THE NRL’s under-20s competition has been the target of almost unending debate since it was instituted in 2008 but what can’t be argued is that some of the game’s best and brightest filled their boots in the National Youth Competition.

Seven years on from the inaugural season, we’ve taken a look at the 2008 NYC team of the year and where those standouts are now.

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1) LACHLAN COOTE

Coote was one of the most hyped fullback prospects in some time when he came through the ranks at the Panthers and he was considered one of the players the club could build their future around.

He made his NRL debut midway through 2008 but really arrived in 2010, scoring 17 tries to help lead Penrith to second spot on the ladder.

A straight sets defeat saw the Panthers exit the finals without so much as a whimper but everything looked to be on the up and up for Coote.

media_camera For a time, Coote was the Panther’s golden boy.

Two more strong seasons in 2011 and 2012 and some time spent at five-eighth resulted in Coote developing his game even further but a pectoral injury in 2013, the rise of Matt Moylan and the recruitment of Jamie Soward resulted in the golden boy being shown the door.

Coote signed with the Cowboys only to become the first major casualty of the Auckland Nines when he blew out his knee and missed the entirety of 2014.

But at long last, Coote has returned to the heights he scaled at Penrith all those years ago, slotting in at fullback for North Queensland and playing a major role in their rise to the top of the ladder and their club record winning streak.

2) JHARAL YOW YEH

Yow Yeh was an unstoppable force in the under-20s in 2008, scoring 27 tries in 26 games and looking like a sensational long-term prospect for the Broncos.

Yow Yeh made his top-grade debut in Round 1 of 2009 and immediately cemented a place on the wing for Brisbane. Origin and Test debuts followed in 2011 and Yow Yeh seemed certain to be one of the game’s biggest stars.

media_camera An ankle injury ultimately ended Yow Yeh’s career.

Blessed with speed, footwork, sinewy strength and a penchant for the unbelievable, there was a time when you could make the case that Yow Yeh was going to be the dux of the class of 2008.

Unfortunately, a gruesome ankle injury against Souths in 2013 put his career on hold and despite a brief comeback in the FOGS Cup, Yow Yeh retired in 2014 and now works for the Broncos as a community support officer.

3) JUSTIN CARNEY

The Raiders wrecking ball has muscles in places where most people don’t even have places.

Carney made his NRL debut for Canberra midway through 2008 and scored a double on debut against the Broncos.

Powerful and quick, Carney was a bash-and-barge winger or centre who was of the firm belief that the best way to go past an opposition player was to go right over the top of them.

media_camera Justin Carney showed great promise in his time at Canberra.

He scored 12 tries in his first 20 top-grade games and looked to be a likely prospect but an awful leg injury suffered at the back end of 2009 kept him out for almost a year.

He switched to the Roosters but wasn’t able to regain his best, scoring just three tries in 17 games.

But in 2013 he linked with Castleford and his career found a glorious second wind. At the time of writing he’s scored 54 tries in as many games for the Tigers and has become a staunch fan favourite — his twin nicknames of “the Thing on the Wing” and “the Tank on the Flank” tell you all you need to know about his robust style.

4) TONY WILLIAMS

One of the all-time enigmas, Tony Williams was a gargantuan centre playing for Parramatta way back when and his size and speed made him a near unstoppable force in lower grade football.

The big man actually spent the majority of 2008 in the top grade, appearing in 11 NRL games for the Eels and dotting down for four tries before making a big money move to Manly the next year.

‘T-Rex” never quite lived up to the hype when he was out wide but improved dramatically when moved into the back-row in 2011.

media_camera Tony Williams is an enigma wrapped in a giant.

Origin berths and green and gold jerseys followed but a switch to the Bulldogs facilitated another frustrating era in Williams’ career.

Sometimes he looks like a world beater who can do absolutely whatever he likes on the field, sometimes he plays like a man a quarter of his size.

His lucrative contract with Canterbury expires at the end of next season and it seems unlikely in the extreme that the big man can demand similar wages on these shores.

Still only 26, the smart money says there’s still some twists yet to come in the career of Tony Williams.

5) KEVIN GORDON

For a time, Kevin Gordon’s speed was unparalleled in rugby league.

