Junior Development

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Former Sydney Rooster and Queensland U16 rep Stepharn Holo will line up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side this season.

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Adyn Anguna will line up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad for a second season in 2020.

The big strong powerful young front rower had a great first season on the Gold Coast for the Burleigh Bears in 2017 after moving over from the Cook Islands to attend PBC State High School as part of their Rugby League Excellence Program after starring in a PBC rugby league trial in late 2016 and continued to make strides over the course of the 2018 season.

I initially believed that Aydn Anguna was going to play rugby in 2019 and beyond but it was pleasing to see the powerful front rower or second rower start at lock for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colt side in their Round One win over the Western Mustangs 18 – 14.

In total for Tweed Heads in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition, Adyn Anguna played in seven matches. In addition to starting Round One at lock, Adyn Anguna started at lock in Round Fifteen against Townsville and started in the front row in Round Two against Townsville. Adyn Anguna started from the bench in his other four matches in 2019.

Adyn Anguna also played a number of matches in the 2019 GCRL U20 competition for Runaway Bay coming into the side in Round Seven on the wing and then backed up to start the following Doug Lipp Cup match on the wing. In total in the 2019 GCRL U20 regular season competition Adyn Anguna played in five matches.

In Week One of the GCRL U20 Finals series, Adyn Anguna started from the bench as Runaway Bay defeated Helensvale 27 – 20 to progress to Week Two.

Adyn Anguna made his Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade debut for Runaway Bay when he came off the bench in Round Ten against Burleigh and also came off the bench in Round Thirteen against Bilambil and again in Round Nineteen against Currumbin.

Adyn Anguna also played in six regular season Doug Lipp Cup matches making his debut in May against Ormeau.

In 2018 Adyn Anguna concentrated primarily on school boy rugby league for PBC playing in the majority of their matches from the interchange bench including starting their in the Queensland GIO Cup Final against Kirwan State High School and in the National GIO Cup Final against Patrician Brothers College Blacktown with PBC running out 20 – 12 winners.

In addition to playing for PBC Adyn Anguna played in three matches for Currumbin in the Gold Coast Rugby League U19 competition in 2018 scoring in his first match in that competition this season against Helensvale. Adyn Anguna played against Helensvale twice with his other match against Burleigh.

In late 2017 Adyn Anguna was also selected in the Tweed Heads Seagulls 2018 MM Cup squad but he did not play any of Tweed’s MM Cup matches this season.

In 2017 Adyn Anguna who is already around 101kg and 188cm played in eight matches for Burleigh in the U17 Division One competition scoring two tries which came in consecutive weeks in July against Mudgeeraba and Helensvale. Adyn Anguna also played two matches for Burleigh in the U17 Division Two competition.

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Matt Buttenshaw will line up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad for a second season in 2020.

The Crafty half back is a Titans linked player who when he was just 18 years old made his NRRRL First Grade debut over the course of the 2018 season.

Due to injury Matt Buttenshaw did not make his 2019 debut until late in the season when he started at five eight for Runaway Bay in the GCRL U20 competition against Helensvale in Round Seventeen.

Matt Buttenshaw, after one match back in the GCRL U20 competition played his first match in the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition when he started at five eight for Tweed Heads against the Ipswich Jets in Round Twenty.

Matt Buttenshaw also started at five eight in Round Twenty One against the Easts Tigers before moving to half for Round Twenty Two against Souths Logan a match that saw him captain the Tweed Heads side.

Matt Buttenshaw also started at half and captained the side in Round Twenty Three against the Northern Pride in a win which solidified their finals place.

Matt Buttenshaw moved to fullback for Tweed Heads Week One Elimination Final loss to the Mackay Cutters 23 – 10 which saw the Seagulls successful season come to an end.

In the 2019 Queensland Rugby League Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Year Award tally Matt Buttenshaw finished with three votes, not a bad result at all considering the limited number of matches that he was involved in after coming back from injury late in the season.

Matt Buttenshaw started off the 2018 season playing for Northern Rivers in the inaugural New South Wales Country U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition starting in a different position in each of his three games. In Round One he started at half, in Round Three at fullback against North Coast and Round Four saw Matt Buttenshaw start at five eight against the Greater Northern Tigers, a match that saw him score in the 26th minute of the first half in a tough Northern Rivers loss.

