Junior Development

[mdrew]

If you look at all of the NRL teams that made the 2021 NRL Finals series one common theme is that they have an outstanding fullback and moving forward there is another outstanding fullback prospect coming through the ranks at Titans Partnered Keebra Park State High School by the name of Kingston Seve who was part of their Bronco’s Old Boys Year Seven side.

Recently the Year Seven student was named at fullback in the 2021 Keebra Park Rugby League Team of the Year.

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Exceptional left second row prospect Mace Andrew was recently named on the interchange bench in the 2021 Marsden State High School Rugby League of the Year.

For Marsden State High School in 2021 Mace Andrew played in the Renouf Shield competition including starting at left second row in Marsden SHS’s tough 8 – 4 Grand Final loss to PBC SHS with Mace Andrew coming desperately close to scoring in the final moments. Post the Grand Final Mace Andrew was named on the bench in the 2021 Courier Mail Team of the School Boy Grand Finals.

Also in 2021 Mace Andrew played for the Souths Acacia Ridge Magpies GBJRL U14 Division One side, operating in the left second row position.

2022 will see Mace Andrew move up to the Walters Cup school boy competition for Marsden State High School and will also play for the Souths Magpies in the GBJRL U15 Division One competition.

[mdrew]

I am a fan of junior rugby league players playing either other sports or other codes and that is what Cooper Love did in 2021, playing both rugby and rugby league.

In June 2021 the hooker from Lismore Marist Brothers 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 Love played the 2021 season with the Marist Brothers Rams in the NRRRL U18 competition starting Round One at hooker against Northern United and scoring in the 35th minute when he dived over untouched from dummy half to the left of the play the ball from less than two metres out down a very skinny and unattended left blindside.

Cooper Love also had a try assist in the 26th minute when he put in a right foot grubber kick out of dummy half into the in-goal with Harry Sivewright the beneficiary of a great bounce to score ten metres in from the right corner post.

Rounds two and Three against Casino RSM and Kyogle saw Cooper Love once again start at hooker and score in both matches.

Against Casino RSM Cooper Love scored in the 35th minute with a four metre dart out of dummy half to his right, with the craft hooker getting the ball down under the posts.

Against Kyogle Cooper Love scored in the 6th minute with a smart piece of individual brilliance. Cooper Love moved into dummy half the play the ball forty metres from the line and two metres in from the left touchline. When the ball was played Cooper Love exploded down the short left blindside catching the Turkey’s defence totally off guard and from there Cooper Love was too quick for the cover defence score a great individual try down the left touchline.

Cooper Love also started at hooker against Ballina in Round Four as well as in Round Five and Six against the Tweed Coast Raiders and Byron Bay respectively with Cooper Love scoring in both of those matches as well.

Against Tweed Coast Cooper Love scored in the 51st minute with a two metre dart out of dummy half to his left enabled him to get the ball over the line.

Against Byron Bay Cooper Love scored in the 62nd minute once again with a run out of dummy half to his right from three metres out. The match also saw Cooper Love record a 56th minute try assist with a great short ball to his right to put Henry Lee over after Cooper Love had drawn in the defence after running out of dummy half to his right.

Cooper Love continued at hooker in Round Seven against the Cudgen Hornets and in Round Eight against the Murwillumbah Mustangs as well as in Round Ten against the Bilambil Jets where he scored in the 14th minute when after receiving an offload from Jye Davis eighteen metres out and in the open side of the ruck, Cooper Love cut back down the blindside and then was able to bring the ball around closer to the goal posts.

Round Twelve against Casino RSM saw Cooper Love come off the bench for the Rams and scored in the 44th minute of the match. Cooper Love, who moved into the dummy half role when he came on, found himself at dummy half seventy metres from the line and after picking the ball up ran to his right before cutting back to the area behind the play the ball and got through the defensive line before offloading to his right to a support and then continued to back-up and received the ball back when his team mate drew the fullback with Cooper Love racing away to score on the right side of the field.

2021 also saw Cooper Love play a handful of matches in the Far North Coast U18 Rugby competition for Woollongbar Alstonville, playing fly half (no. 10) in the matches that he was involved in. In his limited matches, Cooper Love scored twice with both tries coming against Evans Head in Round Seven and Ten.

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At the conclusion of the 2021 season outstanding back row prospect and Year Nine student Anton Whaiapu was named on the bench in the 2021 Keebra Park Rugby League Team of the Year.

In October 2021 Anton Whaiapu was named in the 2022 Burleigh Bears U16 Cyril Connell Cup squad.

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Talented ZJ Watene was recently named at halfback in the 2021 Marsden State High School Rugby League of the Year.

For Marsden State High School in 2021 ZJ Watene played in the Bronco’s Old Boys Competition including starting at halfback in Marsden SHS’s 44 – 12 Grand Final victory against Ipswich State High School with ZJ Watene scoring in the 18th minute when he followed through a kick by his halves partner to receive the ball to the right of his five eight who retrieved the ball with ZJ Watene running twelve metres to get the ball down ten metres to the right of the uprights.

