Junior Development

[mdrew]

Titans contracted Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa and William Semu will line-up tomorrow for Marsden State High School in the school boy Hancock Cup Final tomorrow against PBC.

[mdrew]

It was a case of the centres doing a lot of the damage for the Grafton Ghosts U13 Group One on Saturday as they defeated Casino RSM 52-4.

Centres Beau Hartmann and Kyron Nipperess both scored doubles in Grafton’s Round Nine victory.

[mdrew]

Titans linked stand out second rower Lockie McLaughlin’s 2020 Group One U14’s impressive season continued on Saturday as he scored a double off the bench in Round Nine as his Grafton side defeated Casino RSM 38-8.

Lockie McLaughlin then backed up to come off the bench in the U15 match, with Grafton going down 26-14.

[mdrew]

The 2020 school boy rugby league season for Titans contracted second rower Arama Hau.

Arama Hau played the 2020 school boy rugby league season as part of the Keebra Park Year Ten Walters Cup side, including starting at left second row in their 14 – 12 semi-final 14 – 12 loss to Marsden State High School. A match that saw Arama Hau score a double with both tries coming in the second half.

Arama Hau’s first try came when he ran down a short blid side, breaking four tackles whilst maintaining his balance to slam the ball down one handed a metre in from the left corner post. In relation to his second try, Arama Hau had initially came back underneath a Keebra Park play ot the left but did not get the ball, Arama Hau reset himself to take the hit up from the subsequent play the ball, taking the ball to the right off the dummy half, before cutting back behind the play the ball to charge over to bring Keebra Park within two points late.

Arama Hau also had an outstanding match earlier in the year in the Walters Cup regular rounds against St Mary’s in Round Five, scoring an outstanding try and well as one of the best hit-ups I have seen by a rugby league forward.

Arama Hau’s try came in the second half of Keebra Park’s big 52 – 0 victory. Arama Hau took the ball three passes off the ruck on the left side of the field, bursting through the St Mary’s line and charging seventy metres down the left touch line, easily beating the St Mary’s fullback with pace and was even able to bring the ball around to put it down under the posts.

As noted, in the match Arama Hau also made one of the best runs that I have seen. In the opening minutes of the match from a tap restart from a Keebra Park penalty, Arama Hau took the ball off the penalty restart charging onto the ball from forty metres out, powering through the initial defensive line and dragging four defenders to within ten metres of the try line. Keebra Park scoring from the ensuing play the ball.

[mdrew]

The 2020 school boy rugby league season for Titans linked Coby Black.

In 2020 Coby Black was a member of the Coombabah State High School Hancock Cup school boy rugby league side, playing at half in their matches.

In Round One against Forest Lake State High School Coby Black kicked two conversions from as many attempts, including an outstanding conversion from the right touch line however Coombabah went down by two points in the opening round.

In Round Two against Wavell State High School Coby Black kicked two conversions from as many attempts and also had a try assist in a 12 – 10 Coombabah victory in a physical and at times aggressive match.

Coby Black’s try assist came in the first half when he took the ball to the line on the left side of the field about ten metres out from the Wavell line and threw a well weighted pass to left centre Izayah Petrichvech who ran an outside shoulder route into a gap to score out wide.

Round Three saw Coby Black two two conversions from as many attempts and also a penalty goal agaisnt PBC and Coby Black was also kicked a towering bomb which was dropped by the PBC and subsequently collected by Coombabah to score.

In Round Four against Keebra Park Coby Black was involved in all three of Coombabah’s tries and also converted all three as Coombabah defeated their Gold Coast school rivals in a close contest.

In addition to putting up the bomb that led to one Coombabah try Coby Black recorded try assists for the other two tries which were both scored by the Coombabah fullback. In the first instance Coby Black threw an out the back pass to his right off a Coombabah scrum win to put his fullback into a gap and run sixty metres to score. Coby Black’s second try assist was as a result of a pass to left when he once again found his fullback in space to score from twenty metres out.