For Ballina in the 2018 NRRRL U18 competition, Matt Buttenshaw played in six matches, in his third year in the competition after making his U18 debut as a 16 year old in 2016. Matt Buttenshaw was one of the try scorers for Ballina as they defeated Cudgen in the 2018 U18 NRRRL Grand Final 30 - 4.

Matt Buttenshaw made his NRRRL First Grade debut in April 2018 against Cudgen post the completion of the 2018 U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition.

In 2018 and prior seasons Matt Buttenshaw has had success at the schoolboy level for St Johns College Woodlawn, including in 2018 when St John’s College Woodlawn defeated Newman Technical College Port Macquarie 4 – 0 in the New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges Plate Final and in 2017 when St John’s College Woodlawn won the New South Wales GIO Trophy

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Liam Mahoney will line up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts side in 2020.

The local hooking prospect played the 2019 season in the Gold Coast Rugby league U20 competition for Southport, playing in twelve matches starting all at hooker.

Liam Mahoney was more than solid in 2018, his second season in the Gold Coast Rugby League U19 competition proving to be an iron man for the Southport Tigers playing in seventeen matches including starting at hooker in the Grand Final. Unfortunately Southport went down to Currumbin in a physical contest 34 - 20.

In his seventeen U19 matches, Liam Mahoney crossed for two tries the first of which came in Round Six against Helensvale and he flowed that up with a try in Round Seven against Mudgeeraba.

In 2017 as a 17 year old Liam Mahoney played in twelve U19 matches after moving up from the U17 Division Two competition soon after the start of the season.

In 2016, Liam Mahoney played in the CC Cup competition for Gold Coast White and also represented South East Queensland at the U16 level in the same year.

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Chad Peters will line up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts side in 2020.


The young centre is a lesson in perseverance, he has been working hard in the local U20 Gold Coast rugby league competition this season for Runaway Bay and as a result of his performances deservedly made his Hastings Deering’s Colts debut off the bench for Tweed Heads in Round Seventeen against Burleigh and also came off the bench in Round Eighteen against the Mackay Cutters.

For Runaway Bay in the 2019 GCRL U20 regular season competition prior to his Hastings Deering’s Colts call up, Chad Peters, played in ten matches scoring five tries including doubles against Currumbin and Burleigh and also scoring against Southport.

Chad Peters try in Round Seven against Southport came as a result of a smart play. Chad Peters moved into dummy half with the play the ball about ten metres out from the Southport line. Chad Peters ran to his right out of dummy half down a short blind side to catch the Southport defence napping to score.

In Round Eight against Currumbin, Chad Peters showed his determination when he received the ball to the right and dived over between two defenders. In relation to his second try of the match which came in the second half, Chad Peters received the ball in space down the right of the field after an off load and took off with the ball out in front in both hands, this allowed him to dummy to his right with the Currumbin defence back peddling scoring in the right corner.

In Round Twelve, Chad Peter’s first try against Burleigh was an easy one when he was on hand to dive over after an offload but his second was a great display of speed, operating on the left side of the field, Chad Peters received the ball in space and sprinted sixty metres down the touch line to score a great try.

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Daniel Butterini started at left centre for the Northern Rivers Titans in Round Three of the U18 Laurie Daley Cup on Saturday against the Central Coast Roosters and had a huge match on the way to scoring a hat trick.

In relation to his first try, Daniel Butterini received the ball wide out to the left of the field after a Northern Rivers Titans scrum win fifteen metres out from the Central Coast line and immediately cut back inside twice to crash over five metres from the left upright.

Daniel Butterini scored his second try when he was on the spot to take a Thomas Weaver kick when it bounced perfectly. Daniel Butterini was able to take the bouncing ball above his head and place it down a metre inside the dead ball line.

Daniel Butterini scored his third and final try from a twenty metre dash out of dummy half. With the Central Coast defence back peddling Daniel Butterini got into dummy half and ran to the right of the play the ball producing a left foot step near the try line to wrong foot the remaining defenders to dive over mid-way between the corner post and the left goal post.

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Vinncent Takataka will play the 2020 season as part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side for the second season in a row.

The former Canterbury Bankstown junior moved up to South East Queensland at the start of 2018 and has had an exceptional start to his rugby league career in South East Queensland over the course of the 2018 season.

Vinncent Takatake came into the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts side for their Round Two match against the Townsville Blackhawks starting from the bench and maintained his place in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears starting at lock and scoring his sole try of the season.