ZJ Watene also recorded a try assist in the Grand Final when in the 27th minute ZJ Watene took the ball to the defensive line on the left side of the field twenty five metres from the try line and threw a great ball to his left to put Storm Enoka through a big gap with the powerhouse left second rower taking the ball all of the way to the try line.

ZJ Watene added a line break assist in the 38th minute once again on the left ZJ Watene put Storm Enoka through a gap once again with a good short ball to his left.

Post the Grand Final ZJ Watene was named at halfback in the 2021 Courier Mail Team of the School Boy Grand Finals.

2022 will see ZJ Watene move up to the Renouf Shield school boy competition for Marsden State High School.

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At the conclusion of the 2021 season the Gold Coast local and Year Eight student Gazniah To’omaga was named at five eight in the 2021 Keebra Park Rugby League Team of the Year.

At the start of 2021 Gazniah To’omaga represented the Gold Coast Barbarians U13 side at the King of Country Rugby Tournament that was held on the Gold Coast with Gazniah To’omaga playing fly half (No. 10) for the Barbarians in the three day Tournament.

2021 also saw Gazniah To’omaga play for the Coomera Cutters in the Gold Coast Rugby League U13 Division One competition.

[mdrew]

Another junior player who in 2021 played both rugby and rugby league was Ballina’s Baxter Turner.

Round One of the 2021 Group One U13 competition saw Baxter Turner start in the front row for Ballina against the Clarence Coast Magpies.

Round Two against the Marist Brothers Rams Lismore saw Baxter Turner drop back to start from the bench with Baxter Turner being one of the Seagulls try scorers in their 66 – 0 victory.

Baxter Turner moved back into the Ballina starting side at lock for the Round Three match against the Kyogle Turkeys. In Round Four against South Grafton, Baxter Turner scored after starting the match in the front row.

Baxter Turner continued in the front row in Round Five in the local derby against the South Grafton Rebels before starting from the bench in Round Six against the Clarence Coast Magpies. Baxter Turner was then back in the front row in Round Nine against Marist Brothers and also in Round Ten against the Kyogle Turkeys.

In Round Eleven against the South Grafton Rebels Baxter Turner started in the second row and scored in the Seagulls four point win. Then in Round Twelve against the Clarence Coast Magpies, Baxter Turner came off the bench, scoring for the second match in a row.

Round Thirteen saw Baxter Turner named to return to the Ballina starting side in the front row against the Clarence Coast Magpies and kicked one conversion as the Seagulls prevailed against the Magpies 46 – 12.

In May 2021, Baxter Turner was part of the Ballina Coast High School’s U14 Buckley Shield school boy rugby league side that won the Grand Final 46 – 0 against Tweed River High School.

In the two earlier matches of the Buckley Shield Ballina Coast High School defeated Kingscliffe High School 48 – 0 and Tweed River High School 36 – 6.

Baxter Turner also played club rugby in 2021, playing for Woollongbar Alstonville in the Far North Coast U14 rugby competition. In the matches that he played in Baxter Turner spent time at outside centre (No. 13), inside centre (No. 12) and on the left wing. From the left wing position Baxter Turner scored a double against Lennox Head and he also kicked a conversion in Round Ten also against Lennox Head.

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Recently Lama Afu was named on the bench in the 2021 Keebra Park Rugby League Team of the Year.

In mid-February 2021 Lama Afu played in the Titans U15 Invitational Trial at Burleigh, a trial which included only the best of the 2021 Titans U15 squad members.

Early February 2021 saw Lama Afu make it through the first stage of the South Coast U15 QSSRL trials when he was named in the U15 Broadwater school boy U15 squad. Following the final round of trials, Lama Afu was named in the 2021 South Coast U15 school boy QSSRL squad.

2021 also saw Lama Afu named in the South Coast Schools U15 Rugby Representative side and in late August 2021 Lama Afu was named in the Queensland Barbarians U15 representative rugby side. After starring for the Queensland Barbarians side, Lama Afu was named at inside centre in the Queensland U15 Rugby Merit side.

Lama Afu was also part of the Keebra Park State High School Walters Cup side in 2021 including starting in the front row in their 30 – 12 Grand Final loss to PBC State High School.

[mdrew]

Tough, hard uncomprising young front rower Xhai Waerea from northern New South Wales was a standout at hooker for the U13 Far North Coast Representative Rugby side that played in the King of Country Rugby Tournament and at the competition of the Tournament Xhai Waerea named on the bench in the Team of the Tournament.

In 2021 Xhai Waerea played in the U13 Group 18 competition for the Tweed Coast Raiders, operating primarily in the front row.

Xhai Waerea also played club rugby in 2021, playing in the Far North Coast U13 Rugby Competition for Coolangatta Tweed. In the matches that he played in for Coolangatta Tweed, Xhai Waerea played at hooker.

Xhai Waerea had a monster season for Coolangatta Tweed, scoring hat tricks in Rounds Two and Four against Casino and Ballina and Xhai Waerea also scored doubles in Round Seven against the wonderfully Named Evan Head Killer Wales and in Round Nine against Casuarina Beach. Xhai Waerea also kicked a conversion against Evans Head.

