Junior Development

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The Marsden SHS rugby league program in 2021 had an outstanding cohort of hookers in their program including Tyree Bowman and Tipessa Lee who were named in the 2021 Marsden SHS Rugby League Team of the Year.

In addition to those two at Marsden are Titans contracted Corey Pearce and South Sydney's Jacob Tinsley.

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Well done to PBC and Cudgen Hornets centre/second rower Cooper Camby named in the 2022 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.


In June 2021 the centre from the Cudgen Hornets was part of a Titans U18 Northern Rivers squad that played the Titans U17 JTS squad at Cbus Stadium in a curtain raiser to the Titans Round Fourteen NRL match against the Sydney Roosters.

Cooper Camby played the 2021 season with the Cudgen Hornets in the NRRRL U18 competition starting Round One at left centre against the Tweed Coast Raiders and was one of the Hornets try scorers in their big victory.

Cooper Camby’s try came in just the 4th minute of the Round One match when he ran through a gap down the left channel from five metres out in get the ball down five metres in from the left corner post.

Cooper Camby continued at left centre in Round Three against Casino RSM, scoring a double in Cudgen’s 40 – 18 victory.

Cooper Camby’s opening try came in the 9th minute when he ran into a gap on the left from six metres out, with Copper Camby spinning counter clockwise right on the try line to gain separation from the fullback to get the ball down nine metres in from the left corner.

Cooper Camby scored his second try of the match in the 18th minute when initially he was defending twenty metres from his own line. The Casino RSM halfback put in a grubber kick to the left side of the field with Cooper Camby taking the ball over his right shoulder and then outpaced the defence to run eighty metres down the left wing and then was able to bring the ball around to place the ball under the posts.

Cooper Camby also started at left centre in Round Four against the Bilambil Jets, scoring a double once again in Cudgen’s victory against their closest rivals.

Cooper Camby’s opening try came in the 5th minute when he was on the end of a Hornets passing movement to the left and received the ball in space and was able to comfortably run ten metres to score in the left corner. Cooper Camby added his second try in the 38th minute when he was put into a gap by Harvey Moase and ran twenty metres to score easily.

Cooper Camby continued at left centre in Round Five against the Byron Bay, once again scoring a double. Cooper Camby’s opening try came in the 6th minute of the match when he burst thirty metres down the left touchline and was able to hold off the Byron Bay halfback with left arm, maintaining his balance to get the ball over the line in the left corner.

Cooper Camby scored his second try in the 45th minute when after receiving the ball, Cooper Camby stepped off his left to beat one defender before a second left foot step beat another. As he ran at the fullback, Cooper Camby looked to his left to his support but instead he dummied in that direction with that deception fooling the fullback and then Cooper Camby brought the ball around to score under the posts.

Cooper Camby continued at left centre in Round Seven against the Marist Brothers Rams and in Round Eight against the Kyogle Turkeys where in the 48th minute Cooper Camby made a fifty metre break down the left touchline.

Cooper Camby continued at left centre in Round Ten against the Murwillumbah Mustangs and scored in the 50th minute when he received a great right arm off-load from Darcy Townsend eight metres from the line and Cooper Camby was able to get the ball down in the left corner.

Cooper Camby finished the abridged 2021 NRRRL U18 regular season as the competitions equal leading try scorer with eight tries alongside Damon Coldwell and Michael Roberts.

Cooper Camby also continued to play for PBC in 2021, playing primarily in the Langer Reserve competition and had an exceptional match in Round Four against Marsden State High School when from his left centre position he was one of PBC’s try scorers when he was able to reach out to get the ball down.

Cooper Camby also started at left centre in Round Six against Keebra Park with Cooper Camby scoring PBC’s opening try of the match in just the 2nd minute of the match when after PBC, on the last tackle, spun the ball to their right, the ball came back to Cooper Camby on the left around eight metres out. Cooper Camby was confronted immediately by a defender and subsequently put in a short grubber kick for himself, regathering the ball just short of the line and getting the ball down near the left corner.

Cooper Camby also started at left centre in the final round after the Covid 19 hiatus against Wavell State Hgih School, scoring PBC’s second try of the match.

Cooper Camby scored in the 29th minute when after receiving the ball fifteen metres out, Cooper Camby was able to get the ball down in the left corner. Cooper Camby also had a long sixty metre line break in the match. In the 16th minute Cooper Camby raced sixty metres down the left touchline after receiving an off-load from Bailey McConnell.

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Former Toowoomba junior age representative Barnabas Litidamu has been named in the 2022 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.

