Junior Development

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The 2021 season to date for Jonah Beaven:

In late October 2020, Jonah Beaven was named in the Gold Coast Rugby League U16 Cyril Connell Cup Academy Squad and when the split occurred Jonah Beaven was named in the Tweed Heads Cyril Connell Cup squad.

Jonah Beaven started at lock in the first two quarters for the Seagulls in their final 2021 trial against the Souths Logan Magpies before coming back onto the field in the fourth quarter to line up at lock one again.

Jonah Beaven started Round One of the 2021 Cyril Connell Cup at lock as the Bears took on the Ipswich Jets also started at lock in the Round Three local derby against the Burleigh Bears and as his all action self in the comprehensive 33 – 6 Seagulls victory.

In the Round Three local derby Jonah Beaven took the 4th hit-up of the match after Burleigh kicked off. Then to emphasise his work ethic after Tweed Heads kicked on the last tackle, Jonah Beaven was the first Seagulls player down field to tackle the Burleigh fullback returning the ball. To prove that was no fluke, Jonah Beaven was first downfield just a couple of minutes later to once again tackle the Burleigh fullback in relation to the Seagulls second clearing kick.

Jonah Beaven continued the trend of him terrorising the Burleigh fullback when in the 11th minute, along with Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa he crunched him as he was trying to dart through the centre of the ruck.

Jonah Beaven added a great ball and all tackle to his game resume in the 17th minute when he moved out of marker to his left to hit Burleigh front rower Samuel McAllister.

Whilst it may appear from the commentary that Jonah Beaven’s contribution to Tweed Heads victory was solely based on his defence that certainly was just case as could be seen in the 46th minute when Jonah Beaven charged into the Burleigh defensive line making thirteen metres on the second hit-up from the kick-off to Matthew Barrow’s try, to get the ball thirty three metres out from his own line. Jonah Beaven then backed that run up with the 4th hit-up from the same set of six making another eighteen metres to great the ball near to the twenty metre mark.

Round Five against the Souths Logan Magpies saw Jonah Beaven once against start at lock.

In 2021 Jonah Beaven once again was part of the PBC School Boy Rugby League Elite Program starting Round One of the Walters Cup competition in the front row against Ipswich State High School and scoring a key PBC try in the 16 all draw.

In the 37th minute, after PBC hooker Will Saunders had run to the right out of dummy half close to the Ipswich SHS line, Jonah Beaven cut back underneath, getting the pass five metres out and continuing his run to his left before straightening up after he had gotten to the other side of the play the ball to force his way over from a second effort (he had initially looked as if he was going to be held up) five metres in from the left corner post.

Jonah Beaven was immediately in the match, taking the hit-up from the kick-off. Jonah Beaven made another strong run from the kick-off to PBC’s first try of the match in the 11th minute with Jonah Beaven breaking straight through the Ipswich SHS line to get the ball to forty two metres out from his own line.

Jonah Beaven added a great right arm off-load to his match highlight reel in the 19th minute directly in front of the posts to show everyone watching that he has every skill in the book.

Jonah Beaven also started in the front row in Round Two against Forest Lake State High School and scored for the second match in a row. Jonah Beaven scored in the 30th minute when he charged onto the ball from twelve metres out to the right of the play the ball, immediately cutting back towards the soft spot in the defensive line behind the play the ball and reaching out with his right arm to get the ball down, breaking five tackles along the way.

Jonah Beaven’s contribution to PBC’s 28 – 6 started in the first set of six in the match when he took the fourth hit-up after Forest Lake SHS kicked off, with Jonah Beaven making fifteen metres. Then in the 24th minute, Jonah Beaven made a strong twenty metre run before off-loading to his left to Ray Puru who then set up his centre to score down the left side of the field.

Jonah Beaven also started in the front row in Round Three against Coombabah State High School making a number of strong runs, including in the 14th minute when he charged twenty metres through the centre of the ruck before being able to off-load and then in the 38th minute Jonah Beaven burst twenty two metres downfield to get over the halfway mark.

Jonah Beaven continued starting in the front row in Round Six against Keebra Park State High School.

Impressively Jonah Beaven started Round One of the Gold Coast Rugby League U18 Division One competition from the bench for the Mudgeeraba Redbacks as they took on Runaway Bay at home.

When he came into the match mid-way through the first half Jonah Beaven lined up at right centre for the Redbacks and could not have been more impressive against players who in the main were two years older than him.

Jonah Beaven came onto the match at a time when his side was under pressure but he made an immediate impact with his defence when in the 26th minute he made a strong tackle on the Runaway Bay left winger from a Seagulls twenty metre restart and then made another strong tackle being he 4th in the same set of six with the same Runaway Bay winger bearing the brunt of that tackle as well.

The 28th minute saw Jonah Beaven continued his strong defensive match when from a Runaway Bay scrum win he produced a strong one on one tackle on the Seagulls left centre and then from marker crunched the Runaway Bay left winger who had attempted to run out of dummy half.

Then in the 46th minute from a kick-up Jonah Beaven crunched the Runaway Bay forward (No. 16) who was bringing the ball back with an impressive front on tackle.

Running with the ball Jonah Beaven also did some good work including in the 25th minute when he was able to make ten metres when bringing the ball out of his own twenty metre area. In the 50th minute, Joanh Beaven was able to make eight metres out of dummy half after running to his left to get Mudgeeraba to near twenty metres out from the try line.

To cap off a very impressive outing, in the 59th minute, Jonah Beaven ran the ball after a Redbacks penalty restart, making ten metres to be tackled ten metres out and directly in front of the posts. Jonah Beaven got to his feet for an exceptionally quick play the ball with the Redbacks scoring as a result from the subsequent play the ball.

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The 2021 season to date for Will Saunders:

In late October 2020, Will Saunders was named in the Gold Coast Rugby League U16 Cyril Connell Cup Academy Squad and when the split occurred Will Saunders was named in the Tweed Heads Cyril Connell Cup squad.

Will Saunders started at hooker in the first quarter for the Seagulls in their final 2021 trial against the Souths Logan Magpies before coming back onto the field in the fourth quarter to line up at hooker one again. Over the course of the two quarters that he played Will Saunders defended well against the giant Magpies forward pack.

Will Saunders started Round One of the 2021 Cyril Connell Cup at hooker as the Bears took on the Ipswich Jets and put in an outstanding display being far and away the best player on the field in Burleigh’s eight point victory. Such was Will Saunders performance that he was deservedly named as the Seagulls best in the Round One match.

Will Saunders also started at hooker in the Round Three local derby against the Burleigh Bears putting on a dummy half clinic in the Seagulls comprehensive 33 – 6 victory. Will Saunders came close to getting his name on the scoreboard in the 5th minute of the match when he was tackled inches short of the line on the right side of the field.

Will Saunders produced another good dart out of dummy half in the 69th minute when he took off out of dummy half to his left before off-loading. The referee deemed that Will Saunders was hit late after passing the ball with Tweed Heads being awarded the penalty with a bit of a scuffle ensuing due to the late contact.

Even though he was not the biggest player on the field Will Saunders is also an effective defender and that was born out in the 25th minute when Will Saunders hit Bears second rower Junior Filimaua with a strong tackle as he was defending right on his try line with the ball coming loose as a result of Will Saunders initial contact.

Round Five against the Souths Logan Magpies saw Will Saunders once against start at hooker and scored in the 10th minute of the match as the Seagulls recorded a last minute victory.

In 2021 Will Saunders continued at PBC as part of the school’s Elite Rugby League Program and made a strong impression after starting at hooker for the PBC Walters Cup side in their Round One 16 all draw against Ipswich State High School.

Will Saunders made the first of his trademark runs out of dummy half in the 18th minute when made ten metres after darting out of dummy half to his right.

Will Saunders then in the 48th minute highlighted that even though he is not the biggest player he has functional strength when he made a great driving tackle on one of the giant Ipswich SHS front rowers just five metres out from his own line, directly in front of his own posts.

Will Saunders also started at hooker in Round Two against Forest Lake State High School and he was once again at his scheming best as early as the 5th minute when he darted out of dummy half to his right getting through the line before off-loading to Zane Harrison not strangely his pass was called forward. Will Saunders, in the 29th minute made another run out of dummy half once again to his right, on that occasion making eighteen metres.

Will Saunders continued at hooker in Round Three against Coombabah State High School scoring one and coming close to a second in an all-round impressive display.

Will Saunders scored in the 14th minute when he darted out of dummy half to his right to burrow his way over from two metres out, getting the ball down on the right side of the field mid-way between the goal posts and corner post.

As noted Will Saunders almost scored another try but in the 7th minute he was held up over the line after attempting to score from dummy half.

Two runs out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball from Will Saunders were also key points in two further tries. On the first occasion, in the 39th minute, Will Saunders ran out of dummy half to his right making fifteen metres before off-loading to Jac Finnigan who then off-load to the PBC right centre with Jac Finnigan receiving the ball back from the centre and then off-loaded the ball back to the same player to score.

In the 47th minute, once again Will Saunders darted out of dummy half down a short right blindside ten metres from the line, drawing a defender before getting the ball away to Zane Harrison who threw an out the back pass to Ray Puru who put his right winger in the corner.

Will Saunders also had an outstanding match from hooker in Round Four against Marsden State High School and also started at hooker in Round Five against Keebra Park State High School.

Will Saunders continued at hooker in Round Six against Redcliffe State High School with the talented hooker having a very good match including scoring in the 55th minute when he chased through an attacking grubber kick from Zane Harrison to dive on the ball under the posts with the referee consequently blowing the whistle to award the try.

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The 2021 season to date of Titans contracted Ray Puru:

In May 2021 Ray Puru was part of the South Coast U15 QSSRL School Boy representative side, starting the Championship Final against Met West at fullback and scored in the 31st minute of the Final.

In the 31st minute, Ray Puru looped around to the right behind Zane Harrison, receiving the ball thirty metres out and to put to simply from there Ray Puru was just too quick for the defence blowing through the defensive line and getting the ball down mid-way between the goal posts and right corner post.

Ray Puru would not even have been in a position to score had it not been for another outstanding play of his just a minute prior when he raced to his left to field a Met West attacking grubber kick twenty metres out from his own line. As soon as he took possession, Ray Puru headed back towards centre field before a left foot step took him back towards the right wing, breaking four tackles along the way and making twenty metres.

