Mervyn Powell is the Kooty Roosters' 'electric' new signing

The slightly built speedster, 20, hopes to do plenty of that this season after signing with the Kootingal Moonbi Roosters.

"I'm looking forward to [being in] open space, if I ever get the chance," he said, adding: "I love running."

Powell recently moved to Tamworth from his hometown of Bourke, where he was the Bourke Warriors' No 1 in their 27-26 loss to the Goodooga Magpies in the 2022 Barwon Darling Cup grand final.

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Ahead of that clash, the New South Wales Rugby League published an article in which a Warriors official said Powell was "a player to watch" in the game.

He had spent the past two seasons as the Warriors' No 1.

At Kootingal Sports Ground on Saturday, Powell - a cousin of Roosters favourite Kyle "Yum Yum" Cochrane - made sure he was not missed when he played on the wing and scored two tries in a trial loss to Singleton.

Powell is living with his cousin Bianca Cubby, who plays for the Roosters. He plans to play at least one season with Kooty, but said he would like to extend his stay in Tamworth "if everything works out".

"Everything working out" would include him getting his first-ever job, ideally a traffic-control gig.

"The environment I was in, it's kinda hard to find a job," he said, adding: "It's only a small community."

For however long the youngster stays in Tamworth, he is intent on leaving his mark: he wants to be Group 4's leading try-scorer this season.

"I'm excited," he said of the coming year. "When I first came [to Kooty], all the boys made me feel welcome."

Roosters No 9 Kurt Hartmann said Powell was "very electric, very quick".

"He's a good fella too," Hartmann added.

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