LOCAL rugby league stars Roy Simpson, Jayden Seckold and Lachie Hails share plenty in common.
The talented trio and close mates will don the green and gold colours of the Australia Universities team to take on Fiji later this year.
All three earned national honours with superb displays in the representative arena, helping the NSW Universities team defeat Queensland in the annual interstate challenge in Brisbane.
Simpson, Seckold and Hails are products of the Newcastle Knights Development system and starred for the Northern Hawks colts team that reached the final of the Newcastle Under 19s competition last season.
That side was mentored by current Hawks first-grade head coach Steve Simpson, the legendary Knights forward and Hall of Fame inductee who represented NSW and the Kangaroos with distinction.
18-year-old Roy, an industrious back rower with skill and power, is a chip off the old block.
Just like his decorated father, young Simpson has impressed keen judges with his strong work ethic and was best on ground in the NSW University Blues’ 28-24 victory over the Maroons at Leo Williams Oval in Carina.
It was the first triumph for NSW Universities men since 2023 with tough-tackling Roy earning the official Player of the Match award after a powerhouse performance.
Both Simpson and crafty hooker Seckold have already tasted first grade with the Hawks this season in the Newcastle Rugby League Denton Engineering Cup series.
Hails, a classy halfback, represented North Sydney Bears in the NSWRL SG Ball Cup, where he turned in clever displays in the number seven jumper.
Northern Hawks club president Andrew Chapman paid tribute to the emerging trio of players and their selection in the Australian Universities team.
“Roy, Jayden and Lachie have done the Hawks proud and deserve their spots after helping NSW win the recent Universities Interstate Challenge,” he said.
“All three are special players with bright futures ahead of them.”
By Chris KARAS
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