Junior Development

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Great to see 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U16 hooker Cameron Bevan being named a Bilambil Junior Jets Life Member.

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Recently Sebastian Pousima was named the 2021 Grafton Ghosts Group One U14 Best Forward.

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In February 2021 Amare Milford ,the front rower and Keebra Park SHS student was named in the U15 South Coast school boy rugby league squad for the 2021 U15 QSSRL Championships starting the Championship Final against Met West in the front row.

2021 saw Amare Milford line up for the Keebra Park Year Nine school boy rugby league side, including a solid front row starting performance in early June against fierce local rivals PBC.

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The elusive Tyrus Salanoa being a former Victorian rugby and rugby league junior moved up from down South mid-way through 2020 to attend Keebra Park State High School and be part of their Rugby Legue Excellence Program in partnership with the Titans, playing the 2020 abridged school rugby league season in Keebra Park’s famous maroon and blue jersey.

Tyrus Salanoa started for Keebra Park at right centre in Round One of the 2021 School Boy Walters Cup competition against Marsden State High School and scored an outstanding solo try in the 13th minute.

As noted Tyrus Salanoa started at right centre but in relation to his try, he looped around to the left from a scrum move receiving the ball with room to move twenty metres out from the line. Tyrus Salanoa attacked the line continuing to run to his left, running with the ball out of front in both hands. This “froze” the defensive line and subsequently Tyrus Salanoa was able to slice through a gap and score untouched and was also able to bring the ball around closer to the posts.

Tyrus Salanoa also started at right centre in Round Two against Redcliffe State High School, kicking three conversions in Keebra Park’s victory.

Tyrus Salanoa also started at right centre in the 2021 Walters Cup Grand Final as Keebra Park SHS went down 30 – 12 to PBC SHS.

In mid-February 2021 Tyrus Salanoa played in a Titans U15 Invitational Trial at Burleigh, a trial which included only the best of the 2021 Titans U15 squad members.

Early February 2021 saw Tyrus Salanoa made it through the first stage of the South Coast U15 QSSRL trials when he was named in the U15 Broadwater school boy U15 squad. Following the final round of trials, Tyrus Salanoa was named in the 2021 South Coast U15 school boy QSSRL squad.

In the 2021 QSSRL U15 Championships Tyrus Salanoa stood out for South Coast at hooker, including an outstanding display in the Championship Final with South Coast beating Met West 28 – 20 in the decider. Tyrus Salanoa was subsequently named at hooker in the 2021 QSSRL U15 Merit side.

Tyrus Salanoa had a strong start in the final, making twelve metres in just the 4th minute from a run out of dummy half down a short left blindside.

At the completion of the Championships, Tyrus Salanoa was named at hooker in the 2021 QSSRL U15 School Boy Merit Team.

Tyrus Salanoa started at hooker for South Coast on Day One of the Championships against Met West, converting one of South Coast’s first half tries.

Tyrus Salanoa started at hooker as well on Day Two against Capricorna produced a telling run out of dummy half in the 41st minute with the run his right accounting for thirty metres all the way to ten metres out from the try line. Initially it looked as if he would be tackled just after he had run out of dummy half with a Capricornia defender holding onto his right leg, but Tyrus Salanoa was able to break free and keep running.

Day Three against Tyrus Salanoa also start at hooker against Met North with the dummy half scoring one try and converting two. Tyrus Salanoa scored mid-way through the first half under the posts after he forced his way over after running from dummy half to his right from a metre out from the line.

2021 also saw Tyrus Salanoa named in the South Coast Schools U15 Rugby Representative side.

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Matthew Logopati moved over from Canterbury on New Zealand’s South Island in early 2021 to attend Coombabah State High School as well as play for Runaway Bay in the Gold Coast Rugby League U18 Division One competition, after a storied career in New Zealand.

In October 2021 Matthew Logopati played for the South Island Scorpions in the 2021 New Zealand U18 Natiional Youth Tournament including starting at right centre in the Final against the Upper Central Stallions but unfortunately his side went down 30 – 28.

Matthew Logopati started Round One of the 2021 Langer Cup School Boy competition at left second row against Mabel Park State High School having an impressive match in Coombabah’s big win over the Langer Cup newcomers including an outstanding solo try in the 48th minute of the match.

Matthew Logopati took a hit-up from a Coombabah SHS penalty restart eleven metres from the line. Matthew Logopati ran fractionally to his left but after bumping of the first defender, he cut back towards the left touchline, palming off a number of defenders and breaking through two more tackles to slam the ball down in the right corner.

