# Junior Kangaroos

The Junior Kangaroos side represents Australia in the sport of rugby league. They are commonly known as the Junior Kangaroos, after the native marsupial of that name.
Since 2019, they are an under-23 side, with players selected from the NRL. They are administered by the Australian Rugby League Commission.

## History

Prior to 2010, the Junior Kangaroos was selected on an under-19 age basis. The best Australian players 19 years of age or younger, would represent the country against the likes of the Junior Kiwis, Papua New Guinea and Tonga, sometimes as curtain raisers to the senior Kangaroos games. Players such as Greg Bird, Matt Bowen, Justin Hodges, Luke Lewis, Jamie Lyon, Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston represented the Junior Kangaroos early in their careers and went on to play at the senior level for Australia. The last Junior Kangaroos side selected under the under 19 rules was in 2007. This would be the last Junior Kangaroos team until 2010.
In 2010, with the advent of the National Youth Competition, the Junior Kangaroos was switched to an under-20 team and played in a two Test series against the Junior Kiwis. From 2011 to 2018, the Junior Kangaroos have faced the Junior Kiwis at the end of each season in a one-off Test match, usually as a curtain raiser to a senior level Australia-New Zealand Test match.
In 2019, the ARL announced that Junior Kangaroos would be moving to an under-23 format and would play France at WIN Stadium.

## 2010 series
### 1st Test

Played as a curtain raiser to the New Zealand-England Four Nations match.
* 23 October 2010
| Junior Kiwis | 16 – 24 | Junior Kangaroos |
| Tries Siuatonga Likiliki 1 Drury Low 1 Shaun Johnson 1 Goals Shaun Johnson 2 | Report | Tries Dane Gagai 2 Michael Oldfield 1 Justin O'Neill 1 Cameron King 1 Goals Cameron King 2 |
* Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand Referee: Henry Perenara

### 2nd Test

Played as a curtain raiser to the New Zealand-Papua New Guinea Four Nations match.
* 30 October 2010
| Junior Kiwis | 36 – 20 | Junior Kangaroos |
| Tries Lama Tasi 1 Drury Low 1 Nafe Seluini 1 Martin Taupau 1 Siuatonga Likiliki 1 Carlos Tuimavave 1 Goals Shaun Johnson 6 | Report | Tries Michael Oldfield 1 Josh Jackson 1 Dane Gagai 1 Justin O'Neill 1 Goals Cameron King 2 |
* Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua, New Zealand Referee: Shane Rehm

## 2011 match

Played as a curtain raiser to the Australia-New Zealand pre-Four Nations tournament match. Both coaches agreed to allow an 18th man be used during the match.
* 16 October 2011
| Junior Kangaroos | 16 – 28 | Junior Kiwis |
| Tries Dane Gagai 2 Stewart Mills 1 Kane Evans 1 Goals Chad Townsend 2 | Report | Tries Sebastine Ikahihifo 2 John Palavi 1 Michael Parker-Walshe 1 Wayne Ulugia 1 Goals Siliva Havili 3 Sio Siua Taukeiaho 1 |
* Ausgrid Stadium, Newcastle, Australia Referee: Adam Gee

## 2012 match

Played as a curtain raiser to the Australia-New Zealand end of year Test match.
* 13 October 2012
| Junior Kangaroos | 48 – 16 | Junior Kiwis |
| Tries Edrick Lee 2 Jack Wighton 2 Cheyse Blair 1 Tautau Moga 1 David Klemmer 1 Mahe Fonua 1 Jack Stockwell 1 Goals Jacob Miller 6 | Report | Tries Ngataua Hukatai 2 David Fusitua 1 Carlos Tuimavave 1 |
* Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville, Australia Referee: Gavin Reynolds

## 2013 match

* 13 October 2012
| Junior Kangaroos | 38 – 26 | Junior Kiwis |
| Tries Patrick Mago 2 Vai Toutai 1 Junior Paulo 1 David Nofoaluma 1 Charly Runciman 1 Mitchell Cornish 1 Goals Bryce Cartwright 5 | Report | Tries Kurtis Rowe 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2 Raymond Faitala-Mariner 1 Goals Mason Lino 3 |
* WIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah, Australia Referee: Henry Perenara

