Junior Development

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A couple of very talented young players have been named for the Northern Rivers Titans U23 side for the Round Two match against North Coast being Tahne Robinson (five eight) and Kel Sheather (interchange).

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One of he best players for the Northern Rivers Titans U23 side in last weekends Round One victory over the Greater Northern Tigers was Casino Cougars left second rower Michael Schipp who scored a double. The 21 year old has been named on the bench for Round Two this weekend against North Coast.

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Powerful left centre Josh Patson had to great try assists for the Northern Rivers Titans U23 side in last weekends Round One victory over the Greater Northern Tigers.

He has been named at left centre again for Round Two this weekend against North Coast.

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Titans contracted Orlando Swain has been named in the second row for Ipswich in their Round One MM Cup clash this weekend against the Townsville Blackhawks.

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Great to see Titan Samuel Shannon lock and captain for Burleigh in their Round One MM Cup match this weekend against Wynnum Manly.

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Interesting to see normal hooker/lock Cole Geyer named at right centre for the Burleigh Colts sides Round One match against Wynnum Manly.

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Regular front rower/lock Laz Sua has been named at right centre for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts sides Round One match against the Northern Pride.

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Titans Will Evans (wing), Greg Leleisiuao (wing), Erin Clark, Kea Pere and Darius Farmer (all interchange) have been named in the Burleigh Queensland Cup Round One side for this weekend's match against Wynnum Manly.

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Titan Ioane Seuili has been named on the right wing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup Round One side for this weekend's match against the Northern Pride. .

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Great to see Titans contracted Jed Edwards named captain for the Tweed Heads Colts side for Round One this weekend .

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Jayden Campbell will captain the Burleigh Colts side this weekend.

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Taanei Heu is due to start Round One of the 2020 MM Cup competition for the Burleigh Bears from the bench against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls this weekend.

After starting Round One of the 2019 GCRL U18 Division One competition with Nerang Taanei Heu moved to the Currumbin Eagles with his first match for his new club coming in Round Three against Bilambil when he started from the bench.

In total for Currumbin in the 2019 GCRL U18 Division One regular season competition, Taanei Heu played in eight matches starting the vast majority in the front row and scoring his first and only try of the season in Round Thirteen against Tugun.

In early June of this year Taanei Heu went over to New Zealand to play in the New Zealand Maori Rangatahi Tournament for Te Arawa and in fact was named in the All Tournament U17 team in the second row.

In early November 2019 Taanei Heu started in the second row for the New Zealand Maori U17 side as they defeated Tonga in New Zealand.

In late 2018 Taanei Heu was named in the initial Burleigh MM Cup squad but did not make the final squad.

The tall strong young front rower played the 2018 season for Nerang in the U16 Division One competition playing in nine matches including the finals series.

In Week Two of the U16 Division One Finals, Taanei Heu started in the front row and scored as Nerang progressed with a 32 – 22 win over Currumbin.

Taanei Heu also started in the front row in the U16 Division One 2018 Grand Final once again against Currumbin and once again Nerang prevailed winning 24 – 8.

In the 2018 U16 Division One regular season, Taanei Heu scored an additional two tries the first of which came in Round One against Runaway Bay and Taanei Heu scored again against Runaway Bay late in the regular season.

Taanei Heu was also part of the Gold Coast Vikings White side that took part in the South East Queensland U16 Challenge and from there was selected in the South East Queensland White side for the Queensland Age Championships, playing all four of those matches including the Championship Final against South East Queensland Green.

Taanei Heu’s other matches for South East Queensland Green at the Queensland Age Championships were against SEQ White in the qualifying rounds, Central and Northern.

For the Nerang Roosters U15 Division One side in 2017 Taanei Heu played in eleven matches including their Grand Final victory over Helensvale and scored against Southport early in the season for his sole try of the season. Taanei Heu also played one match up in the U16 Division Two competition which came against the Ormeau Shearers in early July.

The PBC student was part of the South Coast Maori representative side as well in 2017

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Laz Sua is due to start this weekend in Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls at right centre against the Northern Pride.

Laz Sua started the 2019 season as part of the Souths Logan Hastings Deering’s Colts side playing in five matches for the Magpies before heading back to play in the GCLR First Grade competition with the Ormeau Shearers with his first match being in Round 16 against Currumbin when he came off the bench. Laz Sua also came off the bench in Round Seventeen.

Laz Sua made his first start since coming back to Ormeau in Round Eighteen when he started at hooker against Southport and also came off the bench in Rounds Nineteen and Twenty.

Laz Sau started off the 2019 season with the Souths Logan Magpies U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts side, playing his first match in Round Three against Norths when he started the match in the front row.

In total for Souths Logan Laz Sua played in five Hastings Deering’s Colts matches this season, starting three in the front row, one at lock being Round Five against Burleigh and one from the interchange bench which was in Round Six against the Northern Pride.

