Junior Development

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The Titans have brought over former Kelston Boys High First XV rugby standout Corey Cassidy-Natana. The young fullback has an outstanding pedigree in both rugby and rugby league in Auckland including being named in 2020 in the Auckland Blues Super Rugby U17 Development Squad.

From a rugby league perspective in 2021 Corey Cassidy-Natana, even though he was still U18 eligible, started at fullback for the Auckland White U20 side for the 2021 New Zealand U20 National Championships including a great performance including scoring in Round One against Waicoa Bay.

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What a great year Grant Brown had in the 2021 Group One Northern New South Wales competition.

Round One of the 2021 Group One U14 competition saw Grant Brown start at five eight for the Clarence Coast Magpies against the Ballina Seagulls and scored a double as Clarence Coast got their season off to a winning start on the back of a 34 – 8 victory. Grant Brown also started at five eight in Round Two against the South Grafton Rebels.

Grant Brown continued at five eight in Round Five against the Grafton Ghosts and had a day out, scoring four tries and kicking a conversion to finish the match with an individual points haul of eighteen.

Grant Brown continued at five eight in Round Six against Ballina and scored a try and kicked a conversion in the Magpies 36 – 16 loss. Round Seven against Casino RSM saw Grant Brown, from five eight, score two tries and kcik three goals in a 38 – 12 victory.

Grant Brown continued his 2021 rich vein of form in Round Eight against Marist Brothers, scoring three tries and kicking a conversion after starting the match at five eight.

Grant Brown once again started at five eight in Round Nine against South Grafton and contributed two tries and two goals in the Magpies 44 – 6 victory.

Interstingly Grant Brown was named to start at hooker in Round Thirteen against Casino RSM with the move paying dividends with Grant Brown scoring twenty two of the Magpies fifty eights points from five tries and a conversion in a Clarence Coast 58 – 22 victory.

Grant Brown finished the abridged 2021 Group One U14 regular season as the competitions third leading try scorer with nineteen tries.

After scoring a double in Round One of the U14 match against Ballina, Grant Brown came off the bench in Round One of the U15 competition and kicked two conversions as the Magpies held on to beat Ballina 12 – 10. Grant Brown also came off the bench for the U15 Magpies side in Round Five against Grafton, after scoring four tries in the U14 match earlier in the day and was also on the bench in Round Eight against Marist Brothers.

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Talented Coomera Cutters Gold Coast Rugby League left second rower Riley Prendergast had an outstanding season in the U12 Division One competition and shapes as one the players to keep an eye on in coming seasons.

Riley Prendergast had some very impressive games in 2021 and I have attempted to capture as best I can some of his many impressive moments for the Cutters.

Against Runaway Bay in late July 2021 Riley Prendergast scored his first try of the match when after he received the ball thirty five metres out and to the left of the play the ball Riley Prendergast ran to his left, slicing between two Seagulls defenders with Riley Prendergast then straightening up to freeze the fullback. Riley Prendergast then utilised a right foot step to beat the fullback and then Riley Prendergast kept running to his left and put the ball down in his right hand eight metres in from the left corner post.

Riley Prendergast scored his second try of the match early in the second half. After receiving the ball two passes to the left of the play the ball, Riley Prendergast cut back towards the left touchline down a left blindside from twenty five metres out, breaking three tackles before engaging the Runaway Bay fullback. Riley Prendergast muscled his way past the fullback and reached out with the ball in his left arm, slamming the ball down five metres in form the left corner post.

Riley Prendergast completed his hat trick mid-way through the second row with a great solo effort. Riley Prendergast received the ball to the left of the field from a penalty tap restart and ran towards the left touchline around thirty metres from the line. After getting on the outside of the Runaway Bay defence Riley Prendergast outpaced three Runaway Bay cover defenders down the left touchline before taking on the Seagulls fullback. Riley Prendergast tried to beat the fullback on the outside but the fullback grabbed hold of Riley Prendergast’s jersey spinning him 360 degrees clockwise but Riley Prendergast was able to maintain his compose and upon completion of the spin get the ball down in the left corner.

Against the Nerang Roosters Riley Prendergast was at his try scoring best in the second half when non the final tackle Riley Prendergast received the ball off the dummy half down a left blindside twelve metres out and after beating his opposite defender on his outside with a strong right arm fend Riley Prendergast dived over to score in the tackle of the Seagulls fullback in the left corner.

