Steven Marsters

[Como Connection]

Do you think he will play on the right or left wing?

Right.
CC

 

[getsmarty]

Marsters hoping to use Cook Islands debut to follow in cousin's footsteps
Author
Brad Walter NRL.com Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Fri 21 Jun 2019, 03:15 PM

St George Illawarra rookie Steven Marsters hopes to follow the same path to the NRL as his cousin Esan after making his international debut for Cook Islands in Friday night's World Cup qualifier against South Africa.

Esan, who will play for New Zealand in Saturday night's Oceania Cup Test against Tonga in Auckland, represented Cook Islands two years ago against Papua New Guinea before he had made his NRL debut with Wests Tigers.

St George Illawarra forward Tyson Frizell held high hopes for the Marsters's future when speaking about him during the pre-season.

Steven, who joined the Dragons four years ago as a schoolboy, will play in the centres for Cook Islands.

"Hearing that from him [Frizell] is pretty unreal but I am patient with where I am going," Marsters said.

"If Paul McGregor thinks I am ready then I am ready but I am not in any rush. I am just preparing myself for the opportunity and if it is not this year then hopefully next year or the year after."

Cook Islands players performing their cultural dance. NRL Photos
The 18-year-old grew up with Esan in Auckland and was spotted by then Newcastle recruitment manager Peter Mulholland, who joined the Dragons before Marsters had moved to Australia.

He attended Holy Spirit College at Bellambi and played for the Thirroul Butchers in the age group below boom St George Illawarra back Zac Lomax.

"My sister and myself grew up with our cousins, Esan and his brothers and sisters," Marsters said. "We learned off each other, even how to cook and clean.

"That's how I was introduced to footy, we always used to play on the road. It was pretty brutal getting tackled on the road but we loved it as kids.

"Esan has been my idol since I was a kid and he is my role model. The way he plays I kind of just imitate it. Even in the backyard or at the shopping centre, I will step trolleys.

"If I got the chance to go head to head with him, I would love that. He said the same thing, he'd love to get into me."

Marsters will play alongside a number of NRL players in the Cook Islands team, which is coached by former Kiwis great Tony Iro.

Parramatta's Brad Takairangi will captain the team, which includes his Eels team-mate Tepai Moeroa, Brisbane's Troy Dargan and Canberra's Rueben Porter. Raiders fullback Charnze Nicholl-Klokstad was ruled out by injury.

The winner of the match will play USA in Jacksonville, Florida on November 16 for a berth in the 2021 World Cup.

Taikarangi has called for other Cook Islands eligible players to get behind the World Cup campaign and posted the following line-up on social media to show the strength of the Pacific nation if all players were available.


The match will be streamed online.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/201...islands-debut-to-follow-in-cousins-footsteps/

 

[possm]

I like what Sims says about Pereira, great attitude, I think he will be a regular starter and develop into a very good winger for us.

These days top wingers need size and speed.

 

[Frank Facer]

These days top wingers need size and speed.

Maybe Marsters could develop into a good winger? He does have size. I am not sure of his speed, but early reports on him a couple of years ago said he was fast. He has played fullback, so he should be able to handle the high ball. He looks like he would be able to take hit ups, like an edge backrower.

 

[j0nesy]

Maybe Marsters could develop into a good winger? He does have size. I am not sure of his speed, but early reports on him a couple of years ago said he was fast. He has played fullback, so he should be able to handle the high ball. He looks like he would be able to take hit ups, like an edge backrower.

Haven’t watched much of him lately, looked like a world beater as a kid but hasn’t kicked on by all reports.

 

[Dragonsamy]

He has slowly gone backwards .
Needs to improve his defense and speed .
I think his fitness is not up to NRL level and he is not the only one

 

[Michaeldragonslife25]

A lot of potential there but a lazy mind set and very weak in defence

 

[getsmarty]

Marsters breaks Cook Islands record
Author
Laura Gale
Timestamp
Thu 27 Jun 2019, 09:34 AM

St George Illawarra rookie Steven Marsters may have outshone his older cousin Esan in his international debut for the Cook Islands last Friday, but the 19-year-old didn’t even know until he got home.

