Big Will Skelton sheds puppy fat and is muscling his way to the top Waratahs giants Will Skelton and Wycliff at Moore Park in Sydney. Will Skelton (then 142kg) with Wycliff Palu in 2010. Will Skelton and Wycliff Palu re-enact their 2010 photo. TO put things in context right from the start, Wycliff Palu is not a small guy. At 119kg and 194cm, the Waratahs No.8 is the big bloke in most photographs. But when he is next to Will Skelton, Palu shrinks in size from monster to medium. Skelton is the giant young lock making a name for himself at the Waratahs this year, and on his dimensions alone, it is a big name. The 21-year-old stands at 203cm tall and weighs 135kg, and with size 17 feet, has to order footy boots from the US. While a handful may be taller, Skelton's imposing combination of height and weight makes him Australia's biggest professional footballer. The NRL's biggest unit - Sam Kasiano (122kg and 194cm) - is small fry next to Skelton. After a handful of matches for the Waratahs, Skelton is proving he's got the talent to go with his size. Skelton will win his fourth cap for NSW off the bench against the Crusaders tomorrow night after winning an unlikely contract early in the season following an injury to Sam Lane. It was a return, of sorts, for the 21-year-old to the Waratahs training environment after first sizing up to Palu as a member of a mammoth schoolboy side in 2010. With a forward pack that outweighed the NSW pack, Skelton and teammates from Hills Sports High attended the Tahs training to pose for photos before they played in the World Youth Championship in Japan. Still carrying puppy fat, Skelton was a staggering 142kg but The Daily Telegraph's story and picture would change his life. I was playing league mainly at the time. I played league most of my life until I was 18, with Wentworthville Magpies," Skelton said yesterday. We took that picture and then we went to Japan, and when I came back, my team manager at the time for the Magpies saw the article and he said: 'Mate, you should give rugby a go.' Skelton joined Sydney University "to learn rugby" and started in the lowest colts side. His progress in 2011 was slow, although by now he'd been clocked as a man-monster of potential, and began training with the Junior ARU academy and NSW academy programs. With strict training and diet regimens, Skelton trimmed down to 132kg and played for Samoa under 20s but a broken foot saw him miss most of the 2012 season. Moving furniture by day and hitting the gym hard with the national academy in the early morning or late at night, Skelton got back in shape and was invited to train with the Waratahs over summer. After impressing Michael Cheika, he scampered up the ranks. He played trials for the Tahs, and when Lane withdrew from the EPS, Skelton got his spot. "I do shake my head sometimes," Skelton said. Now playing at 135kg, Skelton made his debut against the Stormers and made a solid start, with a few strong runs and tackles. I'm getting used to the pace. My first game I played 15 but I was blowing. Week-in, week-out my fitness is getting better, and I have to keep working on it," he said. Cheika said Skelton's journey from a raw giant kid to a professional player knocking on the door for a starting spot was a great example of player development. There's been good progression by the lad, and he's still got a lot of improvement to go. I have been extremely happy with how that's transpired," he said.