the round 1 line up. Everybody has different opinions on who deserves to be there. And nothing short of a dominant game from the team will change some of those opinions. As a youngster I was spoiler with a team that rarely had many weak positions. So it'd be nice to see us starting to be spoiled for choice across the park.

I can understand why people enjoy listing all the players we can potentially recruit. But I do get a bit sick of the gloomy posts when we don't wind up picking up players. It would be very nice to see our junior stocks begin to produce adequate depth. We have always picked up the occasional quality player from outside the club. But the bred not bought motto is one I'd love to define our club again.
Agree with your sentiment - I believe that now a Junior or "bred" is anyone who came to the club before debuting in first grade and are developed from "potential" to actual first graders.. Most HM and SGBall are local area players, less so by the time of Flegg. Have to recruit far n wide to be competitive.
 
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