Riley Prendergast continued his try scoring exploits against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks when after receiving the ball two passes to the left of the play the ball and five metres from the line, Riley Prendergast just rumbled his way forward and with four defenders trying to stop him Riley Prendergast reached out to get the ball down with an extended left arm to score adjacent to the right upright.

Riley Prendergast added a second try in the second half when from thirty five metres out he ran to his left getting rid of two defenders with right arm fends before stepping off his right to get to the outside of another. With only one defender to beat Riley Prendergast chose to go the shortest route, running straight over the top of the Redbacks right winger to score in the left corner.

Riley Prendergast scored his third try of the match on that occasion running to his right and breaking four tackles in a thirty run to the line with Riley Prendergast putting the ball down mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the right side of the field.

Riley Prendergast made in four tries in the match when after receiving the ball twenty five metres out and on the left side of the field Riley Prendergast initially charged between two defenders before cutting back to his right to beat two more. As he closed in on the try line Riley Prendergast veered back to his left to score seven metres in from the left corner post.

Riley Prendergast continued his strong 2021 campaign against the Ormeau Shearers with an incredible five try effort, two in the first half and three in the second.

Riley Prendergast’s first try of the match was an outstanding forty metre effort down the left touchline after Riley Prendergast had received the ball three passes to the left of the upright. As he ran at the defensive line Riley Prendergast dummied on multiple occasions to his left but in the end he ran around the Shearers defensive line and then was too fast for the cover defence and after crossing the try line Riley Prendergast was able to take the ball ten metres closer to the goal posts.

Riley Prendergast added a second first half try and in many respects the try was a near carbon copy of his first try. Once again Riley Prendergast received the ball on the left, on this occasion twenty five metres out and from a long cut-out pass from his halfback, but like his opening try Riley Prendergast got on the outside of the Shearers defensive line and scored easily in the left corner.

Riley Prendergast’s first of three second half tries was a long range sixty metre effort. Riley Prendergast charged at the line dummying to his left in a number of occasions before bursting through the defensive line and from there Riley Prendergast was just too fast for the Ormeau cover defence to score comfortably.

Riley Prendergast’s fourth try was another long range effort on this occasion encompassing seventy five metres. After receiving an off-load deep inside his own territory Riley Prendergast raced downfield cutting off his left foot to beat two desperate cover defenders and raced past the referee who had fallen over his own feet to score five metres to the left of the uprights.

Like his other two second half tries, Riley Prendergast third second half try and fifth of the match was yet another long range solo effort. Riley Prendergast initially received the ball to the left of the play the ball but immediately cut back to his right back to the other side of the play the ball. As he straightened up his run Riley Prendergast juggled the ball but was able to maintain possession and race way to score five metres to the left of the uprights.

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Luke Barnett played the 2021 season with the Kyogle Turkeys in the Group One U14 competition, playing in seven matches, starting all in the centres.

In his seven matches Luke Barnett scoring thirty eight points from nine tries and a Round Two conversion against Casino RSM.

Luke Barnett bookended his 2021 season with doubles in Round One against the South Grafton Rebels and Round Twelve against the Marist Brothers Rams. Luke Barnett scored an outstanding hat trick in Round Eelven against the Clarence Coast Magpies and also scored in Rounds Five and Six against the Marist Brothers Rams and South Grafton Rebels respectively.

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At the recent 2021 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams Senior Rugby League Presentation Jack Elmore was named the 2021 Marist Brothers Rams NRRL U18 Best Forward.

In June 2021 the front rower 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.

Jack Elmore started the season as part of the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup squad, starting Round One of the competition in the front row against the Wests Tigers.

After missing Round Two, Jack Elmore came off the bench in Round Three against the Northern Tigers as well as in Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters.

Jack Elmore played the 2021 season with Marist Brothers Lismore in the NRRRL U18 competition starting Round One at lock against Northern United, with the powerful young man scoring in the 38th minute when he barged over running straight from a pass he received two metres out to get the ball down next to the left upright.

Jack Elmore moved to the front row in Round Two against Casino RSM before moving back to lock in Round Three against Kyogle. Jack Elmore continued at lock in Round Four against Ballina and showed some skill with a short grubber kick into the in-goal to force Ballina into a drop out after they had to take the ball dead.

