Junior Development

[GC Hornet]

Any details on the broncos titans U17 game on 28 Jan

venue?
time?
team lists?

Venue Burliegh Junior Fields
Time 5:00
Team List most likely under 17 Titians

1.Ray Ray Burliegh Bears 🐻
2. Isaiah Burliegh Bears 🐻

3 Sam Burliegh Bears 🐻
4. Sunny Burliegh Bears 🐻
5. Mason Burliegh Bears 🐻
6. Ryder. Southport Tigers 🐯
7. Zane Tweed Heads
8. Lafranky. Burleigh Bears 🐻
9.Nate. Burleigh Bears 🐻
10. Joey. Redcliffe
11. Anton. Burleigh Bears 🐻
12. Jack. Burleigh Bears 🐻
13.Cooper. Burleigh Bears 🐻
14 Zac. Helensvale Hornets 🐝
15. Amarni. Burleigh Bears 🐻
16 Corey. Logan Brothers
17

[mdrew]

Great to see the Titans sign second rower Majah Peachey. In mid-2022 Majah Peachey played for Western Australia in the U15 ASSRL Championships at Redcliffe.

In Western Australia Majah Peachey played for the Rockingham Sharks.

[mdrew]

Another strong addition to the Titans JTS Program by Jamie McCormack is young NZ second rower Devin Bates-Wellington who has officially signed with the Titans.

[mdrew]

Impresively Keano Kini started training with the Titans NRL squad on an NRL Development contract in early November 2022 with Keano Kini’s contracted then extended until the end of the 2025 season which included Keano Kini being part of the Titans Top 30 NRL squad in 2024 and 2025.

In early December 2022 Keano Kini took part in a joint training session betweed the Titans JTS contracted players and the Titans NRL squad.

In late January 2022 Keano Kini started at five eight for the Titans U19 side in a match at Pizzey Park against the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side with Keano Kini being involved in the opening tackle of the match after Tom Weaver kicked off for the Titans to get the match underway.

After playing the first half at five eight Keano Kini moved to fullback for the second half with Jaylan De Groot moving to the left wing to accommodate the move.

After the forward battle subsided Keano Kini began to come into his own and in the 20th minute he almost manufactured a try for Jeremaiah Temapo when he created space on the right but Keano Kini’s overhead pass to Jeremaiah Temapo who put the ball down in the right corner was ruled forward.

Keano Kini was at it again in the 35th minute when he took the ball down a wide left blindside. Keano Kini ran at the line with the ball in both hands before dummying to his right to get part way through the defensive line. Keano Kini then held off one defender with his left arm propelling him and the attached defender from twenty five metres out to within four metres of the try line in an exceptional display of balance, body control and functional strength.

Keano Kini’s move to fullback in the second half did not dull his attacking threat and in the 47th minute Keano Kini made a great winding run of thirty metres. Keano Kini received the ball to the left of a Titans scrum win just twenty metres from their own line. Initially after running to his left Keano Kini was tackled by the right leg by the Burleigh right winger but was not brought to ground. After pulling his leg free, Keano Kini continued to charge forward, stepping off his right foot twice before straightening up his run with a left foot step and was eventually tackled near the halfway mark. After playing the ball, Keano Kini then received an off-load from Kyhan Weir who had taken the subsequent hit-up.

In the 70th minute Keano Kini produced a strong kick return when after taking possession of the ball from the kick on his own twenty metre line, Keano Kini got all of the way to the forty five metre mark, beating two tackles along the way.

In late July 2022 Keano Kini started at fullback for the U19 Future Titans Squad that played a North Queensland Cowboys U19 squad at Cbus Stadium as a curtain-raiser to the Round Twenty NRL match between the Titans and the Canberra Raiders with Keano Kini, in my opinion, being the best player on the field with a three try, one try assist effort in a Player of the Match performance.

Keano Kini scored his opening try in the 11th minute and what an absolutely superb solo try it was. Keano Kini took a North Queensland clearing kick in the centre of the field twenty metres out and immediately right to his right, running parallel to the defensive line before stepping off his right foot to burst between two defenders to race away downfield. As he approached the fullback near the halfway mark Keano Kini shaped to pass to his inside before stepping off his right foot to beat the fullback with Keano Kini then racing away to score in the right corner.