In total in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition Vinncent Takatake played in thirteen matches including their Elimination Final loss to Mackay. Vinncent Takatake started six matches in 2019, four at lock and two in the second row with his first match in the second row coming in Round Nineteen against the Mackay Cutters.

Vinncent Takatake made his Gold Coast Rugby League Doug Lipp Cup debut from the bench in Round Twelve against Currumbin.

Vinncent Takataka also played three GCRL U20 matches for Runaway Bay in 2019 with his total of two points coming when he kicked a conversion against Southport in May.

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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James Torrens will line up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts side in 2020 potentially bypassing the MM Cup Competition all together.

James Torrens started off the 2019 season on the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in their Round One match with the Western Mustangs with James Torrens contributing a try in a big 58 – 18 Seagulls win.

When he came on James Torrens played on the left side of the field and that is where he scored his try, the Titans worked a blind side play with James Torrens receiving the ball literally on the try line and was able to just bend down to score probably the easiest try he ever will.

In total in the 2019 MM Cup competition, James Torrens played in all nine of Tweed Heads matches starting all from the bench including their semi-final and Grand Final victory over Wynnum Manly as well as the National U18 Championship victory over Illawarra.

James Torrens played only twenty one minutes in the National Final but certainly made the most of it, running for 134 metres (forty post contact), broke four tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 2.7 seconds and made four tackles at a tackling efficiency of 80%.

If there was a more improved player for Tweed Heads over the course of their 2019 MM Cup campaign I did not see them. When he came on in the MM Cup James Torrens played in the forwards and on each occasion ran with intensity and purpose, he was to put it simply very impressive in each of his nine outings in the MM Cup this season.

In the final against Wynnum Manly James Torrens provided a real spark off the bench immediately making some powerful charges in the centre of the ruck. Over the course of the season, when he came on James Torrens played in the second row.

James Torrens started at right second row for PBC in their Round Two Langer Cup win over St Mary and taking into account his heavy MM Cup schedule played big minutes for PBC and for me he was their best player regularly making big post contact metres, he also had a running battle with the St Mary’s No. 12.

James Torrens also started in the front row for PBC in their Queensland GIO Cup quarter final win over St Mary’s High School Toowoomba 50 – 6 and started in the front row and scored the last minute try to pushed the GIO Cup Queensland semi-final to Golden Point when he used a late change of angle to score mid-way between the left corner post and left upright.

After the completion of the MM Cup competition, James Torrens played for Tugun in the Gold Coast Rugby League U18 Division One competition, making his first appearance off the bench for the Seahawks in Round Four against Mudgeeraba.

James Torrens also came off the bench in Round Six of the GCRL U18 Division One competition scoring a double against Helensvale. James Torrens also scored in Round Thirteen against Currumbin.

James Torrens played in a total of xx U18 Division One matches in 2019 for Tugun and after starting from the bench in his first two matches moved into the starting side in the second row.

James Torrens also represented South Coast at the U18 QSSRL Championships where he was named on the bench. On Day One of the Championships against Northern James Torrens was particularly impressive, in one instance splitting the line from a Northern line drop out, after James Torrens effected a quick play the ball the ball was spun to the right for fellow Titan Trey Peni to score.

At just 17 years old, James Torrens made his Hastings Deering’s Colts debut in Round Nineteen when he started in the second row against the Mackay Cutters.

The tough young centre/second rower was impressive throughout the 2018 season for Northern Rivers in the U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition as well as in the NRRRL competition for Ballina for whom he played across all three grades of the NRRRL competition including an outstanding NRRRL First Grade debut.

James Torrens started off the 2018 season, performing solidly for Northern Rivers in the inaugural U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition starting in the centres in four matches against the Newcastle Knights Development Squad, North Coast, Central Coast Roosters and the Greater Northern Tigers.

For the Ballina Seagulls in the NRRRL U18 competition, James Torrens finished the regular season playing in eleven matches and scoring twelve tries. Of those twelve tries, James Torrens scored ten of those in a six game period from late May to late July.

In that span James Torrens scored a hat trick against Murwillumbah, doubles against Casino RSM and Cudgen and tries against Tweed Coast, Kyogle and Lower Clarence.

With his twelve try tally James Torrens finished equal second on the U18 NRRRL try scoring list equal with Tweed Coast forward Oscar Clarke and five behind Cudgen centre Liam Cusack.

