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Least-experienced Origin debutants thrived

3 minute read

With Reece Walsh to make his Queensland debut after just seven NRL games, we look at how the least experienced players fared in their Origin debuts.

REECE WALSH.
REECE WALSH. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images.

HOW THE LEAST EXPERIENCED ORIGIN PLAYERS FARED ON DEBUT AHEAD OF 18-YEAR-OLD REECE WALSH'S FIRST GAME FOR QUEENSLAND AFTER SEVEN NRL GAMES.

BEN IKIN - 4 ARL games

Still the youngest to have played Origin, the Queensland winger is also the least experienced having received his call up during the Super League era in 1995 after just four first-grade games. He was unknown then, but after the Maroons completed a clean sweep of the series with a team of 'nobodies' Ikin went on to play 17 games for the state in a classic Origin career.

PAYNE HAAS - 10 NRL games

The hulking Brisbane prop had an immediate impact on the NRL in 2018 and after seven games of the 2019 season he was picked in the NSW side on the bench. His bullocking form was too hard to resist but he had a tough night on debut in an 18-14 loss at Suncorp Stadium. He went on to be named NRL prop of the year and rookie of the year that season and has carried his form through to Origin level with five games for the Blues to date.

BRAD FITTLER - 12 NSWRL games

At 18 he is NSW's youngest-ever player, but would go on to be their best. The young Penrith utility was picked for the Blues on the bench in game two of 1990 and made no mistakes in his debut to help wrap up the series with a 12-6 win in Melbourne. His three runs resulted in three tackle-breaks - a sign of things to come for teenager who went on to play 31 games for NSW.

TRENT BARRETT - 12 ARL games

Barrett was 19 when he was thrown in at five eighth in game three of the 1997 series after the Blues had already wrapped up the series. Geoff Toovey, Jim Dymock, Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Brett Kimorley were all halves options at the time, and it took him until 2001 to get back into the side, where he played 10 more games until 2010.

BRETT DALLAS - 13 NRL games

The Queensland speedster was 18 when he made his debut for Queensland in a dead rubber at Lang Park in 1993. Dallas had just 13 games for Canterbury under his belt when he was picked on the wing for the Maroons as they won 24-12 in front of a home crowd. He didn't play for the Maroons again until 1995 but he played every game of three seasons to follow and finished with four tries across his Origin career.

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