Four highly-touted debutants highlight a thrilling final NRL round

The final round of the NRL season can often be somewhat lacklustre, with the majority of the ladder usually cemented.

This year's final round, however, is expected to be one of its most exciting rounds of the season, due in part to four highly anticipated debutants scheduled to play their first NRL game in Round 27.

The first of the bunch will be Heamasi Makasini, the Wests Tigers prodigy who has impressed scouts every time he's touched a rugby league football.

Sources tell Zero Tackle that Makasini will be debuting this weekend for the Tigers, after completing his high school rugby union season two weeks ago. Whispers are that the 18-year-old will play on the wing.

He will face off against the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday, who will debut two young stars themselves.

The first will be rugby convert Cooper Bai, the highly-touted lock who has carved up in the Titans QLD Cup side.

He is expected to debut off the bench, according to Travis Meyn.

Alongside him will be Wallaby convert Carter Gordon, who will finally get a shot at first grade after making the switch from rugby union and joining the Titans for 2025 and 2026.

Gordon was touted to be the next star for the Titans. However, due to a spinal issue that sidelined him for most of the 2025 season, fans were unable to witness him at the NRL level.

He will get his shot this weekend, likely lining up in the centres, on the opposite edge of Makasini.

The final debutant this weekend is one Manly Sea Eagles fans will be ecstatic to see.

Joey Walsh, who has been widely regarded as the next great half to succeed Daly Cherry-Evans, will get his shot this weekend, with Anthony Seibold confirming his debut.

"We will give him the back-end of the game," Seibold told The Daily Telegraph.

"It will give him an opportunity to play with ‘Chez' in the halves.

"It's a good reward for Joey - he's been going great in second grade and was very good again last weekend."

Seibold admitted the plan was to allow him some NRL time before the season concludes, with the hope of preparing him ahead of a gruelling preseason.

"We thought it would be a good opportunity to give him some time and for him to make his debut before he gets another pre-season."

He will come off the bench and will partner with ‘DCE' in the skipper's final game with the Sea Eagles.

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