Keano Kini scored his second try just four minutes later in the 15th minute when he backed up a line break by Jack Cullen to receive the ball after Jack Cullen had drawn the fullback with Keano Kini racing away to score under the posts.

Keano Kini completed his hat trick in the 22nd minute when after good work from near the halfway mark from Jaylen De Groot, Keano Kini dived over in the left corner from close range after Kaleb Nagamanu had drawn the Cowboys fullback and passed to Keano Kini.

Keano Kini’s try assist came in the 53rd minute when Keano Kini received the ball around ten metres out on the left side of the field, Keano Kini cut to his outside, drawing in the Cowboys winger and got the ball away to his right to put Jaylen De Groot over to score in the left corner.

Keano Kini also made a line break in the 29th minute when he received the ball on the halfway mark after cutting back underneath Thomas Weaver with Keano Kini stepping off his right foot to isolate and beat one defender with Keano Kini making twenty metres through the centre of the field as a result.

Keano Kini made a further line break in the 63rd minute when from twenty eight metres out on the left side of the field, Keano Kini dummied to his outside before slicing through only to be tackled four metres out from the try line.

Keano Kini also did well in the 35th minute when after running onto the ball to the right of the play the ball, Keano Kini was able to get halfway through the line before getting away a good right arm off-load.

Keano Kini got a further off-load away in the 57th minute when after running the ball on the left side of the field twenty metres from the try line Keano Kini stepped off his left foot before getting an off-load away to his right to Oskar Bryant.

Keano Kini also had a strong match defensively starting inside the opening minute of the match when after the Cowboys fullback had made a line break through the centre of the field from the Titans first clearing kick of the match, Keano Kini took him in a great low one on one tackle near the halfway mark.

Then in the 6th minute along with Ryan Foran and Thomas Weaver, Keano Kini made a strong tackle on the North Queensland right second rower to prevent him from scoring just to the left of the uprights on the last tackle.

Keano Kini made a great take of a high Cowboys bomb in the 46th minute with Keano Kini leaping high to take the ball on the full just out from his own try line with Keano Kini subsequently being awarded a penalty for being tackled in the air.

In the 21st minute Keano Kini when just six metres out from his own try line took a Cowboys kick on the full over his head with Keano Kini breaking two tackles as he promoted the ball to twenty six metres out from his own line.

Whilst Keano Kini played the majority of the match at fullback, he did spend time on the left wing after swapping with Jaylan De Groot.

In mid-December 2021 Keano Kini was one of the Titans JTS Program players that took part in a joint training session with the Titans NRL squad.

In early November 2021 Keano Kini was named in the powerful 2022 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.

Round One of the 2022 MM Cup competition saw Keano Kini named at fullback for the Tweed Heads Seagulls against the Souths Logan Magpies.

Keano Kini had an outstanding match including a 19th minute try assist when from around ten metres out Keano Kini received the ball to the right of the play the ball but wide out on the left. Keano Kini initially ran towards the posts when his route was cut off Keano Kini changed direction and ran back to his left, getting on the outside of a number of Magpies defenders before drawing in the Souths Logan right winger and putting Matthew Barrow over in the left corner.

Keano Kini made his first line break of the match in the 6th minute when from inside his own half, Keano Kini forced his way into dummy half running to his left before straightening up and making fifteen metres. Then just two tackles later Keano Kini received the ball to the right of the dummy half and as he made contact with the Magpies A defender, Keano Kini spun 360 degrees clockwise to break contact and then made five more metres before he was brought to ground.

Keano Kini’s first run of the match came in just the third minute when from just inside his own territory Keano Kini took a hit-up to the left of the dummy half. Initially Keano Kini looked as if he would cut back behind the play the ball but at the last moment he ran to his left running parallel to the defensive line before straightening up to try to burst between two defenders.

Keano Kini made another strong run in the 60th minute when after a Souths Logan Magpies goal dropout fell short, Keano Kini raced forward taking the kick on the bounce at full speed around forty two metres out and ran to his left and getting the ball within eighteen metres of the try line with Keano Kini executing a quick play the ball with Taelon Te Whiu-Hopa scoring down the left blindside as a result.

