Junior Development

[mdrew]

Round Two of the 2019 U16 Andrew Johns Cup competition saw Titans contracted Thomas Weaver once again captain and line up at half for the Northern Rivers Titans in their match against Parramatta and like in Round One he had an outstanding match scoring twenty four points from two tries and eight conversions from nine attempts. His only miss was from right on the right touch line for the Titans last try.

Both of Thomas Weavers tries were from backing up plays. In his first half try, Thomas Weaver threw a great cut out ball to his left to send winger Jack Field away and then backed up to receive a pass back from the winger to score. Thomas Weaver’s try in the second half came when he backed up a break from interchange forward Byron Jones to score.

Thomas Weaver also had a try assist when he drifted to his left and put left second rower Ryan Foran on his way to the try line, a try which was eerily similar to the try that the two put on in Round One against Newcastle.

As in Round One Thomas Weaver also had the ball on a string from a kicking perspective, with both of his first two kicks of the game being outstanding, the first trapping the Parramatta fullback a metre out from his own line where he had to dive to the ground or he would have been either pushed into touch and back into the in-goal in the left corner and the second even better forcing a drop out.

Thomas Weaver’s outstanding game included two try saving tackles in the second half helping to keep the Northern Rivers Titans line intact. On the first occasion he held a Parramatta player up in the left corner after making up an impressive amount of ground and in the second instance, after a long Parramatta break, Thomas Weaver stripped the ball from the Eels centre when he looked set to score.

[mdrew]

Great to see Tremain Spry in the squad for this week’s NRL trial.

[lonegull]

Great to see Tremain Spry in the squad for this week’s NRL trial.

Mdrew have you done one of your great profiles on him ?

[mdrew]

One will be up this afternoon mate

Mdrew have you done one of your great profiles on him ?

[mdrew]

The Byron Bay NRRRL First Grade side’s forward pack will have some size and skill this season with giant front rower Aiden Kennedy possibly being available for a number of matches after moving from Toowoomba.

For the Western Mustangs U20 Colts squad in 2018, Aiden Kennedy played in ten matches, coming into the side in Round Twelve against the Townsville Blackhawks. Aiden Kennedy played a further four matches from the bench before breaking into the starting side in the front row in Round Eighteen against the Northern Pride celebrating his elevation with a double. Aiden Kennedy also scored in Round Twenty One against Victoria.

Prior to making his Colts debut for the Western Mustangs in 2018, Aiden Kennedy also played in one Toowoomba Rugby League First Grade match when he ran on for Pittsworth against Dalby in March 2018.

The young front rower from Northern New South Wales has had a solid 2017 in the U18 NRRRL competition averaging a try a match in the nine matches that he played for Lismore Marist Brothers, including scoring a hat trick in April against Byron Bay and also a double in June against Cudgen.

Aiden Kennedy also played in four NRRRL First Grade matches in 2017, making his debut in late July against the Byron Bay Devils scoring two tries which came against Lower Clarence in his second First Grade gam and also against Murwillumbah in his fourth. In the 2016 season Aiden Kennedy scored nineteen tries in sixteen matches including four tries in a late season match against Murwillumbah and a hat trick against Lower Clarence.

He is another St Johns College Woodlawn student and thus played matches in various school boy competitions with them including the National GIO Cup competition. Aiden Kennedy along with his twin brother started in the front row for St Johns College Woodlawn in their tough 14 – 10 loss to Sydney School Holy Cross Ryde in the semi-final of the New South Wales Catholic Cup.

From St Johns College Woodlawn Aiden Kennedy represented New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges in the 2016 and 2017 ASSRL U18 Championships and also represented NSWCCC in the U15 age group previously.

[mdrew]

Hard working Evans Head back rower Joshua Stothard formerly from Casino RSM in the Group One junior rugby league competition in Northern New South Wales, was one of a number of young Northern Rivers forwards to stand out in the 2018 Northern Rivers Andrew Johns Cup side playing in a total of four matches.

Joshua Stoathard will more than likely start the 2019 season in the Evans Head U18 NRRRL squad and will eligible for U18 rugby league once again in 2020.

Post the Andrew Johns Cup competition 2018 , Joshua Stothard played for Casino RSM in the Group One U16.5 junior rugby league and U18 NRRRL competitions.

In the Group One U16.5 competition Joshua Stothard played in eleven matches, including the Grand Final scoring six tries. His six tries came from doubles in consecutive matches mid-season against Lismore Marist Brothers, Ballina and Kyogle.

Joshua Stothard also played in five U18 NRRRL matches for Casino RSM making his U18 NRRRL debut against Lower Clarence in early June.

Joshua Stothard started the 2017 off playing in the Group One U15 competition playing four matches with Ballina and scoring against Casino RSM. Post those four matches, Joshua Stothard received a clearance to play the remainder of the 2017 season with Casino RSM.

