Penrith beat Broncos 22-12 in Brisbane
Captain Luke Lewis believes baby-faced fullback Lachlan Coote has the talent to challenge Billy Slater as the game's number one fullback in a few years following the 20-year-old's outstanding display in Penrith's 22-12 NRL win over Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium.
Coote scored a spectacular aerial try just before halftime on Friday night and was wonderful under the high ball and organising Penrith defence from the back.
"I don't know what to say really .... he's a special talent," said Lewis, who bounced back from the disappointment of missing Wednesday night's Origin to inspire his side to victory with a great try.
"Maybe not next year but the year after he's certainly going to be pushing for an Origin spot and probably biting at Billy Slater's ankles," said Lewis.
"I know Billy is a champion and one of the best fullbacks to ever play but playing with Coote, he's got all the talents Billy has got as well."
Lewis said he didn't realise how talented Coote was until he started training with him a couple of years ago.
"His support play and positional play is outstanding.
"The way he's come along in those few years has really taken me by surprise."
Coote's name has already been mentioned among the possible new faces for NSW in Origin III and while Lewis didn't give him a leg up with selectors, he said he was a young man with the "world at his feet.
Brisbane skipper Darren Lockyer said he was impressed with Coote's composure and toughness while Broncos halfback Peter Wallace also rapped the 84kg Windsor Wolf junior.
Asked if he thought Coote was a player of the future, Wallace said: "he's a player now".
"He's going great.
Could he play Origin?
"I don't know ... you have three good games you can play an Origin these days," said Wallace who has worn the sky blue of NSW on a few occasions.
"Definitely in the future. He's tough, he's got all the aspects to his game, great hands, great under pressure and under the high ball and competes for everything."
Penrith climbed into a share of the NRL premiership with St George Illawarra after ending Brisbane's five-game winning streak.
A huge call by referee Gavin Badger to disallow Brisbane winger Jharal Yow Yeh a try in the 15th minute was a big momentum swinger.
Yow Yeh and centre Israel Folau both jumped for a Wallace bomb which Yow Yeh juggled before reaching out over the try line.
However Badger stunned the Suncorp Stadium crowd and Yow Yeh, immediately disallowing the try without consulting video referee Steve Clark.
Two minutes later Penrith centre Adrian Purtell plucked a Darren Lockyer cut-out pass from the air in the 17th minute to race 80 metres for a try.
"I don't know why he (Badger) didn't go to the video," said Brisbane coach Ivan Henjak.
"I haven't made a comment about a referee or video referee all season and I'm not going to start now.
"You all saw it."
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