Junior Development

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Titan Ioane Seuili started in Round two of the Queensland Cup last weekend against the Townsville Blackhawks playing all 80 minutes once again on the right wing. In those 80 minutes, he ran for 110 metres, 25 post contact, had two tackle breaks and played the ball at an average of 4.05 seconds.

In the Round Two match Ioane Seuili made two long runs, both coming in the first half. On the first occasion he took a long high kick in wet conditions, split the defence and ran thirty metres down the left touchline before being dragged down.

On the second occasion Ioane Seuili stayed outside of his man and after taking a cut out pass from Tweed five eight Lindon McGrady burst thirty metres down the left touch line once again before being caught by the cover defence. Highlighting his maturity was that Ioane Seuili came in field prior to being tackled to ensure that even in the wet conditions he would not be taken into touch.

Ioane Seuili also produced a heads up play in the second half. Instead of trying to pick up a dropped ball in the wet conditions on the fly, Ioane Seuili instead stopped to ensure that he took possession of the ball rather than give Townsville field position if he made an error at a critical juncture in the match.

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Titans NRL contracted Tremain Spry had a huge match in Round Two of the Queensland Cup last weekend against Townsville scoring a double, and just missing a third. His first try resulted when he took possession after Townsville fullback Zac Santo spilt a grubber under pressure from Keegan Hipgrave for Tremain Spry to dive over under the posts.

Tremain Spry’s second try resulted when he ran into a gap five metres out in the second half and was presented with a good ball by Tweed Heads five eight Lindon McGrady. Late in the match Tremain Spry could have had his third when he took an intercept whilst defending on his own line but was dragged down five metres out after a ninety three metres run.

Playing right centre Tremain Spry ran for a team leading 177 metres, twenty six post contact, and fifteen from dummy half, had a line break, broke three tackles, played the ball at an average of 4.04 seconds, had an offload and made six tackles.

As a result Tremain Spry was named on the wing in the Queensland Cup Week Two Team of the week.

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Congratulations to the Northern Rivers Titans U16 side for finishing the five regular season rounds of the Andrew Johns Cup undefeated.

The side which contains 10 Titans contracted or linked players play their semi-final this Saturday in Forster against the Penrith Panthers.

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Vinncent Takatake came into the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts side for their Round Two match against the Townsville Blackhawks last weekend starting from the bench and has maintained his place on the interchange bench for Round Three in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears this coming weekend.

Vinncent Takataka represented South’s Logan in the 2018 MM Cup competition starting a number of the Magpies matches including their MM Cup Grand Final against North’s and their National Final against Penrith. Earlier in 2018 the former Canterbury Bankstown junior represented South Coast at the U18 QSSRL Championships in Toowoomba where South Coast was defeated by Met East in the Championship final.

In the 2018 MM Cup competition for South’s Logan as noted Vinncent Takataka played in four South’s Logan’s matches. Vinncent Takataka broke into the South’s Logan MM side in Round Three against North’s from the inter change bench and also played off the bench in Round Four against Burleigh. Vinncent Takataka started Round Five against Wynnum Manly in the front row and started the MM Cup Grand Final and U18 National Final in the second row, scoring in the National Final against the Penrith Panthers.

Post those feats, Vinncent Takataka made his debut in the Gold Coast Rugby League U19 competition when he started in the second row for Runaway Bay in Round Eight in their 32-24 win over the Ormeau Shearers. In Round Nine Vinncent Takataka started in the second row once against and scored a double as his Runaway Bay side defeated Beaudesert 32 – 20.

In total in the Gold Coast Rugby League U19 competition in 2018, Vinncent Takataka played in six matches and in addition to the previously mentioned double against Beaudesert also scored against Burleigh and Helensvale in consecutive matches in August 2018.

Vinncent Takataka, prior to his move to Queensland was part of the Canterbury Bulldogs Junior Development set-up for a numbers of years, joining the Bulldogs in their U15 Development Squad in 2015 and progressing to playing for the Bulldogs U16 Harrold Matthews Cup side in 2016. Vinncent’s Takataka’s junior rugby league club in Sydney was the Bankstown Sports Club where he started his rugby league journey in the U12’s.

