03-07-2025
Kurri Kurri Bulldogs one year, NRL the next: debutant seizes opportunity
A year ago, Temple Kalepo was playing for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs.
On Saturday night, he will make his NRL debut for the North Queensland Cowboys.
A former Knights lower-grade player who spent the past couple of years between NSW Cup and the Newcastle Rugby League, Kalepo has been called up for the Cowboys' clash with Melbourne Storm.
The 24-year-old, a Kiwi, will come off the bench in the No.14 jersey.
"It's great, that's what footy is all about - getting an opportunity and being able to kick on with it," Kurri Kurri coach Paul Stringer said.
"They're struggling at the moment, so he must be playing some good footy in Q-Cup.
"Hopefully he will get a bit of time [on the field]."
A hooker, Kalepo joined the Knights in late 2021 but was hampered by injuries. Ahead of the 2023 season, he was earmarked as a potential replacement for then back-up dummy-half Chris Randall. But over the past two years, he spent as much time with Kurri Kurri as he did in Newcastle's NSW Cup side.
"I was helping Mark O'Meley with the NSW Cup Knights side in 2022, and Temple was there," Stringer said.
"The Knights had him contracted in view of him being a good player, and the poor kid tore his hamstring off the bone and it took him about 12 months to get better, and then he just kept injuring himself.
"He played a few games for Kurri last year and we re-signed him for this year, but he came up to me [in October] and said he had an opportunity up in North Queensland to play Q-Cup in view of maybe getting a chance with the Cowboys.
"You can't keep a kid back from that."
Kalepo has earned a shot in the top flight after 11 Queensland Cup games for Mackay Cutters.
It comes in a week when Cowboys have a host of players out because of Origin or injury, including the likes of Jeremiah Nanai, Reece Robson, Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden.
"Tough kid. He's not a big frame, but he throws himself around," Cowboys coach Todd Payten said of Kalepo. "He has got great craft ... good service.
"He was at the Warriors when I was there, back in New Zealand prior to COVID. I liked what he produced, and he has just come through the back door, I guess, in a different way to find it.
"But a great story about perseverance. He has been in the building now for a month and has impressed everyone. I'm excited for him and his opportunity."
Stringer, who played 143 NRL games between 1997 and 2006, said Kalepo's journey should inspire others to strive for higher honours.
He believes there could be more opportunities for players to rise from the Newcastle Rugby League into an NRL system in years to come.
"It's good that a kid can play at Kurri one year and NRL the next, a lot of kid's dream of stuff like that," Stringer said.
"It happens rarely, really, so for Temple to do that, it will make a couple of kids strive to be like him and do the same thing.
"Especially when there are two new [NRL] clubs coming in over the next few years."
Meanwhile, Kurri have fallen to eighth on the NEWRL ladder after a 24-10 loss to Maitland last week.
The Bulldogs went more than 1000 days between wins prior to this season, but have improved under first-year coach Stringer with four wins in their first nine games.
Ahead of Saturday's clash with South Newcastle at Kurri Sportsground, he said the Bulldogs were aiming to notch a few more victories in their remaining seven fixtures.
"Our goal is to win as many as we lose," he said. "I think it's an achievable goal."
In other Saturday games in round 12, Cessnock host Wests and Maitland are at home to Northern.
On Sunday, Macquarie travel to The Entrance, while Central and Lakes meet in a local derby at Charlestown. All games kick-off at 3pm.
A year ago, Temple Kalepo was playing for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs.
On Saturday night, he will make his NRL debut for the North Queensland Cowboys.
A former Knights lower-grade player who spent the past couple of years between NSW Cup and the Newcastle Rugby League, Kalepo has been called up for the Cowboys' clash with Melbourne Storm.
The 24-year-old, a Kiwi, will come off the bench in the No.14 jersey.
"It's great, that's what footy is all about - getting an opportunity and being able to kick on with it," Kurri Kurri coach Paul Stringer said.
"They're struggling at the moment, so he must be playing some good footy in Q-Cup.
"Hopefully he will get a bit of time [on the field]."
A hooker, Kalepo joined the Knights in late 2021 but was hampered by injuries. Ahead of the 2023 season, he was earmarked as a potential replacement for then back-up dummy-half Chris Randall. But over the past two years, he spent as much time with Kurri Kurri as he did in Newcastle's NSW Cup side.
"I was helping Mark O'Meley with the NSW Cup Knights side in 2022, and Temple was there," Stringer said.