Ray Puru split the defensive line once again in the 39th minute when he ran onto the ball on the left side of the field, thirty metres out from the line, stepping off both feet to get to ten metres out when he off-loaded to his left to five eight Nayte Saaga who got to within two metres of the line before he offloaded to his left for Jett Bryce to dive over fifteen metres in from the left corner post.

Ray Puru showcased his elite footwork in the 18th minute of the Championship Final when he ran the ball to the right after a South Coast scrum win, stepping off his left foot on three separate occasions in his run that made fourteen metres.

Ray Puru recorded a Championship Final try assist in the 24th minute when he took the ball down a short right blindside ten metres out and popping a good ball to Jac Finnigan who crashed over in the right corner.

Ray Puru started at fullback on Day One of the Championships as South Coast took on Met West with Ray Puru producing a dazzlingly stepping run in the 20th minute when after receiving the ball from the back of a scrum on the right side of the field, Ray Puru produced a series of left foot steps across field, bamboozingly a number of defenders before off-loading to Zane Harrison.

Ray Puru showcased his ball playing ability in the 27th minute when he chimed into the backline on the right side of the field and put right centre Joseph Tupuse away on a thirty run down the right side of the field before he was able to off-load on his inside.

Day Two saw Ray Puru once again start at fullback against Capricornia recording a 39th minute line break when he exploded off the mark from forty metres out from his own line after receiving an off-load whilst standing still. Ray Puru simply exploded through the Capricornia defensive line and got to twenty metres out before being tackled high and justifiably was awarded a penalty.

Also in the 16th minute, Ray Puru made fourteen metres from a winding stepping run after receiving the ball from the dummy half, getting the ball out of his own twenty metre area.

In 2021 Ray Puru continued at PBC as part of the school’s Elite Rugby League Program and made an impressive start from fullback for the PBC Walters Cup side in their Round One 16 all draw against Ipswich State High School.

Ray Puru contributed a try assist to PBC’s cause in the 9th minute when he chimed into the PBC backline on the right side of the field, holding the ball until the last minute before throwing a flat cut-out ball to put his right winger over in the corner.

It was clear that Ray Puru stood a class apart in the match as early as the 3rd minute with his initial kick return of the match. Ray Puru tracked the ball to collect it in the right corner and moving to his left getting on the outside of two Ipswich SHS chasers to make twenty metres.

Ray Puru also started at fullback in Round Two against Forest Lake State High School and he was once again at his electric best contributing a try assist and two line breaks to PBC’s cause in their 28 – 6 victory.

Ray Puru’s try assist came in the 24th minute when after receiving an off-load from Jonah Beaven, Ray Puru drew the Forest Lake SHS right winger to send his left centre on an uninterrupted thirty five metre run to the try line.

Ray Puru made his first line break of the match in just the 2nd minute when he retrieved a Forest Lake SHS clearing kick, moving to his left before bursting down the left touchline making twenty four metres before being tackled and after his attempt at a quick play the ball was stifled he was awarded a penalty.

Ray Puru recorded another line break in the 35th minute when he ran the ball from a PBC scrum win on the left beating three defenders in a twenty metre run but just as he was being tackled the ball unfortunately came loose.

Ray Puru also started at fullback in Round Three against Coombabah State High School, recording two a try assists. Ray Puru recorded his first try assist in the 44th minute when he collected the ball ten metres from his own try line and ran to his right and literally ran around the Coombabah SHS left side defence, racing seventy five metres down the right touchline before drawing the fullback and passing to his left to Zane Harrison who raced away to score under the posts.

Ray Puru recorded his second try assist in the 47th minute, when Will Saunders darted out of dummy half down a short right blindside ten metres from the line, drawing a defender before getting the ball away to Zane Harrison who threw an out the back pass to Ray Puru who put his right winger in the corner.

Ray Puru also had a very solid match from fullback in Round Four against Marsden State High School and was also solid in Round Five against Keebra Park SHS after once again starting at fullback.

Ray Puru was at his dominating best from fullback in Round Six against Redcliffe State High School scoring a first half hat trick with the three tries coming in a six minute burst. Literally Ray Puru wreaked havoc every time that he touched the ball.

Ray Puru scored his opening try in the 19th minute after receiving the ball on the left side of the field, twenty two metres from the line and was simply too quick, easily slicing through the Redcliffe right sided defence to score five metres in from the left corner.

Ray Puru added his second try in the 22nd minute with the try once again coming on the left side of the field. After he received the ball nineteen metres from the line, Ray Puru cut off his left foot to beat one defender and then cut back inside to beat a second before carrying a third defender over the line to get the ball down five metres in from the left corner post.

Ray Puru competed his hat trick in the 25th minute, and this time he scored on the right side of the field after he received the ball twenty five metres out. After receiving the ball, Ray Puru ran to his right beating one defender with a left arm fend and from there Ray Puru outpaced the Redcliffe cover defence to score in the right corner.

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The 2021 season to date for Titans contracted Zane Harrison:

In early January 2021 Zane Harrison was part of a small group of Titans 2021 U15 players who after attending a Titans camp, trained with the Titans NRL squad and in mid-February 2021 Zane Harrison played in a Titans U15 Invitational Trial at Burleigh, a trial which included only the best of the 2021 Titans U15 squad members.

Zane Harrison started the match at halfback for the Titans White side and for me he was the standout player of the match with his ball running and deft kicking skills heavily showcased on multiple occasions, primarily on the left side of the field. Post that U15 Titans trial match, Zane Harrison signed a multi-year contract that binds the talented young man to the Titans for three years.

In May 2021 Zane Harrison was part of the South Coast U15 QSSRL School Boy representative side, starting the Championship Final against Met West at halfback, scoring one try and setting up another as well as kicking two conversions.

Zane Harrison scored in the 20th minute after a great solo effort that commenced when Zane Harrison took a pass on the right side of the field twelve metres out from the line. Zane Harrison immediately stepped off his right to beat the initial defender before a left foot step beat a second. As he approached the defence that was situated on the try line, Zane Harrison spun counter clockwise in a tackle and get the ball down ten metres to the right of the goal posts.

Zane Harrison also displayed his never say die attitude in the 24th minute when he produced a great chase from a Nayte Saaga tactical kick from mid-field to tackle the Met West fullback just five metres out from his own line.

At the completion of the Championships, Zane Harrison was named at halfback in the 2021 QSSRL U15 School Boy Merit Team.

On Day One against Met West Zane Harrison was at his dangerous best in the 30th minute when he ran across field to his left and threw a great bell to put a charging Riley Buchanan into a gap, unfortunately thirty metres downfield, Riley Buchanan’s pass to his left was knocked down by the Met West fullback.

Day Two saw Zane Harrison shine once again from halfback against Capricornia and continued early with an outstanding fifty five metre kick in the first minute with the Capricornia being trapped in his own in-goal.

Starting at halfback once again Zane Harrison could not have gotten into the action any quicker on Day Three against Met North when he was required to come forward very quickly to take the kick-off on the full after it fell very short. Zane Harrison really did have to get his skates on and charge forward to take the ball on the full just in front of the onrushing Met North forwards.

Zane Harrison had another big game on Day Three against Met North with the halfback recording a try assist and a line break amongst other smart pieces of play.

In the 47th minute, Zane Harrison drifted to his right across field twenty five metres out from the line before throwing a short flat ball to his right to Jac Finnigan who had run a great outside shoulder line.

Zane Harrison’s first half line break was certainly not your typical one, Met North were attacking the South Coast line and on the 5th tackle took the ball to their right and attempted to put in a short grubber kick. Zane Harrison who was defending on the left, trapped the ball with his left foot just seven metres out from his own line, he quickly picked up the ball and as a result of a winding run was able to get to the halfway mark before he was eventually collared.

Zane Harrison also made significant metres in the opening minute of the second half when South Coast five eight Nayte Saaga put in a short kick-off to the right, with Zane Harrison taking the ball on the full just after the ball had travelled the required ten metres and stepped his way to twenty metres out from the line.

Zane Harrison also made a try saving tackle in the first half of the match when he produced a strong tackle on the giant Met North No. 10 just two metres out from the line with Zane Harrison’s tackle forcing the ball loose.

In 2021 Zane Harrison continued at PBC as part of the school’s Elite Rugby League Program and made a strong impression, showcasing multiple skills from halfback for the PBC Walters Cup side in their Round One 16 all draw against Ipswich State High School.

Zane Harrison put in an assured display for PBC starting off with an exquisite tactical kick in the opening minute of the match with Zane Harrison executing the kick fifty five metres out from the line from an acute angle with the ball going into touch just eight metres out from the line.

Zane Harrison’s elite footwork was at the fore in the 36th minute, when after receiving an off-load from Jac Finnigan, he made a stepping run that made twenty metres as he stepped on multiple occasions to his left.

Zane Harrison also started at halfback in Round Two against Forest Lake State High School and he was once again at his scheming best in PBC’s victory including being heavily involved in PBC’s try in the 41st minute when he laid on a good ball to put right second rower Jac Finnigan into a gap, with Jac Finnigan then off-loading to put his centre over in the right corner.

Zane Harrison continued at halfback in Round Three against Coombabah State High School, scoring a double in PBC’s impressive victory. Zane Harrison’s opening try came in the 17th minute when he flew into an off-load from his lock to score untouched next to the right upright.

Zane Harrison’s second try came in the 44th minute when Ray Puru collected the ball ten metres from his own try line and ran to his right and literally ran around the Coombabah SHS left side defence, racing seventy five metres down the right touchline before drawing the fullback and passing to his left to Zane Harrison who raced away to score under the posts.

Zane Harrison also recorded a try assist in the 8th minute when he floated across the field to his right twenty metres out, dummying to an inside runner to hold the defensive line in place and then he threw a long cut out pass to his right to put his right centre in space and over in the right corner.

Zane Harrison was also heavily involved in another PBC try in the 47th minute, when Will Saunders darted out of dummy half down a short right blindside ten metres from the line, drawing a defender before getting the ball away to Zane Harrison who threw an out the back pass to Ray Puru who put his right winger in the corner.

Zane Harrison also had an outstanding match from halfback in Round Four against Marsden State High School including scoring in the 36th minute with a winding effort. Zane Harrison received the ball eighteen metres from the line on the right side of the field, dummying in that direction before straightening up. Zane Harrison was tripped up as he broke through the line, but quickly bounced to his feet to dive over close to the right upright.

The 24th minute saw Zane Harrison’s kicking game come to the fore when from twenty metres out, he put up a high kick to the right corner with the ball coming down less than a metre from the line with the PBC defence then forcing the Marsden SHS winger back into the in-goal to force a line drop out. Then to highlight that Zane Harrison can execute all types of kicks, he converted PBC’s second try from the right touchline to seal the match.

