The ACT Brumbies have snared one of Australian rugby’s most exciting young forwards, with hulking Hunter Wildfires back-rower TJ Talaileva joining the Club ahead of the 2027 season.
The 19-year-old Australian U20 representative has signed a train-and-trial deal for 2027, with a full Brumbies contract to follow in 2028.
A product of Sydney rugby nursery Barker College, Talaileva also starred as a junior for the Newcastle Knights Harold Matthews side before moving north to the Hunter Wildfires, where he made an immediate impact on the Shute Shield scene as an 18-year-old.
Originally earmarked for the Wildfire Colts, Talaileva quickly forced his way into the Shute Shield side, with his combination of size, speed and explosive ball-carrying making an immediate impression.
Standing at 189cm and weighing 106kg, Talaileva backed up the hype in his first-grade season, playing 12 matches for the Wildfires and finishing inside the top 10 forwards in the Shute Shield for metres gained (9th), defenders beaten (7th) and tries scored (9th), despite missing a third of the season after being selected to represent the Junior Wallabies in Georgia.
The back-rower featured in five matches at the World Rugby U20 Championship, scoring two tries in Australia’s dominant 95-0 victory over Spain.
Now, the Brumbies have lured the powerful back-rower out of one of Australia’s rugby league heartlands and brought him to Canberra.
The Brumbies will add Talaileva to a back-row unit featuring some of the best forwards in the country, with the young forward set to train and play alongside Rob Valetini, Charlie Cale, Rory Scott, Toby Macpherson and new recruit Leafi Talataina.
Talaileva said he was excited by the opportunity to come to Canberra and test himself in a Brumbies environment.
“I’m really excited to be coming to Canberra and joining the Brumbies. It’s a great opportunity to test myself against some of the best backrowers in the country and around the world.
“I’ve always liked the way the Brumbies play — it’s tough, physical and exciting rugby. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into that environment and seeing what I can bring to the team.
“I’m really excited to be around the squad and get the opportunity to play alongside some of the best players in Australian rugby.”
ACT Brumbies Head Coach Stephen Larkham said Talaileva had emerged as one of the most exciting young forwards in Australian rugby.
“TJ is a really exciting young player. He’s got a natural feel for the game, he sees things well and he’s got a real presence on the field. He’s been very impressive throughout the year with the Hunter Wildfires and then stepped up with the Junior Wallabies.
“The Wildfires have done a fantastic job with TJ and given him a great platform to play senior rugby. We’re really pleased to have TJ coming into our environment. He’s already shown he can play at a high level, and we’re excited to see what he can bring to the Brumbies.”
Talaileva will join the Brumbies’ wider training group ahead of the 2027 season, with the 2027 train-and-trial deal to precede a full Brumbies contract in 2028.
