Dolphins sign former junior for NRL

Young half Cody Hunter has the chance to etch himself into Dolphins’ folklore after being awarded a contract to join the Dolphins’ NRL squad later this year.

Hunter has shown his skills in 2002 in both the Hostplus Cup and the Hastings Deering Colts under-21s state-wide competitions.

That form has made the Dolphins’ NRL recruitment team sit up and take notice, offering the 20-year-old a train and trial contact for 2023.

It will give Hunter the opportunity to work on his game full time.

But more importantly, it gives him the chance to become the first player to have progressed right through from the Redcliffe Dolphins’ juniors to the Dolphins’ NRL team.

Hunter began playing for the Dolphins as a six-year-old back in 2008 and has made his way through the grades to make his Queensland Cup level debut this season.

Now, he will get a shot at becoming the first to go from the under-sevens to the NRL as a Dolphin.

|“Cody is a wonderful story for the Dolphins and a true inspiration for what can be achieved through the club’s pathways,” Dolphins’ NRL chief executive Terry Reader says.|

“The goal of the Dolphins has always been to play at the highest level of rugby league and to provide that opportunity to young players.

“Cody is a perfect example of just that and he could now become the first Dolphin to play right through the grades from under-sevens to the NRL.

“In the pre-season he will get to train alongside true representative players such Felise Kaufusi, the Bromwich brothers and newly-minted Origin player Tom Gilbert.

“We are excited for him and can’t wait to see how much he improves when he gets to train in a full-time NRL system come November.”

CODY HUNTER

Born: October 3, 2001

Age: 20 years old

Height: 185cm

Weight: 83kg

Redcliffe Dolphins Colts debut: 2019

Redcliffe Dolphins Hostplus Cup debut: Round 6, 2022 v Townsville Blackhawks