The Junior Kangaroos side represents Australia in the sport of rugby league. They are commonly known as the Junior Kangaroos, after the native marsupial of that name.

Junior Kangaroos
Team information
NicknameKangaroos
Governing bodyARLC
RegionAsia-Pacific
Head coachNeil Henry
CaptainDavid Fifita
Top try-scorerDane Gagai (4)
Top point-scorerDane Gagai (16)

Since 2019, they are an under-23 side, with players selected from the NRL. They are administered by the Australian Rugby League Commission.

History

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Prior to 2010, the Junior Kangaroos was selected on an under-19 age basis. The best Australian players 19 years of age or younger, would represent the country against the likes of the Junior Kiwis, Papua New Guinea and Tonga, sometimes as curtain raisers to the senior Kangaroos games. Players such as Greg Bird, Matt Bowen, Justin Hodges, Luke Lewis, Jamie Lyon, Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston represented the Junior Kangaroos early in their careers and went on to play at the senior level for Australia. The last Junior Kangaroos side selected under the under 19 rules was in 2007. This would be the last Junior Kangaroos team until 2010.

In 2010, with the advent of the National Youth Competition, the Junior Kangaroos was switched to an under-20 team and played in a two Test series against the Junior Kiwis.[1][2][3][4] From 2011 to 2018, the Junior Kangaroos have faced the Junior Kiwis at the end of each season in a one-off Test match, usually as a curtain raiser to a senior level Australia-New Zealand Test match.

In 2019, the ARL announced that Junior Kangaroos would be moving to an under-23 format and would play France at WIN Stadium.[5]

2010 series

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1st Test

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Played as a curtain raiser to the New Zealand-England Four Nations match.

Junior Kangaroos
2010 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • David Hamilton



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 2 October 2018
Source(s): NYCDB


2nd Test

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Played as a curtain raiser to the New Zealand-Papua New Guinea Four Nations match.

Junior Kangaroos
2010 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • David Hamilton



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 2 October 2018
Source(s): NYCDB


2011 match

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Played as a curtain raiser to the Australia-New Zealand pre-Four Nations tournament match. Both coaches agreed to allow an 18th man be used during the match.

16 October 2011
Junior Kangaroos   16 – 28   Junior Kiwis
Tries
Dane Gagai 2
Stewart Mills 1
Kane Evans 1
Goals
Chad Townsend 2
Report
Tries
Sebastine Ikahihifo 2
John Palavi 1
Michael Parker-Walshe 1
Wayne Ulugia 1
Goals
Siliva Havili 3
Sio Siua Taukeiaho 1
Junior Kangaroos
2011 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • Andrew Patmore



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)



2012 match

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Played as a curtain raiser to the Australia-New Zealand end of year Test match.

13 October 2012
Junior Kangaroos   48 – 16   Junior Kiwis
Tries
Edrick Lee 2
Jack Wighton 2
Cheyse Blair 1
Tautau Moga 1
David Klemmer 1
Mahe Fonua 1
Jack Stockwell 1
Goals
Jacob Miller 6
Report
Tries
Ngataua Hukatai 2
David Fusitua 1
Carlos Tuimavave 1
Junior Kangaroos
2012 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • Kelly Egan



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)



2013 match

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Junior Kangaroos
2013 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • Kelly Egan



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)



2014 match

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18 October 2014
Junior Kiwis   15 – 14   Junior Kangaroos
Tries
Sam Manuleleua 1
Kodi Nikorima 1
Chance Peni 1
Goals
Zach Dockar-Clay 1
Field Goals
Te Maire Martin 1
Report
Tries
Valentine Holmes 2
Jake Mamo 1
Goals
Clinton Gutherson 1
Junior Kangaroos
2014 team Coaching staff

Head coach

  • Kelly Egan



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)



2015 match

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Played as a curtain raiser to the Papua New Guinea-Fiji Melanesian Cup match and the Samoa-Tonga Polynesian Cup match.

2 May 2015
Junior Kangaroos   22 – 20   Junior Kiwis
Tries
Valentine Holmes 1
Robert Jennings 1
Brenko Lee 1
Tepai Moeroa 1
Goals
Jackson Hastings 2
Valentine Holmes 1
Report
Tries
Watson Heleta 1
Joseph Manu 1
Te Maire Martin 1
Tony Tumusa 1
Goals
Zach Dockar-Clay 2
Junior Kangaroos
2015 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)



2016 match

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Played as a curtain raiser to the Papua New Guinea-Fiji Melanesian Cup match and the Samoa-Tonga Polynesian Cup match.

7 May 2016
Junior Kangaroos   34 – 20   Junior Kiwis
Tries
Nathan Cleary 1
JJ Felise 1
Robert Jennings 1
Brian Kelly 1
Curtis Scott 1
Connor Watson 1
Goals
Nathan Cleary 5
Report
Tries
Mafoa'aeata Hingano 2
Siosifa Talakai 1
Ken Tofilau 1
Goals
Jamayne Isaako 2
Junior Kangaroos
2016 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 1 May 2016
Source(s): NRL


2017 match

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Played as a curtain raiser to the 2017 Anzac Test.

6 May 2017
Junior Kangaroos   46 – 22   Junior Kiwis
Tries
Tyronne Roberts-Davis 2
Reece Robson 2
Corey Allan 1
Jai Field 1
Victor Radley 1
Jaydn Su'A 1
Goals
Jai Field 5
[1]
Tries
1 Dane Aukafolau
1 Jarome Luai
1 Steven Marsters
1 Briton Nikora
Goals
3 Patrick Herbert
GIO Stadium, Canberra, Australia
Referee: Phil Henderson
Junior Kangaroos
2017 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 4 May 2017
Source(s): NRL


2018 match

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Played as a curtain raiser to the Australia-New Zealand end of year Test match.

13 October 2018
Junior Kiwis   24 – 40   Junior Kangaroos
Tries
Jackson Ferris 1
Steven Marsters 1
Sean Mullany 1
Isaiah Papali'i 1
Joseph Vuna 1
Goals
Chanel Harris-Tavita 2/5
Report
Tries
2 Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
2 Enari Tuala
1 Corey Allan
1 Thomas Flegler
1 Louis Geraghty
Goals
6/7 Zac Lomax
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
Referee: Chris McMillan
Junior Kangaroos
2018 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 2 October 2018
Source(s): NRL


2019 match

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Played as a curtain raiser to the Australia-New Zealand Oceania Cup match.

25 October 2019
Junior Kangaroos   62 – 4   France
Tries
Goals
Report
Tries
Goals
WIN Stadium, Wollongong, Australia
Referee: Grant Atkins
Junior Kangaroos
2019 team Coaching staff

Head coach



Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 7 October 2019
Source(s): NRL


Players

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Captains

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Coaches

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  • David Hamilton (2010)
  • Andrew Patmore (2011)
  • Kelly Egan (2012–2014)
  • Justin Holbrook (2015–2017)
  • Neil Henry (2018–present)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Junior Kangaroos Squad Named - NRL". 22 September 2010.
  2. ^ "Junior Kangaroos team named - NRL". 4 October 2010.
  3. ^ "Reference at www.dailytelegraph.com.au".
  4. ^ "Reference at www.dailytelegraph.com.au".
  5. ^ "Junior Kangaroos squad announced - Storm". 7 October 2019.