James Torrens was part of the 2018 Ballina U18 NRRRL Grand Final side that won 30 – 4 to Cudgen with James Torrens starting the Grand Final in his usual left centre position. Throughout the Grand Final James Torrens was a handful for the Cudgen defence, scoring a good try and also making a long break when he fielded a Cudgen grubber kick on his own line and charging downfield on a 60 metre run before the cover defence converged.

In the Grand Final James Torrens had the responsibility of taking the first hit up from every one of Ballina’s scrum wins, regularly bending the Cudgen defence back and putting the Seagulls on the front foot.

James Torrens made his NRRRL Reserve Grade debut in June 2018, against Casino RSM and in 2018 went on to play in six Reserve Grade matches in total scoring three tries, including a double against Lower Clarence and also scoring in his second Reserve Grade game against Mullumbimby.

James Torrens made his NRRRL First Grade debut in late July 2018 against Lower Clarence and what a debut he had, scoring a double on a memorable afternoon. James Torrens had scored a double in the earlier Reserve Grade match as well as scoring in the U18 match that same day.

In 2017 James Torrens represented the East Coast Dolphins in the New South Wales Country U16 Championships and in 2016 represented Group One at the U15 New South Wales Junior Country Championships.

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Michael Roberts started at right in Round Three of the U16 Andrew Johns Cup competition for the Northern Rivers Tians against the Central Coast Roosters on Saturday finishing the match with an individual point’s haul of sixteen points from two tries and four conversions from five attempts.

Michael Roberts first try came from a scrum when he ran a great line into a gap and received a great ball from half Harvey Moase. Immediately upon running through the gap, Miochael Roberts stepped off his right foot to beat the Central Coast fullback to score untouched.

Michael Roberts also scored a long range try, also in the second half when he received a great off-load from hooker Tanu Nona to burst down the right touched line before beating the fullback to score under the posts after a fifty five metre run.

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Titans linked Noah Gafa will line up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts side in 2020.

The young centre is deservedly part of the Titans JTS program, signing a deal during 2017 and continues to go from strength to strength.

In January of 2019 Noah Gafa started at right centre for the Tians U18’s in their match against the Newcastle Knights. Midway through the first half however when Will Evans moved to fullback, Noah Gafa moved to right centre where he remained for the duration of the match.

Noah Gafa also started at left centre for the Titans U18 side in their big win over PNG at Pizzey park in early October and was one of multiple Titans try scorers in the match when he crossed untouched after running an inside shoulder route from close range (ten metres).

After missing Round One Noah Gafa started Round Two of the 2019 MM Cup competition on the wing for Tweed Heads against the Townsville Blackhawks and certainly made an impact including scoring the final try of the match to ensure that Tweed Heads came away from the game on the winning side.

In the Round Three MM Cup local derby against Burleigh Noah Gafa scored for the second match in a row. Playing left centre Noah Gafa split the Burleigh defence from about fifty five metres out and was just too quick for the cover defence to score out wide for the Seagulls first try of the match in their close victory over their local rivals.

Noah Gafa missed the remainder of the MM Cup competition post the Round Three derby.

After missing a number of weeks through injury Noah Gafa made his way back onto the field in Round Eight of the GCRL U18 Division One competition starting on the bench for Burleigh against Tugun. Noah Gafa made his first start of the season in Round Nine lining up in the centres against Currumbin.

In total for Burleigh in the 2019 GCRL U18 Division One regular season competition Noah Gafa played in five regular season matches scoring his first try and only try in the regular season rounds in Round Thirteen against Bilambil.

Noah Gafa started in the centres for Burleigh in their 34 -4 U18 Division One Week Two Finals victory over Southport 34 – 4 to progress directly to the Grand Final.

Noah Gafa started the Grand Final against Southport at left centres scoring twice in Burleigh’s 28 – 12 win.

Both of Noah Gafa’s tries came from short range in the second half, on each occasions the Burleigh dummy half’s (Try One – Lachlan Adamson, Try Two – Dakota Whalan) took the ball down a short blind side and passed to Noah Gafa who powered onto the ball on both occasions to score, for the first try Noah Gafa was able to bring the ball all of the way around to score under the posts.

Noah Gafa made his first Hastings Deering’s Colts appearance of the 2019 season in Round Nineteen when he started in the centres against the Mackay Cutters and also started in the centres in Round Twenty against the Ipswich Jets and in Round Twenty Three against the Northern Pride when he started at right centre.

