A lot can happen in the first year out of school.
One correction to the above is that Strang didn't play any NRC, although he was selected in the Sydney Stars Squad. As well as being required for the Schoolboy Games in Brisbane against Samoa and NZ, he also had a little issue of HSC to deal with, and would have been needed for his School 1st XV for the AAGPS rounds which were still going when NRC started IIRC. WA Schoolboy, Nick Jooste was able to play in some of the early NRC games because School 1st XV footy was probably finished for him by then.
As good as Goddard and Strang are, for the next stage of the pathway they face intense competition from North of the Tweed where Sorevi, Nucifora, and Tuttle are all hot contenders for the Gold #9 jumper. These three all have a year out of school headstart, and a full NRC season, as well as Tuttle being an incumbent U20 player.
Personally I'm more interested in how things are shaping up in the Engine Room. How are our Bulldozers and Giraffes looking? These unsung heros win matches, and it is an area where our U20's have been a little under done in the past. The blinking Banjolanders pinched our Work-In-Progress (Lukhan Longname*) which won't help the NSW cause.
It is good to see that the "powers that be" are working on finalising the details for the Super Rugby Curtain Raiser Cup. If the money can be found, I reckon that NSW could field a second team that would be competitive and with a 6 team comp, this would also negate any bye games. If it happens, this team could be supported with a couple of "just below the radar" lads from Queensland, as a Barbarians/Combined States model.
* Lukhan LEALAIAULOTO-TUI