Junior Development

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Good to see Tuvalli Khan-Pereira named at right centre for the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side to paly Fiji this Saturday.

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TJ Devery and Sam McIntyre have been named to come off the bench for the Burleigh Queensland Cup side on Saturday night in a trial against the Fiji Silktails.

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In late 2021 Titans contracted Bailey McConnell was named in the 2022 Burleigh Bears MM Cup squad and was subsequently named at halfback on Saturday for the Bears MM Cup trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls after playing for the Titans against the Burleigh Bears MM Cup side in late January 2022 at Pizzey Park.

The trial saw Bailey McConnell score a great solo try in the 37th minute when initially Bailey McConnell received the ball to the right of the play the ball, but after receiving the ball ten metres out, Bailey McConnell cut back to his left, as he ran towards the left touchline, Bailey McConnell dummied in that same direction before slicing through the Tweed Heads line to dive over in the left corner.

Bailey McConnell made a great line break in the 17th minute when after receiving the ball on the right of the play the ball, Bailey McConnell dummied to his right and then sliced through the Seagulls defensive line from twenty five metres out. As the Seagulls cover defence converged on him Bailey McConnell got a great ball away to his right to Keahn Skipps who was stopped desperately close to the try line.

Bailey McConnell was also involved in a great Burleigh sequence in the 54th minute that made a lot of ground down the right side of the field, in fact Bailey McConnell got the play going. Around twenty metres from his own try line, Bailey McConnell ran the ball to his right, throwing a good ball to Taneila Lotaki who burst downfield, getting to his fifty metre mark, Taniela Mapusua-Lotaki then was able to off-load the ball to his right to Te Haeta Takamore who promoted the ball over the halfway line before off-loading back inside to Bailey McConnell who looked like he would race away to score but unfortunately was ankle tapped from behind just as he was moving towards full speed.

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Titans contracted Izayah Petrichvich was named on the bench for the Burleigh Bears opening 2022 MM Cup trail against the Tweed Heads Seagulls last Saturday with Izayah Petrichvich operating at fullback in the second half after coming on at halftime.

It took just two minutes on the field for Izayah Petrichvich to score when after some good work on his inside by Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo, Izayah Petrichvich dived over in the left corner to extend Burleigh’s lead.

Izayah Petrichvich was also outstanding in defence in the match for Burleigh including in the 39th minute with a great try saving tackle. With Tweed Heads attacking from close range down their right channel, Izayah Petrichvich charged across to his left to hit the Seagulls right second rower on the try line just as he was diving over with the initial contact of Izayah Petrichvich knocking the ball loose and scoring a certain Tweed Heads try.

Izayah Petrichvich also produced a good defensive effort in the 47th minute when he was confronted with a charging Seagulls lock who had broken through the initial Burleigh defensive line. Izayah Petrichvich stood his ground and made the one on one tackle to stop the possible try.

Izayah Petrichvich continued his strong defensive match in the 48th minute when with Tweed Heads playing the ball just out from the try line Izayah Petrichvich flew off the line to tackle the Seagulls dummy half before he could initial an attacking play.

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Titans contracted Seth Nikotemo was named at right second row for the Burleigh Bears side on Saturday for their MM Cup trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls after playing for the Titans against the Burleigh MM Cup side in late January 2022.

Seth Nilotemo scored from close range, being less than a metre and to the right of the dummy half in the 17th minute when he pushed his way over the top of two Seagulls defenders.

Seth Nikotemo also made a line break in the 11th minute when he burst twenty metres down the right channel and then was able to off-load to his right to Bears fullback Xavier Asi who had loomed up on Seth Nikotemo’s right.

The in the 14th minute Seth Nikotemo charged onto the ball from a Bears penalty twenty metres from the try line and was able to get the ball inside ten metres before his forward momentum was halted.

Seth Nikotemo also did some great work defensively at marker in the 40th minute when he stopped and then pushed back Seagulls fullback Jett Forbes had tried to sneak over from dummy half from close range.

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Titans contracted Nayte Saaga was named on the bench for the Burleigh Bears opening MM Cup 2022 trail against the Tweed Heads Seagulls on Saturday with Nayte Saaga coming into the match late in the first half, spending the remainder of the first half in the dummy half role.

Nayte Saaga scored in just the 5th minute of the second half when he backed up a long break in the 35th minute by Sam Stephenson who then drew the fullback and passed to his right to send Nayte Saaga over for a great Burleigh long range try.

Nayte Saaga scored his second try of the trial in the 55th minute when he darted out of dummy half to his left from five metres out. Nayte Saaga then stepped off his left foot to dive over between two defenders to score next to the left upright.