Prior to the 2018 Gold Coast Rugby League season proper, Noah Gafa was part of the 2018 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad playing in all seven of their matches including their final against South’s Logan. Noah Gafa started his first five matches in the centres before starting from the interchange bench in Round Seven against Easts and then again in the semi-final against South’s Logan.

In the 2018 MM Cup competition Noah Gafa scored two tries, coming against the Victorian Thunderbolts in Round two and against the Townsville Blackhawks in Round Five.

Noah Gafa made his Hastings Deering’s Colts debut for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Round Sixteen of the 2018 season against Burleigh starting in the centres and started on the wing in Round Seventeen against Wynnum Manly scoring two tries in an impressive display especially when you are talking about a 17 year old playing against 20 year olds.

Noah Gafa also started on the wing in Round Eighteen against Souths Logan and in the centres in Round Twenty against the Mackay Cutters in round out his four Colts matches this season.

For Currumbin in the 2018 Gold Coast Rugby League U17 Division One competition, Noah Gafa made on outstanding start starting in the centres in each of his six matches and scoring a total of nine tries along the way.

Noah Gafa scored a hat trick against Tweed Heads in Round Five and has also scored against Mudgeeraba, Helensvale, Ormeau and Bilambil in the opening four rounds to lead the U17 Division One try scoring list. Noah Gafa’s other regular season try came against Burleigh in Round Six.

Noah Gafa was heavily involved in Currumbin’s final’s campaign which culminated with Noah Gafa starting in the second row in the Grand Final with Currumbin prevailing 30 – 10 over a Runaway Bay side which was led by fellow Titans contracted youngster Carsil Vaikai.

Noah Gafa scored one of his nine tries in the finals crossing in Week Two of the finals in a 32 – 22 Currumbin win over Burleigh.

Noah Gafa was also in outstanding form for PBC in 2018 including being involved in their matches against Keebra Park 22 – 20 win, Ipswich State High School 24 – 18 win and Marsden State High School 38 – 10 win in the Langer Cup competition when he started at left centre and scored two second half tries.

Noah Gafa was also involved in PBC’s Queensland GIO Cup Quarter Final and semi-final victories, including scoring a double in the semi-final victory over Ignatius Park. Noah Gafa’s first try came early in the first half when he ran an outside shoulder route close to the try line and received a good ball from hooker Jed Edwards to crash over.

Noah Gafa’s second try came late in the second half. After a break from PBC half Thomas Dearden, Noah Gafa backed up to receive the pass from Dearden and outpaced the defence to score untouched.

In the Queensland GIO Cup final against Kirwan State High School Noah Gafa started at left centre, partnering fellow Titans contracted player Will Evans as PBC overcame Kirwan State High School 32 – 26 to qualify for the National GIO Cup Final. In a great sign for the Titans both Noah Gafa and Will Evans scored doubles in the win with one of the tries the two combining for Noah Gafa to cross out wide in the second half.

Noah Gafa started at left centre for PBC in the GIO Cup National Final against Patrician Brothers College Blacktown with PBC becoming National GIO Cup Championships with a 20 – 12 win.

Post the National GIO Cup final Noah Gafa was part of the PBC touring side that went to Fiji and was part of the PBC side that defeated a Fijian U18 side, fellow Titan Will Evans was also in the PBC side that won by around thirty odd points.

In the 2017 U16 GCJRL Division One competition, Noah Gafa scored 38 points for the Currumbin Eagles which has come from eight tries and three goals. All three of Noah Gafa’s goals came in the one match in June against the Ormeau Shearers. From a try scoring perspective, Noah Gafa had a great run of four matches from April 28 to May 26 where he scored in all four matches which, in order, where against Ormeau, Runaway Bay, Helensvale and against Ormeau a second time.

Noah Gafa also scored a hat trick against Burleigh in August against Burleigh and the match prior to that scored against Helensvale. Currumbin were the deserved Grand Final winners in the 2017 GCJRL U16 Division One competition, with Noah Gafa starting in the second row in their 34 – 4 Grand Final victory over Burleigh.

In 2017 Noah Gafa was also a key member of the PBC Open Rugby League side that performed so will in the GIO Cup competition and in fact he scored in their tough Queensland GIO Cup semi-final loss to Marsden State High School 22 – 20.

Earlier in 2017 season, Noah Gafa was selected in the Gold Coast Vikings Green U16 side for their South East Queensland U16 pre-season competition and in 2013 Noah Gafa was selected in the Queensland U12 side with fellow Titan Alofiana Khan-Periera.

