Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold will hand young outside back Tesi Niu an NRL debut against the Sydney Roosters on Thursday night.
The 18-year-old Marsden State High School graduate will be named on the interchange against the premiers, with Herbie Farnworth moving into the starting side in the absence of suspended Kotoni Staggs.
"Tesi Niu will come off the bench, he’ll be the utility back," Seibold said of Niu, who played 14 games for Intrust Super Cup club Souths Logan Magpies in 2019 and scored six tries.
"With Herbie being promoted to the starting side, Tesi gets the opportunity – Xavier Coates wasn’t far way from that opportunity either.
"But I’ve seen Tesi be really consistent at training and he’s someone who we’ve got a really high regard for.
"The school he went to, Marsden State High, the principal and school teachers there have praised Tesi for how well respected he was, not because of his athletic ability but the way he carried himself as a person and a character.”
Niu, who was part of the Queensland Under 18 and Queensland Under 20 teams in 2019, is no stranger to pressure situations, with the teenager making a Test debut for Tonga last year as a last-minute inclusion and played a key role in the 14-6 upset of Great Britain.
Seibold also indicated Ethan Bullemor would replace skipper Alex Glenn (lacerated calf) in the starting side.