Jack Elmore started Round Five against the Tweed Coast Raiders at lock before moving to right second row in Round Six against Byron Bay as well as Round Seven against the Cudgen Hornets and in Round Eight against the Murwillumbah Mustangs.

Jack Elmore scored in the 16th minute of the Round Seven match when he charged onto a pass to the left of the play the ball that occurred a metre from the line with Jack Elmore fighting his way over next to the left goal post.

Jack Elmore moved to the front row for Round Ten against the Bilambil Jets but was back at lock for Round Twelve against Casino RSM.

In early 2021 Jack Elmore also took part in the Northern Country Lismore Diocese Rugby League Representative trials.

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What a great 2021 season Ballina’s Dylan Watkins had.

In Round One of the 2021 Group One U14 competition Dylan Watkins started at fullback for the Ballina Seagulls against the Clarence Coast Magpies.

Dylan Watkins also started at fullback in Round Two against Marist Brothers Lismore and kicked a conversion as the Seagulls prevailed 18 – 8.

Dylan Watkins added a further two tries and a conversion in Round Three against Kyogle after starting the match at fullback once again. Dylan Watkins then scored a hat trick in Round Four against South Grafton after once again starting the match at fullback, even though he wore the No. 6 jersey.

Dylan Watkins was electric once again in Round Five against Casino RSM, scoring a hat trick for the second match in a row from the fullback position.

Dylan Watkins was at his dynamic best in Round Six from the fullback position against the Clarence Coast Magpies, scoring a staggering five tries in the Seagulls 36 – 16 victory.

Dylan Watkins also started at fullback against the Grafton Ghosts in Round Seven and once against scored for the Seagulls. Starting at fullback once again in Round Nine against Marist Brothers Dylan Watkins scored another double.

In Round Ten against Kyogle Dylan Watkins continued at fullback and scored an outstanding five tries in the Seagulls big win. Dylan Watkins also started at fullback in Round Eleven against the South Grafton Rebels.

Dylan Watkins continued at fullback in Round Twelve against Casino RSM and scored eighteen individual points from four tries and a conversion.

Dylan Watkins started Round Thirteen against the Grafton Ghosts at five eight and scored in the Seagulls touch one point loss, 27 – 26.

Dylan Watkins finished the abridged 2021 Group One U14 regular season as the competitions leading try scorer with twenty seven tries.

In May 2021, Dylan Watkins 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 after Dylan Watkins started the match at five eight.

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.

In March 2021 Dylan Watkins was part of the Ballina Coast High School’s U15 touch side that went through the 2021 U15 Far North Coast Touch Trials that were held at Tweed Heads and as a consequence of his performances at the trials Dylan Watkins was selected in the Far North Coast U15 Touch representative side even though he is still U14 eligible in 2021.

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At the recent Bilambil Jets Awards Presentation Kai Smallwood as named the 2021 Bilambil Jets NRRRL U18 Best Back.

In Round One of the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition, Kai Smallwood started at halfback for the Bilambil Jets as they took on the Murwillumbah Mustangs operating on the left side of the field in the Jets 24 – 18 first up victory.

Kai Smallwood recorded a try assist in the 32nd minute of the match when from twenty five metres out he dummied to his right and got halfway through the line before offloading to a flying support runner to score wide out.

Kai Smallwood also started at halfback in Round Two against the Tweed Coast Raiders recording another try assist in the Jets 22 – 16 victory.

In the 32nd minute, Kai Smallwood took the ball down a wide right blindside dummying to both sides of his body before looking once again to his outside and held the ball up nicely before putting his right centre into a gaping hole and from there the centre raced thirty metres to score in the right corner.

Kai Smallwood added a darting run down a left blindside in the 25th minute to his match highlight reel, making eighteen metres in the process.

Kai Smallwood continued his run of starts at halfback in Round Three against Northern United having an exceptional match in the Jets big 44 – 4 win. For me, Kai Smallwood was easily the best player on the field, scoring two tries and recording three try assists as well as kicking six conversions to finish with an individual points haul of twenty points, being 45% of Bilambil’s total points in the match.