## 2014 match

* 18 October 2014
| Junior Kiwis | 15 – 14 | Junior Kangaroos |
| Tries Sam Manuleleua 1 Kodi Nikorima 1 Chance Peni 1 Goals Zach Dockar-Clay 1 Field Goals Te Maire Martin 1 | Report | Tries Valentine Holmes 2 Jake Mamo 1 Goals Clinton Gutherson 1 |
* Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand Referee: Shane Rehm

## 2015 match

Played as a curtain raiser to the Papua New Guinea-Fiji Melanesian Cup match and the Samoa-Tonga Polynesian Cup match.
* 2 May 2015
| Junior Kangaroos | 22 – 20 | Junior Kiwis |
| Tries Valentine Holmes 1 Robert Jennings 1 Brenko Lee 1 Tepai Moeroa 1 Goals Jackson Hastings 2 Valentine Holmes 1 | Report | Tries Watson Heleta 1 Joseph Manu 1 Te Maire Martin 1 Tony Tumusa 1 Goals Zach Dockar-Clay 2 |
* Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast, Australia Referee: Grant Atkins

## 2016 match

Played as a curtain raiser to the Papua New Guinea-Fiji Melanesian Cup match and the Samoa-Tonga Polynesian Cup match.
* 7 May 2016
| Junior Kangaroos | 34 – 20 | Junior Kiwis |
| Tries Nathan Cleary 1 JJ Felise 1 Robert Jennings 1 Brian Kelly 1 Curtis Scott 1 Connor Watson 1 Goals Nathan Cleary 5 | Report | Tries Mafoa'aeata Hingano 2 Siosifa Talakai 1 Ken Tofilau 1 Goals Jamayne Isaako 2 |
* Pirtek Stadium, Parramatta, Australia Referee: David Munro

## 2017 match

Played as a curtain raiser to the 2017 Anzac Test.
* 6 May 2017
| Junior Kangaroos | 46 – 22 | Junior Kiwis |
| Tries Tyronne Roberts-Davis 2 Reece Robson 2 Corey Allan 1 Jai Field 1 Victor Radley 1 Jaydn Su'A 1 Goals Jai Field 5 | | Tries 1 Dane Aukafolau 1 Jarome Luai 1 Steven Marsters 1 Briton Nikora Goals 3 Patrick Herbert |
* GIO Stadium, Canberra, Australia Referee: Phil Henderson

## 2018 match

Played as a curtain raiser to the Australia-New Zealand end of year Test match.
* 13 October 2018
| Junior Kiwis | 24 – 40 | Junior Kangaroos |
| Tries Jackson Ferris 1 Steven Marsters 1 Sean Mullany 1 Isaiah Papali'i 1 Joseph Vuna 1 Goals Chanel Harris-Tavita 2/5 | Report | Tries 2 Tino Fa'asuamaleaui 2 Enari Tuala 1 Corey Allan 1 Thomas Flegler 1 Louis Geraghty Goals 6/7 Zac Lomax |
* Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand Referee: Chris McMillan

## 2019 match

Played as a curtain raiser to the Australia-New Zealand Oceania Cup match.
* 25 October 2019
| Junior Kangaroos | 62 – 4 | France |
| Tries Goals | Report | Tries Goals |
* WIN Stadium, Wollongong, Australia Referee: Grant Atkins

## Players
### Captains

* Ben Jones (2010)
* Dale Finucane (2011)
* Chad Townsend (2011)
* Alex McKinnon (2012)
* Mitchell Cornish (2013)
* Michael Lichaa (2013)
* Cameron McInnes (2014)
* Matthew Lodge (2015)
* Tevita Pangai Junior (2016)
* Brodie Croft (2017)
* Jake Clifford (2018)
* David Fifita (2019)

## Coaches

* David Hamilton (2010)
* Andrew Patmore (2011)
* Kelly Egan (2012–2014)
* Justin Holbrook (2015–2017)
* Neil Henry (2018–present)