Junior Development

[mdrew]

The Round Five Langer Cup local derby last night against PBC saw Keebra Park’s Taniela Mapusua-Lotaki start at left centre and score in the 47th minute with a ten metre run to the line down the left channel.

Taniela Mapusua-Lotaki was also heavily involved in Elijah Lui’s 37th minute line break when he was on hand to receive an off-load from his inside by Immanuel Kalekale with Taniela Mapusua-Lotaki then off-loading to his left to Elijah Lui who broke away down the left touchline.

[mdrew]

Last night Titans contracted Keano Kini continued at fullback for the much anticipated Round Five Langer Cup local derby against Keebra park State High School and recorded a 53rd minute try assist when he ran at the line on the left side of the field, digging deep into the line before off-loading to his left to put his winger over in the left corner.

Keano Kini overall had a strong match including an impressive first kick return in just the second minute of the match when he was able to get the ball back to the halfway mark after taking receipt of the ball deep inside his own twenty metre area.

[mdrew]

Titans contracted Joseph Shannon started in the front row last night in Round Five of the Langer Cup against St Mary’s College Toowoomba with the giant firebrand charging onto the ball from ten metres out in the 35th minute to get the ball down just to the right of the uprights.

[mdrew]

Titans contracted Michael Roberts started on the right wing last night for PBC in the much anticipated Round Five Langer Cup local derby against Keebra Park State High School and scored a first half double in PBC’s tough loss.

Michael Roberts scored his first try in the 10th minute try assist when Thomas Weaver put in a pin point kick to the right side of the field with the ball falling perfectly for Michael Roberts who took the ball on the fly and was able to bring the ball around to score under the posts.

Michael Roberts completed his double in the 30th minute with a twelve metre burst down the right touchline to score in the right corner.

[Hail Sezer]

Last night Titans contracted Keano Kini continued at fullback for the much anticipated Round Five Langer Cup local derby against Keebra park State High School and recorded a 53rd minute try assist when he ran at the line on the left side of the field, digging deep into the line before off-loading to his left to put his winger over in the left corner.

Keano Kini overall had a strong match including an impressive first kick return in just the second minute of the match when he was able to get the ball back to the halfway mark after taking receipt of the ball deep inside his own twenty metre area.

He's the closest thing I've seen to Khunt in the way he returns the ball

[mdrew]

Great to see the Titans bring another local junior to their elite JTS program with Lismore's Leeton Smith coming on board recently.

This season Leeton Smith has been one of the best players in the Group One U16 competition playing for the Marist Rams.

Through his opening seven matches in the competition, Leeton Smith has scored 42 points from seven tries and seven goals, playing his first three matches in the second row and the next four at halfback.

[mdrew]

Last night Thomas Weaver continued at halfback and captain for PBC in the much anticipated Round Five Langer Cup local derby against Keebra Park State High School kicking three goals and recording a 10th minute try assist when he put in a pin point kick to the right side of the field with the ball falling perfectly for Michael Roberts who took the ball on the fly and was able to bring the ball around to score under the posts.

[mdrew]

The Round Five local derby against PBC last night saw Keebra Park and Titans contracted Immanuel Kalekale surge into prominence on the biggest stage in school boy rugby league on the Gold Coast.

Immanuel Kalekale was named to start in the front row and put in a dominating performance to lead Keebra Park to an impressive come from behind victory.

Immanuel Kalekale was simply devastating running the ball but it was two off-loads that also brought Immanuel Kalekale to prominence in the match, including an off-load in the 38th minute after he kept fighting in a tackle. Immanuel Kalekale was able to get his right arm free and off-load to his left to Delahia Wigmore who cut back to his right into space to score from ten metres out.

Immanuel Kalekale’s other significant off-load came in the 37th minute and came when he charged onto the ball on the left side of the field and whilst in contact with the line got a great right arm off-load away to left centre Taniela Mapusua-Lotaki who then off-loaded to Elijah Lui who broke away down the left touchline.

Quite simply Immanuel Kalekale was the best player on the field.

[mdrew]

Whilst Keebra Park is a premomintly a rugby league three current students are currently representing the South Coast school boy rugby side being Lama Afu, Josh Siulepa, and Mateo Faleono.

[mdrew]

Great highlights package of Jayden Campbell:

https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2021/07/...yden-campbell/

[mdrew]

Tomorrow night the Burleigh GCRL First Grade are up against Tugun and Titans contracted Alofiana Khan-Pereira is set to start on the right wing for the Bears.

[mdrew]

Great to see Titans contracted Brock Lennox named at outside centre for TSS in Saturday's GPS U16A Round Two match away to Churchie.

In his GPS U16B Round One match last weekend Titans contracted Brock Lennox kicked two conversions for TSS against Brisbane Grammar School.

[mdrew]

After a solid performance at lock for PBC last night Titans contracted Jayden Wright is set to revert back to his more traditional right second row position on the weekend for Currumbin in Round Eight of the GCRL U!8 Division One competition against the Southport Tigers.

[RavShamrock]

Great posts as usual mdrew you are a machine.

Sounds like there is some terrific talent in our junior ranks and I'd like to hear your opinion on the Titan's affiliated players when compared to the remainder of the players not associated with us? In other words mate how well do you think the Titan's management are going with identifying and locking-up the best/right talent?
cheers

[mdrew]

The short answer mate is that on the Coast and in Northern NSW the Titans were not necessarily the first option but as a result of Jamie McCormack and the JTS Program the Titans have been able to keep the best of the local juniors in Titans colours.

If you look at the three schools that have Titans official partnerships the best talent are all contracted to the Titans (not all but most) being PBC, Keebra Park and Marsden.

It is not just getting players signed however it is also their development. A prime example is Immanuel Kalakale who was impressive but raw when he signed but as a result of the JTS Program he has exploded to become the form front rower in the Langer Cup alongside fellow Titan Josiah Pahulu from Ipswich.

Also some of the so called "lesser names" have developed incredibly under Jamie McCormack's tutilige such as Reef Sommerville.

I know that I am biased but for me the Titans have easily the best Junior Development Program in Queensland and the only program that could be considered on par in Australia is Penrith. You just have to look at the recent Northern Rivers cohort that includes Tom Weaver, Jack Cullen, Ryan Foran and Reef Sommerville amongst others.

Also the best Queensland/Australian U16 player is a Titan in William Semu, the young man is a freak as is destroying the predomintly U18 Langer Cup competition on a weekly basis.

Similiarly the best U18 player in Australia in Tom Weaver is also a Titan.

Then look at Keano Kini who was considered the best NZ U16 player in recent memory and was being chased by literally every NRL club and also more than a few NZ Super Rugby clubs including the Auckland Blues. What did he do, he signed with the Titans and is developing into an absolutely star of the future.

The you can consider an out of the box signing like Xavier Stowers who was a stand out rugby No. 8 for Ipswich Grammar School in the GPS First XV rugby competition but the Titans snared him and he moved to Marden where he is developing on an exponential curve due to Jamie McCormack and the JTS Program.

Great posts as usual mdrew you are a machine.

Sounds like there is some terrific talent in our junior ranks and I'd like to hear your opinion on the Titan's affiliated players when compared to the remainder of the players not associated with us? In other words mate how well do you think the Titan's management are going with identifying and locking-up the best/right talent?
cheers