The first of a number of telling contributions from Matthew Logopati came in the 8th minute when he made thirteen metres through the centre of the giant Mabel Park SHS forward pack to get to the halfway mark. Matthew Logopati also made a fourteen metres run in the 16th minute.

Matthew Logopati then in the 29th minute charged onto the ball to the right of the dummy half before cutting back to his left to make twelve metres before getting away a right arm off-load.

Matthew Logopati showed his all-out effort in the 8th minute when he stopped, turned and dived backwards onto an attacking grubber kick that was put through by Mabel Park then did not concede the tackle, immediately jumping to his feet racing forty metres downfield to put Coombabah SHS onto the attack deep in Mabel Park territory.

Matthew Logopati also started at left second row in Coombabah SHS’s tough Round Two loss against Wavell State High School and in Round Three against PBC State High School Matthew Logopati dropped back to the bench, coming on to play right second row but unfortunately Matthew Logopati went down with put looked like a serious knee injury in the 22nd minute. Prior to going off, Matthew Logopati had some very good moments including a strong run down the right channel in the 15th minute with Matthew logopati then being able to off-load to his left.

After missing Round Three, Matthew Logopati was named on the bench for Round Four against Ipswich State High School and also for Round Five against St Mary’s College Toowoomba.

Matthew Logopati’s first appearance for Runaway Bay in the GCRL U18 Division One competition came when he started from the bench in Round Three against the Nerang Roosters. Matthew Logopati moved into the Seagulls starting side at left second row in Round Four against the Helensvale Hornets.

Round Five saw Matthew Logopati start at right second row against Burleigh producing a strong performance in the Seagulls tough loss including a strong run of thirteen metres in the 7th minute, being stopped less than a metre from the tryline.

The match also saw Matthew Logopati produce a strong tackled in the 51st minute when his contact when he came over the top forcing the ball loose.

In Round Seven against the Ormeau Shearers, Matthew Logopati was named on the bench.

Matthew Logopati started his school boy rugby league career of with Coombabah SHS in the Titans Cup Year 11/12 Division One competition including in Round Five when he was Coombabah’s best in their loss to Marymount College.

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Great Corey Thompson with Isaac Matalavea-Booth.

https://www.titans.com.au/news/2021/...is-pre-season/

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2021 Stretton State College Year Seven student Lexin Hill recently commenced training with the Titans JTS Program.

In addition to being part of the Stretton State College Rugby League Excellence Program Lexin Hill played for the Souths Acacia Ridge Magpies Junior Rugby League Club in Brisbane’s south west.

To say that Lexin Hill had an outstanding 2021 season in the Bronco’s Old Boys Cup School Boy’s competition would be an absolute understatement. Playing primarily at lock for Stretton State College Lexin Hill dominated in every match that I was him play in.

Against Wavell State High School Lexin Hill started at lock and even though Stretton State College were soundly beaten Lexin Hill was easily the best player on the field, scoring both of Stretton State College’s tries in addition to being near unstoppable.

Lexin Hill’s opening try of the match came in the 13th minute and was a great solo effort. Lexin Hill packed in at lock with Stretton State College having the scrum feed in centre field and thirty five metres out. Lexin Hill picked up the ball from the back of the scrum running to his right. Lexin Hill got outside the first three Wavell SHS players defending on their left before straightening up and cutting between two defenders when still twenty metres from the line. From there Lexin Hill outpaced the cover defence to cross the try line in the right corner, but Lexin Hill was then able to bring the ball around ten metres closer to the goal posts.

The only reason that Stretton State College had the scrum feed in the first place was as a result of smart work from Lexin Hill. Lexin was taking the kick-off after a Wavell SHS try and saw that the Wavell SHS players were a long way back and subsequently put in a short kick-off. As a result the desperate Wavell SHS player knocked on under intense pressure from Lexin Hill

Lexin Hill completed his double in the 38th minute and what a brilliant individual solo effort it was. Lexin Hill took receipt of the ball twenty seven metres out from the try line just to the right of centre field from the dummy half. Immediately Lexin Hill put in a chip kick towards the left corner and was simply way too fast for the Wavell SHS defence. Lexin Hill took possession of the ball around a metre from the ty line just centremetres from the touchline. In one motion Lexin Hill took possession, stopped dead on the spot and then dived full length to get the ball down just inside the left corner post.