Kai Smallwood scored his first try in the 20th minute of the match with Kai Smallwood passing the ball to his right and then backing up on the inside to receive the ball back and then Kai Smallwood was able to run thirty metres untouched to put the ball down under the posts.

Kai Smallwood added his second try in the 32nd minute when once again he was operating on the right,. Kai Smallwood ran the ball down a short right blind side, running at the lien from ten metres out. Kai Smallwood dummied to his right before slicing through the line to score five metres in from the right corner post.

Kai Smallwood’s initial try assist came in just the 11th minute when he received the ball on the left side of the field, dummying to his inside before popping a good short pass to his left to put Connor Jenner into a gap five metres out with the second rower diving over.

Kai Smallwood added his second try assist in the in the 17th minute. After receiving the ball on the right, Kai Smallwood double pumped his pass to put Jye Brady into a gap with the lock running twenty metres to score.

The 47th minute say Kai Smallwood record his third try assist when he threw a long cut out pass to his right that was taken by Jye Brady who comfortably scored.

Kai Smallwood could have had a fourth try assist when he drifted to his left to put Cooper Jenner into a gap five metres out but his final pass was called forward.

Kai Smallwood continued at halfback in Round Four as the Jets took on the Cudgen Hornets in their local derby with Kai Smallwood involved in the opening minute of the match when he put up a towering bomb on the 5th tackle that forced the Cudgen fullback to bring the ball out of his own in-goal.

Kai Smallwood also started at halfback in Round Five against the Kyogle Turkeys and was everywhere recording a try assist and three line break assists.

Kai Smallwood’s try assist came in the 17th minute when he through a cut-out pass to his right to put his right second rower over wide out.

The first of Kai Smallwood’s three line break assist came in the 35th minute when he ran the ball to the left side of the field to put William James into a gap and then just three minutes later in the 38th minute, this time on the right side of the field, Kai Smallwood ran the ball and whilst holding off one defender through a right arm flick pass for his right second rower to charge twenty metres downfield.

Kai Smallwood’s third line break assist came in the 55th minute when a good cut-out pass to his right put his right centre into a yawning gap.

It was not all about just setting of others in the match for Kai Smallwood as in the 14th minute he took the line on himself when he ran the ball on the right, dummying to the same direction to slice through the defensive line before a left foot step enabled Kai Smallwood to beat another defender before he was eventually brought to ground after making eighteen metres.

Kai Smallwood also produced an enthusiastic piece of play in the 20th minute when he chased hard a Michael Roberts kick that bounced in the Kyogle in-goal to, along with Michael Roberts, tackle the Kyogle fullback three metres out from his own line.

Continuing at halfback in Round Six against Kai Smallwood added another try assist and line break to his exceptional 2021 season.

In the 27th minute, after receiving the ball on the right, Kai Smallwood drafted across field in the same direction, drawing in the defence and throwing a good ball to put his right centre into a gap and over from twenty metres.

Kai Smallwood took it upon himself to break the Casino RSM line in the 29th minute when he produced a show and go to split the line but his pass inside once he was through the line went to ground.

Interestingly Kai Smallwood was named at lock in Round Nine against the Byron Bay Devils with the jersey number change paying dividends with Kai Smallwood scoring a double.

Kai Smallwood scored his opening try in the 16th minute of the match through a great solo effort. Kai Smallwood received the ball when he was operating as first receiver twenty metres from the line and to the right of the play the ball. After dummying to his right, Kai Smallwood put in a short grubber through the line, regathering ten metres out before stepping off his left foot near the try line to beat a cover defender before getting across the line ten metres in from the right corner post.

Kai Smallwood’s second try came in the 36th minute when he backed up on the inside of a long break down the left channel by William James. As the cover defence converged on him, William James kicked inside and Kai Smallwood was on the spot to retrieve the ball to run fifteen metres to score.

Kai Smallwood continued at lock in Round Ten against the Marist Brothers Rams as well as in Round Eleven against the Ballina Seagulls before moving back to halfback for Round Twelve against the Tweed Coast Raiders when he scored one try and set up another.

Kai Smallwood himself in the 45th minute when whilst operating on right side of the field, twenty five metres out from the line, Kai Smallwood put in a short grubber for himself with Kai Smallwood retrieving the ball in front of the fullback and then was able to bring the ball around to put it down under the posts.

Kai Smallwood also recorded a 60th minute try assist when after receiving the ball on the right put Caleb Case into a gap with the centre crossing on the right side of the field.

In total in the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition for the Bilambil Jets Kai Smallwood played in twelve matches and scored thirty four points from five tries and seven conversions.

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Cohen Bateman played the 2021 season with the Kyogle Turkeys in the Group One U14 competition, playing in ten matches, starting all at halfback.

In his ten matches Cohan Bateman scored thirty eight points from eight tries and three conversions.

Cohen Bateman had an outstanding start to the 2021 Group One U14 season scoring four tries in the opening three rounds, with a Round One double against the South Grafton Rebels and tries in Rounds Two and Three against Casino RSM and the Ballina Seagulls respectively.

Cohan Bateman also scored a double in Round Ten against the Ballina Seagulls and tries in Round Nine against Casino RSM and Round Twelve against the Lismore Marist Brothers Rams.

With the boot Cohan Bateman kicked two conversions in Round Nine against Casino RSM, including converting his own try and also kicked a Round Six conversion against the South Grafton Rebels.

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At the recent Bilambil Jets Awards Presentation Reshawn Anderson was named the 2021 Bilambil Jets NRRRL U18 Best Forward.

In Round One of the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition, Reshawn Anderson started in the front row and scored for the Bilambil Jets as they defeated the Murwillumbah Mustangs 24 – 18. Starting in the U18 NRRRL competition is an impressive feat for the young front rower who was still U16 eligible with Reshawn Anderson announcing himself in the opening minute with a heavy tackle on one of his opposing front rowers.

Reshawn Anderson did not have to wait long to score in the match when in the 15th minute he charged onto the ball from just four metres out and to the left of the play the ball. Reshawn Anderson smashed into the Murwillumbah defence who were coming off the line. After bouncing off the first defender, Reshawn Anderson got down low to dive over five metres to the left of the uprights.

Reshawn Anderson was named to start in the front row in Round Two against the Tweed Coast Raiders but ended up coming off the bench but scored for the second week in a row.

Reshawn Anderson’s try came in the 35th minute when he charged onto the from sixteen metres out, stepping off his left to beat the initial defender before a Reshawn Anderson right foot step easily defeated the fullback to dive over adjacent to the left upright.

In addition to his try, Reshawn Anderson pulled up some other skilful plays that you would not except from a front rower including in the 24th minute. The Tweed Coast halfback had put in a chip kick and looked certain to regain possession but Reshawn Anderson willed himself to race back to get to the ball just in front of the Raiders halfback.

Then in the 58th minute Reshawn Anderson put in a great grubber kick from twenty metres out on the 5th tackle. Reshawn Anderson chased the kick through, regaining possession with only a desperate tackle by the Raiders fullback brought Reshawn Anderson down two metres short of the try line.

Reshawn Anderson started from the bench once again in Round Three against Northern United coming on two thirds of the way through the first half and as usual Reshawn Anderson displayed all sorts of freakish skills in his time on the field, including a line break.

Within minutes of coming on, Reshawn Anderson had already take two hit-ups, breaking at least one tackle on each occasion.

Reshawn Anderson recorded his line break in the 34th minute when he lined up on the right side of the field, receiving the ball three passes off the ruck. Reshawn Anderson burst through the Northern United line, making forty metres before his attempted off-load went to ground.

Reshawn Anderson also produced one of the best defensive hits in the match when in the 37th minute he drove the giant Northern United front rower (No. 8) backwards with a text book front on tackle.

In total in the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition for the Bilambil Jets Reshawn Anderson played in six matches and scored four tries to finish with a 67% try scoring strike rate.

At the Bilambil Jets Awards Presentation Reshawn Anderson was named the 2021 Bilambil Jets NRRRL U18 Best Forward.

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Recently Stevie O’Connor was named the 2021 Tweed Coast Raiders Junior Rugby League Group 18 U16 Player with the Most Potential then at the Tweed Coast Raiders Senior Rugby League Presentation Day Stevie O’Connor was named the NRRRL Tweed Coast Raiders U18 Rookie of the Year, thus to say Stevie O’Connor had an impressive 2021 would be a severe understatement.

Stevie O’Connor was named at fullback for the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side for their Round One match against the Wests Tigers however he was a late scratching for the match. Stevie O’Connor was then named as the 18th man for the Northern Rivers Titans for their Round Four match against the Central Coast Roosters.

Stevie O’Connor started Round Five against the Newcastle Knights at fullback with his first touch coming in just the 3rd minute of the match when he took a Newcastle clearing kick on the full and returned it with vigour.

In the 7th minute of the match Stevie O’Connor chimed into the backline off a pass from Lachlan Offley to make ten metres after getting on the outside of his direct opponent and then a minute later he was in the backline once again and passed to his right to put Robert Simon over to score.

Stevie O’Connor produced a great grassing tackle in the 50th minute of the match on the Newcastle runaway front rower who had burst through the line.

When club rugby league commenced for the 2021 season in Northern New South Wales, even though he was still U16 eligible, Stevie O’Connor started on the bench for the Tweed Coast Raiders U18 NRRRL side in Round One against the Cudgen Hornets. When he came on in the second half Stevie O’Connor played at fullback for the Raiders.

Stevie O’Connor also started from the bench in Round Two against the Bilambil Jets coming on towards the end of the first half and scored his first try of the season when in the 39th minute he received the ball on the left ten metres out from the line. Stevie O’Connor ran at the line dummying to his left before getting low and forcing his way over ten metres in from the left corner.

Stevie O’Connor added to his strong match in the 46th minute when a pass from his inside went behind him. After turning back to retrieve the ball Stevie O’Connor was still able to make fifteen metres.

Stevie O’Connor also was named to come off the bench in Round Three against the Ballina Seagulls however he started that match at left centre before playing the second half at fullback.

Stevie O’Connor recorded a try assist in the 56th minute when he looped around behind a set play down a short left blind side receiving the ball thirty metres out and running straight through a gap. Stevie O’Connor drew the Ballina fullback sending a pass to his left to put Fletcher Purcell over in the left corner.

Stevie O’Connor almost had another try assist in the 17th minute when he threw a cut-out pass to his left but he support runner was tackled into touch just short of the line.

Stevie O’Connor showed all of his skills over the course of the match including in the 54th minute when he kicked to the left wing forcing the Ballina fullback to take the ball dead just in front of the Raiders chasers.

In the 23rd minute Stevie O’Connor showed his desperation when he raced back to dive on a Ballina short grubber kick just out from his own line when it looked like the Seagulls chasers would get to the ball first.

Stevie O’Connor continued starting from the bench in Round Five against Marist Brothers Lismore, before moving into the starting side at fullback in Round Seven against the Kyogle Turkeys.

Stevie O’Connor had a try assist in the match against the Turkeys, when in the 49th minute he put up a bomb that came down right on the try line with Ethan Hickey on the spot to scoop up the ball after it was dropped by the Kyogle fullback to score ten metres from the left upright.

In addition to the try assist, Stevie O’Connor had an outstanding match overall, including a line break assist in the 12th minute when he threw a good cut-out ball to his right to put his right centre into a gap fifteen metres out, only for the centre to be dragged down less than a metre from the try line.

In the 26th minute, Stevie O’Connor raced to his left to field an attacking kcik towards the left corner and then he used his evasive skills to get the ball back into the field of play.

Stevie O’Connor’s defence was also exceptional in the match including in the 15th and 19th minutes when he was, with a couple of team mates, able to hold up Kyogle players over the try line. On the first occasion in the 15th minute Stevie O’Connor held up the Kyogle No. 9 and in the 19th the Kyogle lock.

After a Covid 19 interrupted Round Nine, Stevie O’Connor wore the No. 14 jersey once again in Round Ten against the Byron Bay Devils but once again started at fullback scoring in the 20th minute when he ran the ball down a short left blindside from twelve metres out. Stevie O’Connor shaped to pass to his left before taking the line on and he was subsequently able to get the ball down in the left corner.

Stevie O’Connor also kicked two conversions in the Raiders impressive victory over Byron Bay.

Stevie O’Connor was also named to start in the No. 14 jersey in Round Eleven against Casino RSM and continued at fullback in Round Twelve against the Bilambil Jets and kicked three conversions from as many attempts including an outstanding conversion from the left touchline in the second half.