"The Knights had him contracted in view of him being a good player, and the poor kid tore his hamstring off the bone and it took him about 12 months to get better, and then he just kept injuring himself.
"He played a few games for Kurri last year and we re-signed him for this year, but he came up to me [in October] and said he had an opportunity up in North Queensland to play Q-Cup in view of maybe getting a chance with the Cowboys.
"You can't keep a kid back from that."
Kalepo has earned a shot in the top flight after 11 Queensland Cup games for Mackay Cutters.
It comes in a week when Cowboys have a host of players out because of Origin or injury, including the likes of Jeremiah Nanai, Reece Robson, Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden.
"Tough kid. He's not a big frame, but he throws himself around," Cowboys coach Todd Payten said of Kalepo. "He has got great craft ... good service.
"He was at the Warriors when I was there, back in New Zealand prior to COVID. I liked what he produced, and he has just come through the back door, I guess, in a different way to find it.
"But a great story about perseverance. He has been in the building now for a month and has impressed everyone. I'm excited for him and his opportunity."
Stringer, who played 143 NRL games between 1997 and 2006, said Kalepo's journey should inspire others to strive for higher honours.
He believes there could be more opportunities for players to rise from the Newcastle Rugby League into an NRL system in years to come.
"It's good that a kid can play at Kurri one year and NRL the next, a lot of kid's dream of stuff like that," Stringer said.
"It happens rarely, really, so for Temple to do that, it will make a couple of kids strive to be like him and do the same thing.
"Especially when there are two new [NRL] clubs coming in over the next few years."
Meanwhile, Kurri have fallen to eighth on the NEWRL ladder after a 24-10 loss to Maitland last week.
The Bulldogs went more than 1000 days between wins prior to this season, but have improved under first-year coach Stringer with four wins in their first nine games.
Ahead of Saturday's clash with South Newcastle at Kurri Sportsground, he said the Bulldogs were aiming to notch a few more victories in their remaining seven fixtures.
"Our goal is to win as many as we lose," he said. "I think it's an achievable goal."
In other Saturday games in round 12, Cessnock host Wests and Maitland are at home to Northern.
On Sunday, Macquarie travel to The Entrance, while Central and Lakes meet in a local derby at Charlestown. All games kick-off at 3pm.
A year ago, Temple Kalepo was playing for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs.
On Saturday night, he will make his NRL debut for the North Queensland Cowboys.
A former Knights lower-grade player who spent the past couple of years between NSW Cup and the Newcastle Rugby League, Kalepo has been called up for the Cowboys' clash with Melbourne Storm.
The 24-year-old, a Kiwi, will come off the bench in the No.14 jersey.
"It's great, that's what footy is all about - getting an opportunity and being able to kick on with it," Kurri Kurri coach Paul Stringer said.
"They're struggling at the moment, so he must be playing some good footy in Q-Cup.
"Hopefully he will get a bit of time [on the field]."
A hooker, Kalepo joined the Knights in late 2021 but was hampered by injuries. Ahead of the 2023 season, he was earmarked as a potential replacement for then back-up dummy-half Chris Randall. But over the past two years, he spent as much time with Kurri Kurri as he did in Newcastle's NSW Cup side.
"I was helping Mark O'Meley with the NSW Cup Knights side in 2022, and Temple was there," Stringer said.
"The Knights had him contracted in view of him being a good player, and the poor kid tore his hamstring off the bone and it took him about 12 months to get better, and then he just kept injuring himself.
"He played a few games for Kurri last year and we re-signed him for this year, but he came up to me [in October] and said he had an opportunity up in North Queensland to play Q-Cup in view of maybe getting a chance with the Cowboys.
"You can't keep a kid back from that."
Kalepo has earned a shot in the top flight after 11 Queensland Cup games for Mackay Cutters.
It comes in a week when Cowboys have a host of players out because of Origin or injury, including the likes of Jeremiah Nanai, Reece Robson, Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden.
"Tough kid. He's not a big frame, but he throws himself around," Cowboys coach Todd Payten said of Kalepo. "He has got great craft ... good service.
"He was at the Warriors when I was there, back in New Zealand prior to COVID. I liked what he produced, and he has just come through the back door, I guess, in a different way to find it.
"But a great story about perseverance. He has been in the building now for a month and has impressed everyone. I'm excited for him and his opportunity."
Stringer, who played 143 NRL games between 1997 and 2006, said Kalepo's journey should inspire others to strive for higher honours.