Lexin Hill also had a superb early season match against Ipswich State High School, once again dominating the match after starting at lock and scoring both of Stretton State College’s tries in the match.

Lexin Hill’s first piece of individual brilliance came in the 7th minute when after packing down at lock with Stretton State College feeding the scrum ten metres out and in centre field, Lexin Hill picked up the ball at the base of the scrum and ran to his right.

Lexin Hill completed his double in the 17th minute when after receiving the ball in centre field twenty metres out and two passes to the right of the play the ball, Lexin Hill ran to his right to get on the outside of his direct opponent before straightening to get between the defensive line. Lexin Hill then cut off his right foot to crash over ten metres in from the right corner post. Lexin Hill then stepped up to convert his own try.

Lexin Hill also had a strong match against PBC State High School, once again scoring an outstanding try. In the 18th minute Lexin Hill received a pass thirty five metres from the line and in centre field. Upon receipt of the ball Lexin Hill ran to his left, literally running around the complete PBC right sided defensive line and dove over in the left corner. Initially the linesman (student) put his flag up to indicate that Lexin Hill had gone into touch but he was overruled by the referee who pointed to the stop.

I have noted three exceptional 2021 Bronco’s Old Boys matches for Lexin Hill but I have saved the best for last, with Lexin Hill being far and away the best player on the field against Forest Lake State High School. In a dominant 40 -22 Stretton State College victory Lexin Hill was immense scoring four tries (should have been five be he was penalised for a non-existent shepherd) and setting up another.

Spectators only had to wait until the 4th minute to see how skilful Lexin Hill is when he scored the first of his four tries. Lexin Hill packed in at lock with the scrum feed ten metres out and directly in front of the posts. Lexin Hill picked the ball up from the back of the scrum and immediately ran to his right. After running across field for approximately seven metres, Lexin Hill stepped off his right foot to straighten up his run and broke three tackles to score next to the right upright. Lexin Hill then stepped up an slotted home the conversion.

Only eleven minutes later in the 15th minute Lexin Hill crossed for his second of four tries when he received the ball on the right side of the field just twenty metres out from his own try line and two passes off the play the ball. Upon receipt of the ball Lexin Hill ran at the line and at the last possible moment put in a right foot chip kick for himself and retrieved that ball on the second bounce in front of an on-rushing Forest Lake SHS fullback and after easily rounding the fullback Lexin Hill raced away to put the ball down under the posts.

Lexin Hill scored his third try just two minutes later in the 17th minute and it was another long range individual effort. Lexin Hill took possession of the ball to the right of the play the ball thirty metres from his own try line and literally ran around the Forest Lake SHS left sided defence and flew seventy metres down the right touchline to score ten metres in from the right corner post.

Lexin Hill made it four tries in just over a half a match when he scored in the 26th minute when form twenty metres out, Lexin Hill got on the outside of his direct opponent in the Forest Lake SHS defensive line and showed a clean pair of heals to get to the left corner and produced a big elaborate dive with no defenders near him to score.

Lexin Hill also had a 6th minute try assist against Forest Lake SHS when after engaging the defensive line as he ran to his right, Lexin Hill drew in his direct opponent as well as the immediate outside defender and once the gap as created threw a good ball to his right to put his five eight over to score. Lexin Hill then converted the try that he created.

Lexin Hill also produced a smart piece of work in the 9th minute when from ten metres inside his own territory Lexin Hill put in a right foot chip kick that took a poor bounce for Lexin Hill as it bounced towards the Forest Lake SHS fullback but the pressure that Lexin Hill put in the fullback by charging through meant that he lost possession, Lexin Hill calmly re-took possession thirty metres out when a lot of players would have rushed that process and made a mistake with Stretton State College scoring from the subsequent play the ball.

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In early December 2021 Maverick McCarthy was named in the 2022 U16 Andrew Johns Cup Northern Rivers Titans Train-on Squad.

2021 saw Maverick McCarthy play for PBC in the Walters Cup competition, including starting the Grand Final against Keebra Park State High School from the bench.

The exciting Titans linked PBC second rower was one of the reasons that PBC made it all the way to the 2020 Renouf Cup School Boy Grand Final. Unfortunately PBC went down in heart breaking fashion 10 – 8 to Marsden State High School with the Brisbane based school scoring a late try in the left corner saw PBC lose in heart breaking fashion. Maverick McCarthy started the 2021 Renouf Cup Grand Final at right second row.