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In 2019 and 2020 the The Southport School (TSS) 4 x 100 metre sprint relay team had more than a passing Titans feel to it.

In 2020 the TSS First XV Team that included Titans Jojo Fifita, Kaleb Ngamanu and Syris Schmidt finished seventh in a time of 44.69 seconds. Jojo Fifita ran the first leg, Syris Schmidt and Kelab Ngamanu ran the third leg.

The three was also part of the 2019 4 x 100 metre sprint relay with the team finishing sixth in a time of 45.18 seconds.

[mdrew]

In 2021 Xavier Collins was part of the Ormeau Shearers U18 Division One squad, starting Round One of the pre-season in the front row and scoring one of the Shearers four tries as they got their 2021 season underway with a 24 – 16 win over the Currumbin Eagles.

For Round Two of the 2021 GCRL U18 Division One pre-season competition, Xavier Collins moved to the second row against the Southport Tigers and scored once again for the Shearers. Xavier Collins also started in the second row in Round Six against the Burleigh Bears.

Xavier Collins moved back to the left second row position in Round Seven against Runaway Bay, scoring a try and kicking two conversions for the Shearers.

In 2020 and 2021 Xavier Collins played in the front row in the Brisbane Grammar School First School Boy XV in the front row.

In 2019 Xavier Collins played for the Brisbane Grammar School Boy Rugby U16A side, scoring against Ipswich Grammar.

Also in 2019 Xavier Collins was selected in the Queensland Maroon U16 Junior Gold Cup squad.

The big strong young former Keebra Park front rower was a standout in 2018 in both rugby league and rugby and impressively in both codes was playing up an age group. Late in 2018 Xavier Collins was named in the front row in the 2018 Keebra Park Team of the Year.

In 2018 Xavier Collins was part of the Cook Islands U14 QPICC side, being awarded the Cook Islands U14 Most Valuable Player award for the tournament and was part of the Cook Islands side that defeated Samoa 22 – 6 in the U14 Final.

For Ormeau in the 2018 Gold Coast Rugby League U15 Division One competition Xavier Collins played in nine matches including the finals and scored four tries, scoring three in the finals series and a regular season try against Coomera early in the season.

In Week One of the U15 Division One Finals series, Xavier Collins started from the bench as Ormeau defeated Runaway Bay 28- 12.

Week Two saw Xavier Collins start in the second row and score a double as Ormeau qualified for the Grand Final on the back of a 44 – 6 victory over Coomera.

In the U15 Division One Grand Final Xavier Collins started from the bench and scored as Ormeau won the premiership on the back of a 38 – 20 Grand Final victory over Runaway Bay.

Xavier Collins also played two matches in the 2018 U14 Division One competition with those matches coming against Coomera and Runaway Bay.

2018 also saw Xavier Collins represent South East Queensland Green at the Queensland U14 Championships starting in the second row in the Championship Final against South East Queensland White which ended in a 16 all draw. Xavier Collins played in all four of South East Queensland Green’s matches.

Xavier Collins was selected in the 2019 Queensland Academy of Sport U15 Emerging Origin Squad.

Xavier Collins also played club rugby on the Gold Coast in 2019, playing for the Griffith University Colleges U15 side including starting the Grand Final at loose head prop with his side winning 47 – 19 against the Helensvale Hogs in a rugby test curtain raiser between Australia and Argentina at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.

For Griffith University Colleges side Xavier Collins played in thirteen matches, starting the two finals at loose head prop, one at No. 8, four at open side flanker (No. 7), two from the interchange bench and five at blindside flanker (No. 6).

In his thirteen matches, Xavier Collins scored three tries and converted one of those tries in Round Fourteen against the Gold Coast Eagles. Xavier Collins also scored in Round Nine against the Eagles and in Round Twelve against Bond University.

In 2016 Xavier Collins represented Queensland at the U12 level this year after representing the South Coast U12’s earlier in the year as well as being part of the Keebra Park Renouf Cup winning squad even though he was a year younger than a majority of his team mates in that squad.

In addition to his schoolboy and representative commitments, Xavier Collins played his club rugby league on the Gold Coast with the Ormeau Shearers in the 2016 U12 Division One competition, where he crossed for one try which came against Jimboomba as well as kicking a solitary conversion in the last game of the season against Runaway Bay.

[mdrew]

Great to see more than a few Titans named in the 2022 U16 Andrew Johns Cup train on squad.

[mdrew]

Well done to Marist Brothers Ram's second rower Jed Arnett named in the 2022 U16 Andrew Johns Cup train on squad.

[mdrew]

Great effort by Marist Rams 2021 U15 centre/second rower Alex Yager for his selection in the 2022 U16 Andrew Johns Cup train on squad.

[mdrew]

Good to see that nippy Tweed Heads Seagulls JRL hooker Hudson Towell has been named in the 2022 U16 Andrew Johns Cup train on squad and no doubt to his distribution out of dummy half he will be hard to keep out of the starting hooker spot come Round One early next year.