Coby Black had an outstanding match in Round Five of the competition against Marsden State High School, kicking two conversions from four attempts, with his two misses being from the right touchline with both not missing by much. Coby Black also had a try assist in the match, was heavily involved in another and also produced an outstanding individual defensive play that saved a try mid-way through the second half.

Coby Black’s ty assist came in the first half when he was operating on the right side of the field. Immediately upon receiving the ball Coby Black took the line one, popping his body partly through the tackle getting his left arm free and off-loading to his right second rower who charged to line to score. Coby Black was also heavily involved in Coombabah’s final try when he threw a long cut out pass to his left to his fullback in space who was able to get the ball to his left winger who dived over in the left corner.

Coby Black’s outstanding piece of individual play came in the second half. Titans contracted William Semu made a long break down the left of the field and was in the process of being the ball around to put it down closer to the posts. Coby Black did not give up on the play and flew in to confront Semu. Even though William Semu braced himself for the contact, the strength of Coby Black’s hit, and his timing forced the ball lose, saving the try for Coombabah State High School.

[mdrew]

A number of Titans linked players have been selected in the PBC school boy side for their Queensland Final on Thursday agaiinst Kirwan SHS, being Reef Somerville (centre), Thomas Weaver (half), Jack Cullen (front row), Brock Priestley (second row) and on the bench were Oskar Bryant, Bailey Martin, Ryan Foran and Kaden Somerville is PBC'18th man.

[mdrew]

Great to see Toby Sexton named on the Titans NRL extended bench for Round 19 against Manly.

[mdrew]

Both William Semu and Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa with bits of individual brilliance to lead Marsden to a 24-10 half time lead over PBC.

Titans contracted Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa and William Semu will line-up tomorrow for Marsden State High School in the school boy Hancock Cup Final tomorrow against PBC.

[Hail Sezer]

Both William Semu and Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa with bits of individual brilliance to lead Marsden to a 24-10 half time lead over PBC.

Is Will the younger brother of Andrae & twin?

[mdrew]

Don't think so mate, but I could be wrong

Is Will the younger brother of Andrae & twin?

[mdrew]

One of the more naturally gifted young players that I have had th3 pleasure of seeing play in Tyrhys Williams made his NRRRL First Grade debut on Sunday when he came off the bench for Casino RSM in their 48-10 win over Mullumbimby.

He had started at fullback in the U18 match earlier in the day against Byron Bay.

[mdrew]

The 2020 school boy rugby league season for Titans contracted Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa.

In 2020 Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa attended Marsden State High School as part of their Rugby League Excellence Program playing in the Marsden State High School Hancock Cup side starting all matches at lock and to say he was simply outstanding across the competition would be a massive understatement. A 2020 Hancock Cup team mate was William Semu who was a fellow Titans contracted player.

In Round One of the 2020 Hancock Cup against PBC Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa started at lock, playing the entire sixty minutes of the match and was dominant throughout including an incredible sixty metre run in the second half where he brushed aside multiple PBC defenders.

Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa also contributed a second half try assist to Marsden’s big win. In the second half with Marsden on the attack on the last tackle, Marsden threw the ball to the right and a long pass found Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa. Instead of just trying something unconventional Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa got on the outside of his opposing PBC defender before drawing the PBC left winger to give his Marsden State High School team mate an unimpeded run to the try line.

In Round Two against Forest Lake State High School Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa was even more dominat contributing two tries to another big Marsden State High School big win. Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa’s first try which came in the first half was impressive. Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa chased a Marsden tactical kick down field, the PBC fullback tried to beat him with footwork but Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa got hold of him and stripped the ball in a one on one tackle racing twenty metres to score.

Whilst his first try may have had some subtlty about it, Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa’s second half try did not. From a tap from a penalty twenty metres out from the Forest Lake line, Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa took the hit up and smashed through the PBC forward pack to smash the ball down with his right arm just to the right of the uprights to score a try few players, regardless of age level or quality of the opposition ever could even contemplate scoring.

Round Four against Wavell State High School saw Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa start once again at lock and he had a huge match scoring a try (and came close to scoring two others) and recording a try assist as Marsden scored a bg win against their fellow Brisbane based school.

Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa’s try came in the first half, with Marsden State High School on the attack, Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa took a pass off the dummy half to the left of the play the ball around ten metres out and charged straight through the Wavell defence to score.

Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa’s try assist also came in the first half when on the last tackle he took the ball to the line and threw a well timed short pass to his left to fellow Titan contracted player William Semu who ran straight into a gap to score to the left of the uprights.

In a sign of Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa’s confidence and skill set, the first half saw Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa take the ball to the line and just prior to contact, put in a perfectly weighted chip kick which he regathered before off laoding to his right. Whilst a try did not result from the play (it almost did) the sequence highlights the extraordinary skill set of this young man with the promise of a lot more to come.

Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa was also prominent in Round Five against Coombabah State High School and early in the first half was held up over the try line after a strong surge from ten metres out. The match also saw Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa kick one conversion from two attempts. Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa comfortably kicked his first attempt at goal from around fifteen metres to the left of the up rights before just missing his second attempt from the left touch line.

In the second half Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa executed one of the most outstanding tackles that I have ever seen. Coombabah kicked into touch from a penalty, taking the tap restart on the half way mark passing twice to a forward to take a hit up, Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa hit with with a supurb right shoulder tackle just after the Coomabah forward received the ball. It was a great tackle.

In the 2020 Hancock Cup Grand Final Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa started at lock and played the entire match as Marsden prevailed 26 – 24 as a result of an after the siren penalty goal. In the match Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa played a fair bit of first receiver, primarily on the left looking to link with fellow Titan William Semu but also operated in the first receiver role on the right as well.

It was from the first receiver role on the right that Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa was involved in Marsden’s second try of the match when he threw a long pass to his right to create space for the Marsden right side outside backs.

Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa also produced a smart piece of play to score Marsden’s first try of the match. With PBC trying to bring the ball off their own try line Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa darted out of marker to the right of the play the ball as the PBC runner ran in that direction. Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa grabbed hold of the PBC runner, ripping the ball free on a one on one strip to then spin counter clock wise and crash over five metres to the left of the uprights.

After the competition of the preliminary rounds of the Hancock Cup and prior to the final Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa made the move to the Marsden State High School Walters Cup side coming off the bench in their 14 – 12 semi-final victory over Keebra Park to progress to the Grand Final against PBC.

Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa had in fact started earlier in the Walters Cup season when he started at lock against Wavell State High School.

[mdrew]

What an outstanding performance by PBC forward Jonah Beaven in the Hancock Cup school boy Grand Final yesterday. The young man was named Player of the Match even though PBC went down to a penalty goal after the siren 26-24.

PBC were magnificent to come back from 24-4 down late in the first half to tie the scores at 24 all only to lose in heart breaking fashion.

[mdrew]

The PBC Renouf Cup side were outstanding yesterday in their school boy Grand Final going down 10-8 when Marsden scored in the left corner in the final seconds of the match.

Not long prior, PBC left centre Tyler Small scored when he flew through to take a perfectly weighted cross kick on the full and produce a great left foot step to beat the fullback and as a consequence was able to bring the ball around to put it down directly behind the left upright.

[mdrew]

The 2020 school boy rugby league season of Titans contracted William Semu.

In 2020 William Semu attended Marsden State High School as part of their Rugby League Excellence Program playing in the Hancock Cup school boy rugby league competition across a number of positions including fullback and second row even though in previous seasons he was more known exclusively known as a second rower. A 2020 Hancock Cup team mate was Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa who was a fellow Titans contracted player.

In Round One of the 2020 Hancock Cup against PBC William Semu was outstanding as Marsden went on to record a big win with William Semu scoring a second half try in the match. With Marsden attacking the line around three metres out, William Semu called the ball off the dummy half down a short blind side on the left ofteh field and beat three defenders, including one with a spin move to score in the left corner.

In Round Two against Forest Lake State High School, William Semu also started at fullback and was once again a key contributor to Marsdens big win including scoring for the second 2020 Hancock Cup match in a row.

