ROBBIE Mortimer is navigating a path paved by older brother Daniel but his desire to forge his own reputation is behind signing with Balmain Tigers for the upcoming SG Ball season.

Sixteen-year-old Robbie will travel to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra on Monday hoping to make it through the final stage of the selection process for a coveted rugby league scholarship.

A scholarship would expose him to some of the best junior coaches in Australia and also provide Robbie with the chance to tour England and France with the AIS squad.

Daniel held an AIS scholarship in 2007 on his way to earning selection in the Australian Schoolboys team and the youngest of the five Mortimer boys, Robbie, is keen to emulate his feats.

Second youngest Daniel also played SG Ball for Parramatta before progressing through the Eels’ under 20s team en route to becoming a vital member of Parramatta’s remarkable run to last year’s NRL grand final.

Robbie trialled for a place with the Eels’ SG Ball squad during grand final week before an opportunity with the Tigers arose.

Former Balmain player and family friend James Grant phoned Peter Mortimer with an opportunity for Robbie to trial with the Tigers and he impressed.

Robbie was offered a place in Balmain’s final squad of 25 players and he jumped at the opportunity as he preferred not to go to the Eels where he would be the younger brother of Daniel and Tim, who is also with Parramatta.

“It was funny. The grand final week I was with the Eels doing their camp ... and then dad got a phone call and Jimmy Grant said there is a trial against St Helens, which is an English side, under 19s, and they said they just wanted to chuck me into that and see how I go,” Robbie said.

“That was a week that I was just a bit one-minded, I wanted to stay with the Eels, it’s grand final week.

“I never thought I’d ever have a trial with the Tigers or anything because I just had the trial with the Eels and I didn’t go too bad in that.

“I went to this Tigers one just to have a go to see how everything’s done and they asked me to come back.

“I kind of also wanted to get away from the shadow of Daniel and Tim.

“If I was at the Eels I would probably be related to them a bit if you know what I mean, whereas at the Tigers I’m my own person and, to be honest, half of the people down there don’t know I’m Daniel’s brother or Peter’s son, so it’s good and then people treat me for who I am.”

Robbie will resume training with the Tigers following his trial for an AIS scholarship and he is being groomed as a long-term halfback option after also dabbling in playing at fullback.

The St Stanislaus’ College, Bathurst student is the only 16-year-old in the squad and could potentially play two seasons in the under 18 competition, while school mate Angus Brotherton has also been signed by the Tigers.