The powerful nuggetty young Gold Coast local had an outstanding 2018 season. Even in the 2018 pre-season Laz Sua was in outstanding form. In Tweed Heads MM trial against Souths Logan at Waterford, the Seagulls were on the back foot for the first two quarters but Laz Sua’s introduction made a significant difference and when he was on the field he provided momentum through his hit-ups and defensive starch and that was just a trial!

In the MM Cup season proper in 2018 Laz Sua started in the front row of all seven of Tweed Head’s matches including their semi-final against South’s Logan. Laz Sua did not score any tries in the MM Cup this season, but was rewarded for his outstanding effort in Round Five against the Townsville Blackhawks when he converted Tweed Heads final try in a big 72 – 6 victory.

After Tweed Heads finals elimination, Laz Sua moved directly to the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side starting in his debut in the front row in Round Ten against Ipswich and came off the bench in Round Eleven against the Northern Pride who were top of the table at that point. Round Twelve saw Laz Sua once again start on the bench. He was also on the bench for the Seagulls in Rounds Thirteen and Seventeen to Twenty Four.

Laz Sua moved to the Gold Coast Rugby League competition in Round Eight of that competition, coming off the interchange bench for the Ormeau Shearers who unfortunately suffered a 74 – 12 loss to a rampaging Bilambil Jets side. In total Laz Sua played in five GCRKL First Grade matches in 2018.

In 2017 in addition to playing for Keebra Park, Laz Sua was selected in the South Coast U18 side and from there was selected in the Queensland U18 Open Schoolboy side for the ASSRL Championship including scoring a try on Day Three in a 28-18 loss to New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges.

Laz Sua and his Keebra Park Open team mates had an outstanding 2017 GIO Cup campaign with the Gold Coast based school winning the National final with Laz Sua starting the final in eth second row and playing on the left side of the field against Westfield’s Sports High School.

Laz Sua was also a member of the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side for the 2017 version of that competition and played for Queensland Samoa U18 squad for the QPICC tournament that was held in October 2017.

Laz Sua played in club football in 2017 with the Ormeau Shearers across a number of competitions including the U17 Division One competition, U19’s, the Doug Lipp Cup and five first grade matches. In the U17 Division One competition, Laz Sua played in five matches scoring three tries including a double against Burleigh with his other try coming against Mudgeeraba. In the U19 competition, Laz Sua has played in nine matches scoring against Runaway Bay in June and also kicking a late conversion against Mudgeeraba.

Laz Sua made his Doug Lipp Cup debut in June against Tugun and celebrated by scoring on debut. Playing first grade at any level as a 17 year is no mean feat and Laz Sua achieved that feat on Sunday June 18 2017 when he came on from the interchange bench against Currumbin. His other first grade matches came against Runaway Bay, Bilambil, Currumbin again and Southport.

During the 2016 season Laz Sua was selected as a result of his good form to represent Queensland at the U16 level. Unfortunately for Laz Sua he only got a handful of minutes on the field when he came on late and played in the dummy half role.

In relation to his club rugby league on the Gold Coast in 2016 he played six matches for the Ormeau Shearers club in the U16 Division One competition and scored three tries in limited action, including scoring against eventual premiers Burleigh on two separate occasions and also against Helensvale.

For Gold Coast White in the CC Cup competition in 2016, Laz Sua played in all six of their games, splitting his time evenly between starting at hooker and at lock. He started at hooker in Rounds One, Six and Seven and started at lock in the other three games. He also crossed for two tries which came in Rounds One and Two, against Souths Logan and Gold Coast Green respectively.

In addition, after the completion of the 2016 season he was a late replacement in the Team Toa side where he came off the bench in their loss to a NSW New Zealand side. In 2016 he was also a member of the QAS squad and in 2015 made the Queensland Maroon U15 side for the ASSRL U15 championships after playing a leading role for South Coast at the U15 QSSRL championships where he played the majority of his matches in the centres.

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Brody Smitka will start Round One of the 2020 MM Cup competition for the Burleigh Bears from the bench against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

The local young front rower signed a two year contract with the Titans in 2018 and started from the bench for the Titans U18 side in their annual match against the Newcastle Knights SG Ball (U18) side in Coffs Harbour in January 2020.

Early in the 2020 season Brody Smitka was named on the bench for the Pacific Rim Open rugby league district side after the trials for that representative side were competed.

Brody Smitka started the 2019 season off as part of the Gold Coast Vikings U16 Yellow squad.

Starting in the front row for Gold Coast Yellow on Match Day One of the U16 South East Queensland Challenge, Brody Smitka scored as GC Yellow defeated Brisbane Red 32 – 10 at Mudgeeraba.

Brody Smitka started in the front row in the Titans U15 Invitational side that defeated a Western Mustangs Invitational side in March 2018 at Nerang and also started in the front row for the Titans in their match against a Newcastle U16 side in Coffs Harbour in January of this year.

Brody Smitka was one of the Titans try scorers that hot Sunday afternoon, when he took a pass on the right side of the field and barged his way across the try line from about twelve metres out in the second half.

Brody Smitka’s most recent match for the Titans was when he started from the interchange for the Titans U16 squad in their early October match against PNG at Pizzey Park with the Titans winning 44 - 12.