Zane Harrison continued at halfback in Round Five against Keebra Park SHS and one was of PBC’s best in their tough loss recording a try assist in the 28th minute with a pin point cross field kick to the right corner for his winger to race through to take the ball on the full and score wide out on the right.

Zane Harrison continued at halfback in Round Six against Redcliffe State High School with the cerebral halfback having a very good match including recording a try assist in the 55th minute when he put in an attacking grubber kick that hooker Will Saunders dived on the ball under the posts with the referee consequently blowing the whistle to award the try.

Zane Harrison continued to play for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Junior Rugby League Club in 2021 in the U15 Group 18 competition and had some exceptional matches including in Round Five as the Seagulls accounted for Tugun 24 – 14.

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The 2021 season to date for Titans contracted Caleb Hodges:

In early March 2021, Caleb Hodges started from the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup side in their final 2021 trial against the Burleigh Bears.

Caleb Hodges started Round Two of the Queensland Cup on the wing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls against Wynnum Manly and played all eighty minutes.

In the match, Caleb Hodges ran for seventy five metres (thirty two post contact and twenty one kick return), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 2.91 seconds and made seven tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

Caleb Hodges then started on the wing in the previously postponed Round Twelve of the Queensland Cup against Souths Logan with Caleb Hodges playing the entire eight minutes, running for seven metres and made three tackles.

In Round One of the 2021 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition, Caleb Hodges started at left centre for the Tweed Heads Seagulls as they took on the Souths Logan Magpies.

In the 3rd minute of the match Caleb Hodges made his first Colts hit-up of 2021 when he received the ball to the right of the dummy half making twelve metres to get the ball out to forty metres away from his own line.

Caleb Hodges continued his efforts running with the ball in the 6th minute when he ran the ball from a Seagulls scrum win to the left, beating two defenders on their outside making twelve metres and doing a good job staying away from the left touch line.

Caleb Hodges showed his speed in the 33rd minute of the match when he chased through a short Seagulls kick-off getting to the ball first on the twenty metre mark to surprise Souths Logan with Caleb Hodges making it to twelve metres out before he was stopped by the defence.

Defence has always been one of Caleb Hodges strong suits and that was highlighted in the 48th minute when he produced a strong tackle close to his own line. Caleb Hodges engaged the Souths Logan right centre initially holding him up before driving him into touch.

Caleb Hodges also started at left centre in the Round Two local derby against Burleigh with Caleb Hodges scoring one of the Seagulls tries in their 32 – 24 victory.

Caleb Hodges try came in the 47th minute when he followed through a short grubber kick from Brenton Daley-Holton with the ball sitting up perfectly for Caleb Hodges to retrieve and get down four metres in from the left corner post.

Caleb Hodges wasted no time becoming involved in the match being involved with Taine Udjur-Berghan in Burleigh’s first tackle of the match when they tackled Bears five eight Byron Vaovosa who was returning the Seagulls first kick.

Caleb Hodges made the first of many runs down his left side in the 4th minute when he was able to make fifteen after cutting back behind the play the ball to get the ball out to thirty metres away from his own line.

Caleb Hodges made another strong run in the 20th minute when after pushing off two would be tackles, he made twenty metres down the left.

Caleb Hodges also produced a strong defensive effort in the 18th minute, when he flew off his line to confront Burleigh right centre Tony Francis front on before his powerful opponent could gain momentum. Another strong defensive effort from Caleb Hodges came in the 35th minute when he cut down Burleigh fullback Will Evans with a copy book low tackle as Evans was trying to run across field.

Caleb Hodges produced a great try saving tackle in the 58th minute when he moved to his left to bundle Burleigh right second rower Blake Campbell over the touchline less than two metres from the corner post after Campbell had made a line break twenty five metres back down field.

Caleb Hodges’s speed off the mark was highlighted in the 71st minute when after he received the ball whilst standing still, Caleb Hodges exploded off the mark before stepping to his left leaving two defenders in his wake and get the ball over the halfway mark after making fifteen metres.

Caleb Hodges also started at left centre in Round Three against the Redcliffe Dolphins and in Round Four against the Ipswich Jets.

After missing and number of weeks, including playing for Tweed Heads in the Queensland Cup, Caleb Hodges was named in the centres for Round Twelve of the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition against the Central Queensland Capra’s.

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The 2021 season to date for Titans contracted Ben Liyou:

In 2021 Ben Liyou was part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad and started in the front row in their final 2021 trial against the Burleigh Bears and was immediately in the action making the first tackle of the match on the charging Burleigh front rower Daniel Shannon.

In the 5th minute of the match Ben Liyou produced a strong twenty metre run after Tweed Heads got the ball back after retrieving a short kick-off to display that Ben Liyou is more than just a solid defensive player. Ben Liyou produced another strong twenty metre run off the kick-off after Seagulls team mate Troy Duckett’s try and then also took another strong hit-up on the fourth tackle in the same set of six.

Round One of the 2021 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition saw Ben Liyou start in the front row for the Tweed Heads Seagulls as well as captaining the side when they took on the Souths Logan Magpies.

Ben Liyou took the first hit-up of the match after Souths Logan kicked off but unfortunately in just the 4th minute of the match, Ben Liyou was taken off for a HIA which he subsequently failed to prematurely end his afternoon.

Ben Liyou also started in the front row in Round Two in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears and was one of the Seagulls try scorers in the 32 – 24 victory.

Ben Liyou’s try came in the 41st minute with the front rower rumbling twelve metres to score after receiving the ball from his left from Laz Sua. When he received the ball Ben Liyou initially dummied to his right before holding off the Burleigh left second rower with a strong straight left arm to get over to score. Ben Liyou then took the hit-up from Burleigh’s subsequent kick-off making another strong run.

Ben Liyou as has become his trademark, took the first hit-up of the match from the kick-off and then backed that up by taking the 4th hit-up in the same set of six. Ben Liyou then ran the ball from a kick-off once again in the 5th minute bringing the ball back over Jojo Fifita’s try. Ben Liyou made it three kick-offs in a row where he returned the kick-off when in the 9th minute he returned that ball back after Carsil Vaikai’s try.

Ben Liyou is certainly not the biggest front rower running around but he is certainly strong and in the 51st minute Burleigh right centre Tony Francis bore the brunt of that strength when Ben Liyou hit him with a strong crunching tackle that required play to be stopped for a couple of minutes.

Ben Liyou also started in the front row in Round Three against the Redcliffe Dolphins and in Round Four against the Ipswich Jets.

Ben Liyou also started in the front row in Round Five against the Northern Pride, scoring for the Seagulls as they defeated the Jets 40 – 18.

Ben Liyou continued his run of starts in the front row in Round Six against the Easts Tigers, in Round Seven against the Norths Devils, in Round Eight against the Mackay Cutters, in Round Nine against Wynnum Manly and in the Round Eleven local derby against the Burleigh Bears.

Ben Liyou also started in the front row in the previously postponed Round Eleven match against the Sunshine Coast Falcons scoring in the 22nd minute.

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The 2021 season to date for Titans contracted Samuel Shannon:

In early January 2021 Samuel Shannon started at lock for the Titans U19 side in their annual match against the Newcastle Knights in Coffs Harbour and was one of the Titans best in their dominating 40 – 6 victory.

Samuel Shannon was in the action almost immediately, being involved in a solid hit in the second tackle after the Titans kicked off. Also involved in the tackle were Ediq Ambrosyev and Isaac Matalavea-Booth.

Samuel Shannon showcased a variety of skills in the match including an outstanding first hit-up which came in the Titans second set of six tackles when he bent the Knights defensive line in the centre of the ruck backwards. Samuel Shannon also produced an outstanding charge from the second hit-up from the second half kick-off when he took the ball to the right of the play the ball and knocked two defenders as he made fifteen metres with the Titans scoring in the same set of six due to the knight’s defensive line back peddling.

The next skill attributes that Samuel Shannon showcased in the match was an outstanding off-load under heavy pressure to Ediq Ambroysev who was able to make additional metres.

Samuel Shannon highlighted another skill attribute in the 4th minute of the second half, when he showed that he has a one on one steal attribute in his game. When Newcastle on the attack just fifteen metres out from the Titans line, Samuel Shannon was able to get across on the right just as it seemed the Knights attacker was going to be able to split the Titans right sided defence. Samuel Shannon was able to get the ball out of the Knights players hands and then charge forty metres down the right touchline to fundamentally change the momentum of the match at that time.

Samuel Shannon’s game in the main is based on strength and power but in the first half against the Newcastle Knights, he showed some real subtly to put Thomas Weaver into a gap from which the half subsequently scored. Samuel Shannon moved into dummy half twenty five metes out from the Knights line and when he saw the Titans had the number down the blind side, Samuel Shannon ran out of dummy half to his left, running directly at the Knights A defender, holding him on place, before throwing a good short pass to his left to put Thomas Weaver into the gap to record an impressive try assist that many half’s/five eights would have been proud of.

To round out an exceptional match against the Knights, Samuel Shannon produced another outstanding off-load that led to a second Jaylan De Groot try. At the start of the play it appeared that Samuel Shannon was supporting a Jack Cullen hit-up, but at the last moment prior to contacting the defensive line, Jack Cullen put Samuel Shannon into a gap with a deft pre-contact offload. Samuel Shannon then produced his own off-load to send Thomas Weaver away, who subsequently off-loaded to Jaylan De Groot to score.

The off-load by Samuel Shannon was definitely not a simple one. Not long after breaking into space, Samuel Shannon was hit on his left side, but we maintained body control and balance, to get the ball into his right arm and get the pass to Thomas Weaver around the body of the Knights defender who as in contact with him.

At the completion of the Newcastle match, Samuel Shannon along with Thomas Weaver were named the Titans joint Player of the Match.

A week after the match against the Newcastle Knights Samuel Shannon once again lined up for the Titans U19’s starting at lock as the Titans took on a Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts squad with the Titans winning 32 – 20 with no conversions attempted.

Samuel Shannon was in the action almost immediately, taking the second hit-up after the Bears kicked off, making a typically strong charge to the right of the play the ball after receiving the ball from Ediq Ambrosyev.

As he did in the Newcastle match, Samuel Shannon produced some outstanding runs against the Bears including an 11th minute charge of a Titans tap kick from a penalty against a set Burleigh defensive line. Even though they knew Samuel Shannon was charging straight at them, the Bears defence could not stop Samuel Shannon from making seven metres post contact.

