Junior Development

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Bilambil Jets and PBC's Kaden Rees had an impressive final couple of months of 2020.

First he was part of the Bilambil U15 side that won the Group 18 U15 Grand Final against Byron Bay/Lennox Head, he then played for a Titans U15 Invitational side at CBus Stadium in October and finally he was selected in the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad.

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Ormeau Shearers utility back Cassidy McNamara is certainly a valuable addition to the 2021 Burleigh Bears MM Cup squad and can play various positions including fullback and five eight.

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The hooking stocks on the Gold Coast are very healthy and one player that will be looking to push himself up the pecking order in 2021 with the Burleigh MM Cup squad is Josh Clifton.

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In his first season of U18 rugby league Jesse Harrison had a more than solid season, including starting in the second row for Burleigh in the U18 GCRL Division One Grand Final.

2021 sees Jesse Harrison line up for the Burleigh MM Cup squad as Jesse Harrison continues his rugby league development.

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Izack Smith is another young man that performed well in his first year of U18 rugby league in 2020, including coming off the bench for Burleigh in their GCRL U18 Division One Grand Final against Currumbin.

In 2021 Izack Smith will line up for the Burleigh MM Cup squad.

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It will be intriguing where the 2021 Burleigh Bears MM Cup staff play Shannon Donaldson. The Mudgeeraba Redback can play multiple positions in the backline, including halfback and wing and has previously represented the Gold Coast Vikings.

Shannon Donaldson also is a representative level rugby player including representing Queensland White at the 2019 U15 National Gold Cup Rugby Championships. 2019 also saw Shannon Donaldson represent the Queensland Youth Sevens side at the National Sevens Championships.

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When the TSS school boy rugby campaign kicks off in 2021 I will be interested to see where Keahn Skipps starts the season, will be start in the U16A side or will he push for a spot in the TSS First XV?

In 2020 Keahn Skipps this season captained the TSS U15A school boy rugby side, playing the majority of the 2020 season at inside centre (No. 12) but did play a match or two early on in the GPS season at fullback and after the final round match against Ipswich Grammar School was named the 2020 TSS U16 Best Junior Footballer.

Prior to that Keahn Skipps will line up for Southport in the GCRL competition and in the 2021 Gold Coast Rugby League 2020 U16 Cyril Connell Cup Academy Squad.

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Whilst Keebbra Park went down in the Broncos Old Boys Final to Wavell, a number of players stood out over the course of the 2020 school boy season including Tayshaan Tonga who started the Old Boys Final at hooker and scored Keebra Park's sole try of the match when he darted out of dummy half to his right to force his way over from close range in the second half.

In addition to playing rugby league for Keebra Park, Tayshaan Tonga played some GCRU U12 matches for the Coomera Crushers including scoring a double in Round Four against the Yatala Rams.

In 2020 Tayshaan Tonga also was part of the SQBD Sharks side that won the 2020 U12 National Youth Touch Championships and was named the Sharks, Players Player of the Championships.

Tayshaan Tonga scored seven tries in the Championships, including a Round One hat trick against the CQ Bulls and doubles against the SWQ Swans and the NQ Cyclones in Rounds Two and Four respectively.

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Currumbin Eagles fullback Tyler Mahon was one of the stands out players in the 2020 GCRL U20 competition and with his speed and the ability to be at the right place at the right time will be a valuable asset for any team that is lucky enough to have his services in coming seasons.

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Former Marymount College student Charlie Murray was back on the Gold Cost representing Currumbin in 2020 in the GCRL U20 competition and in 2021 will no doubt continue to shine with his competitiveness and intelligence.

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Great to see young former Keebra Park student Laz Sua commit to return to the Ormeau Shearers in 2021.

The Nuggety young man is just a class act on and off the field and has been a big part of the Ormeau Shearers club for a number of seasons now.

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One of the most underrated junior rugby league players on the Gold Coast in recent seasons has been Coen Rankmore from the Ormeau Shearers.

After starting the 2020 season on the wing in Round One of the Hastings Deerings Colts competition and scoring for Burleigh Coen Rankmore returned to Ormeau when Community rugby league restarted and in fact made his GCRL First Grade debut in the second row for the Shearers.

Coen Rankmore may not have the scrapbook of other junior rugby league players but he is just as talented as other players who have had more publicity.

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When the 2020 Hastings Deering's Colts competition kicked off for its one and only round Bryson Voasasa started at five eight for Burleigh in their 24-16 victory over Wynnum Manly.

When the GCRL U20 competition started in July 2020, Bryson Voasasa moved to hooker for the Bears an was simply outstanding in the dummy half role.

It will be very interesting in what position he plays in 2021.

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The Covid 19 Pandemic obviously had a huge impact on every aspect of society including sport.

2020 Saw the return of Stepharn Holo to the GCRL competition after a number of seasons at the Sydney Roosters for the former Queensland junior age representative and he started off the 2020 season with a bang starting Round One of the Hastings Deering's Colts competition in the second row for the Tweed Heads Seagulls as they easily accounted for the Northern Pride 44-22 with Stepharn Holo scoring in the 31st minute.

A small piece of silver lining for Stepharn Holo is that instead of spending the entire 2020 season in the Colts competition he played a number of matches in the GCRL First Grade competition for the Ormeau Shearers against hardened Queensland Cup veterans.

That experience will be invaluable for Stepharn Holo going forward starting with the 2021 season.

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Titans contracted Caleb Gould-Waiariki is continuing to make a name for himself in touch as late in December he was named in the final trial squad for the South Queensland Sharks Mixed Open NTL 2021 squad.