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Standout Titans contracted play maker Thomas Weaver started at half back in Round Three of the U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition for the Northern Rivers Titans against the Central Coast Roosters on Saturday recording three try assists in the Northern Rivers Titans twenty six point victory. Thomas Weaver also kicked one conversion from two attempts in the win.

Thomas Weaver’s first try assist was identical to many that he recorded last season. Thomas Weaver took the ball to the left of the field, close to the Central Coast line and threw a great pass to Titans left second rower and favourite target Ryan Foran who ran an outside shoulder route to crash over.

Thomas Weaver recorded a second try assist in the first half when a bomb that he put up to the left corner bounced perfectly for centre Daniel Butterini to put the ball down a metre inside the field of play.

Thomas Weaver’s third and final try assist of the match came in the centre half. He ran the ball to the right of the field shapes to pass but instead stepped off his left foot to break the line and drew the fullback to send Ryan Foran away to score near the left corner.

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Titans contracted Ben Liyou will line up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts side in 2020.

He is a young player from the Grafton Ghosts who last year signed a two year deal with the Titans which saw him move to the Gold Coast continue his rugby league career at the start of 2019.

Ben Liyou is currently training with the Tweed Heads Seagulls and will be part of the Titans Rookie Squad that will play the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup side in early February.

In early 2019 Ben Liyou started from the bench for the Titans U18’s in their match at Coffs Harbour against the Newcastle Knights U18 SG Ball squad which ended five tries all.

When he came on mid-way through the first half, Ben Liyou started on the left side of the field but moved over to the right side for the second half.

Ben Liyou was more than solid defensively in the match, covering across field well and even though he was not the biggest forward on the field, he initial contact was more than impressive.

With the ball Ben Liyou ran a couple of very good outside shoulder routes when he was operating on the right side of the field in the second half.

Ben Liyou started in the unfamiliar front row position for the 2019 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in their 58 – 18 Round One victory over the Western Mustangs.

Ben Liyou’s first 2019 MM Cup try came in Round Three against Burleigh. Tweed Heads five eight Kade Hill put in a grubber kick for Ben Liyou to follow through and dive on to score under the posts with the ball very close to the dead ball line.

In total in the 2019 MM Cup competition, Ben Liyou played in all nine of Tweed Heads matches starting all in the front row including their semi-final and Grand Final victory over Wynnum Manly and their U18 National Final victory against Illawarra 48 – 12 (no head gear in the National Final however that meant it took a minute for me to pick him out).

Ben Liyou played thirty nine minutes in the National Final against Illawarra, running for ninety nine metres (forty post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.56 seconds and made a team leading nineteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of an impressive 95%.

Ben Liyou made his Hastings Deering’s Colts debut in Round Eleven against the Northern Pride starting the match in the front row, playing significant minutes in Tweed Head’s 35 – 16 victory and also started in the front row in Round Twelve.

Ben Liyou also started in the in the front row in Round Thirteen against the Sunshine Coast Falcons, scoring his first try when he ran hard and straight to crash over just to the left of the uprights after receiving the ball around nine metres out from the line.

In total in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition, Ben Liyou played in twelve matches (in a row) including their Elimination Final loss to Mackay, starting all in the front row and as noted above scored in Round Thirteen against Sunshine Coast.

Impressively Ben Liyou also spent some time training with the Titans NRL side in 2019 which clearly shows the high regard the Titans hold him in. At the 2019 Titans NRL Awards night Ben Liyou was awarded the inaugural Titans TEDS award.

In late 2018 Ben Liyou was part of the Titans U18 side that won matches against PNG and New South Wales Country U18’s starting in the second row on both occasions and in those matches spent some time playing on the left side of the field instead of playing on the right where he played for the Grafton Ghosts and Northern Rivers earlier in 2018.

Early in 2018 Ben Liyou was part of the North Coast U18 Laurie Daley Cup side starting in the second row in all four of their matches and scoring one try which came against Northern Rivers in Round Two.

Ben Liyou was one of the North Coast’s standout players across the Championships constantly challenging the defensive line, normally operating on the right side of the field.

Ben Liyou had been a Grafton Ghosts player throughout his entire career and that did not change in 2018. Ben Liyou started the season in the U18 Group two competition and at just 17 years old made his Tooheys New Group Two First Grade debut in Round Three against the Macksville Sea Eagles.