Like it was against Newcastle, Samuel Shannon’s off-loading ability was showcased against the Bears including a two handed off-load with his back towards his own line to Oskar Bryant who made additional metres from the off-load for the Titans.

In early May 2021 a Titans U19 side travelled to North Queensland to play an U19 Cowboys selection in a curtain raiser to a Cowboys v Broncos NRL match with Samuel Shannon starting the match at lock for the Titans.

In early March 2021, Samuel Shannon started on the interchange bench for the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side as they took on the Tweed Heads Seagulls in a trial. Samuel Shannon came off the bench in the 24th minute of the match immediately taking a hit-up to the right of the dummy half making eight metres in the first of multiple charges by the hard as nails young lock.

Samuel Shannon’s hard running style was on display once again just a few minutes later in the 28th minute when he charged into the Seagulls defensive line off the kick-off from Tyler Mahon’s try and then in the 29th minute, Samuel Shannon backed up a break from Cameron Brown, receiving the off-load before getting the ball away to his right to put Tyler Mahon away to score his second try in a five minute span.

Samuel Shannon continued to be heavily involved in the first half and in the last minute of the half charged into the Tweed Heads defensive line once again and on that occasion was able to get an off-load away with his back to the defence.

Round One of the 2021 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition saw Samuel Shannon named on the interchange bench for the Burleigh Bears when they took on the Easts Tigers with Samuel Shannon scoring the Bears opening round victory.

Samuel Shannon came off the bench in the 23rd minute and just a minute later made the first of many impacts when he ran onto the ball to the left of the dummy half, receiving the ball on his own twenty. Samuel Shannon cut back to his right to the soft spot behind the ruck, making twenty five metres with at least 60% of those post contact.

Just two minutes later Samuel Shannon was able to score his first try of the season. Samuel Shannon received the ball two passes to the right of the play the ball ten metres out from the line. Samuel Shannon broke five tackles in the ten metres that he had to negotiate to get to the line and score under the posts.

Then from the resultant kick-off Samuel Shannon was on hand to take the run, getting the ball out to twenty metres away from his own line. Samuel Shannon continued his great start to the match in the 31st minute when he made a strong charge off the kick off to the Tony Francis try with Samuel Shannon getting the ball back to over the twenty metre mark.

It was another hit-up after a Burleigh try, this one in the 50th minute by Will Evans that saw Samuel Shannon make a mess of the Tigers defensive line when from the kick-off scuttled a number of defenders on the way to making twenty metres.

It was not just strong efforts with the ball that meant that Samuel Shannon was one of the best players on the field, it was also strong efforts in defence including in the 34th minute when he crunched the Easts hooker from his left blind spot. A minute later the Easts No. 16 felt just how hard Samuel Shannon tackles, with on that occasion, Samuel Shannon hitting him from the right side.

Samuel Shannon continued on the interchange bench in the Round Two local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls coming into the match in the 19th minute and almost immediately along with Isaac Matalavea-Booth was in on a big first tackle on Tweed Heads front rower Ben Liyou.

Samuel Shannon took his first hit-up of the match in the 21st minute making twenty metres and breaking four tackles along the way with Samuel Shannon bringing the ball out to the twenty metre mark before three Seagulls defenders were finally able to get him to the ground.

Samuel Shannon has a skill set that includes an offload and in the 31st minute, after making twelve metres of his own he was able to get a right arm offload away to Isaac Matalavea-Booth to was able to get the ball over the halfway mark.

Defensively Samuel Shannon was his usual aggressive self in the derby and Seagulls lock Charlie Murray found that out the hard way when in the 30th minute Samuel Shannon hit him front on and stopping his momentum very quickly and effectively.

After missing Round Four due to playing for the Titans U19 side, Samuel Shannon was named to start Round Five against the Northern Pride from the bench however actually started the match at left second row.

Samuel Shannon moved to lock in Round Six against the Townsville Blackhawks and was in the action immediately, taking the second hit-up after the Townsville kick-off. Samuel Shannon backed that run up in the 25th minute with a sixteen metre run from the set of six after the kick-off from Burleigh’s opening try of the match.

Then in the 43rd minute, Samuel Shannon was able to make twenty metres after a great charge through centre field.

Samuel Shannon moved to right second row in Round Seven against the Central Queensland Capra’s and scored a first half double in Burleigh’s big win.

Samuel Shannon had to wait just six minutes to score his opening try of the match when he flew onto a short flat pass from Isaac Matalavea-Booth, running through a gap in the defensive line to run twenty five metres untouched to score mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the right side of the field.

Samuel Shannon completed his double in the 30th minute when once again he ran a great line into a gap to also score untouched, on that occasion from five metres out, to get the ball down ten metres in from the right corner post.

Samuel Shannon continued at right second row in Round Eight against the Redcliffe Dolphins, in Round Nine against the Mackay Cutters and the Round Eleven local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

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The 2021 season to date for Titans contracted Tanu Nona:

In January 2021 Tanu Nona started at hooker for the Titans U17 side that defeated a Newcastle Knights side in their annual match at Coffs Harbour with Tanu Nona leading his forwards onto the ball well as they dominated the Knights pack as well as running judicially out of dummy half as the match progressed and the Knight forwards tired in the Titans 32 – 20 victory. One such run early in the second half was a superb twenty five metre effort directly through the centre of the ruck after darting to his right out of dummy half.

Tanu Nona did not have to wait long to get into the match, being part of three of the first five that the Titans made after they kicked off to Newcastle to start the match off.

In June 2021 Tanu Nona started at hooker for a Titans U17 side that played a Titans Northern Rivers U18 squad at Cbus Stadium as a curtain raiser to the Titans Round Fourteen NRL match against the Sydney Roosters and caused all sorts of trouble for the Northern Rivers Titans defensive line.

Tanu Nona was named at hooker for the Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup side for their Round One match against the Wests Tigers and had an impressive match as the Northern Rivers Titans had a solid first up victory.

Tanu Nona got the Northern Rivers Titans on the front foot early in the match with a strong forty metre run through the centre of the Wests Tigers ruck after darting out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball. Tanu Nona continued to run from dummy half over the course of the match and it almost paid off late in the match when Tanu Nona darted out of dummy half to his right only to be held up next to the left goal post.

After his outstanding Round One performance, Tanu Nona also started Round Two against local rivals the North Coast Bulldogs at Nambucca Heads at hooker, producing another solid display, including an early first half try assist.

Tanu Nona’s try assist came early in the first half when he darted out of dummy half to his left, three metres out from the North Coast line and through a flat short ball to his left to put Rowan Mansfield into a gap and he was able to put the ball down under the posts.

Tanu Nona produced an early trademark run out of dummy half in just the 14th minute of the first half when he darted out of dummy half to his right and surging twenty metres before being brought down and then being awarded a penalty when the North Coast defence would not allow him to get to his feet.

Tanu Nona produced two more outstanding runs out of dummy half to the match, one a thirty metre run out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball and in the 49th minute of the match, Tanu Nona once again ran to his right making fifteen valuable metres.

Tanu Nona also started at hooker in Round Three against the Greater Northern Tigers recording a try and a try assist.

Tanu Nona’s try came in the 60th minute of the match when he ran out of dummy half to his left before dummying the same way and darting towards the line to get the ball down under the posts.

Tanu Nona recorded his try assist in the 42nd minute of the match when he ran out of dummy half to his left holding his pass to his left nicely to create a gap for Jye David to run into from close range to score.

Tanu Nona also started at hooker in Round Four at Lismore against the Central Coast Roosters as well as in Round Five against the Newcastle Knights. In his second stint on the field in the second half, Tanu Nona initially came on to play as a running forward before reverting back to his dummy half role later in the half.

Tanu Nona was at dummy half less than a metre out from the Newcastle line with nowhere to go in the 60th minute. Tanu Nona deliberately grubber kicked the ball out of dummy half hard into the Knights defenders who were crouched low, forcing a Knights knock on and winning the ball back for the Northern Rivers Titans.

In May 2021 Tanu Nona was part of the South Coast Maroon Open school boy side at the QSSRL Championships starting from the bench on Day One of the Championships.

Tanu Nona moved into the South Coast Maroon starting side at hooker on Day Two against Met North with his first dummy half run coming in the opening minute of the match.

Tanu Nona was also outstanding in South Coast Maroons Day Three match against Darling Downs including scoring late in the first half. From thirteen metres out Tanu Nona ran out of dummy half to his left shaping to pass to his left but instead he barged over next to the right upright.

The Day Four fifth place play-off match against Met East saw Tanu Nona also start from the bench coming on to play in the dummy half run and early in the second half he produced a typical Tanu Nona dart out of dummy half to his right, making sixteen metres through the centre of the ruck.

Tanu Nona started from the bench for the Cudgen Hornets in Round One of the NRRRL U18 competition, coming on in the second half in the dummy half role as the Hornets defeated the Tweed Coast Raiders 38 – 6.

Tanu Nona also started from the bench in Round Five against Byron Bay, initially playing as a running forward when he came into the field before reverting back to his normal dummy half role. Tanu Nona almost got himself on the try scoring list in the match but in the 56th minute he was held up under the posts after darting out of dummy half from close range.

Tanu Nona moved into the Cudgen starting side at hooker in Round Seven against the Marist Brothers Rams, scoring one try and setting up another in Cudgen’s impressive victory.

Tanu Nona scored in the 48th minute when he moved into dummy half fourteen metres from the try line on the left side of the field. Tanu Nona dummied to his left before running out of dummy half in the same direction before stepping off his left foot to run back towards the centre of the field. Running parallel to the defensive line towards the right, Tanu Nona dummied once again, this time to the right to force his way over the line five metres from the left goal post.

Tanu Nona’s try assist came in the 52nd minute when he ran down a short right blind side, drawing the defence towards him before throwing a cut-out pass to right winger Tobey Carpenter who dived over in the right corner.

Tanu Nona continued at hooker in Round Eight against the Kyogle Turkeys scoring an outstanding long-range solo try in the final minute of the match. Playing as a running forward at the time, Tanu Nona received the ball to the right of the dummy half sixty five metres from the line, easily slicing through two defenders in the Turkeys defensive line and from there Tanu Nona beat the fullback with pace. Within metres of the try line, Tanu Nona was actually caught from behind by the Kyogle five eight but he maintained his balance to get the ball down under the posts.