He believes there could be more opportunities for players to rise from the Newcastle Rugby League into an NRL system in years to come.
"It's good that a kid can play at Kurri one year and NRL the next, a lot of kid's dream of stuff like that," Stringer said.
"It happens rarely, really, so for Temple to do that, it will make a couple of kids strive to be like him and do the same thing.
"Especially when there are two new [NRL] clubs coming in over the next few years."
Meanwhile, Kurri have fallen to eighth on the NEWRL ladder after a 24-10 loss to Maitland last week.
The Bulldogs went more than 1000 days between wins prior to this season, but have improved under first-year coach Stringer with four wins in their first nine games.
Ahead of Saturday's clash with South Newcastle at Kurri Sportsground, he said the Bulldogs were aiming to notch a few more victories in their remaining seven fixtures.
"Our goal is to win as many as we lose," he said. "I think it's an achievable goal."
In other Saturday games in round 12, Cessnock host Wests and Maitland are at home to Northern.
On Sunday, Macquarie travel to The Entrance, while Central and Lakes meet in a local derby at Charlestown. All games kick-off at 3pm.
A year ago, Temple Kalepo was playing for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs.
On Saturday night, he will make his NRL debut for the North Queensland Cowboys.
A former Knights lower-grade player who spent the past couple of years between NSW Cup and the Newcastle Rugby League, Kalepo has been called up for the Cowboys' clash with Melbourne Storm.
The 24-year-old, a Kiwi, will come off the bench in the No.14 jersey.
"It's great, that's what footy is all about - getting an opportunity and being able to kick on with it," Kurri Kurri coach Paul Stringer said.
"They're struggling at the moment, so he must be playing some good footy in Q-Cup.
"Hopefully he will get a bit of time [on the field]."
A hooker, Kalepo joined the Knights in late 2021 but was hampered by injuries. Ahead of the 2023 season, he was earmarked as a potential replacement for then back-up dummy-half Chris Randall. But over the past two years, he spent as much time with Kurri Kurri as he did in Newcastle's NSW Cup side.
"I was helping Mark O'Meley with the NSW Cup Knights side in 2022, and Temple was there," Stringer said.
"The Knights had him contracted in view of him being a good player, and the poor kid tore his hamstring off the bone and it took him about 12 months to get better, and then he just kept injuring himself.
"He played a few games for Kurri last year and we re-signed him for this year, but he came up to me [in October] and said he had an opportunity up in North Queensland to play Q-Cup in view of maybe getting a chance with the Cowboys.
"You can't keep a kid back from that."
Kalepo has earned a shot in the top flight after 11 Queensland Cup games for Mackay Cutters.
It comes in a week when Cowboys have a host of players out because of Origin or injury, including the likes of Jeremiah Nanai, Reece Robson, Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden.
"Tough kid. He's not a big frame, but he throws himself around," Cowboys coach Todd Payten said of Kalepo. "He has got great craft ... good service.
"He was at the Warriors when I was there, back in New Zealand prior to COVID. I liked what he produced, and he has just come through the back door, I guess, in a different way to find it.
"But a great story about perseverance. He has been in the building now for a month and has impressed everyone. I'm excited for him and his opportunity."
Stringer, who played 143 NRL games between 1997 and 2006, said Kalepo's journey should inspire others to strive for higher honours.
He believes there could be more opportunities for players to rise from the Newcastle Rugby League into an NRL system in years to come.
"It's good that a kid can play at Kurri one year and NRL the next, a lot of kid's dream of stuff like that," Stringer said.
"It happens rarely, really, so for Temple to do that, it will make a couple of kids strive to be like him and do the same thing.
"Especially when there are two new [NRL] clubs coming in over the next few years."
Meanwhile, Kurri have fallen to eighth on the NEWRL ladder after a 24-10 loss to Maitland last week.
The Bulldogs went more than 1000 days between wins prior to this season, but have improved under first-year coach Stringer with four wins in their first nine games.
Ahead of Saturday's clash with South Newcastle at Kurri Sportsground, he said the Bulldogs were aiming to notch a few more victories in their remaining seven fixtures.
"Our goal is to win as many as we lose," he said. "I think it's an achievable goal."
In other Saturday games in round 12, Cessnock host Wests and Maitland are at home to Northern.
On Sunday, Macquarie travel to The Entrance, while Central and Lakes meet in a local derby at Charlestown. All games kick-off at 3pm.
