The Melbourne succession plan for Cameron Munster just became a whole lot clearer.
Teenage playmaker Jonah Pezet has tongues wagging in the rugby league world after a starring performance in the under 19s men’s State of Origin game at Leichhardt Oval.
The 19-year-old had four try assists and was named man of the match as he steered New South Wales to a thumping 32-4 victory over Queensland.
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The Storm snatched him from the Hunter region and have been quietly moulding him into Craig Bellamy’s next key playmaker, potentially as a direct replacement for the current superstar five-eighth.
Munster is contracted to Melbourne for next season but he’s locked in a stalemate with the club, after being offered a severely reduced salary after 2023.
Rumours won’t die about Munster leaving the Storm to join a rival club – most likely the Dolphins and coach Wayne Bennett, who is eagre to get the Origin No.6 to south-east Queensland as early as next season.
In Pezet, it seems the Storm have a talented playmaker who isn’t too far away from making the step up to NRL football.
“He was sensational,” Immortal halfback Andrew Johns said after watching Pezet’s Origin performance.
“He’s got time, looks like he organises the team well, some of his kicks were sensational. But his pass … when he got in a try-scoring situation he found the right pass, which shows he’s not premeditating, thinking about who he’s going to pass to before he passes the ball.
2022 State of Origin: Men’s Under 19 highlights
“He’s watching the defence and reacting to the defence. He sees the game really well.”
Pezet was even compared to Johns by league legend Paul Vautin after the teenager put Blues teammate Jack Bostock over for a try on Thursday night.
He looked like he was going to grubber, but instead put a deft chip over the Queensland winger to find Bostock.
Johns was in awe of that play.
“Looks like he’s going to grubber and out the corner of his eye he watches the winger come in … and then he changes the kick and chips over the top,” Johns said.
“Have a look at that for touch. That is class.”
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