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One player who I anticipate will make a big impression for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in 2022 is young front rower Carlos Pauli.

I know little about him but he stood out in the MM Cup trials for both Tweed Heads and Burleigh and certainly deserves his spot for the 2022 MM Cup season.

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The depth at Titans partnered Marsden SHS is scary and that is emphasised by the fact that second rower Marlee Smith was named on the bench for the 2021 Marsden SHS Team of the Year.

Earlier in 2021 Marlee Smith started in the second row for Marsden in the Broncos Old Boys school boy Grand Final winnings side against Ipswich SHS.

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Great to see 2021 Walters Cup school boy second rower Diesel Bergsma named in the 2022 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup, he is also MM Cup eligible in 2023.

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Fullbacks have become increasingly important in the way rugby league is currently play and one young fullback to keep an eye on currently attends Titans partnered Marsden SHS is Jeremaiah Toko and recently he was named on the bench for the 2021 Marsden SHS Team of the Year.

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Outstanding left second rower Mace Andrew earlier this week was named in the second row in the Marsden SHS 2021 Rugby League Team of the Year.

Mace Andrew's older brother Rixon Andrew is a former Titans Junior Development Squad member.

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In early November 2021 Will Saunders was named in the 2022 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.

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.

Will Saunders also started at hooker in the final round after the Covid 19 hiatus against Wavell State High School and scored in the 42nd minute of the match when he darted out of dummy half to his right and charging twelve metres to crash over seven metres in from the right corner post.

Will Saunders also started at hooker in PBC’s semi-final victory over Wavell State High School.

The 2021 Walters Cup Grand Final against Keebra Park SHS saw Will Saunders to start at hooker and score a great solo try in the dying minutes of PBC’s 30 – 12 victory. Will Saunders’s Grand Final involvement was immediate when he made the opening tackle of the match in conjunction with Jaylen Tawea.

In the 46th minute PBC were working the ball out of their own territory and still ten metres from the halfway mark. As he had done all match, Will Saunders moved into dummy half picking up the ball and running out of dummy half, exploding through the heart of the defensive line and then used his speed to veer to his left around the Keebra park fullback to dive over adjacent to the left upright.

Ealirer in the Grand Final, in the 25th minute to be precise Will Saunders made fifteen metres through the centre of the field after running to his right out of dummy half.

The talented Titans linked PBC student started at hooker for the PBC Hancock Cup School Boy Grand Final side that went down in heart breaking fashion 26 – 24 to Marsden State High School who kicked a penalty goal after the final siren.

Throughout the Grand Final Will Saunders took on the giant Marsden forward pack and was the deserved scorer of PBC’s first try of the match, when from close range he darted out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball to force his way over ten metres in from the left corner post.

Will Saunders was also heavily involved in PBC’s try early in the second half when he picked up the ball from the back of a scrum ten metres out before getting it early to Ray Puru down the blind side for the flying winger to score in the right corner. The play seemed to be a perfectly performed set play by PBC.

Will Saunders was at his nippy best in Round Three of the 2020 Hancock Cup competition against Coombabah State High School when he darted to his right out of dummy half from around three metres out and was able to get the ball down with two defenders trying to hold him up.

Will Saunders also scored for PBC in their Round Two match against Keebra Park State High School. When PBC put in a clearing kick from their own territory, Will Saunders followed the kick through down the centre of the field. Keebra Park could not retrieve the ball on the full, letting it bounce and it was taken by PBC down the right touchline and Will Saunders was correctly positioned to get the inside pass to run twenty metres to score around fifteen metres to the right of the uprights. If Will Saunders had not chased the kick as hard as he did, PBC and of course himself would not have scored the try.

In early October 2020 Will Saunders was part of the Titans Gold Coast based U14 side that played a trial match against a Titans NRRRL U14/U15 squad with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience with an added bonus that the teams played the match in Titans jerseys.

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At the 2021 Marsden State High School Rugby League Excellence Awards, Storm Enoka was named in the second row in the Marsden State High School Team of the Year.

Storm Enoka was part of the 2021 Marsden State High School Bronco’s Old Boys Cup side, including starting in the second row in the 2021 Bronco’s Old Boys Cup Final against Ipswich SHS with Storm deservedly being named Player of the Match after scoring one try and throwing the last pass for two more.

