Caleb Nicholls. The former Titans contracted youngster is back on the Gold Coast after a season with the Newcastle Knights and will line up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Colts side this season, and will be U20 Colts eligible once again in 2020.

In Round One for Tweed Heads against the Western Mustangs Caleb Nicholls started in the centres in an 18 – 14 Seagulls victory. Caleb Nicholls started at left centre again in Round Two against the Townsville Blackhawks and scored the Seagulls first try late in the first half.

In total in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition to date Caleb Nicholls has played in five of Tweed Heads six matches, starting the opening three in the centres before moving to the interchange bench for Round Four. After missing Round Five, Caleb Nicholls was back for Round Six against the Mackay Cutters once again starting from the interchange bench.

Caleb Nicholls headed down to Newcastle for the 2018 season starting the season as part of the Newcastle Knights U18 SG Ball side, playing in six of the eleven matches in that competition for the Knights, starting all on the left wing and scoring a double in Round Two against the Balmain Tigers.

Caleb Nicholls first try of the match, in the first half was one of the easier ones that he will score when he went over untouched in the left corner. His second try could not have been more different. In the second half Caleb Nicholls got the ball about ten metres out from the Balmain line with two defenders in front out him, he used his strength to hold them off to score in the corner with his legs over the touchline but his strength, balance and body control allowed him to get the ball down before he was knocked into touch.

Post the SG Ball competition, Caleb Nicholls played in nine matches for the Maitland Pickers in the Newcastle Rugby League U19 competition including starting on the wing in the Grand Final in their 13 – 6 win against Western Suburbs. In his nine matches, Caleb Nicholls scored three tries.

In 2018 Caleb Nicholls was also part of the All Saints College Maitland Rugby League Open side that performed so well in the NRL School Boys Cup competition where he played the majority of his matches in the centres.

In a 34 – 16 Round One win against St Gregory’s College Campbelltown Caleb Nicholls kicked five conversions from six attempts. Round Two saw Caleb Nicholls score in another 34 – 16 win this time against Matraville Sports High and Caleb Nicholls scored again in All Saints College Maitland’s 32 – 20 Quarter Final Victory against Sydney’s Holy Cross Ryde.

2018 also saw Caleb Nicholls represent the Newcastle/Maitland U18 rugby league side in the centres in the New South Wales Northern Region Combined Catholic College trials, where one of his opponents from the Lismore side was Titans contracted half Matt Buttenshaw who will also be part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts squad this season.

In 2017 Caleb Nicholls was a standout for Bilambil on the Gold Coast playing for the Jets in the U17 Division One, U19 and First Grade competitions, on occasions playing multiple matches in those grades over the course of the weekend.

In the U17 Division One competition, Caleb Nicholls played in eleven matches scoring seven tries and kicking eight goals to finish the season with 44 points. Caleb Nicholls scored a hat trick against Mudgeeraba, a double also against Mudgeeraba and also scored single tries against yes Mudgeeraba and Burleigh.

With the boot Caleb Nicholls kicked four and three conversions in separate matches against, yes you guessed it Mudgeeraba.

In the 2017 U19 competition, Caleb Nicholls played in nine matches, scoring six tries including a double against Mudgeeraba and tries against Ormeau in two matches, Runaway Bay and Tugun.

With the boot Caleb Nicholls kicked sixteen gaols including six late in the season against Tugun and four against Ormeau early in the season.

Caleb Nicholls made his GCRL First Grade debut in early June 2017 against Southport, playing in four matches in total and scoring against Currumbin and Southport.

In 2016 Caleb Nicholls was part of the New South Wales U16 Emerging Origin Squad and played in the Cyril Connell Cup competition.

In attack Caleb Nicholls is very effective especially when he gets the ball early and as able to generate momentum in his frame to look to dominate his immediate opponent, he has decent speed off the mark but obviously the more time he had before he impacted the defensive line the more ground Caleb Nicholls was able to make.

The majority of time, Caleb Nicholls immediate mind set is to look to run over his direct opponent rather than necessarily run around or step them.

Defensively Caleb Nicholls is intriguing, he has the size to hit hard defensively but also has a solid repeatable low tackling technique. In short Caleb Nicholls is equally effective in defending against larger wingers who look to run over the top of him and the smaller wingers looking to use speed and guile to beat him on the outside.

Caleb Nicholls does have a decent in and away move and a solid fend which he can use to his advantage but as noted his first reaction seems to be to use his size to try to steam roll his direct opponent.

2019 will see Caleb Nicholls continue to line up for what is shaping as a very strong Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts squad. Caleb Nicholls is also Colts eligible in 2020.

I really liked how Caleb Nicholls played in the centres in 2017 and prior but last season he played exclusively on the left wing for the Newcastle Knights U18 SG Ball side and for the Maitland Pickers, primarily left wing as well and therefore it is probable/likely that is where he will play in 2019. Although I do note that he played in the centres in relation to school boy rugby league in 2018.

A player with a similar playing style for me for Caleb Nicholls would be Cronulla Sharks outside back Ricky Leutele, they are both around the same size and look to use their size and speed to their advantage to dominate the opponent directly in front of them.