With Marsden on the attack ten metres out from the Forest Lake try line on the right of the field William Semu was standing behind the play the ball. Just as the ball was played William Semu took off to the right of the play the ball. Once he received the ball off the dummy half William Semu charged straight at the line and ran straight over the top of the initial defender before bringing the ball around to place it under the posts.

Round Four against Wavell State High School saw William Semu move to the left second row position and he had a huge match scoring a hat trick (and came close to scoring two others late in the match) as Marsden State High School had a big win against their Brisbane school rivals.

William Semu’s first try which was in fact the first try of the match was an outstanding long range individual effort by the talented young man. William Semu came back underneath the Marsden five eight on the left side of the field and burst through the Wavell defence forty five metres out from the Wavell line and easily rounded the fullback to bring the ball around to put it down under the goal posts.

William Semu’s second try of the first half came when he ran into a gap ten metres out from the Wavell State High School try line on the left side of the field off a well timed and weighted pass from fellow Titan contracted player, Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa. As soon as William Semu received the ball he stepped off his right foot to ensure that the gap stayed directly in front of him and then no-one was going to prevent him from scoring mid-way between the corner post and goal post on the left side of the field.

William Semu completed his hat trick in the second half. With a scrum with a Marsden feed ten out from the line and ten metres in from the left touch line William Semu packed in at lock. William Semu picked up the ball at the base of the scrum and took off to the left down the short blind side and brushing off two defenders to score in the left corner.

William Semu, playing left second row added a further Hancock Cup try in Round Five against Coombabah State High School when once again he packed into a scrum with a Marsden feed at lock ten metres out from the line and ten metres in from touch. William Semu picked up the ball from the base of the scrum running to his left down the blind side and crashed over between two Coombabah defenders. The try was identical to a try that William Semu scored in Round Four against Wavell State High School.

William Semu could have had a double in the match, but after an oustanding run when he took the ball fifty metres out and stepping off his right foot to beat the initial defensive line. A strong right arm fend saw William Semu beat the fullback and stumble in the tackle before getting to his feet but the ball was stripped out over the try line.

In the Hancock Cup Grand Final against PBC William Semu started at left second row in Marsden’s after the final siren 26 – 24 win and produced some outstanding runs including one memorable one midway through the hfirst half when after taking the ball off a Marsden Penalty restart charged directly through the PBC defensive line making twenty five metres through pur strength and power.

William Semu imposed his incredible skill on the match in the first half. Marsden put up a bomb towards William Semu’s side of the field. William Semu leapt above the PBC defence to take the contested ball on the full around eighteen metre out. William Semu maintained his balance when he landed and took off towards the try line. When he grabbed by the PBC defence, William Semu produced a top quality off load to his left with his right arm to send his support over for Marsden’s second try of the match.

After the competition of the preliminary rounds of the Hancock Cup and prior to the Grand Final William Semu made the move to the Marsden State High School Walters Cup side coming off the bench in their 14 – 12 semi-final victory over Keebra Park to progress to the Grand Final against PBC, scoring a first half try.

Keebra Park put in a short attacking kick which was fielded in the in goal by the Marsden fullback who took off down the left touch line, as the cover defence came across he passed inside to William Semu who had loomed up and sprinted fifity metres to score in the left corner.

In the 2020 Walters Cup Grand Final William Semu started at right centre for Marsden State High School as they defeated PBC with William Semu deservedly named player of the match on the back of a two try performance and setting up Marsden’s opening try.

As noted above, William Semu got the try assist for Marsden’s first try when after being tackled low, produced a perfect right armd flick pass to his right winger to rae eighteen matres to score.

William Semu scored his first try of the match in the first half in a brutal display of size, speed, power and aggressiveness. William Semu backed up a break by the Marsden right winger. Once William Semu received the pass on the inside he immediately cut back towards the touch line around dtwenty metres out. On his way to the line, William Semu produced two powerful and aggressive left arm fends to literally throw off two attempted tackles before diving over for an outstanding try.

William Semu’s second try of the match which came in the second half was a long range solo effort when he swooped on a PBC error running eighty five metres, easily outpacing the PBC defence to score under the posts at the Easts League Club end of Langlands Park.