Storm Enoka scored in the 26th minute when from thirty five metres out down the left channel, Storm Enoka charged through a gap and getting to the line before pushing off the Ipswich SHS fullback and putting the ball down midway between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

As noted, Storm Enoka threw the final pass for two of Marsden’s first half tries being in the 3rd and 11th minutes. On both occasions, Storm Enoka received the ball on the left side of the field and got to the outside of his direct opponent, drawing in another before passing to his left to centre Chris Vaimili who crossed out wide.

After the completion of the Walters Cup Grand Final Storm Enoka was named in the second row in the Courier Mail Team of the Grand Finals.

In early November 2021 Storm Enoka played one match for the U14 Queensland Maori representative side at the QPICC Carnival with that match being the Grand Final when Storm Enoka came off the bench as Maori went down by two points.

The powerhouse rugby flanker or No. 8 was part of the 2021 Gold Coast Invitational U13 King of Country Rugby side that won the Tournament with Storm Enoka scoring a strong try on Day One against the USQ Saints.

Storm Enoka scored in the first half against USQ when he received the ball on the left side of the field twenty eight metres out from the line, immediately getting to the outside of the defensive line and then using a strong left arm fend to keep the defence off him as he charged down the left touchline to score in the left corner.

Storm Enoka recorded a try assist on Day Two against Far North Coast when he ran into space on the right and could have scored himself but five metres from the line passed to his right winger to score in the corner.

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In early November 2021 Will Taylor was named in the 2022 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.

Will Taylor was due to start from the bench for the Northern Rivers Titans in Round One of the 2020 U16 Andrew Johns Cup against the Parramatta Eels at Cudgen but the match was cancelled.

Will Taylor started Round Two of the U16 Andrew Johns Cup from the bench against the Newcastle Knights in Ballina coming on the play in the dummy half role and also started from the bench in Round Three against the Central Coast Roosters.

After missing Round Four, Will Taylor was back on the bench for the Round Five local derby against North Coast once again providing a spark when he came on to play in the dummy half role prior to half time.

Will Taylor played the 2020 season with the Bilambil Jets in the Group 18 U16 competition, in fact Will Taylor was the Club Captain. In the 2020 Group 18 U16 regular season, the Bilambil jets won five matches, scoring 152 points and conceding 118 to finish with a +34 points differential.

The young is from the Bilambil Jets club in Northern New South Wales and captained the Group 18 U15 side at the 2019 New South Wales Country Age Championships held in Port Macquarie in September starting at hooker in all of Group 18’s matches.

After the completion of the Championships Will Taylor was named the 2019 Group 18 U15 representative season’s Best and Fairest player in recognition of his outstanding Championship performances.

Will Taylor started from the bench for the Titans U15 side that defeated a Balmain Tigers U15 Touring side 34 – 16 in early October coming on to play in the dummy half role and crossed the try line in the left corner in the math, but the final pass was called forward.

In 2019 Will Taylor played for the Bilambil Jets in the Group 18 U15 competition and was part of the Grand Final winning side that defeated Byron Bay/Lennox Head in a thriller.

Will Taylor was also part of the PBC School Boy program in 2019 representing his school in a number of school boy competitions including co-captaining the PBC Year Nine Hancock side that erased a 12 – 6 half time deficit to win the final of the Hancock Cup 24 – 18 against Coombabah State High School with Will Taylor playing five eight in the final and operating primarily on the left side of the field for PBC.

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The Titans affiliated Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns and U18 Laurie Daley Cup squads start their 2022 preparation on Sunday with their first training session at Ballina.

There are more than a few Titans boys in both squads.

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Great to see Titans JTS squad member Levi Bannon named in the Marsden State High School 2021 Rugby League Team of the Year.

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Giant Titans front row prospect Xaver Stowers was recently named in the 2021 Marsden State high School Rugby League Team of the Year.

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In early November 2021 Titans contracted Matthew Barrow was named in the 2022 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.

In January 2021 Matthew Barrow started from the bench for the Titans U17 side in their annual match at Coffs Harbour against the Newcastle Knights even though he was still U16 eligible in 2021. Matthew Barrow played on the right wing when he came on as the Titans recorded a well deserved 32 – 20 victory.

Matthew Barrow’s first touch of the ball came late in the first half when he darted out of dummy half to the left of the play the ball on the half way mark to settle himself into the match in the 28th minute of the firt half.

Matthew Barrow is also good defensively in the match, on one occasion early in the second half preventing a try and late in the first half preventing a long Knights run down the left touch line.

Late in the first half, around forty five metres out the Knights left side engineered an overlap that meant Matthew Barrow was facing three attackers, Matthew Barrow made the correct choice to come forward to take the correct attacker thus eliminating the threat.