Ben Liyou made his Group two First Grade debut playing left centre even though he has been playing in the second row exclusively over the last couple of seasons.

Post his debut Ben Liyou made three additional Group Two First Grade appearances and in Round Ten in a big win against Macksville had a try assist late in the first half when he broke through the line and set up half Jake Frame for a try on the cusp of half time.

In the 2018 U18 Group Two competition, Ben Liyou played in eight matches, scoring six tries and kicking two goals for a points tally on the season to date of 28. Ben Liyou scored a double in Round One against local rivals the South Grafton Rebels, also kicking his season’s two goals in the match. He also scored a double against the Rebels in a 33 – 12 Round Nine win.

Ben Liyou’s other two tries came against Bellingen in Round Five and in Round Six against the league leaders and previously undefeated Coffs harbour side.

In October 2017 Ben Liyou was also awarded the Aquinas Titans Sportsperson of the Year award at a gala dinner at the Southport Yacht Club showcasing the esteem that he is held in at the Titans.

Ben Liyou played the 2017 season at the U16.5 level for the Ghosts as well as playing three matches at the U18 level for Grafton in the Group Two U18 competition. Ben Liyou also attended a Titans Elite Academy session that was held at Lennox Heads late in 2017, another Grafton Ghost in centre Jake Martin was also an attendee.

Ben Liyou was also part of the East Coast Dolphins U16 side that performed well at the New South Wales Country Championships making the Championship final and as a result was selected for the U16 New South Wales Country side that played two matches in New Zealand as part of a South Island Tour. The NSW Country U16 side won both of their tour matches.

Previously Ben Liyou has represented the Titans in a number of development squad matches including in 2014 when he came off the bench in a match against a Samoan side playing in the second row.

With his try and two goals in a Grafton Ghosts 24-4 win over Ballina Ben Liyou finished the U16.5 regular season competition as the leading point’s scorer with 62 points from ten matches. Ben Liyou scored eight tries and kicked fifteen goals. From a try scoring perspective Ben Liyou scored doubles against Casino RSM in June and also against Ballina in July. Ben Liyou also started in the second row in Grafton’s two finals matches against Clarence Coast and the Grand Final against Casino RSM.

As a 16 year old Ben Liyou also played three matches for the Grafton Ghosts U18 side in the Group Two competition, with his U18 debut coming in April against the Sawtell Panthers. His other two games were against Sawtell again in June and Coffs Harbour in July 2017.

In the U16 New South Wales Country Championships Ben Liyou scored three tries in their way to the Final where the East Coast Dolphins U16 side lost in extra time to the Western Rams. In that Grand Final Ben Liyou started in the second row and another Titans linked youngster Kade Hill started at half. Ben Liyou scored a double in the East Coast Dolphins 44-0 semi-final win over the Bidgee Bulls and he also scored in Round One against the Central Coast.

In 2016 Ben Liyou was the U15 Group One’s top try scorer with 18 tries from 12 matches to finish five tries clear of the next highest try scorer. Ben Liyou also started at lock for the Group One U15 representative side that had some good wins over the course of the New South Wales Country Age Championships. Ben Liyou has previous experience in a Titans jersey when he came off the bench in late 2015 in a U14 contest against Samoa.

For the Ghosts in the U15 competition, Ben Liyou started off the season with a bang scoring seven tries in the first three rounds, including a four try haul against Kyogle and a double against Minor Premiers Clarence Coast. Over the course of the season, Ben Liyou scored five other doubles which came against Ballina on three separate occasions, Lismore Marist Brothers and Kyogle. In April Ben Liyou also played one match at the U16.5 age group against Kyogle backing up after playing in the U15’s earlier in the day.

[mdrew]

After a long term injury Ryan Foran was named on the Northern Rivers Titans extended bench for Round Three of the U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition against the Central Coast Roosters on the weekend but he ended up starting the match at left second row scoring a double with both tries coming off passes from fellow Titan Thomas Weaver.

Ryan Foran’s first try resulted when he ran an outside shoulder route close to the Central Coast line to crash over. Ryan Foran scored his second try in the second half when he backed up a Thomas Weaver break to take the pass when Thomas Weaver drew the fullback to run twenty metres to score near the left corner.

[Bart]

Mate looks like Tweed will be hard too beat this year in colts some good talent in there

[mdrew]

Agree mate they will be a strong side

Mate looks like Tweed will be hard too beat this year in colts some good talent in there