Sport
22 May, 2025
Fletcher makes NRL debut
In a wonderful moment for local sport, Fletcher Hunt from Warren made his NRL (National Rugby League) debut for Newcastle last week at just 19 years of age.
By Dallas Reeves
The dynamic utility played on the wing for the Knights against Parramatta at McDonald Jones Stadium last Friday after a knee injury to powerhouse Newcastle outside back, Greg Marzhew, delivered a life-changing opportunity for the former Warren Bulldogs and Nyngan Tigers junior.
While for many Knights’ fans in the Hunter, the announcement on the night of the club being selected to go to Las Vegas to open the 2026 NRL season and, also veteran Dane Gagai’s 300th first grade match, took centre stage, in Warren and Nyngan the only thing people were talking about was Fletcher’s debut.
It’s a remarkable tale – someone who was recruited to play at the Knights in late 2023 despite Warren not having a senior side at the time, playing his junior rugby league at Warren and Nyngan – making his NRL debut just 18 months after leaving home.
Subhead: The game
The story on the night was just as noteworthy, a courageous debut from a young player from the bush facing the Herculean double task of marking high-flying NSW Origin and Australian winger, Zac Lomax, and being peppered with an aerial assault from Parramatta halfback and NSW five-eighth and Kangaroo Mitchell Moses to Lomax’s wing.
Parramatta may have won the lop-sided affair 28-6, but Hunt battled bravely and tried all night on Newcastle’s left wing.
According to statistics available on the NRL website, Hunt had 16 runs, making 148 metres with 37 post-contact metres and one offload, five tackles, four missed tackles, and four errors. However, what pure numbers don’t tell was the teenager’s fearlessness, determination, and effort showed during the match.
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