Fast as lightning and as swift as thunder, Gordon debuted in early 2009 for the Titans and was an immediate hit, scoring 13 tries in his freshman season and backing up for 12 more in his second year as the lethal finisher on the end of a potent Gold Coast backline.

media_camera Kevin Gordon is blessed with a rare turn of pace.

A knee injury robbed him of his 2011 season just as he appeared to be on the brink of bigger things and despite a good return to form in 2012 and a career-high 15 tries in 2013, he never quite showed the same speed of his earlier years.

Still, Gordon is one of the Titans’ stalwarts and is level with David Mead on the list of the club’s all-time leading tryscorers with 58.

He was linked with a mid-season move to the Cowboys but has since fought his way back into first grade.

6) BEN BARBA

If ever a player was untouchable in the under-20s, it was Ben Barba in 2008.

Skinny as a rake and cursed with an unfortunate bleach-blonde hairstyle, Barba swept all before him, scoring 28 tries and 248 points from just 20 matches playing at five-eighth for the Dogs.

Barba was elevated to the NRL late in the year but had to wait until 2010 to get regular time in first grade and it wasn’t until 2011 that he secured a single position.

media_camera Barba was incredible in the Under 20s.

Switched to fullback by coach Kevin Moore, Barba scored 23 tries in 24 games to lead the competition and backed that up with a transcendent 2012 season where he won the Dally M, led the league in tries scored and line breaks and helped lead the Dogs all the way to the Grand Final.

But since then he’s lurched from one crisis to the next — there was a stint in rehab, his acrimonious departure from Canterbury, a forgettable year with Brisbane and a last shot at Cronulla that’s been more sad than happy.

Barba was earmarked for greatness more than any other player in this team and while he’s reached the highest highs, he’s a hairs breadth away from washing out of the top grade completely.

7) CHRIS SANDOW

Sandow actually didn’t spend that much time in the under-20s — he only played in 11 matches and was elevated to the NRL in Round 13 and became a smash success, leading the Rabbitohs on a memorable five-game winning streak and winning the Dally M Rookie of the Year.

But what followed was a career dotted with inconsistency, poor form and absences from the top grade, punctuated by occasional performances of breathtaking quality.

media_camera Sandow was the Dally M Rookie of the Year in 2008.

Sandow nearly led the Rabbitohs to an unlikely finals berth in 2011 before linking with Parramatta on a monstrously large contract and it’s been an unhappy union since.

Sandow has been dropped several times, had bust-ups with all three coaches in charge during his stint and still found time to win player’s player award last season and lead the team in try assists.

Still yet to play in a finals match, Sandow is about to be run out of town at Parramatta and is searching for a fresh start.

8) RUSSELL PACKER

Burly and brutal, Packer was one of the top up and coming front rowers when he came through the grades with New Zealand. After dipping his toe in the water with five first grade appearances in 2008 he immediately became a fixture in the Warriors line ups starting from 2009 and played 110 games for the club over six years before agreeing to join Newcastle.

media_camera Russell Packer was once one of the most promising props in the game.

But before he even played a game for the Knights Packer’s career and life were put on hold when he was found guilty of assault and sentenced to two years in jail. Released in January of this year, Packer has taken up a deal with the Illawarra Cutters with a view towards taking up a deal with the Dragons.

9) MASADA IOSEFA

A talented running dummy half who drew comparisons to Isaac Luke, Iosefa dipped in and out of first grade in his four years with the Panthers, never quite realising his talent or securing a starting berth at hooker.

media_camera Things never really worked out for Masada Iosefa

Looking for a change of luck, he switched to the Tigers for 2012 but again was unable to land consistent NRL minutes. He spent a year with Manly without playing NRL in 2014 and is currently playing for Concord-Burwood Wolves in the Ron Massey Cup.

10) SIONE KITE

At 195cm tall, Kite was picked as a potential star due to his athleticism, power and offloading ability but never really kicked on at the top level. He played nine games in 2008-9 for the Bulldogs before transferring to Melbourne and playing three games in 2010-11.

media_camera Sione Kite failed to hit the heights many expected.

A switch to Widnes Vikings in the UK ended in tears and he’s been toiling in park footy ever since, most recently with Group 6 club Thirlmere Roosters.