Brody Smitka played the 2019 GCRL season with Helensvale in the U16 Division One competition, playing in twelve matches starting all at either lock or in the second row. Brody Smitka scored his first try of the season in Round Six against Mudgeeraba and also scored against Currumbin in Round Seven.

Brody Smitka made his GCRL U18 Division debut for the Hornets in Round Seven coming off the bench against Bilambil and came off the bench in Week One of the Finals series in Helensvale’s 24 – 20 win over Currumbin.

Brody Smitka started in the second row for Helensvale in their U18 Division One Week two Finals loss to Ormeau 34 – 26.

Brody Smitka was named in the 2019 South East Queensland White U16 side for the Queensland Age Championships starting in the front row for the representative side. Post those Championships Brody Smitka was selected to start in the front row in the Queensland City U16 side.

In the match Brody Smitka played thirty six minutes, running for thirty nine metres (ten post contact), broke a tackle and made twelve tackles at a tackling efficiency of 85.71%.

The Coomera Anglican College student in 2018 was selected in the U15 Queensland White side for the U15 ASSRL National Championships after performing solidly for the South Coast U15 side for whom he started in the front row in the QSSRL U15 Championships held in Townsville in April 2018.

Even though he was still eligible for the U15 competition in 2018, Brody Smitka just like he has done in previous seasons has started the current season “up” an age group. Brody Smitka has played the opening four rounds in the GCRL U16 Division One competition starting each match at lock.

Late in 2018 Brody Smitka was part of the Titans U15 Invitational side that played their annual match against a Balmain Tigers selection in Cudgen late in the year and also was named in the Queensland U15 2018 Emerging Origin Squad and has already attended a number of camps including camp in February on the Sunshine Coast where on the last day they played a simulated match against the U16 side who were also present at the camp.

Brody Smitka is also part of the 2019 Queensland U16 Emerging Origin squad, with the squad completing their first camp of the year recently. On the last day of the camp the squad was split into two sides for an opposed session. Flynn Daniel started in the centres for one of the squads that contained fellow Titans Flynn Daniel and Caleb Gould-Waiariki.

The local young front rower from the Helensvale Hornets junior rugby league on the Gold Coast was part of the U14 Gold Coast Vikings side that went through the 2017 Hill Stumer championships undefeated after victories against Stingers Red and White sides and the Ipswich Diggers.

Post those championships Brody Smitka was selected in the U14 South East Queensland Green side for the Queensland Age Championships which were played in Toowoomba and scored on Day Three in a big win over South East Queensland White.

The U14 Vikings was the third representative side that Brody Smitka has made, after he was part of the dominant U13 Vikings side in 2016 and the South Coast U12 schoolboys side in 2015 which also went through their competition undefeated, he made the South Coast U12 side from Coomera Anglican College. Also this season Brody Smitka was part of the 2017 Gold Coast Academy of Sport Rugby League Excellence Program.

Brody Smitka played the 2017 Gold Coast Junior Rugby League season with the Helensvale Hornets primarily in the U15 Division One side although he did play one match for Helensvale in the U14 Division Two competition in July where he dominated Nerang to score a double.

In the U15 Division One competition in 2017, Brody Smitka started in sixteen matches including starting in the front row in their 34 – 10 Grand Final loss to Nerang. In those sixteen matches Brody Smitka scored five tries including a great first two rounds of the season when he scored four of his five tries including a hat trick in Round two against Southport and scoring against Burleigh in the season opener. In the U15 Division One Preliminary Final also against Burleigh Brody Smitka scored his fifth try of the year.

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Te Ahurei Epapara will start his final official competitive match on Australian soil on the weekend in Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Burleigh Bears from the bench against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

The giant young New Zealander had an outstanding career in both rugby and rugby league across the ditch but has headed over to the Gold Coast and will look to cement a spot in the Burleigh Bears Hastings Deering’s Colts squad this season. Te Ahurei Epapara is also Colts eligible in 2021.

In 2019 Te Ahurei Epapara played school boy rugby for the powerhouse New Zealand school Rotorua Boys High playing primarily at lock (loosely equates to second row in rugby league) in their talented First XV side. Te Ahurei Epapara also played a number of First XV matches at No. 8 including a key match against Tauranga Boys College.

In 2019 Te Ahurei Epapara also played 7’s rugby for Rotorua Boys High including in the U19 Bay of Plenty 7’s tournament where Te Ahurei Epapara was named Rotorua Boys High best forward at the tournament.

Prior to the 2019 season Te Ahurei Epapara played a significant amount of rugby league including representing the Wai-Coa Bay Colts in the New Zealand U17 National Youth Tournament in 2018 starting all five of their matches at lock with those matches being against the Auckland Vulcans, Wellington Orca’s twice, Counties Manukau Stingrays and Northern Swords.

In 2018 Te Ahurei Epapara represented the Bay of Plenty side at the U17 Northern Districts Rugby League Tournament and in 2015 was an Upper Central Zone U15 rugby league representative. In the Bay of Plenty area Te Ahurei Epapara played for the Pikiao Warriors rugby league club.