- Joined
- Oct 1, 2013
- Messages
- 17,736
- Reaction score
- 31,795
Two Bulldogs pups are chasing their NRL dreams — but only one of them in Canterbury colours.
Cooper Talau has joined Trent Barrett‘s Belmore revolution, looking to cement a roster spot at the club where his father, Willie, played 101 games.
Riley Price, the son of Bulldogs legend Steve, is aiming to unleash his own rugby league career in Townsville with the Cowboys.
The pair are among a host of NRL hopefuls slogging it out this summer on train-and-trial contracts — a list that includes former NRL players Albert Kelly, Jayden Nikorima and Ata Hingano.
The latest in the Talau production line, Cooper, 19, is one of eight train-and-trial players at the Bulldogs hoping to impress new coach Trent Barrett.
Unlike his father and older brothers — Wests Tigers centre Tommy and former Canterbury under-20s utility Lachlan — Cooper Talau is a skilful front-rower with developing ball skills.
“He’s different to his brothers, he’s a big body. If you look at Lachlan and Tommy they are more slight. Whereas Cooper is a big boy. He has a very good motor,” Troy Weeden, head of rugby league at Westfields Sports High, said of the former Australian Schoolboys captain.
“He’s also a very intelligent footballer and intelligent kid all-round. He’s studying engineering and commerce at The University of Sydney.”
Meanwhile in Townsville, 19-year-old Price is already showing signs of his father, stacking on 10 kilograms of muscle over the COVID break, as he aims to become a powerful front-rower.
He has been living with his uncle and Test and Maroons centre Brent Tate since he was snapped up by the Cowboys in 2019 following his performance for the Sunshine Coast Falcons under-18s.
Tate has already spotted the similarities between father and son, with Riley showing signs of NRL potential.
“He’s going to be a big boy like his dad,” Tate said.
“He’s not overly big just yet but his dad was just like that before he hit a certain stage and his dad is a huge man.
“He’s definitely got more skill and speed than his father, that’s for sure.
“I genuinely think he’s going to be a really good player going forward and the Cowboys have got themselves a really good kid.
“He’s been champing at the bit just to spend a few weeks with the Cowboys and you can’t wipe the smile off his face which is what it’s about.”
TRAIN AND TRIAL CONTRACTS
BULLDOGS
Bailey Biondi-Odo
Kane Jackson
Javvier Pitovao
Mosese Pope
Aaron Schoupp
Cooper Talau
Penisimani Teaupa
Kane Kalache
Reubenn Rennie
Cooper Talau has joined Trent Barrett‘s Belmore revolution, looking to cement a roster spot at the club where his father, Willie, played 101 games.
Riley Price, the son of Bulldogs legend Steve, is aiming to unleash his own rugby league career in Townsville with the Cowboys.
The pair are among a host of NRL hopefuls slogging it out this summer on train-and-trial contracts — a list that includes former NRL players Albert Kelly, Jayden Nikorima and Ata Hingano.
The latest in the Talau production line, Cooper, 19, is one of eight train-and-trial players at the Bulldogs hoping to impress new coach Trent Barrett.
Unlike his father and older brothers — Wests Tigers centre Tommy and former Canterbury under-20s utility Lachlan — Cooper Talau is a skilful front-rower with developing ball skills.
“He’s different to his brothers, he’s a big body. If you look at Lachlan and Tommy they are more slight. Whereas Cooper is a big boy. He has a very good motor,” Troy Weeden, head of rugby league at Westfields Sports High, said of the former Australian Schoolboys captain.
“He’s also a very intelligent footballer and intelligent kid all-round. He’s studying engineering and commerce at The University of Sydney.”
Meanwhile in Townsville, 19-year-old Price is already showing signs of his father, stacking on 10 kilograms of muscle over the COVID break, as he aims to become a powerful front-rower.
He has been living with his uncle and Test and Maroons centre Brent Tate since he was snapped up by the Cowboys in 2019 following his performance for the Sunshine Coast Falcons under-18s.
Tate has already spotted the similarities between father and son, with Riley showing signs of NRL potential.
“He’s going to be a big boy like his dad,” Tate said.
“He’s not overly big just yet but his dad was just like that before he hit a certain stage and his dad is a huge man.
“He’s definitely got more skill and speed than his father, that’s for sure.
“I genuinely think he’s going to be a really good player going forward and the Cowboys have got themselves a really good kid.
“He’s been champing at the bit just to spend a few weeks with the Cowboys and you can’t wipe the smile off his face which is what it’s about.”
TRAIN AND TRIAL CONTRACTS
BULLDOGS
Bailey Biondi-Odo
Kane Jackson
Javvier Pitovao
Mosese Pope
Aaron Schoupp
Cooper Talau
Penisimani Teaupa
Kane Kalache
Reubenn Rennie
Last edited: