NRL: Youngsters coming to the party

Matt Gillett. Photo / Getty Images

Origin time is usually a nervous one for a Brisbane coach but Broncos mentor Ivan Henjak has no complaints ahead of today's NRL clash with a depleted South Sydney at Suncorp Stadium.

The chrome-domed Henjak would usually be tempted to tear his hair out - if he had any - with his Origin contingent unavailable for NRL action. The thought of being without the likes of Darren Lockyer, Sam Thaiday and Israel Folau would make any coach nervous.

However, Henjak said the dreaded days of the club fielding the "Baby Broncos" because of representative duties were numbered.

"We are getting a few rewards for blooding a few kids early last year and this year," Henjak said yesterday. "The side is pretty stable. Of course we are without Locky and Izzy but they are not big changes in the scheme of things compared to what we have gone through this year.

"We have had a lot worse situations then this and handled them. Melbourne [on May 9] was a good example. We had guys out [on test duty] and we were able to get the job done."

After some uncertainty over Folau's Origin selection, the Broncos coach is more than confident of sealing a fifth straight win today.

Experienced forwards Scott Anderson (elbow, four weeks) and Nick Kenny (calf, eight) return from injury and move to the bench while Ashton Sims slots in for Thaiday.

Corey Norman moves into pivot for Lockyer and 21-year-old backrower Matt Gillett into the centres for Folau.

In contrast, it is South Sydney (5th; 7-5 record) and not Brisbane (8th; 6-6) who are feeling the heat during Origin.

The Rabbitohs pack is so depleted the club was forced to sign NRL journeyman Craig Stapleton for the rest of 2010 this week - just hours after he had clocked off working at a coal mine near Dapto, NSW. In all, South Sydney are without 10 contracted players through injury, suspension or rep duty.

However, Norman and Gillett are not the only teenagers turning heads in Queensland this season. At 111kg and 192cm, it is not hard for the Titans' Ryan James to stand out.

But the giant teen attracted attention for all the right reasons in an NRL debut that had his Gold Coast Titans teammate Luke Bailey already declaring him a future representative star after the Titans' 28-14 home win over Manly on Friday night.

The local junior gave as good as he got against a monster Sea Eagles pack boasting the likes of test representatives Josh Perry and Brent Kite as well as NSW squad member Jason King.

In the first half a completely unfazed James could be seen jostling with a niggling Perry as they tried to pack down a scrum.

Signed when just 14 by Melbourne, James has played for the Titans under 20s the past two years since opting to be closer to his family in the Gold Coast region.

His under 20s deeds have already earned him a reputation for being a cross between Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Thaiday.

- AAP