Memorable Debuts - Round 22

WELCOME to Memorable Debuts, a feature of LeagueUnlimited.com where we take a look at the upcoming matches of the round and see which players debuted in the same game all those years ago.

Brisbane Broncos v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Suncorp Stadium - Friday 7:45pm

Like many players before him, David Stagg earned his first grade debut during the Origin period which has affected the Broncos since their inception. Playing in the centres during the Round 18, 2003 fixture, Brisbane suffered a humiliating 40-4 loss at home. Going onto cement a place in the Broncos forward pack, Stagg experienced a stellar 2006 season where he made his one and only Origin appearance for Queensland and being apart of the side that defeated Melbourne in the Grand Final. Moving to Canterbury in 2009, Stagg continued his development as a starting player and earned the title of Dally M Lock of the Year, however he fell short of another Grand Final appearance with the Bulldogs knocked out in the Preliminary Final by the Eels. Returning to Brisbane in 2013, a series of injuries prevented him from solidifying a place in the NRL side and in recent seasons he has been used by coach Wayne Bennett as depth during the Origin period.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v South Sydney Rabbitohs
Brookvale Oval - Friday 7:45pm

Debuting in Round 24, 2006, Fetuli Talanoa was a mainstay of the South Sydney backline for several years during the late 2000s. Alternating between centre and fullback early in his career, the Tongan international went onto form a dangerous wing partnership with Nathan Merritt under coaches Jason Taylor and John Lang. After a series of injuries and poor form saw him limited to just 12 games throughout 2011-12, he was released and appeared all but finished in the NRL. Fortunately for Talanoa, English club Hull FC signed him in 2014 where he has gone onto secure a place on the left flank.

New Zealand Warriors v St. George Illawarra Dragons
Westpac Stadium - Saturday 3:00pm

There have been many players over the years that have started in the backline only to retire in the forward pack. One of the most successful instances during the NRL era has been Dragons captain Ben Creagh. Debuting on the wing in 2003, the tall, red-headed Illawarra junior became a regular fixture for the merged venture coming off the bench and occasionally starting before emerging as a deadly backrower in 2005. Debuting for the Kangaroos that same year, a series of untimely injuries prevented him from further representative honours, but with Wayne Bennett arriving in 2009 Creagh quickly emerged as one of the best forwards in the game. Forming a lethal combination with Jamie Soward on he left side, Creagh debuted for New South Wales in 2009 and won a Premiership the following year. Having played over 250 matches for the Dragons, Creagh is set to surpass Ben Hornby's record as the most-capped Dragons player early in 2016.

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v North Queensland Cowboys
Remondis Stadium - Saturday 5:30pm

Many players are handed their debut in first grade as a result of injuries and in the case of Jayden Hodges he is no exception. Following a season ending broken jaw to Ray Thompson, Hodges debuted for the Cowboys in Round 25, 2013; coming off the bench, the crafty hooker featured in three matches for North Queensland including the controversial "seventh tackle" finals loss to Cronulla. Joining Manly in 2014, Hodges struggled for game time for much of the season, but once again injuries towards the end of the season provided him with a chance to break back into first grade by featuring in both the Sea Eagles finals losses to South Sydney and Canterbury.

Parramatta Eels v Penrith Panthers
TIO Stadium - Saturday 7:30pm

Since his first grade debut in Round 7, 2013, Matt Moylan has played a starring role for the Panthers as they look to establish themselves as a Premiership threat. Making a Man of the Match start to his NRL career against Parramatta, Moylan soon found himself at the centre of a salary cap scandal as he was temporarily forced out of first grade due to Penrith breaching their second-tier cap. The following year Moylan was instrumental in the Panthers run to the finals and produced the tackle of the year on Sam Perrett in the Preliminary Final loss to Canterbury. Named in the extended squads for Australia and New South Wales, Moylan's 2015 season has been cut short following an ankle injury sustained against Parramatta, expected back late in the season, Moylan looks set for a lengthy career at the foot of the mountain.

Melbourne Storm v Gold Coast Titans
AAMI Park - Sunday 2:00pm

As the first Victorian player to debut for the Storm, Mahe Fonua holds an important place in the clubs history. Playing on the wing in the 24-16 win over the Titans in 2012, Fonua went onto feature in finals wins over South Sydney and Manly, but was overlooked for the Grand Final side that defeated the Bulldogs. Becoming a regular feature of the backline over the next two season, Fonua has spent time in reserve grade throughout 2015 and has been rumored to join Hull FC in the English Super League.

Newcastle Knights v Sydney Roosters
Hunter Stadium - Sunday 4:00pm

There have been many famous brothers to play for the Newcastle Knights throughout their history. Names such as Johns, Gidley and Sims have all featured prominently over the years, however the Mata'utia siblings hold a special place in the club. Brothers Sione and Chanel Mata'utia became the first brothers in over 70 years of Australian rugby league to debut in the same game in the Round 20, 2014 fixture. Expected to be mere cannon fodder for the Roosters, the Knights produced one of their finest performances to clinch a 16-12 victory following a late try. While Chanel has managed just one game so far in 2015, Sione has become a starting player following an incredible rise which saw him represent Australia on three occasions after just seven NRL games.

Canberra Raiders v Wests Tigers
GIO Stadium - Monday 7:00pm

While 2013 was a season to forget for both Canberra and the Tigers, a number of players were able to get their NRL starts from both clubs during the season. In Round 15, Sami Sauliuma debuted on the wing during the Raiders 17-12 loss at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. Playing 15 games for Canberra in two seasons, scoring five tries, Sauliuma shifted to Cronulla in 2015 where he has so far managed just three appearances in the top grade as coach Shane Flanagan attempts to convert the regular winger/centre into a backrower.

That's all for this week, stay tuned for next week's edition of Memorable Debuts where we'll look at Kieran Foran's first game for Manly, a one time NSW halfback and the second coming for the man known as Dell.