Maverick McCarthy was prominent for PBC throughout the regular season rounds of the 2020 Renouf Cup including scoring tries in Rounds One, Two and Five against Marsden State high School, Keebra Park State High School and Wavell State High School respectively.

Maverick McCarthy’s try in Round One against Marsden State High School was an impressive individual effort from the tall young second rower. After receiving the ball around forty metres out from the try line Maverick McCarthy stepped off his left foot to beat the first Marsden defender and break into space behind the initial defensive line before using a left arm fend to get rid of the Marsden fullback comfortably to score about ten metres to the right of the uprights.

In Round Two against Keebra Park State High School, Maverick McCarthy received the ball around twenty metres out from the line and two passes off the ruck, immediately shrugging up an attempted tackle around his chest before breaking away down the right touch line to easily outpace the cover defence and Maverick McCarthy was able to bring the ball around to put it down approximately fifteen metres to the right of the uprights.

Maverick McCarthy scored his third and final try of the 2020 Renouf Cup competition came in Round Five as PBC defeated Wavell State High School 28 – 12. Maverick McCarthy, playing on his usual right side, burst through the initial Wavell defensive line around twenty metres out before beating the fullback by stepping off his right foot.

Maverick McCarthy played the 2020 Community Rugby League season with the Tugun Seahawks in the Group 18 U14 competition including starting the Grand Final at right second row but the Seahawks went down 30 – 4 to a red hot Tweed Heads Seagulls side.

In total in the 2020 Group 18 U14 competition the Tugun Seahawks won seven matches, drew one and lost two, scoring 196 points and conceding 112 to finish the regular season with a +84 points differential.

In early October 2020 Maverick McCarthy was part of a Titans NRRRL U14/U15 squad that took on a Titans Gold Coast based U14 side with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience and in a Titans jersey as well.

In 2019 Maverick McCarthy made the Gold Coast Cyclones U13 representative side for the Queensland State Junior Championships with Gold Coast finishing runners up in the competition and Maverick McCarthy coring a double against Brisbane Blue in a Cyclones 55 – 0 win.

Post those Championships Maverick McCarthy was selected in the Queensland’s Country U13 side that drew 17 all at Ballymore with a Queensland City side.

Maverick McCarthy played his club rugby in 2019 with the Coolangatta Tweed Baa Baa’s and amongst others scored a hat trick in Round Twelve against the Gold Coast Eagles and also scored against the Eagles in Round Three.

Maverick McCarthy was also selected in the U12 Gold Coast Cyclones U12 representative rugby side in 2018.

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The Titans JTS Program has snared a coup with Keebra Park SHS student Fatumalosi Nelu recently joining the Titans after previously being part of the Broncos Program.

In 2022 as well as playing for Keebra Park SHS, Fatumalosi Nelu has been named in the Souths Logan Magpies U16 2022 Cyril Connell Cup squad.

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In early December 2021 Billy Kilduff was named in the 2022 U16 Northern Rivers Titans Andrew Johns Cup Train-on Squad.

Powerful Grafton Ghosts lock or second rower Billy Kilduff had a very solid season in 2021 in the Group One U15 competition in the Ghosts famous blue and white colours.

Billy Kilduff who started every match at either lock or in the second row for the Ghosts scored six tries in 2021 with doubles in Rounds Two and Six against Casino RSM and Marist Rams respectively as well as in Round Four against Casino RSM and Round Eight against the Ballina Seagulls.

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Former Souths Logan backrower Jacob Alick, who is currently doing the pre-Christmas sessions with the Titans NRL squad will play the 2022 Queensland Cup season with the Burleigh Bears.

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The Tweed Heads Seagulls 2022 Hastings Deering's Colts side will certainly not lack a tough aggressive edge if Darcy Townsend can break into the Game Day Seventeen.

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Jed Mulcahy who stood out in the Titans U14 trial last week is also an outstanding cricketer and in late November 2021 he was named in the Far North Coast U15 Representative Cricket Team, with Jed Mulcahy being selected as an all-rounder.

Jed Mulcahy played for the Kyogle Cricket Association in the 2021 season and had outstanding opening two days of the season in the Open Division, with Kyogle playing two T20 matches on each those two days.

Jed Mulcahy in the opening T20 match one the opening day of the 2021 cricket season for Kyogle was involved in a 98 run 3rd wicket partnership with fellow 14 year old Ollie Walker with Jed Mulcahy finishing with 50 runs.