In the Group One U15 competition with Casino RSM, Joshua Stothard played in six matches scoring four tries. Joshua Stothard’s tries all came in a three match period from late July to mid-August 2017. His try scoring span started with a try against Kyogle he scored a double the next match out also against Kyogle and then finished his try scoring the following week against Lismore Marist Brothers. In total in the Group One U15 competition, Joshua Stothard scored five tries from ten matches at a strike rate of 50%.

In 2017 Joshua Stothard also played five matches for Casino RSM in the U16.5 competition, on three of those occasions backing up after playing in the U15 match earlier in the day highlighting his stamina.

2017 also saw Joshua Stothard play three matches off the interchange bench for the Group One U15 representative side that finished third on the ladder in the U15 New South Wales Age Championships.

[mdrew]

The Byron Bay NRRRL side should be an exciting one to watch in 2019 with a number of players joining the club and another new player who should see plenty of action for the Devils in both the U18 and First Grade competitions is exciting fullback Malachi Roberts.

The exceptionally talented young athlete was offered an opportunity to join the Sydney Swans Academy but thankfully for rugby league fans enjoyed out game too much.

Malachi Roberts played the 2018 season for the Ballina Seagulls in the NRRRL U18 competition and started the NRRRL U18 Grand Final on the bench.

In the U18 NRRRL competition Malachi Roberts played in ten matches, scoring four tries which came against Cudgen, Kyogle and Lismore Marist Brothers in two separate matches.

In 2018 Malachi Roberts also made his NRRRL Reserve Grade debut for Ballina when he came on against Northern United in the last regular season round.

In 2017 Malachi Roberts was named in the New South Indigenous U16 side that played their Queensland counter parts containing Jesse Braslin. Malachi Roberts started the match at fullback, 2017 also saw Malachi Roberts represent the East Coast Dolphins U16 side.

Malachi Roberts was selected to trial for the New South Indigenous U16 side after playing for the Group two junior representative side and the Forster Country Championships and at the Koori Knockout Competition in late 2016. In the trials Malachi Roberts was a standout scoring ten tries in three matches.

Malachi Roberts played for Lismore Marist Brothers in the 2017 Group One U16.5 competition, playing in ten matches starting all at fullback and scored six tries including a late season hat trick against Ballina.

When he was selected in the side Malachi Roberts was attending Melville High and playing for the Macleay Valley Mustangs but then moved to Ballina to attend Ballina High School and play for the Ballina Seagulls.

[ja4220]

The South Coast Trials for u18 and u15 are on today at Burleigh Bears senior fields. Should be a few Titans linked boys involved over the course of the day.I think the first game is 9.15

[mdrew]

Rampaging second rower Kuyan Roberts-Laurie has come into the Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup side in Round Three against the North Coast Bulldogs, starting from the bench on Saturday in Grafton.

Post the Laurie Daley Cup competition, Kuyan Roberts-Laurie will play in the NRRRL competition for Byron Bay and even though he is still U18 eligible I would anticipate the Kuyan Roberts-Laurie will play a lot of NRRRL First Grade this season.

In 2018 the former Ballina State High School student and the Ballina Seagulls rugby league player made his NRRRL First Grade debut at the age of just 17 years old.

Kuyan Roberts-Laurie made his NRRRL First Grade debut in Round Seven against Murwillumbah and went on to play in ten NRRRL First Grade matches and scored his first first grade try against Evans Head in July and the following week kicked a conversion against Lower Clarence.

In the U18 NRRRL competition, Kuyan Roberts-Laurie played in twelve regular season matches starting all in the second row and scoring seven tries. In addition to a double against Murwillumbah, Kuyan Roberts-Laurie scored against Casino RSM, Cudgen, Kyogle and Lower Clarence.

In the 2018 NRRRL U18 Grand Final Kuyan Roberts-Laurie started in the second row as was simply outstanding scoring a superb try as Ballina defeated Cudgen 30 – 4. He was awarded the U18 NRRRL Player of the Grand Final Award.

2018 also saw Kuyan Roberts-Laurie play in one NRRRL Reserve Match which came against Evans Head in July.

Earlier in 2018 Kuyan Roberts-Laurie played four matches for Northern Rivers in the New South Wales Country U18 Laurie Daly Cup competition. Kuyan Roberts-Laurie started Round one from the interchange bench against the Newcastle Development Squad and also came off the bench in Round Five.

Kuyan Roberts-Laurie came into the Northern Rivers starting side in Round Three against the North Coast and maintained his starting second row spot for the match against the Central Coast Roosters in Round Four.

In 2017 Kuyan Roberts-Laurie was named in the New South Indigenous U16 side that played their Queensland counter parts containing Titans linked Jesse Braslin. Kuyan Roberts-Laurie started the match from the interchange bench and a team mate was fullback and fellow Titans linked youngster Malachi Roberts.