Marsters has aspirations of following the same path to the NRL as his cousin Wests Tigers centre Esan and hopes his performance against the South Africa Rhinos will be enough to get him there.

Marsters scored 18 of the Cook Islands 66 points all from the kicking tee where he kicked nine conversions, breaking the record for the most points scored for the Kuki's.

"Playing for the Cook Islands has always been a privilege to do especially representing my grandfather' side and carrying his name to hopefully one day playing the World Cup," Marsters said.

"Being the record holder, I didn’t actually know that I broke it until I got home though. When I got home, mum called me and she was like 'oh son, did you know that you broke the record for the Cook Islands rugby league'.

"I just stood there thinking nah I didn’t, surely not, I only scored like 18 points, but she was like nah you did."

Esan played for New Zealand in Saturday night’s Oceania Cup Test against Tonga but previously represented Cook Islands prior to his NRL debut.

A friendly rivalry between the pair, Marsters jokingly said he loved taking the limelight from his cousin for once.

"The first thing that came to my mind was ‘I think I broke Esan’s record, he was the last person that was kicking so wow, he’s going to be angry',” Marsters laughed.

"My Aunty called him apparently just before his game and he was like 'nah I’m going to score, I’m going to break records for the Kiwis' and I laughed because he’s always like that.

“Every time something like that happens he denies it and we just take it as a joke. I couldn’t believe that I broke it and my granddad was there for me at the game.”

Marsters will now shift his focus to the Dragons and will be waiting patiently for his chance to make his NRL debut. Marsters as a development player will be available for first grade selection post-June 30 if his form permits.

"I’m still going to be patient, I know that if my time is right, it will come," Marsters said.

“Me making my international debut, it’s a lot bigger to me, but making my NRL debut, that’s something that I’ve always looked up to because this is what I’ve been doing

“I’ve been doing this for my family, so it means more than anything. When it comes to making my debut, I’ve just got to be patient and play good footy.”


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/06/27/marsters-breaks-cook-islands-record/

 

[getsmarty]

"Son, you broke the record"
Steven Marsters talks us through the moment he found out that he broke the record for the most points scored in a game by Cook Island International.

https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/06/27/son-you-broke-the-record/

 

[Walpole]

He has slowly gone backwards .
Needs to improve his defense and speed .
I think his fitness is not up to NRL level and he is not the only one

That's disappointing to hear. This is the type of kid we should really be investing some time into. There's so much potential in our juniors, there would be no need to look elsewhere if we were bringing them along well. Seems they hit reserves and then it's a lottery if they develop into NRL players while other clubs blood 18 and 19 year olds successfully all the time.

 

[st.phil]

That's disappointing to hear. This is the type of kid we should really be investing some time into. There's so much potential in our juniors, there would be no need to look elsewhere if we were bringing them along well. Seems they hit reserves and then it's a lottery if they develop into NRL players while other clubs blood 18 and 19 year olds successfully all the time.

Yeah don't write him off from a forum comment, I've seen him play some really good footy in CC... My critisim, seems a bit relaxed / sleepy at times.

 

[George Dragon]

Another local junior making his debut today congrats to Steve.

 

[blacksafake]

Another local junior making his debut today congrats to Steve.

Get ready for the old another junior we let go.
Hope he does well.

 

[Dragonslayer]

And scores on debut

Well done Stevie

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

I always rated him above Aitken.

 

[Dragsters]

And scores on debut

Well done Stevie

Congrats to the lad.

Yet another to show real improvement without the mcshackles...

 

[redandwhite4evr]

Congrats to the lad.

Yet another to show real improvement without the mcshackles...

Wouldn't be easy for him to stay motivated at Souths during Covid with so much backline talent ahead of him- according to a report I heard, Bennett wasn't happy with his attitude but, to his credit, he responded well.