In addition to his outstanding try, Tanu Nona recorded a 23rd minute try assist when after skipping out of dummy half to his left, Tanu Nona threw a flat, hard short ball in the same direction to his front rower to force his way over five metres to the left of the goal posts after running into a gap established by Tanu Nona four metres from the line.

Tanu Nona continued at hooker in Round Ten against the Murwillumbah Mustangs.

2021 also saw Tanu Nona line up once again for PBC State High School in the South East Queensland School Boy Langer Cup competition starting Round One at hooker against Ipswich State High School. Whilst Tanu Nona spent the majority of his time on the field in the dummy half role he did play as a running forward for a portion of the second half.

In his debut Langer Cup A match, Tanu Nona was outstanding recording two try assist (both for Jett Forbes to score) and two line breaks on top of his outstanding distribution out of dummy half and solid defence.

Tanu Nona’s first try assist came early in the match, in the 9th minute to be exact when he ran the ball to the right out of dummy half down a short blindside, picking the ball up nine metres out. Tanu Nona took the ball right to the line before throwing a cut-out pass to his right to Jett Forbes who dived over in the right corner.

As noted above, Tanu Nona’s second try assist enabled Jett Forbes to score once again, with the try completing Jett Forbes’s hat trick. In the 59th minute, Tanu Nona flew out of dummy half to his left breaking three tackles to get through the Ipswich SHS defensive line, Tanu Nona rounded the fullback by veering to his right but was ankle tapped but as he was going to ground Tanu Nona was able to off-load to his right to a flying Jett Forbes to race away to score under the posts untouched.

In addition to his 59th minute line break that led to Jett Forbes third try, Tanu Nona also broke the Ipswich SHS line in the 22nd minute when Tanu Nona burst out of dummy half to his left bursting through the line and making fifty metres downfield but unfortunately his off-load could not find friendly hands.

It was clear that Tanu Nona was in for a good match as early as the 8th minute, when a dart out of dummy half caught the Ipswich SHS defence napping with Tanu Nona making good ground and then he was awarded a penalty when he was hit in a high tackle.

Tanu Nona also started at hooker in Round Two against St Mary’s College Toowoomba and scored his career first Langer Cup try when in the 29th minute he ran out of dummy half to his left from twenty metres out but as he approached the defensive line Tanu Nona cut back to his right to dive over next to the right upright.

Tanu Nona was immediately in the match, making the first tackle after PBC kicked off in conjunction with Jack Cullen and took his first run out of dummy half in the 4th minute when he darted out of dummy half to his left, making eight metres.

Tanu Nona continued at hooker in Round Three against Coombabah State High School and was also named at hooker for Round Four against Marsden State High School however he ended up starting the match from the bench and played a sunning forward role when he was on the field.

Tanu Nona also started from the bench in the much anticipated Round Five local derby against Keebra Park State High School and also was named to start from the bench in Round Six against Mabel Park State high School but he came into the starting side at hooker just prior to the match.

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The 2021 season to date for Titans contracted Oskar Bryant:

In January 2021 Oskar Bryant started from the bench for the Titans U19 side in their annual match at Coffs Harbour against the Newcastle Knights coming on to play in the dummy half role and as usual Oskar Bryant brought a spark off the bench with his speed out of dummy half and overall enthusiasm.

In the second half Oskar Bryant was heavily involved in a number of Titans tries including when he darted out of dummy half to his left down a short blind side and put Titans left centre Tony Francis into a gap, with the powerful centre subsequently scoring in the left corner.

Oskar Bryant was at it again in the second half when he darted out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball and was then able to draw a defender a pass to his right to Sam McIntyre who was able to barge his way over for his first try in a Titans jersey.

Oskar Bryant has another string to his bow when at dummy half and that is on relation to kicking out of that position. In the 25th minute of the second half, on his own forty five metre line, Oskar Bryant stepped up of dummy half to the right of the play the ball, and off one step produced a strong well directed right foot kick to the Knights left corner. Oskar Bryant got impressive distance on the kick with the ball pulling up within metres of the Knights line and the Titans right side defence making the tackle on the Knights winger eight metres out from the line.

A week after the match against the Newcastle Knights Oskar Bryant once again lined up for the Titans U19’s as they took on a Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts squad at Burleigh Juniors, coming off the bench and scoring with the Titans winning once again, this time 32 – 20 in a match that saw no conversions attempted.

Oskar Bryant got into the action almost immediately into the match. From dummy half, Oskar Bryant moved to his right and kicked for the right corner from right on the halfway mark. The kick was ideal, forcing the Burleigh fullback to go back into his in-goal. As he was trying to bring the ball back into the field of play, he was hit by Kaleb Ngamanu with the contact forcing the ball loose for Reef Sommerville to simply put his hand on the ball to be awarded a try.

Later in the first half Oskar Bryant once again kicked out of dummy half, after moving to his right, in the right corner, with the Burleigh kick retriever tackled inside his own ten metre line. Oskar Bryant made it three kicks from dummy half into the right corner in the 35th minute with Burleigh trapped inside their own twenty as a result of Oskar Bryant’s kick.

Oskar Bryant’s try came late in the 37th minute of the first half when after passing out of dummy half to his right, he backed up front rower Isaac Matalavea-Booth who was able to get a right armed offload to his left to Oskar Bryant who received the ball ten metres out. Oskar Bryant took off towards the line beating the Burleigh fullback (No. 2 at the time) with a right foot step to dive over next to the left upright.

As usual Oskar Bryant also ran judicially out of dummy half in his two stints on the field in the match, including a smart run out of dummy half in the 30th minute of the first half when he ran to his right with his twelve metre run on the 5th tackle including a 360 degree spin to beat two defenders.

In early May 2021 a Titans U19 side travelled to North Queensland to play an U19 Cowboys selection in a curtain raiser to a Cowboys v Broncos NRL match with Oskar Bryant starting the match on the bench for the Titans.

In November 2020 Oskar Bryant was named in the powerful Tweed Heads Seagulls 2021 MM Cup squad.

In the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side’s second trial against Burleigh, Oskar Bryant started the second half at hooker and was his usual dynamic self when running out of dummy half.

One of Oskar Bryant’s darts out of dummy half directly led to a Josh Lynn try. Oskar Bryant ran out of dummy half to the right around eleven metres out from the line, drawing the Burleigh B defender before offloading to fullback Jaylan De Groot who then threw a quick short pass to his right to put Josh Lynn over.

Oskar Bryant also started at hooker in Tweed Heads final 2021 MM Cup final against the Souths Logan Magpies at Logan.

In Round One of the 2021 MM Cup competition, Oskar Bryant started at hooker against the Ipswich Jets and scored a key try in the 61st minute of the match that put Tweed Heads back in front by two points, a lead that they kept for the remainder of the match.

Oskar Bryant moved into dummy half with the play the ball twenty metres out from the Ipswich line. As soon as the ball was played Oskar Bryant shot out of dummy half to the right down a short blind side before cutting back behind the play the ball to find open space. Oskar Bryant then used his speed to veer to the right and dive over to score mid-way between the goal post and corner post on the left side of the field.

In the 68th minute of the match with the clock ticking down Oskar Bryant showed what a talented game manager he is when he kicked out of dummy half forty metres out from his own line. Oskar Bryant took one step out of dummy half to the right of the play the bell with his right foot kick travelling in excess of fifty metres into the right corner, Oskar Bryant was then the first Seagulls defender down field to make the tackle on the Jets fullback.

Oskar Bryant also started at hooker in Round Two against the Souths Logan Magpies, making the first tackle of the match when he confronted Souths Logan front rower Herman Tofaeono who charged into the Tweed Heads defensive line.

Oskar Bryant showed his desperation in defence in the 55th minute when he along with Ryan Foran both got underneath the Souths Logan hooker to hold him up over the line after he had tried to sneak over from dummy half to the right of the play the ball.

Oskar Bryant once again started at hooker in the Round Three Gold Coast derby against the Burleigh Bears making his presence felt in just the 4th minute of the match with a strong front on tackle directly in front of his own goal posts on Burleigh front rower Brody Smitka.

Oskar Bryant started his match with a strong tackle and finished it the same way in the 65th minute with a driving tackle on Burleigh five eight Travis May which forced him back four metres.

Oscar Bryant showcased his kicking skills out of dummy half in the 10th minute of the match when he stepped to the right of the play the ball kicking downfield from inside the forty and it was almost a perfect 40/20 with the Burleigh fullback just preventing the ball from going into touch.

Oskar Bryant was also named to start at hooker for Round Four match against the Ipswich Jets and in Round Five against the Ipswich Jets.

After being rested for Round Six against Burleigh Oskar Bryant was back for the 2021 MM Cup semi-final against Wynnum Manly and made his first telling run out of dummy half in the 21st minute when he darted out of dummy half to his right to make fifteen metres and get to within twenty metres of the try line.’

Oskar Bryant produced a smart piece of play in the 65th minute when he was defending at marker. Wynnum Manly tried a play to the right of the play the ball with the halfback running onto the ball before passing back inside to the dummy half, Oskar Bryant was having none of it however and stepped forward to take the intercept.

Oskar Bryant also started at hooker in the 2021 MM Cup Grand Final as the Seagulls won back to back MM Cup Championships by defeating the Townsville Blackhawks in Townsville 30 – 24 with Oskar Bryant contributing a first half try assist to the victory.

In the 17th minute, Oskar Bryant took off out of dummy half to his right on the halfway mark, slicing through the middle of the Blackhawks defence after veering back towards the area behind the play the ball. After he was through the line, Oskar Bryant drew the fullback before passing to his right to Jaylan De Groot who raced away to score under the posts.

Tweed Heads were under pressure early and in the 6th minute, Oskar Bryant along with Jaylan De Groot and Thomas Weaver were able to stem the flow by holding of a rampaging Townsville front rower (No. 8) to stop the Blackhawks from scoring twice in the opening minutes.

Oskar Bryant pulled off another try saving tackle in the 59th minute when he was able to hold up the Townsville replacement dummy half next to the right uprights.

Oskar Bryant’s first run out of dummy half with the Grand Final came in the 8th minute when he ran out of dummy half to his left making thirteen metres to get within thirteen metres of the try line.

In mid-February 2021 Oskar Bryant was named at hooker in the school boy Oceanic Opens side for the South Coast school boy QSSRL U18 trial against Broadwater. Following the final round of trials, Oskar Bryant was named on the bench for the 2021 South Coast U18 school boy QSSRL squad.