In 2016 Kuyan Roberts-Laurie was also one of the better performers for the Group One U15 side who took part in the NSW Country Age Championships. For the Group One U15 side, Kuyan Roberts-Laurie scored two tries across the three games he played including scoring in a 20 – 10 victory over Group 19 and also scoring Group One’s sole try early in the first half of a 4 all draw against Group 21.

For the Ballina Seagulls in the 2016 Group One U15 competition, Kuyan Roberts-Laurie scored ten tries in twelve matches including doubles against Marist Brothers, Kyogle and Grafton.

[mdrew]

Titans linked Reef Sommerville has deservedly broken into the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup starting side for their Round Three match in Grafton against the North Coast Bulldogs on Saturday when he will start at right centre.

In Round One of the competition this season, Reef Sommerville started from the bench for the Northern Rivers Titans in their match against the Newcastle Knights Development Squad. When he came on Reef Sommerville operated on the right side of the field and scored an impressive try when he took a flat pass from the dummy half, Jordan Gallagher and caught the Newcastle defence back peddling and was able to break a number of tackles in a thirty metre run to the try line.

Round Two of the 2019 Andrew Johns Cup competition saw Reef Sommerville once again start from the interchange bench in the Northern Rivers Titans match against Parramatta and once again he was a handful for the opponent’s defensive line on the right side of the ruck.

Late in 2018 Reef Sommerville was selected in the talented Northern Rivers Titans U16 side for the 2019 Andrew Johns Cup competition. Fellow Titans linked players in the Northern Rivers Titans U16 side are Bailey Cox, Jack Cullen, Ryan Foran, Keegan Pace, Byron Jones, Riley Lack, Thomas Weaver and Rowan Mansfield.

The young second rower made his Titans debut earlier this season when he started from the bench for the Titans U16 side in their match against the Newcastle Knights Harold Matthews U16 squad in Coffs Harbour.

Reef Sommerville came onto the field in the match towards the end of the first half, playing in the second row and also at times during the match spent some time in the centres when Ezra Ubaldino was having a spell.

[mdrew]

The upcoming Round Three U18 Laurie Daley Cup match against the North Coast Bulldogs will see Titans contracted stand out and Northern Rivers Titan Ethan Foster start in a third position in as many rounds when he starts in the front row.

Ethan Foster who signed a Titans development contract in 2017 started the 2019 season of starting in the right second row position in Round One for the Northern Rivers Titans in the U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition against the Newcastle Knights Development Squad.

Overall Ethan Foster was probably the Northern Rivers Tians best in the match, just shading lock Simon Pratt. Ethan Foster was very effective defensively and even though in attack he did not get the ball in space was regularly able to bump off the first defender and make significant ground after contact.

In Round Two Ethan Foster moved from his right second row position to start at lock in their match against the Parramatta Eels. Like in Round One against Newcastle Ethan Foster did not have too many opportunities in attack but did make a number of telling runs with positive post contact metres and defensively was more than sound especially in the first half when defending on his try line.

Earlier this season Ethan Foster was part of the Titans U18 side that played against the Newcastle Knights in Coffs Harbour.

[mdrew]

Good to see former Canberra Raider Tremayne Chatfield in the 2019 Burleigh Bears Colts side for the upcoming season.
Former Canberra Raider Tremayne Chatfield has moved up to the Gold Coast to be part of the Burleigh Bears U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad. In 2019 Tremayne Chatfield played in the Canberra raiders Cup in both the U18 and First Grade competitions.

Tremayne Chatfield played for Goulburn Workers in the Canberra Raiders Cup, playing in three U18 matches and also making his First Grade debut when he played against the West Belconnen Warriors in May.

In the U18 competition, in just three matches Tremayne Chatfield scored two tries both coming in his final U18 Canberra Raiders Cup match against the Queanbeyan Kangaroos.

In 2018 Tremayne Chatfield also spent time in the Group 16 competition with the Moruya Sharks. For the Sharks, Tremayne Chatfield played in six First Grade matches debuting against the Cooma Stallions in June.

The former Bateman’s Bay High School student also played in one Group 16 Reserve Grade match which was against the Cooma Stallions.

In 2017 Tramayne Chatfield played for the Canberra Raiders SG Ball side primarily at fullback and also played for the Raiders in the 2016 U16 Harold Matthews Cup competition.

Tremayne Chatfield will also be Colts eligible in 2020.

[mdrew]

The Ballina Coast High School elite sports program is in its third week of the new program with multiple Titans involved including Rowan Mansfield and more than a few others.

[mdrew]

Congratulations to Tians contracted Ediq Ambrosyev for his selection in the 2019 South Coast U18 rugby league side from PBC.

[mdrew]

Outstanding Titans linked and Keebra Park centre Trey Peni has been named in the South Coast U18 side for the QSSRL Championships to be held later in the year.