Early in the second half, Newcastle made a break on Matthew Barrow’s inside, Matthew Barrow turned and chased and just as it looked like Newcastle would score in the left corner, Matthew Barrow came from the clouds so to speak, to tackle the Knights player from behind, knocking the ball loose.

Matthew Barrow finished the match with two line breaks and an impressive game leading 228 metres made running with the ball.

In June 2021 Matthew Barrow started on the left wing 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, making two long breaks down the left touchline in the later part of the second half.

The first of the two line breaks that Matthew Barrow made in the second half was a seventy five metre effort after he picked up a dropped ball, with Matthew Barrwo getting to within eight metres of the line before he was brought down from behind. Matthew Barrow’s other line break accounted for fifty metres after he was put into space by Keano Kini.

Matthew Barrow was also involved in the Titans U15 Academy matches at Burleigh in March 2020 and post those round robin matches signed his contract with the Titans which will see him part of the outstanding Titans JTS program for the next couple of seasons at least.

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

Matthew Barrow started at fullback in the first two quarters for the Seagulls in their final 2021 trial against the Souths Logan Magpies before moving to right centre in the third quarter. It was from that right centre position that Matthew Barrow produced a try saving tackle when he came from the clouds to bring down from behind the Magpies five eight who had broken through the line.

In the first two quarters whilst at fullback, Matthew Barrow had to be on his toes with all types of kicks coming his way but on each occasion Matthew Barrow was well positioned and had safe hands taking each type of kick comfortably.

On one occasion in the second quarter Matthew Barrow also chimed into the backline on the right throwing a good long cut-out pass to his right to put his winger into space down the touchline, whislt the winger ultimately forced into touch, it was still a good piece of work by Matthew Barrow.

Matthew Barrow started Round One of the 2021 Cyril Connell Cup at fullback as the Seagulls took on the Ipswich Jets and moved to the left wing for the Round Three local derby against the Burleigh Bears, scoring a double in the Seagulls 33 – 6 victory.

Matthew Barrow’s first try of the match was a long range affair coming in the 29th minute. With Burleigh attacking the line from close range they put in a grubber kick behind Tweed Heads left side defence, fullback Lewis Symonds got to the ball in the in goal darting to his left and getting the ball to Matthew Barrow who raced ninety metres untouched to score.

Matthew Barrow scored his second half try in the 43rd minute and it was a lot less spectacular. Matthew Barrow stayed close to the left touchline, receiving a looping pass which he took and took a step forward putting the ball down for probably the easiest try that he will ever score.

Matthew Barrow’s first contribution for the Seagulls in the match came in the opening minutes of the match when he was in a position to take a Burleigh clearing kick on the full and return the kick running hard into the Bears chasing defensive line.

Matthew Barrow backed that run up with another strong run in the 8th minute when he took the Burleigh kick-off after the Jacob Sa try on the full and charged into the defensive line and immediately fought to get to his feet and consequently was awarded a penalty when he was held down.

Matthew Barrow came off his left wing once again in the 13th minute to take a hit-up in centre field, making ten metres to get the ball out of their own twenty metre area. Matthew Barrow made even more metres in the 36th minute with a run of more than forty metres down the left side of the field, bumping off the first defender who had tried to tackle him front on. Matthew Barrow got within ten metres of the try line before two Burleigh defenders were finally able to break him down.

In the 42nd minute made a further strong run making ten metres and bringing the ball out of the Burleigh twenty metre area and Matthew Barrow was awarded a penalty when he was not allowed to his feet quickly. Being awarded that penalty was telling as from the subsequent kick for touch and set of six, Matthew Barrow scored in the left corner for his second try of the match.

Matthew Barrow rounded out a more than solid match in the 68th minute when he took a Burleigh kick-off from Keahn Skipps field goal, on the full, running the ball back to the Seagulls thirty five metre mark and put Tweed Heads back onto the attack immediately.

Matthew Barrow also produced another highlight reel play and so nearly pulled up a great try saving tackle in the 39th minute. Burleigh made a break through the centre of the field from long range and it looked a certain try but Matthew Barrow came from his left wing to five full length from behind dragging the bell loose just as the Burleigh player was about to score. The referee however called play on with Tana Tuhaka, the Burleigh five eight picking the ball up and diving over. The fact that a try was ultimately awarded should not detract however to the outstanding piece of play from Matthew Barrow.

Round Five against the Souths Logan Magpies saw Matthew Barrow once against start on the left wing.