Oskar Bryant came off the bench on Day One of the Championships as South Coast defeated Met North with his first run out of dummy half coming in the 24th minute when he darted out of dummy half to his right.

Oskar Bryant started at hooker for South Coast on Day Three against Capricornia making his initial run out of dummy half in just the second minute down a short left blindside making twenty two metres before being tackled just nine metres from the line.

Oskar Bryant started the Championship Final against Met North from the bench but came into the match late in the first half.

At the completion of the Championships, Oscar Bryant was named in the bench in the 2021 QSSRL U18 School Boy Merit Team.

2021 also saw Oskar Bryant line up once again for PBC State High School in the South East Queensland School Boy Langer Cup competition with his first appearance in the Langer Cup coming when he started at hooker in Round Four against Marsden State High School.

In the match Oskar Bryant showed no signs of rust almost scoring in 7th minute when after throwing a big dummy to his left, Oskar Bryant charged towards the line from twelve metres out to get within a metre of the line before the Marsden SHS defence brought him down.

Oskar Bryant recorded a try assist in the 48th minute when Ryan Foran ran an underneath route down a short left blindside from four metres out after Oskar Bryant had darted to his left out of dummy half and got the ball inside to Ryan Foran who crashed over.

Oskar Bryant showcased his diverse skill set in the 12th minute with a great right foot kick out of dummy half from thirty eight metres from his own line, with the ball bouncing into the in-goal with the Marsden left winger only able to get the ball a metre out from his own line before being tackled by Michael Roberts.

Oskar Bryant continued at hooker centre in the much anticipated Round Five local derby against Keebra Park State High School and came close to scoring in the 9th minute when after a dart from dummy half Oskar Bryant was held up over the line.

Oskar Bryant was named to continue at hooker in Round Six against Mabel Park State High School, however he in fact started the match at halfback and recorded a try assist for PBC’s opening try of the match.

In the 23rd minute, Oskar Bryant received to the ball to the left of the play the ball around twenty metres from the line and immediately ran a diagonal route at the defensive line and was able to draw in a Mable Park defender and then threw a good short ball to his left to a charging Reef Sommerville who ran through a gap to score seven metres in from the left corner post.

The in the second half, Oskar Bryant showed that his defensive technique that he has honed whilst at hooker, is not wasted at halfback when near the halfway mark one of the giant Mabel Park SHS forwards tried to run over him. Oskar Bryant drove into him with his right shoulder driving him backwards and then hard into the ground.

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The 2021 season to date for Delahia Wigmore:

In late October 2020, Delahia Wigmore was named in the 2021 Burleigh MM Cup squad and came off the bench in their first 2021 MM Cup trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls. Delahia Wigmore moved in the starting side at left second row for Burleigh’s second trial against the Easts Tigers at Langland’s Park.

Delahia Wigmore had a very impressive trial against the Easts Tigers building into the match in the opening minutes with a great right arm offload to Caleb Gould-Waiariki. Delahia Wigmore made a strong fifteen metre run in the 40th minute when he ran off a Jye Gray pass on the left side of the field, breaking three tackles one of which was as a result of Delahia Wigmore spinning counter clockwise to break the tackle and gain more ground after his separation from the defender.

From a defensive standpoint in the 34th minute, Delahia Wigmore was on hand and accompanied by Ezra Ubaldino to force the Easts Tigers fullback over the dead ball line to force a goal line drop out to keep Burleigh on the attack.

In Round One of the 2021 MM Cup competition, Delahia Wigmore started at left centre against the Souths Logan Magpies after playing the 2021 trials at left second row. Delahia Wigmore was one of Burleigh’s try scorers in their 38 – 28 first up trial victory.

Delahia Wigmore’s try came in the 25th minute when he backed up on the inside of a long break down the left touchline by Jeremaiah Temapo which started on the halfway. Jeremaiah Temapo drew the fullback before passing to his right to Delahia Wigmore who ran twenty metres to score.

In the 6th minute of the first half, Delahia Wigmore was able to showcase his speed when he made a line break down the left touchline from inside his own territory before passing inside to his right to Jye Gray who then kicked ahead.

In the 22nd minute of the first half, Delahia Wigmore’s pace was once again to the fore when he received an off-load from front rower C****n Patu and burst down the left fourteen metres, dragging three defenders with him.

In the 55th minute, Delahia Wigmore showed that he is far more than just an attacking threat when he came out of the line to smash Souths Logan five eight Ezra Mam and as a result of Delahia Wigmore’s initial contact, the ball came loose.

Delahia Wigmore was named to start at left centre in Round Two against the Ipswich Jets but after a late team change in fact started the match at left second row.

The match get tense and physical in the middle of the first half and Delahia Wigmore is in the thick of it all, including a powerful tackle break down the left side of the left in the 10th minute, with Delahia Wigmore’s run accounting for fifteen metres to bring Burleigh into the Ipswich Jets twenty metre area.

In the 13th minute Delahia Wigmore made a line break after receiving an offload from Brody Smitka with Delahia Wigmore bursting down field before offloading to his left with the movement making forty five metres.

Delahia Wigmore’s match was not just all about his effectiveness running the ball, he was also impressive defensively including a heavy front on hit in the 58th minute on the Ipswich No. 16 around the halfway which rocked the head back of his much bigger opponent. Delahia Wigmore then rounded out his match with a winding run that accounted for fourteen metres to get the ball out to around the halfway mark.

Delahia Wigmore once again started at left second row in the Round Three Gold Coast derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls with his first major contribution of the match coming in the 9th minute with a strong run of fourteen metres out of his own twenty metre area. As soon as he was taken to ground Delahia Wigmore fought to get to his feet quickly and was awarded a penalty when he was prevented from doing so.

Delahia Wigmore added a try assist to his solid first half when in the 33rd minute he ran to the left off the dummy half before bouncing out of a tackle to move to the left once again and throwing the final pass for Hunter Plogsma to score wide out.

The halftime break did not slow Delahia Wigmore down with the left second rower once again charging onto the ball in the 29th minute and he was able to get his arm free to offload to his left for Burleigh to continue to progress the ball upfield.

In total against the Tweed Heads Seagulls from left second row, Delahia Wigmore made an impressive 183 metres running with the ball.

Delahia Wigmore was also named to start at left second row for the pivotal Round Four match against the Souths Logan Magpies.

Delahia Wigmore was also named to start in the second row in Round Five against the Ipswich Jets however ended up starting the match at left centre.

It was a bit of a strange match for Delahia Wigmore as the ball just did not get out to his side of the field very often but he showed some touches of class when it did including in the 36th minute, when he engaged the defensive line and threw a good out of the back of his left arm off-load to Tuvalli Khan-Pereira who had loomed up in his left.

Then in the 43rd minute, Delahia Wigmore had the opportunity to run out of dummy half to his right, breaking three tackles and then producing a great off-load to his left once again to Tuvalli Khan-Pereira to get inside the Jets forty metre area.

The Ipswich defence could not stop Delahia Wigmore offloading in the second half and in the 50th once again he was able to off-load to his left, this time to Jeremaiah Tamepo.

Round Six being the final regular season round of the 2021 MM Cup competition saw Delahia Wigmore once again named to line up at left centre in the local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls however he ultimately started at lock and took his first hit-up of the match in the 5th minute when he ran to the right of the play the ball to get within three metres of the try line before his forward progress was halted.

In February 2021 Delahia Wigmore took part in the South Coast Open school boy trials and was named in the second row in the South Coast Maroon Open school boy side as a result of his trial performances.

Delahia Wigmore started at left second row on Day One of the Championships producing a number of strong runs including in the 22nd minute when he made twelve metres from a penalty restart and the 51st minute, Delahia Wigmore flew out of the line to smash an opposing forward in one of the best tackles of Day One.

Delahia Wigmore also started at left second row on Day Two as South Coast Maroon took on Met North, scoring in the 25th minute when he ran onto a good short ball from Connor Te Kani five metres out to get across the line.

His try was not the only impressive piece of play that Delahia Wigmore produced in the Day Two match. In the 17th minute Delahia Wigmore broke four tackles over the course of running sixteen metres after cutting back towards the centre of the field and in the 54th minute, Delahia Wigmore produced a try saving tackle from marker as the Met North hooker attempted to sneak across from less than a metre out.

The Day Four fifth place play-off match against Met East saw Delahia Wigmore also start at left second row and he recorded an early match line break when he ran a good line to be put into a gap by Connor Te Kani. Once through the gap Delahia Wigmore was able to off-load to his left winger who subsequently crossing out wide.

Delahia Wigmore made his second 2021 South Coast school boy representative side when he was named in the South Coast Open school boy rugby squad in early March 2021 after being named in the South Coast Open B school boy rugby league squad a month earlier.

Round One of the 2021 Langer Cup School Boy Rugby League competition saw Delahia Wigmore named on the bench for Keebra Park against Marsden State High School.

Delahia Wigmore moved into the starting side at left second row in Round Two against Mabel Park State High School and was one of Keebra Park’s try scorers in their 30 – 14 victory with the first of his two tries coming in the 21st minute when he charged onto the ball, not deviating at all to charge over from eighteen metres out.

Delahia Wigmore’s second try came in the 36th minute when he was on the end of a Keebra Park movement to the left side of the field with Delahia Wigmore receiving the ball eight metres out and forcing his way over the line two metres in from the left corner.

In the 32nd minute, Delahia Wigmore broke the defensive line down the left channel before off-loading to his left to Jeremaiah Tamepo who as able to make a further ten metres.

Delahia Wigmore continued at left second row in Round Four against St Mary’s College Toowoomba and scored in the 21st minute when he charged over from ten metres out off a Connor Te Kani pass.

The Round Five local derby against PBC saw Delahia Wigmore continue at left second row and score in the 38th minute when Keebra Park front rower 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.

[mdrew]

The 2021 season to date for Cameron Brown:

Cameron Brown made his first 2021 appearance when he started at halfback for the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side in their trial against the Easts Tigers that ended in a twenty all draw with Cameron Brown scoring a 90 metres intercept try in the second half as well as being heavily involved in multiple other positive plays for the Bears.

Cameron Brown also produced some smart pieces of play in the match, including in the 24th minute when he smartly blacked an attacking grubber kick with his left foot, picking the ball up and making a couple of additional metres to ease the pressure on his team.

Cameron Brown was at it again in the 33rd minute of the first half when he tracked back to retrieve an Easts chip kick, after retrieving the ball Cameron Brown burst through the fractured Easts defensive line running sixty metres before looking to offload to his left to his fullback, but unfortunately the ball went to ground.

