This time last year, Matt Burton was preparing to play finals football with Dubbo CYMS in Group 11.
On Friday night, the 19-year-old will line up alongside Nathan Cleary in Penrith's halves as James Maloney's replacement, despite being a relative unknown quantity even to his own teammates.
Burton is a genuine bolt from the blue for Ivan Cleary's team, who are in danger of slipping out of finals contention if they don't arrest the slide against the Sharks at Panthers Stadium on Friday night.
The teen from Dubbo has played the majority of his season for Penrith's Jersey Flegg team, earning just four Canterbury Cup caps before making his first grade debut.
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Until Wednesday afternoon, the 19-year-old had not even trained with Panthers' first grade squad. In a regular week, he is helping run the Canterbury Cup team's attack as part of Penrith's opposed session.
The club was forced to apply for special exemption to pick him for the Sharks game, as he is not part of the top-30 squad, nor on the secondary development player list.
The NRL granted the exemption, given Maloney was tripped up by the judiciary on Tuesday night, Jarome Luai is out injured and Tyrone May is still suspended under the NRL's "no-Fault" stand down rule.
Bolt from the Blues: Matt Burton (left) celebrates with NSW teammates in July.Credit:NRL Photos
Despite the remarkable circumstances that triggered his rapid rise, fellow rookie Brian To'o has seen enough in the NSW under-20s to suggest Burton will thrive under the pressure of the bright Friday night football lights.
"I havent played with Burto yet, but Ive seen him play and the kid has a lot of talent," To'o said. "Hes like a praying mantis.
"He knows how to run the ball, but he also knows what hes doing when it comes to setting up plays and all that sort of stuff – doing what all halves have to do. He looks good."
Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards expects Burton to let Cleary run the show and chime in when required.
"I have seen him play [Canterbury] Cup quite a lot and he has been going pretty good there," Edwards said.
"I will imagine Nath will be the primary playmaker and Burto will just play how he wants to play."
Burton may be somewhat of an unknown quantity for his teammates, but anyone who watched the NSW under-20s carve Queensland under-20s to pieces in the curtain raiser to the Origin decider would have spotted the playmaker from a mile away.
The talented teen scored two tries in the man-of-the-match performance that Steve Roach – who was calling the game – described as the difference in the match.
"Hes a good runner of the footy and hes pretty tall," Edwards said. "Hes a big bodied sort of fella Read More – Source
This time last year, Matt Burton was preparing to play finals football with Dubbo CYMS in Group 11.
On Friday night, the 19-year-old will line up alongside Nathan Cleary in Penrith's halves as James Maloney's replacement, despite being a relative unknown quantity even to his own teammates.
Burton is a genuine bolt from the blue for Ivan Cleary's team, who are in danger of slipping out of finals contention if they don't arrest the slide against the Sharks at Panthers Stadium on Friday night.
The teen from Dubbo has played the majority of his season for Penrith's Jersey Flegg team, earning just four Canterbury Cup caps before making his first grade debut.
Advertisement
Until Wednesday afternoon, the 19-year-old had not even trained with Panthers' first grade squad. In a regular week, he is helping run the Canterbury Cup team's attack as part of Penrith's opposed session.
The club was forced to apply for special exemption to pick him for the Sharks game, as he is not part of the top-30 squad, nor on the secondary development player list.
The NRL granted the exemption, given Maloney was tripped up by the judiciary on Tuesday night, Jarome Luai is out injured and Tyrone May is still suspended under the NRL's "no-Fault" stand down rule.
Bolt from the Blues: Matt Burton (left) celebrates with NSW teammates in July.Credit:NRL Photos
Despite the remarkable circumstances that triggered his rapid rise, fellow rookie Brian To'o has seen enough in the NSW under-20s to suggest Burton will thrive under the pressure of the bright Friday night football lights.
"I havent played with Burto yet, but Ive seen him play and the kid has a lot of talent," To'o said. "Hes like a praying mantis.
"He knows how to run the ball, but he also knows what hes doing when it comes to setting up plays and all that sort of stuff – doing what all halves have to do. He looks good."
Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards expects Burton to let Cleary run the show and chime in when required.
"I have seen him play [Canterbury] Cup quite a lot and he has been going pretty good there," Edwards said.
"I will imagine Nath will be the primary playmaker and Burto will just play how he wants to play."
Burton may be somewhat of an unknown quantity for his teammates, but anyone who watched the NSW under-20s carve Queensland under-20s to pieces in the curtain raiser to the Origin decider would have spotted the playmaker from a mile away.
The talented teen scored two tries in the man-of-the-match performance that Steve Roach – who was calling the game – described as the difference in the match.
"Hes a good runner of the footy and hes pretty tall," Edwards said. "Hes a big bodied sort of fella Read More – Source
