Storm legend Billy Slater has given some enormous praise to rookie halfback Hayden Watson, pushing his case as the club’s long-term future.
Watson is just two games into his NRL career, filling in for the injured Jahrome Hughes over the past fortnight against Canterbury and Manly.
Hayden Watson has impressed early in his NRL career. Getty Images
The 19-year-old was part of an under-strength outfit that went down to the Dogs, before showing a glimpse into his undeniable potential last weekend.
In the upset win over the Sea Eagles, the teenage playmaker scored a nice solo try and set up another, combining nicely with fellow young gun Sua Faalogo.
Watson looked to take the game on, showing confidence of a player with far more experience in first grade, helping Melbourne to a comfortable victory.
Now, one of the club’s all-time greats has endorsed Watson as the man who could wear the No.7 jersey for many years to come.
“If you go and look at Hayden Watson’s try, you will see him score this try a lot more often in his career over the next 10 or 15 years,” Slater told Nine’s The Billy Slater Podcast this week.
“It’s his game, he runs the footy, he’s built low to the ground and got really good strength through his hips. He scored a try in the U19s State of Origin game which was of a similar nature, where he used his size and strength.
“You mention the word composed and that’s how I see him – whether it’s at training at the Storm, in the dressing sheds or when he’s out on the footy field.
“He just looks like he’s really measured and nothing fazes him and he’s got a big career ahead of him.”
Watson has come through the Storm’s academy program after moving down from Queensland and starting in SG Ball, before climbing the ranks at rapid speed.
Fans got a first look at Watson in this year’s U19s State of Origin game when he produced a match-winning display for the Maroons.
Last week, the club announced Watson and fellow teenage talent Jai Bowden had both extended their contracts until the end of 2030 in a huge boost.
Slater believes that Watson will only continue to develop, learning from the experienced halves tandem of Hughes and Cameron Munster, before making a more permanent leap to the top grade in the coming years.
“Obviously he’s got a couple of handy halves in front of him in Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster, but if you look at the glass half-full, there’s two great players to learn off,” the two-time Storm premiership winner said.
Cameron Munster is signed until the end of 2027. Getty
“Spend the next couple of years learning off those two guys and that will actually help your career move forward. We saw it with Harry Grant and Cameron Smith – watch, train, learn from them, pick their brain, add things to your game.
“I think he will jump into that position next year that Tyran Wishart has been doing, coming off the bench, he can play dummy-half.
“He’s a really good player of the future. Melbourne have done a great job biding their time with him and developing him and now they’re getting the fruits from it.”
As it stands, Munster will come off-contract at the end of next season, while Hughes is on the books at Melbourne until 2030.
Should the case for Watson to assume full-time playmaking responsibilities grow, the Storm may have a difficult decision on their hands – especially after Jonah Pezet already left the club due to being stuck behind the current stars.