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A fascinating player to keep an eye this season initially in the local competition and potentially for Tweed Heads in the Queensland Cup is New Zealand rugby convert Elijah Nicholas.

After a solid pre-season with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup side the 24 year old played Round One of the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition last weekend for Ormeau starting in the centres in a solid on debut which included scoring Ormeau’s sole try.

In New Zealand Elijah Nicholas played primarily at fullback or inside centre starting his senior rugby career with the Bay of Plenty in the ITM Cup (NZ’s version of the Queensland Cup) as a contracted 18 year old.

In 2018, in addition to playing for Rangiuru in the Bay of Plenty Rugby competition, Elijah Nicholas represented Bay of Plenty in the Mitre Ten Cup (Queensland Cup type competition) and also in sevens rugby.

The 186cm, 102kg centre was part of the Waikato Chiefs Development squad in 2017 highlighting his immense potential.

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Gold Coast Rugby League players James Pere and Dion Samuela have been named in the TSS First XV squad to play a trial tomorrow against Toowoomba Grammar School as a curtain raiser to a classic wallaby match in Moree tomorrow.

In 2018 both were selected in the Burleigh 2019 MM Cup squad but neither has featured to date.

Two new players to the TSS First XV side are Fijian fullback Isaiah Tolotu and former Hastings Boys High (NZ) student Ngiyaani Waters.

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Burleigh MM went down to Tweed MM 14-12 in a thriller with Titan Caleb Hodges scoring for Tweed in the last two minutes with plenty of Titans contracted/linked players scoring.

For Burleigh Titans Brodyn Gudgeon (2) and Trey Peni scored and for Tweed Ben Liyou and Noah Gafa on the scoreboard in addition to Hodges in relation to Titans players.

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Both Gold Coast Vikings U16 sides won at Redcliffe yesterday, both have won 2 and lost one game

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Former Burleigh MM Cup player and TSS First XV star Reno Gerrard started his Queensland Rugby Colts career in fine form in Round One yesterday playing NO. 8 for South Colts, scoring in the 30th and 46th minutes as South went down 24-17 to Sunnybank.

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Two former Titans Junior Development players were part of the Bond University Colts I Round One side yesterday against Brothers.

Ronan Kapi (outside centre) and Rhian Stowers (Right wing) were part of the side that went down 12-5.

Former GC rugby league junior Logan Watene (left wing) was also in the Bond Uni side.

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Intriguing to see 19 year old Kel Sheather named in the centres for Ballina in Round One of the NRRRL First Grade competition this afternoon.

He is usually a half or five eight but this afternoon will play outside Jamie Lyon in what will be great experience for Sheather against a Kyogle side that contains Shannon Walker.

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TSS won the match 48-0. From reports Dion Samuela was his usual elusive self.

Gold Coast Rugby League players James Pere and Dion Samuela have been named in the TSS First XV squad to play a trial tomorrow against Toowoomba Grammar School as a curtain raiser to a classic wallaby match in Moree tomorrow.

In 2018 both were selected in the Burleigh 2019 MM Cup squad but neither has featured to date.

Two new players to the TSS First XV side are Fijian fullback Isaiah Tolotu and former Hastings Boys High (NZ) student Ngiyaani Waters.

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Burleigh Colts too good for Tweed Heads winning 32-12.

Titans try scorers for Burleigh were Jaxson Paulo, Taine Tuaupiki, Allan Lockwood, Kai O'Donnell and Jayden Campbell. Jayden campbell kicked four from six.

For Burleigh, in his first Colts start Vincent Takataka scored for the Seagulls.

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Jesse Arthurs with a try in the right corner for Burleigh against Tweed Heads. HE now has four tries in two and bit Queensland Cup matches this season.

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Great tackle by Ioane Seuili on a flying Troy Leo, if he does not make the tackle Leo runs 70 metres to score.