The South Sydney Rabbitohs have awarded their first Townsville Blackhawks scholarship for season 2025 to Malakai Martin.
Martin, a 15-year-old lock forward currently playing for the Blackhawks, has been awarded the scholarship as part of the Rabbitohs and Blackhawks partnership which commenced in the 2024 season.
Currently in year nine at Kirwan State High School, the Papua New Guinean/Aboriginal player won the man-of-the-match award in a game between Kirwan State High School and the Rabbitohs’ under 16s Junior Bunnies team earlier this year, catching the eyes of the recruitment staff at South Sydney.
Martin, who is the nephew of former NRL players Rhyse Martin and Travis Waddell, will play his first season of QRL under 16s Cyril Connell Cup football in 2025 with the Blackhawks, and will have the opportunity to take part in all of the Rabbitohs’ development and training programs as part of the Club’s north Queensland Elite Pathways Player Development (EPPD) program.
Martin is the first of two players to be awarded this scholarship from the Blackhawks ahead of the 2025 season, and is part of a similar program to that being conducted in south-east Queensland by the Rabbitohs through partners Keebra Park State High School.
Rabbitohs Pathways Recruitment Manager, Brent Hill, is excited about Martin and the north Queensland EPPD.
Rabbitohs Pathways Recruitment Manager, Brent Hill“We spotted Malakai playing for Kirwan State High School against the Junior Bunnies in an under 16s development game earlier this year, and he was very impressive”
“He won the man-of-the-match award that day and he has continued to show that he is willing to work hard and learn from his coaches to achieve his goals.
“Malakai will continue his development by playing for the Blackhawks in Townsville and for his school at Kirwan State High.
“This will allow him to develop his game whilst staying at home under the guidance of the Blackhawks’ and Rabbitohs’ coaching staff.
“It has proven to be a successful program in south-east Queensland and we look forward to kicking off our north Queensland EPPD program with these first two scholarships ahead of the start of 2025.”