In early October 2020 the young centre or fullback was part of the Titans Group 18 Invitational U14/15 side that played a trial match against a Titans Gold Coast U14 squad with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience with an added bonus that both sides wore Titans jerseys.

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At the 2021 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams Senior Rugby League Presentation Jye Davis was named the 2021 Marist Brothers Rams NRRL U18 Best and Fairest and also the U18 Best Back.

In June 2021 the five eight 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 with Jye Davis starting the match at five eight and drawing praise for his performance from Titans Development Staff.

Jye Davis started the season as part of the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup squad, coming into the side at five eight in Round Three againt the Northern Tigers and made the most of his opportunity by scoring in the 63rd minute of the match.

Jye Davis moved back to the bench in Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters and scored once again in the 42nd minute before also coming off the bench in Round Five against the Newcastle Knights.

Jye Davis played the 2021 season with the Marist Brothers Rams in the NRRRL U18 competition starting Round One at halfback against Northern United, contributing a try and a try assist to the Rams first up victory.

Jye Davis scored in the 55th minute when whilst he was defending on the left side of the field, Jye Davis took an intercept and ran seventy five metres down the left touchline to score in the left corner.

Jye Davis recorded a try assist in the 15th minute when he ran the ball down a short left blindside, drawing the defence in before popping a short ball to his left to put Lachlan Watts over in the left corner.

Jye Davis moved to five eight in Round Two against Casino RSM, scoring once again in the 32nd minute when he barged over the line from three metres out down a short left blindside.

Jye Davis continued his run of scoring in each round in Round Three against Kyogle corssing twice from five eight. Jye Davis’s opening try came in the 22nd minute when after receiving the ball eighteen metres out, Jye Davis stepped off his left to get the through the defensive line before getting down low to force his way over next to the right upright.

Jye Davis completed his double in the 41st minute when he bobbed up on the right side of the field, breaking four tackles to get over the line mid-way between the corner post and goal posts on the right side of the field.

Jye Davis also started at five eight in Round Four against Ballina as well as in Round Five against the Tweed Coast Raiders, a match which saw Jye Davis cross in the 48th minute. After receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball, Jye Davis produced a weaving ten metre run that saw him beat four defenders to score fifteen metres out from the right goal post.

Jye Davis continued his outstanding season at five eight in Round Six against the Byron Bay Devils, with the outstanding five eight prospect scoring in the 42nd minute when he stopped a gap in the Devils line and raced into dummy half, running to his left from eighteen metres out and was able to beat three defenders to score next to the left upright.

Jye Davis continued at five eight in Round Seven against the Cudgen Hornets and in Round Eight against the Murwillumbah Mustangs where he recorded a try assist when in the 42nd minute, whilst operating on the right side of the field, Jye Davis popped a good short ball to his right from eight metres out to put right second rower Henry Lee into a gap and over the line.

Jye Davis continued at five eight in Round Ten against the Bilambil Jets and was heavily involved in Henry Lee’s 38th minute after Henry Lee had run a straight crash line from ten metres out down a right blindside after Jye Davis had cut from the openside back to the right blindside.

Round Twelve against Casino RSM saw Jye Davis continued at five eight.

In early 2021 Jye Davis also took part in the Northern Country Lismore Diocese Rugby League Representative trials.

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Recently Joshua Donovan-Skinner was named the Grafton Ghosts 2021 Group One U15 Player of the Year.

In Round One of the 2021 Group One U15 competition, Joshua Donovan-Skinner started in the centres for the Grafton Ghosts against the Marist Brothers Rams Lismore and was a multiple try scorer for the Ghosts scored as they disposed of the Rams 38 – 12.

Joshua Donovan-Skinner also started in the centres in Round Two against Casino RSM and in Round Three in the local derby against the South Grafton Rebels.

Over the course of the 2021 season with the Grafton Ghosts, Joshua Donovan-Skinner transitioned to fullback playing some outstanding matches in that position including in Round Eleven against Casino RSM.

Joshua Donovan-Skinner was heavily involved in a lot of the good things that the Ghosts did in their Round Eleven victory, including a strong sequence in just the 7th minute of the match. From a Grafton scrum win fifteen metres out from the line, Joshua Donovan-Skinner positioned himself to the right of the scrum, after receiving the ball after Grafton won the scrum, Joshua Donovan-Skinner took the ball to the line before executing a good short pass to his right to a charging Lockie McLaughlin who was dragged down just short of the line.