In the early minutes of the second half, Cameron Brown who operated on the left side of the field in the match showed that he is not adverse to taking the line on, when he dummied to his left then stepping off his right foot to beat one defender before being collared, Cameron Brown however was able to get his arms free to offload to keep the play going.

The following week in the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls, Cameron Brown was once again in the starting side at halfback. Cameron Brown showcased his elite kicking skills in just the 2nd minute of the match when he put a right footed stab kick into the Tweed Heads in-goal forcing a line drop out.

Cameron Brown added a try assist to his impressive performance in the 45th minute when a long cut out pass to his right put Kalani Skipps into space down the left touchline and from there the winger was able to dive over in the corner.

Cameron Brown just could not be kept out of the match and that continued in the 54th minute when he intercepted an errant pass four metres out from his own line, racing sixty seven metres down the left touchline before being dragged into touch.

Cameron Brown added a second try assist in the match when in the 57th minute, Cameron Brown chipped over the Tweed Heads defensive line forty metres out, regathering the ball and sending a pass to his left to trailing second rower Sam McIntyre who ran twenty metres to dive over untouched.

Round One of the 2021 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition saw Cameron Brown start at halfback and captain for the Burleigh Bears when they took on the Easts Tigers with Cameron Brown scoring the Bears opening round victory. When you add in his five conversions, Cameron Brown finished the match with a fourteen point individual haul and that does not include his try assists.

Cameron Brown’s 67th minute try was certainly one for the ages and is an early contender for try of the year. After retrieving a lost Tigers ball Jayden Sharp offloaded to Cameron Brown forty metres out from the line. When he received the ball Cameron Brown darted to his left beating one defender before producing a right arm flick pass to Lofi Khan-Pereira.

After Lofi Khan-Pereira broke one tackle he passed the ball back to Cameron Brown who was still ten metres away from the line. Cameron Brown stepped off his left to allow two cover defenders to flew past him before putting his head down and going flat out towards the line and diving over seven metres in from the left corner.

Cameron Brown recorded a try assist in just the 6th minute of the match. Operating on the left, Cameron Brown took the ball to the line on the 5th tackle, getting to ten metres out before putting in a right foot stab kick to his left. The kick was ideally weighted, pulling up perfectly in the in-goal for left second rower Sam McIntyre to dive on the ball to score Burleigh’s first try of the 2021 Colts season.

Cameron Brown added another try assist in the 14th minute he threw a cut out pass to his left ten metres from the try line, putting the ball onto the chest of Lofi Khan-Pereira’ who then flew down the left wing to dive over in the left corner.

Cameron Brown added a line break assist in the 44th minute when he took the ball to the line and threw a fifteen metre cut-out pass to his left to hit Lofi Khan-Pereira away down the left touchline.

A further line break assist came in the 56th minute when once again Cameron Brown took the ball right to the line before firing a hard flat cut-out pass to Lofi Khan-Pereira who after running forty metres down the left touchline passed to Zane Prophert who scored in the left corner. Cameron Brown then converted the try from the left touchline.

Cameron Brown was also involved in Will Evans 50th minute try. Cameron Brown had the ball midfield ten metres out and in front of the posts. After he stopped room on the right Cameron Brown threw a long cut-out pass in that direction, but the pass fell short with Tony Francis knocking the ball with his foot into the path of Will Evans who picked the ball up and ran ten metres to score near the right corner.

In addition to his great kick for Sam McIntyre’s 6th minute try, Cameron Brown produced another good kick in the 14th minute, this time a spiralling mid-field bomb that could not be handled by the Easts fullback. Cameron Brown had chased his own kick, to retrieve the ball after Easts had dropped it and beat two defenders to get to twenty metres out from the try line.

Cameron Brown produced a heads up play to take all of the pressure of the Burleigh line in the 66th minute when he darted through to dive on a loose Tigers pass just out from his own line just after Easts had received a six again call.

Cameron Brown also started at halfback and captain in the Round Two local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls with Cameron Brown kicking four conversions from as many attempts as well as a try assist in the Bears 32 – 24 loss.

Cameron Brown’s try assist came on the last play of the match when he ran to his right and put his five eight into a gaping hole fifteen metres out with the try coming next to the right upright.

Cameron Brown also recorded a line break assist, when in the 30th minute a catch and pass under pressure to his right saw the Burleigh burst through a gaping hole in the Seagulls defensive line.

Cameron Brown also saved a try when late in the first half he along with Isaac Matalavea-Booth held Seagulls replacement hooker Jed Edwards up over the line after he had run from dummy half from ten metres out looking to score under the posts.

Cameron Brown also started at halfback in Round Three against the Western Mustangs, finishing the match with an individual points haul of twenty two from two tries and seven conversions from ten attempts.

Cameron Brown’s opening try came in the 7th minute, when he backed up a Lofi Khan-Pereira break of thirty metres down the left touchline and drew the Western Mustangs fullback and passed inside to his right to Cameron Brown who scored ten metres in from the left corner post, stumbling most of the way. It as in fact Cameron Brown that threw the cut-out pass that put Lofi Khan-Pereira away down the left touchline line to get the try scoring move under way.

Cameron Brown completed his double in the 27th minute when he backed up through the centre of the ruck and was on hand to retrieve a Will Evans inside kick on the bounce to run twenty metres untouched to score.

In addition to his two tries, Cameron Brown also recorded multiple try assists with the first coming in the 10th minute. Burleigh hooker Cole Geyer broke through the Western Mustangs defensive line near the halfway mark before offloading to his left to Cameron Brown who then offloaded also to his left to Same McIntyre who cut off his left foot immediately upon receipt of the ball to run over the Mustangs fullback to score.

Cameron Brown recorded a further try assist in the 13th minute when he put up a right foot bomb that came down five metres out and the same distance from the right goal post. The bomb was dropped by the Mustangs fullback with Blake Campbell on hand to collect the ball and dive over.

Cameron Brown recorded another try assist in the 19th minute, when he saw the Mustangs fullback was out of position and even though he was just five metres out from his own line, kicked long downfield aiming towards the left wing. After the ball had bounced three times, left winger Lofi khan-Pereira flew through the retrieve the ball at full speed just in front of the Western Mustangs fullback and race away to dive over under the posts.

Cameron Brown’s fourth and final try assist of the match came in the 60th minute when after receiving the ball three passes off the play the ball, Cameron Brown put in a right foot stab kick to the left corner and even though it took a wicked high bounce, Lofi Khan-Pereira was able to take the ball above his head and get it down in the left corner.

Cameron Brown continued at halfback in Round Four against the Norths Devils, kicking three conversions from four attempts as the Bears succumbed to the Devils 34 - 22.

Cameron Brown also started at halfback in Round Five against the Ipswich Jets finishing the match with an individual points haul of twenty two points from two tries and seven conversions from ten attempts.

Cameron Brown also started at halfback in Round Six against the Townsville Blackhawks, once again being one of the Bears best and contributing two tries and two conversions to Burleigh’s victory.

Both of Cameron Brown’s tries were long range intercept efforts, the first of which came in the 28th minute, with Cameron Brown taking the intercept when defending on the left and running ninety metres to score. Cameron Brown’s second intercept try of the match was a seventy metre effort in the 71st minute which gave Burleigh back the lead after Townsville had hit the front just minutes earlier.

Cameron Brown’s kicking game was on song in the match with the first of a number of good kicks coming in the 16th minute when from dummy half Cameron Brown grubber kicked towards the posts from the left side of the field with Townsville forced to take the ball dead in-goal.

The Blackhawks had to take another Cameron Brown kick dead in-goal in the 26th minute after he had grubber kicked into the in-goal once again.

Cameron Brown continued at halfback and captain in Round Seven against the Central Queensland Capra’s, kicking six conversions from eight attempts in Burleigh’s big victory.

Cameron Brown also recorded a 76th minute try assist when he chased through a Tyler Mahon midfield bomb, getting a great bounce when it bounced back to him. Cameron Brown immediately, from thirty five metres out, kicked towards the right corner with the kick perfectly weighted for Kalani Skipps to score in the right corner.

Cameron Brown was also involved in Burleigh’s 53rd minute try when he chipped to the left wing for Lofi Khan-Pereira who took possession and off-loading inside with Jakob Hall scoring under the posts later in the movement.

Cameron Brown continued at halfback in Round Eight against the Redcliffe Dolphins, kicking three conversions from four attempts in the Bears tough two point last minute loss.

Cameron Brown also started at halfback in Round Nine against the Mackay Cutters kicking a conversion in Burleigh’s loss and in Round Eleven against the Tweed Heads Seagulls, Cameron Brown also started at halfback and kicked three goals from four attempts in Burleigh’s 38 – 22 loss.

Cameron Brown also started at halfback in the previously postponed Round Ten match against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls kicking one conversion from one attempt when he converted TJ Devery’s 33rd minute try from directly in front.

Cameron Brown also started at halfback and captain in Round Twelve against the Souths Logan Magpies.

[mdrew]

The 2021 season to date for James Torrens:

James Torrens is a big strong barrel chested northern New South Wales junior who started from the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Round Three of the 2021 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition against the Redcliffe Dolphins.

James Torrens also started from the bench in Round Four against the Ipswich Jets and scored in the second half as the Seagulls defeated Ipswich 24 - 12.

James Torrens moved to right centre for Round Five against the Northern Pride and also played at right centre in Round Six against the Easts Tigers and he was one of the Seagulls try scorers in their 30 – 18 victory. James Torrens also started at right centre in Round Seven against the Norths Devils, once again scoring in the Seagulls big victory.

James Torrens moved back to left centre for Round Eight against the Mackay Cutters and also started there in Round Nine against Wynnum Manly and was one of the Seagulls try scorers in their loss. James Torrens scored in the 8th minute when from twelve metres out, James Torrens got on the outside of his direct opponent only to be brought down two metres short of the line, but he was able to reach out as he was being flipped onto his back to get the down with his right arm three metres in from the left corner post.

James Torrens continued at left centre in the Round Eleven local derby against the Burleigh Bears with James Torrens scoring a double and kicking four conversions in the Seagulls 38 – 22 victory with his tries coming in the 34th and 37th minutes.

In the 34th minute James Torrens received the ball eight metres from the line and initially shaped to pass to his left before running the ball himself to get the ball down near the left corner. Then in the 37th minute James Torrens was the beneficiary of some great initial work from Jack Cullen who produced a great one arm off-load for Tweed Heads to break the ball before James Torrens backed up to score an easy try.

