Canberra Raiders NRL rookie Ata Mariota adds to sensational year with NSW Cup honour

Off the back of his NSW Cup coaches' award at the Raiders' Mal Meninga Medal night, the cannonball prop was on Sunday named in the NSW Cup team of the year.

He's the lone Raider named in the squad, after a dominant season that included five tries, 25 offloads and an average of 121 run metres.

The new father impressed in his round 21 NRL debut against the Panthers, too, with coach Ricky Stuart telling The Canberra Times the 20-year-old "didn't look out of place".

"He's a future NRL player for the club and we've been excited this year about his growth and his game," Stuart added on Sunday.

"It's a very difficult assignment being a young middle and his attitude towards training and his hard work ethic is what's going to make him very good NRL player.

"He's also got the respect of a lot of the senior boys which is important. He's gotten that through his commitment and sacrifice."

Mariota is an example of the depth of talent at the Raiders, and Stuart said he has every chance to play more first-grade if he continues on the trajectory he's on.

"His opportunity will come, he's just got to be ready for when it arrives," Stuart said.

This year also saw Mariota seal a new two-year deal to remain in the capital after being recruited to the club as a teenager by the late Peter Mulholland, along with his younger brother Niu.

The exciting prospect has been compared with veteran Josh Papalii by Raiders legend Sia Soliola, which will be music to Green Machine fans' ears.

"He was very strong in the gym and was always someone that showed they had a lot of potential," Soliola said.

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"He's been compared a lot to Papa [Josh Papalii], with his size, build and strength being quite similar to big Paps.

"But he's come leaps and bounds in terms of his development, especially this year."

THE NSW CUP TEAM OF THE YEAR

1. Sunia Turuva (Penrith Panthers)

2. Izaac Thompson (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

3. Tom Jenkins (Penrith Panthers)

4. Kayal Iro (Newtown Jets)

5. Tom Carr (North Sydney Bears)

6. Kade Dykes (Newtown Jets)

7. Dean Hawkins (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

8. Ata Mariota (Canberra Raiders)

9. Soni Luke (Penrith Panthers)

10. Lindsay Smith (Penrith Panthers)

11. Jack Gosiewski (St George Illawarra Dragons)

12. Jackson Topine (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)

13. J'maine Hopgood (Penrith Panthers)

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