Panther prodigy Lachlan Coote poised to pounce
By Josh Massoud | June 27, 2008 12:00am
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Speed to burn ... Lachlan Coote takes on the Raiders in the Toyota Cup. Photograph. Mark Evans / The Daily Telegraph
THE smell of teen spirit at Penrith will intensify tonight when the Panthers blood another local prodigy against Brisbane at CUA Stadium. A week after schoolboy five-eighth Wade Graham debuted, boom 18-year-old Lachlan Coote will make his first NRL appearance at fullback.
Tipping the scales at just 75kg, Coote will enter the NRL arena as one of the competition's lightest players.
But what he lacks in bulk, he makes up for in pure speed.
Blinding performances for Penrith's table-topping under-20s team has Coote leading the Toyota Cup Player of the Year standings after 15 rounds.
With regular custodian Rhys Wesser doubtful because of an abdominal strain, the Windsor junior trained alongside good mate Graham in the Panthers NRL squad this week.
Wesser succumbed at yesterday morning's field session, leaving coach Matt Elliott with little choice but to give Coote his chance.
In a memorable touch, his jersey was presented before the entire side by former skipper Craig Gower - who is back in Australia for a month between French rugby seasons.
"Craig just told me to take my enthusiasm from my debut into the rest of my career," said Coote, who also starred with 14 points in NSW U18's win over Queensland earlier this month.
"My aim this year was to play at least one NRL game, so it's very satisfying."
The second-youngest of seven children, Coote built his trademark pace thanks to his father's impromptu sprint sessions.
"When we were kids, Dad used to get us all to line up in the park across the road and put the stopwatch on us," Coote said.
"But I've always been pretty small. I've tried everything - protein shakes and all that - yet I can't seem to put on weight."
He had a very good debut IMO. Great running game, got involved a bit. Had an inexperienced half-back (considering Roberts is actually a 5/8 and a good one at that. Very sh*t at half-back.) with him. The only thing he did wrong was the bad pass that Sa latched onto. Scored a great try.