James Torrens also started at left centre in the previously postponed Round Eleven match against the Sunshine Coast Falcons with James Torrens scoring in the 10th minute and also kicked four conversions in the Seagulls big win.

[mdrew]

The 2021 season to date for Titans contracted Ezra Ubaldino:

Ezra Ubaldino’s first 2021 hit-out was for the Titans U19 squad that in late January played against a Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts squad with the Titans winning 32 – 20 in a match where no conversions were attempted.

Ezra Ubaldino started the match from the bench, coming on at half time to play the entire second half on the right side of the field, being his usual aggressive self in his time on the field. Ezra Ubaldino had some very good moments in the match with none being more important when he produced a second half try saving tackle. Ezra Ubaldino used his strength to literally get hold of the Burleigh player just as he was diving over. Ezra Ubaldino did not just hold the Burleigh attacker up but then lifted him further off the ground and drove him and back and into the ground in an outstanding display of exceptional strength.

Ezra Ubaldino was immediately in the action, coming up with a heavy tackle in the first tackle after the Titans kicked off to start the second half.

Ezra Ubaldino’s first hit-out with the 2021 Burleigh Bears MM Cup side came when he started at left centre in the Bears second trial against the Easts Tigers with Burleigh prevailing 20 – 12 in a match where no conversions were taken.

Ezra Ubaldino was not given much room by the Easts Tigers defence in attack but he found some space in the 52nd minute, making a half break. Ezra Ubaldino immediately tried to get to his feet when the tackle as completed but won a penalty for Burleigh when he was not allowed to get to his feet. Burleigh scored from the resultant set of six tackles.

From a defensive standpoint in the 34th minute, Ezra Ubaldino was on hand accompanied by Delahia Wigmore to force the Easts Tigers fullback over the dead ball line as force a goal line drop out. Ezra Ubaldino produced another strong tackle in the 63rd minute of the match when he and Seth Nikotemo combined to smash the Easts second rower who had tried to run the ball off the back of an Easts Tigers scrum win. The contact forced the ball lose for a Titans scrum feed with Syris Schmidt scoring from the resultant set of six tackles.

After missing a number of weeks, Ezra Ubaldino was named on the Bears extended bench for Round Five against the Ipswich Jets however started the match at left second row.

In the 13th minute, Ezra Ubaldino showed what he can do when he receives the ball with room to move making thirteen metres, and then as he was trying to get to his feet quickly Ezra Ubaldino was held down for too long to receive a penalty. Ezra Ubaldino produced another strong run from the third hit-up from the tape restart from the penalty that he had previously been awarded.

Round Six being the final regular season round of the 2021 MM Cup competition saw Ezra Ubaldino once again line up at left second row in the local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls and was the Bears first try scorer in their last minute 34 – 30 victory.

Ezra Ubaldino’s try came in the 14th minute when he ran at a gap on the left side of the field from ten metres out and was presented with a perfectly timed pass from his right to put him through the gap by Syris Schmidt with Ezra Ubaldino then running to the line untouched to score ten metres in from the left corner post.

Ezra Ubaldino was his usual aggressive self in the match, including in defence in the 64th minute when Ezra Ubaldino raced up and smashed one of the Tweed Heads front rowers with Ezra Ubaldino’s initial contact jarring the ball loose.

Impressively Ezra Ubaldino started on the Burleigh interchange bench for the Bears Hastings Deering’s Colts Round Four match against the Norths Devils.

Ezra Ubaldino was also named to start from the bench in Round Five against the Ipswich Jets however he was a late scratching from the match.

Ezra Ubaldino was once again on the bench in Round Six against the Townsville Blackhawks, playing left second row when he came onto the field, running the ball well, including in the 71st minute with an effort that earned ten metres.

2021 also saw Ezra Ubaldino line up once again for Burleigh in the Gold Coast Rugby League U18 Division One competition with one of his first appearances set to come in Round Ten against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks when he due to start at left centre however Mudgeeraba ended up forfeiting the match. The Ezra Ubaldino came off the bench against the Nerang Roosters.

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The 2021 season to date for Jed Edwards:

Round One of the 2021 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition saw Jed Edwards start from the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls when they took on the Souths Logan Magpies.

Jed Edwards come on towards the end of the first half, moving into the dummy half role and in the 34th minute produced a trademark dart to his left out of dummy half taking the ball nine metres to near the halfway before offloading to his left to enable the Seagulls to get into Magpies territory.

Jed Edwards recorded a line break assist in the 54th minute when he ran out of dummy half to his left and was able to draw in the defence before sending a cut-out pass to his left to put Brenton Daley-Holten down the left touchline.

Jed Edwards made multiple contributions over the course of the match including a great front on low tackle in the 64th minute on a charging Souths Logan front rower after coming out of the marker position.

Jed Edwards also started from the bench in Round Two in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears coming on late in the first half playing in the dummy half role and made a line break in the 35th minute when he backed up to receive an offload from Juwan Compain and race twenty five metres downfield.

In the 34th minute to was Jed Edwards defence that came to the fore when he made a great low tackle on Burleigh’s Samuel Shannon, cutting the big forward down on the spot.

In the 37th minute, Jed Edwards also scored when he darted out of dummy half to his right from ten metres out with the Burleigh defence backpeddling but was held up over the line, directly under the posts.

Jed Edwards also showed that he can kick out of dummy half when in the 42nd minute he stepped out of dummy half to his right and put in a fifty five metre kick and then followed his own kick downfield to make the tackle on Lofi Khan-Pereira who was bring the ball back.

Jed Edwards kicked out of dummy half once again in the 43rd minute and like his first half kick, it was a quality one. Jed Edwards kicked out of dummy half from sixty metres out with Burleigh fullback Will Evans getting to the ball on his own try line in the corner. As soon as he picked up the ball, Jed Edwards along with Troy Duckett were able to force him over the touchline to put Tweed Heads immediately back on the attack.

Then in the 63rd minute, Jed Edwards along with Charlie Murray smashed Burleigh’s Ronin Rio front on with the ball coming loose less than ten metres from Burleigh’s own line. Just two minutes later in the 65th Jed Edwards made another big tackle, this time on Blake Campbell with the contact knocking the ball loose just fifteen metres out from the line.

Jed Edwards also started on the bench in Round Three against the Redcliffe Dolphins and scored a second half double in the Seagulls loss.

Jed Edwards moved into the Seagulls starting side at hooker in Round Four against the Ipswich Jets but was back starting from the bench for Round Five against the Northern Pride.

Jed Edwards also started at hooker in Round Seven against the Norths Devils and after missing a number of rounds also started at hooker in the Round Eleven local derby against the Burleigh Bears with Jed Edwards scoring in the 22nd minute of the Seagulls victory when he ran out of dummy half to his right from five metres out beating three defenders to get the ball down midway between the goal posts and corner post on the right side of the field.

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The 2021 season to date for Daniel Shannon:

Daniel Shannon was deservedly named to make his Queensland Cup debut for the Burleigh Bears in Round Twelve against the Easts Tigers however he ended up being the 18th man.

In early March 2021 Daniel Shannon started in the front row Burleigh in their Hastings Deering’s Colts trial also against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

To say that Daniel Shannon started the match off like a whirlwind would be an understatement and it all started when he charged onto the ball returning the kick off with a charge that proved that Daniel Shannon does not even consider self-preservation. To add to his impressive opening minute, Daniel Shannon then backed up to take the fifth hit-up in the same set of six, with that hit-up equally as strong as the one from the kick-off.

It was not just running with the ball where Daniel Shannon stood out in the match, his defence was also first rate including a heavy tackle in the 19th minute that forced the ball loose as Tweed Heads were trying to bring the ball out of their own area.

Immediately when he came back onto the field in the second half Daniel Shannon made his presence felt with a strong eleven metre run in the 49th minute and then in the 51st minute Daniel Shannon charged onto the ball from a penalty restart twenty metres out from the line getting to within six metres of the Tweed Heads line before getting a great right arm off-load away to Lachie Adamson six metres out and the hooker was able to dive over after the majority of the Seagulls defenders focussed their attention on Daniel Shannon.

In the 59th minute Daniel Shannon produced yet another big run, this time from the kick-off after team mate Sam McIntyre’s try, and after contact Daniel Shannon was able to off-load to Jacob Hall as Burleigh brought the ball off their own line.

Round One of the 2021 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition saw Daniel Shannon start in the front row for the Burleigh Bears when they took on the Easts Tigers with Daniel Shannon taking the second hi-up of the match into a flying Easts Tigers defensive line. Daniel Shannon then backed up to take the 5th hit-up in the same set of six.

Daniel Shannon then made more ground for Burleigh in the 10th minute when from the second hit-up from the Easts kick-off after Sam McIntyre scored, he made twelve more metres to get the ball out to the twenty metre mark.

In his second stint on the field in the second half Daniel Shannon started where he left off from his first shift when in the 57th minute he took the first and third hit-ups from the kick-off after Zane Prophert’s try.

Daniel Shannon more metres to his tally in the 66th minute when he made twelve metres getting the ball into Easts Tigers territory and he was still going strong in the 75th minute with another run out of his own twenty metre area.

Daniel Shannon took the ball up all day long, but he was also good defensively in the match, including a belting tackle over the top in the third minute of the match that bent the Easts front rower (No. 10) on himself.

Daniel Shannon also started in the front row in the Round Two local derby against the Tweed heads Seagulls and continued to work hard in the centre of the field including in the 18th minute when he worked work to make thirteen metres downfield to get the ball more than thirty metres away from his own try line.

In the 56th minute Daniel Shannon made a strong run of fifteen metres from the kick-off return after a Burleigh try getting the ball out of his own twenty metre area and then made another ten metres from the 3rd hit-up in the same set of six.

Daniel Shannon also started in the front row in Round Three against the Western Mustangs and in Round Four against the Norths Devils.

Daniel Shannon also started in the front row in Round Five against the Ipswich Jets as well as in Round Six against the Townsville Blackhawks a match that saw him held up over the line, under the goal posts in the 26th minute. Daniel Shannon then charged back into the fray just minutes later from a Blackhawks goal line drop out. Even with the match won, Daniel Shannon was still running as hard as he did at the start of the match, making fourteen in the 76th minute to get the ball into the Townsville twenty metre area.

Daniel Shannon also started in the front row in Round Seven against the Central Queensland Capra’s, in Round Nine against the Mackay Cutters and Round Eleven against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.