New rugby league reality series The NRL Rookie begins on GO! later this month.

The series is produced by McGuire Media, who also produce AFL series The Recruit for Foxtel. Similarly, the winner of this series will win a contract with one of 16 NRL clubs in a Live Finale on August 2nd.

Erin Molan is host for the series, with Brad Fittler as Head Coach. They are joined by former rugby league players Mark “MG” Geyer and Adrian Lam, who will act as the forwards and backs coaches respectively.

Twenty-eight finalists have been selected from thousands of applicants around the world – in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the United Kingdom and United States. They will be pushed to the absolute limits of physical and psychological endurance, with searching assessments of their rugby league skills, in a quest to win the ultimate prize.

Brad Fittler is one of Australia’s best-known rugby league talents. He was the youngest ever NSW State of Origin player (debuting in 1990 at the age of 18), captained 14 teams in Origin from 1990-2004, won two premierships (with the Panthers and the Roosters) and is currently an expert commentator for Channel Nine.

In each episode the coaching team will be joined by current and former NRL players to manage, educate and motivate the Rookies through their mountainous challenges. These guests include Rugby League Immortal Wally Lewis, Billy Slater, Darren Lockyer, Paul Gallen, Anthony Minichiello, Adam “Mad Dog” MacDougall and Robbie Kearns. Boxing champ Danny Green will also be featured.

The high-performance training program will develop the abilities of the contestants, with weekly challenges and matches against elite opposition. The show is shot on location in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Auckland. Each contestant faces the acid test of his ability to perform as an individual and within a team, physically, tactically and emotionally – on the road to making history as The NRL Rookie.

7:30pm Tuesday May 31 on GO!

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