In fact the reason that Burleigh were in the position that they were was as a result of Nayte Saaga himself. On the play prior to him scoring from dummy half, Nayte Saaga received the ball from the dummy half and to the right of the play the ball and put his right second rower into a gap with a good short ball to his right. Nayte Saaga then went into dummy half and scored from the resultant play the ball.

Nayte Saaga also almost scored in the 46th minute when after receiving an offload ten metres out from the line from his right, Nayte Saaga skipped to his right to beat one defender, before veering back to his left to beat a second. Nayte Saaga then put his head down and took off for the line but was brought to ground directly in front of the goal posts less than a metre out.

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On Saturday Titans contracted Tanu Nona started at hooker for Tweed Heads in their MM Cup trial against the Burleigh Bears. Whilst he started the match at hooker, Tanu Nona also spend time as a running forward towards the end of the first half when Hasley McDonald came off the bench.

Tanu Nona made an immediate impact for the Seagulls when from sixty five metres out Tanu Nona ran to his right out of dummy half and burst straight through the middle of the Burleigh defensive line, then drew the fullback and off-loading to his left. Another off-load later Jett Forbes scored under the posts.

Tanu Nona made another great run out of dummy half, on this occasion to his left with Tanu Nona once again making a line break through the Burleigh line, Tanu Nona was able to off-load to his left to Michael Roberts who was brought down just inches from the try line.

Tanu Nona made a further strong run out of dummy half in the 55th minute when he ran out of dummy half to his right with Tanu Nona starting his right on his own twenty metre line, getting the ball out to thirty five metres out from his own try line.

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Titans contracted Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo started from the bench for the Burleigh Bears opening 2022 MM Cup trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls on the weekend with Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo operating at five eight on the left side of the field in the second half after coming on at halftime.

Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo scored one of the best tries that you will ever see and the first of I am sure of many in Australia and for Burleigh in the 42nd minute when he scored a spectacular ninety five metre solo try.

Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo called the ball down a short left blindside just five metres from his own line. Upon receipt of the ball Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo ran to his left, dummying twice to players coming back underneath him and then after freezing the defensive line Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo flew down the left touchline. To beat the Tweed Heads fullback who was coming across in cover defence Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo produced a goose step and then was not going to be caught with Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo putting the ball down mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

It took just two minutes of the second half for Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo to make his prescence felt by recording a try assist when after receiving an offload around five metres out from the line on the left side of the field Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo skipped around one defender and then shrugged off another before off-loading to his left in a tackle to put Izayah Petrichvich over in the left corner.

Then just three minutes later in the 35th minute Amarni Wetini-Ngaropo recorded a line break assist when he took the ball from the dummy half on the left and threw a flat pass to his left to lead Sam Stephenson into a big gap with the left centre then drawing the fullback and sending Nayte Saaga over for a great Burleigh long range try.

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I can remember sitting on the sidelines at Pizzey Park years and years ago watching a Titans U13 Development squad taking on a Samoan side when a tall skinny youngster wearing head gear came off the bench.

Fast forward eight years and that same young man will come off the bench for the Titans NRL squad against Brisbane on Saturday night.

Of course the player I am referring to is Ben Liyou.

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Anther young man who joined the Titans Junior Development Program as a 13 year old who is also set to play for the Titans NRL side on Saturday night is Thomas Weaver.

Similarly I saw Thomas Weaver play as a 13 year old and how good will it be to see him in a Titans NRL jersey on Saturday night.

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When you are watching the Titans NRL side play on Saturday night, every Titans fan should thank long time Titans Junior Development Co-ordinator Jamie McCormack.

Jamie McCormack did not just bring in the likes of Thomas Weaver, Oscar Bryant, Jaylan De Groot, Caleb Hodges and Ben Liyou into the system but also helped them develop into the outstanding players and young men that they have become.

There are also plenty more following these young men as well, also as a result of the hard work that Jamie McCormack does.

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Toby Sexton is locked in to play in the halves in Round One of the NRL season but today's trial against Brisbane showcases a couple of players who will be putting pressure on the incumbent halves over the 2022 season and beyond in Shallin Fuller, Paul Turner and Tom Weaver.

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Charlie Murray even though he played the majority of the 2021 season at lock for the Tweed Heads Seagulls also played some hooker and he has a real opportunity tonight to really turn some heads when he comes off the bench for the Titans in their NRL trial against the Bronco's.

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What an impressive achievement by Ballina Coast High School student and Ballina Seagulls junior Burran Roberts.

The young man was part of the Ballina High School U15 touch team that went through the Far North Coast U15 touch trials undefeated this week and Burran Roberts who is still U13 eligible this season was named in the Far North Coast U15 Representative Touch Team.

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Great effort by the Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup side who won 32-26 at Mullumbimy this morning against the Greater Northern Tigers.

Fullback Stevie O'Connor was one of a number of very good players for the Titans.