In Game Two of Day One Jed Mulcahy continued his strong form from earlier in the day, scoring 24 runs against Casino’s Cecil Hotel.

The following weekend saw Jed Mulcahy score 46 runs and take two wickets in his first T20 match of the day against Marist Brothers.

Jed Mulcahy’s athletic prowess is not just confined to the rugby league or cricket fields with the young man winning the Kyogle High School 2021 U14 Cross Country race.

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Tall, fast and powerful Grafton Ghosts Group One U14 left centre or second rower (normally left sided anyway) Beau Hartmann had an impressive 2021 season including in Round Ten when he scored four tries for the Ghosts against traditional rivals the South Grafton Rebels.

The four tries that he scored in the Round Ten match meant that Beau Hartmann had scored thirteen tries in the 2021 Group One U14 competition through the opening ten rounds.

Beau Hartmann who has started from the bench (or at the least named there) in all of his matches this season has also scored two hat tricks which came in Round Six against the Marist Rams and Round Eight against the Kyogle Turkeys.

Beau Hartmann also scored doubles in Round Seven against the Ballina Seagulls and Round Eleven against Casino RSM and Beau Hartmann also crossed the try line in Round One also against the Marist Rams.

Against Casino RSM in Round Eleven, Beau Hartmann scored the first of his two tries with an outstanding long range individual in the 9th minute when from seventy metres out Beau Hartmann received the ball on the left side of the field. As soon as he took possession of the ball, Beau Hartmann accelerated through a gap directly between two Casino RSM defenders before running around the fullback to his right and then Beau Hartmann was able to get the ball down under the posts.

Beau Hartmann recorded the second of his two tries in the 25th minute when after receiving the ball fifteen metres out and on the right side of the field, Beau Hartmann sliced through the Casino RSM before stepping off his left foot to beat the fullback and then brought the ball around to score next to the right upright.

Beau Hartmann also broke the Casino RSM line in the 21st minute with a strong twenty metre effort down the left side of the field before producing a good left arm off-load to keep the play going.

From the bench in Round Twelve against the Clarence Coast Magpies, Beau Hartmann crossed for a hat trick in the Ghosts big win.

Beau Hartmann continued in the No. 16 jersey in Round Thirteen against the Ballina Seagulls, scoring a double for the Ghosts in their nail biting 27 – 26 victory.

Beau Hartmann finished the abridged 2021 Group One U14 regular season as the competition’s second leading try scorer with twenty tries for a strike rate of close to 200%.

Post the completion of the Group One U14 season Beau Hartmann was named the Grafton Ghosts Group One U14 Most Consistent Player.

Beau Hartmann also scored two tries in the Group One U15 competition with both tries coming from a double in Round Nine against Casino RSM.

Beau Hartmann started at left centre in Round Eleven of the Group One U15 competition against Casino RSM after playing in the U14 match earlier in the day and showed that he could comfortably handle the step up in age group with an assured performance including a strong twenty metre line break to get the ball over the halfway mark through the centre of the field.

Beau Hartmann was also named to start from the bench in Round Thirteen against the Ballina Seagulls.

2021 also saw Beau Hartmann excel in both Athletics and Swimming at school, zone, region and state level. In relation to swimming Beau Hartmann was the South Grafton High School Age Champion, represented his zone, region as well as state, being New South Wales.

From an Athletics perspective Beau Hartmann won a Bronze Medal at the New South Wales Age Athletics Championship in the 4 x 100 metre relay.

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In mid-February 2021 Cooper Nelson played in the Titans U15 Invitational Trial at Burleigh, a trial which included only the best of the 2021 Titans U15 JTS squad members with the match being a high quality affair.

2021 saw Cooper Nelson move to TSS and he made his first appearance in the Red and Blue in late May 2021 when he started at outside centre for the U15A side in TSS’s first full trial against Ipswich Grammar School. Cooper Nelson also started at outside centre in the TSS U15A second trial against Nudgee College as well as in the full scale trial against Brisbane Boys College.

In TSS’s final trial before the commencement of the 2021 GPS school boy rugby season, Cooper Nelson started at outside centre against the PBC Alleygators. Then with the TSS U15A side having a Round One bye, Cooper Nelson lined up at outside centre in a trial against a South Coast U15 representative side.

Round Two away to Anglican Church Grammar School saw Cooper Nelson named at outside centre for the TSS U15A side. Then with the majority of TSS sides having a bye week, Cooper Nelson was named at outside centre in an away match against Brisbane State High School.