Joshua Donovan-Skinner continued to loop around to the right, receiving the ball after Lockie McLaughlin played the ball. After receiving the ball from the dummy half Joshua Donovan-Skinner threw a long cut-out pass to his right to put his unmarked right centre over in the right corner. Joshua Donovan-Skinner then stepped up to convert the try that he set up from the right touchline.

Joshua Donovan-Skinner recorded another try assist in the 49th minute when after receiving the ball on the left side of the field, he threw a cut out pass in the same direction to put his five eight over in the left corner.

Joshua Donovan-Skinner continued his strong match in the 26th minute when he produced another strong run after chiming into the backline on the right with Joshua Donovan-Skinner getting through the line before getting an off-load away with his left arm.

Joshua Donovan-Skinner made another line break in the 34th minute on that occasion from a kick return. The ball initially went over Joshua Donovan-Skinner’s head forcing him to track back and collect the ball twenty metres out and in front of his own posts. After retrieving the ball Joshua Donovan-Skinner ran to his right and was able to get outside the Casino RSM defensive line and charge thirty metres down the right touchline. Joshua Donovan-Skinner was eventually tackled near the halfway mark and after a scuffle that included the majority of players on the field, Joshua Donovan-Skinner was awarded a penalty.

In addition to kicking three conversions, Joshua Donovan-Skinner came close to scoring himself for the Ghosts when in the 56th minute when he received the ball near the halfway mark and put up a mid-field bomb, Joshua Donovan-Skinner chased the kick through himself and was on the spot to recover the ball after it was dropped by the Casino RSM fullback. Joshua Donovan-Skinner retrieved possession around twenty metres of the try line and got within two metres of the try line before being dragged down right in front of the posts.

The exciting young Grafton Ghosts fullback or centre was part of the Titans 2020 Group One Academy squad that was training on a weekly basis in Ballina in Northern New South Wales. Ghosts team mate Callum Bowles is also part of the exciting Titans JTS squad based in the Group One region of Northern New South Wales.

In November 2020 Joshua Donovan-Skinner started once again training with the Titans development squad from the Group One region under the direction of former Titans NRL player Kane Elgey.

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On November 8 Jed Mulcahy started training a couple of days a week with the Titans JTS program with Jed Mulcahy’s first appearance in a Titans jersey in a match coming in early December 2021 when two Titans U14 Development Squads played each other.

In Round Two of the 2021 Group One U14 competition Jed Mulcahy started in the front row for Kyogle as the Turkeys took on Casino RSM with Jed Mulcahy scoring twice and converted two tries as the Turkeys defeated South Grafton 48 – 0.

Jed Mulcahy also started in the front row in Round Three against the Ballina Seagulls and was one of the Turkeys try scorers in their 32 – 18 loss. Jed Mulcahy added a further try in Round Five against Lismore Marist Brothers after starting the match once again in the front row.

Jed Mulcahy started once again in the front row in Round Six against South Grafton and scored a double as the Turkey’s prevailed 34 – 20 and also started in the front row in Round Eight against the Grafton Ghosts.

Also starting in the front row in Round Nine against Casino RSM, Jed Mulcahy had a huge match scoring four tries and kicking a conversion for an eighteen point individual haul as the Turkey’s defeated Casino RSM 34 – 12.

Jed Mulcahy continued in the front row in Round Eleven against the Clarence Coast Magpies and added a further try to his impressive season. Jed Mulcahy also started in the front row in Round Twelve, crossing for a hat trick against the Marist Rams.

Jed Mulcahy finished the abridged 2021 Group One U14 regular season as the competitions fourth leading try scorer with sixteen tries.

Jed Mulcahy’s athletic prowess is not just confined to the rugby league with the young man winning the Kyogle High School 2021 U14 Cross Country race.

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Titans linked centre Joseph Tupuse has a big 2022 season in front of him, including playing for Keebra Park SHS and the Souths Logan Magpies CC Cup side.

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Great to see young forward Dahnte Te Whiu-Hopa link up with the Titans with the Marsden SHS student joining brother Taelon in the Titans JTS Program.