11) JOEL THOMPSON

The second Canberra player to gain selection, the wide running Thompson impressed with his speed and ability to run lines on the edge of the ruck in the Raiders title winning season. He drifted between the centres and the backrow in his first few years in the NRL and only switched to the forwards permanently in 2012.

media_camera Joel Thompson is one of the Under 20s real success stories.

Thompson left the Raiders for the Dragons at the end of 2013 and after an unhappy beginning he found his niche with the Red V producing his best form in years in their unexpected run to the top of the table this year.

12) DANIEL HARRISON

Flame haired Harrison was a backrower of unusual skill and his offload was among the deadliest in the competition. He bided his time in the lower grades for Canterbury before switching to Manly for season 2011 and making his first grade debut, going on to appear in 19 matches for the Sea Eagles over the next two years.

media_camera Daniel Harrison showed glimpses of ability.

He was considered a canny signing for the Eels in 2013 but as things so often do at Parramatta, it all ended in tears. A mid-season switch back to Manly in 2014 saw Harrison make an unlikely comeback to the big time — his only game for the season was at hooker in his side’s epic 18-17 semi-final defeat to Canterbury. He currently plays for London Broncos.

13) SHAUN FENSOM

The workaholics workaholic, Fensom was captain of the 2008 title winning Raiders and made his NRL debut early the following year.

media_camera Shaun Fensom is perennially underrated.

Once he secured his place in the team in 2010, Fensom has been a constant among legions of change for the Raiders with his incredible work rate and underrated offloading game -making him an invaluable cog in the Green Machine. Despite his continual and baffling snubbing at representative level, Fensom is one of the real success stories of the under-20s.

14) BEN HUNT

Hunt was named the 2008 under-20s Player of the Year, staving off competition from Barba, Rabbitohs halfback Eddie Paea and Dragons five-eighth Matt Mundine. He scored 17 tries and produced an otherworldly 41 try assists, leading the Broncos all the way to the grand final where they were beaten in heart breaking fashion by the Raiders in golden point. For four years he was relegated to being a bench utility, filling it at hooker in relief of Andrew McCullough and occasionally seeing minutes in the halves if injury or Origin struck.

media_camera It took a while, but Ben Hunt made it.

It seemed as though his career would peter out into irrelevancy, but when Anthony Griffin switched him to halfback full time to start 2014 everything changed. At last, the skills that had been promised so many years ago came to the forefront with Hunt becoming the Broncos most important attacking player and one of the top halfbacks in the NRL. An incredible Test debut followed at season’s end and Hunt has continued to thrive under the coaching of Wayne Bennett.

15) MATT MUNDINE

The only member of this team never to play first grade, Mundine is one of the ultimate “couldabeens”. Starring for the Dragons at five-eighth, Mundine’s silky ball playing and innate game sense saw him poached by the Rabbitohs where he plugged away in the lower grades without ever really capitalising on his immense potential.

media_camera Matt Mundine was the only member of the team not to play first grade.

He was not retained by Souths feeder club North Sydney at the end of last season and is playing for Concord-Burwood in the Ron Massey Cup.

16) JORDAN RAPANA

“Air Jordan” burst onto the scene in 2008, scoring five tries in his first five NRL games for the Titans but he walked away from it all to take up a two year Mormon mission. He returned to top line sport in 2012 with Super Rugby side the Western Force but failed to break into the top team.

media_camera Rapana’s career has been long and winding.

Midway through 2013 he began playing with the Queanbeyan Blues in the Canberra Raiders Cup with an eye towards securing a deal with the Brumbies but was picked up by the Raiders on a two year deal. Six years after his last NRL game, Rapana made a return to first grade last season and has since become an unsung hero out wide for Canberra.

17) BEN MATULINO

Probably the most consistent and accomplished player in this side, Matulino become a star almost as soon as he walked into the NRL at the start of 2009.

media_camera Matulino is most accomplished player to come out of this team.

Large and in charge, Matulino was the first player who played under-20s to make his Test debut and has since played 20 Tests for his country, including the 2010 Four Nations victory and the 2013 World Cup final defeat. Matulino has played 166 top grade games for the Warriors, the most of any player to come through the under-20s system and is regarded as one of the finest props in rugby league.