By Jon Geddes

A PROMISING young Colts inside back in just his second season playing rugby has been earmarked a future star after coming through his Shute Shield debut baptism of fire for Warringah in their nail-biting 19-17 victory over Eastwood last Saturday.

Rats’ coach Michael Ruthven gave rugby league recruit Witika Rees-Hatu his first taste of the top grade with 12 minutes to go when the game was on a knife’s edge in an old-fashioned knock ‘em down battle of attrition at Rat Park.

It was a real vote of confidence in the 19-year-old rookie to throw him into the action at such a dramatic stage of the game after he had played for the Warringah Colts earlier in the day.