Keano Kini was also named at fullback and captain for Round Two against the Redcliffe Dolphins and as usual was dangerous throughout including in the 33rd minute from a scrum move to the right with Keano Kini able to get around one Redcliffe defender, making twelve metres and stretching the Dolphins defence totally out of position.

Keano Kini produced another line breaking run in the 72nd minute when he cut back underneath Josh Lynn on the right side of the field around thirty five metres out. After receiving the ball Keano Kini straightened up his run, beating three Dolphins. Keano Kini was eventually caught by the Dolphins cover defence about a metre from the line, but Keano Kini was up on his feet to play the ball in the blink of an eye with Tweed Heads scoring on the left through Jared Johnson from the subsequent play.

After the Seagulls had a Round Three bye, Keano Kini was named to start at fullback in Round Four against the Easts Tigers however in a late change Keano Kini moved to start the match at five eight and cut the Tigers apart including scoring a well worked Seagulls try in the 19th minute.

From the Tweed Heads scrum win Keano Kini received the ball from the back of the scrum around twenty metres out and immediately ran to his left. Keano Kini then brought Josh Lynn back underneath with Josh Lynn sucking in multiple defenders before getting the ball back to Keano Kini in space. Keano Kini then palmed off one defender and sliced through the defensive line and crashed over ten metres to the left of the uprights.

The match also saw Keano Kini set up a try for Jett Forbes in the 74th minute. From a Tweed Heads scrum win on halfway, Keano Kini received the ball from the back of the scrum on the right side of the field and initially it appeared as if he would kick on the first tackle but Keano Kini had other ideas and raced through a gap before veering to his right to draw the Easts fullback and pass to his right to send Jett Forbes away on a run to the right corner.

Keano Kini also did well defensively including in the 12th minute when he along with Cooper Camby he produced a try saving tackle on the Easts left second rower who had run a straight crash line from close range.

Keano Kini was named to continue at five eight and captain in Round Five against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls however he was ruled out late in the week. Keano Kini was then named to start at five eight in Round Six against the Norths Devils but once again he was ruled out late in the week.

Through the opening six rounds of the 2022 U18 Mal Meninga Cup competition Keano Kini had run for the 13th most metres being 482 metres at an average of 161 metres per match and also made a three line breaks. Those figures are scary considering Keano Kini missed around 50% of the season through injury.

Keano Kini’s first match in 2022 for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad came in early February when he lined up against the Easts Tigers at Scott Park in Brisbane.

In March 2022 Keano Kini was selected in the South Coast School Boy Rugby League U18 Representative side after successfully negotiating the trials with Keano Kini starting Match One against Northern at fullback.

Keano Kini recorded a line break assist in just the 4th minute when after receiving the ball from his left near mid-field and twenty metres out from his own line, Keano Kini skipped to his left to get on the outside of one defender before drawing in the Northern right winger and then passed to his left to send Jeremaiah Temapo away down the left touchline.

Keano Kini came close to scoring in the 15th minute when after joining the South Coast backline on the right, Keano Kini stepped off his right foot twelve metres out and looked to have forced his way over near the right corner but the referee ruled that he had grounded the ball short of the try line.

Keano Kini continued at fullback in Match Two against Met North and had a great match including scoring an outstanding try in the 11th minute when on the right side of the field Josh Lynn ran to his right with Keano Kini running straight and hard receiving the ball back on the inside and from ten metres out was just too much for the Met North defence to crash over between two defenders ten metres in from the right corner post.

Keano Kini made his first line break in the abridged match in the 7th minute when after receiving the ball on the bounce twenty two metres out on the left side of the field Keano Kini cut back to his right running parallel to the defensive line before stepping off his right foot to slice through but he was cut down just two metres short of the line.

Keano Kini recorded another line break in the 22nd minute in what was the final play of the abridged match when from inside his own territory Keano Kini received the ball on the right side of the field and executed a great right foot step to break the line and was able to make twenty five metres into Met North territory before his run was halted.

The match also saw Keano Kini record a 20th minute line break assist when after receiving the ball just thirty five metres out from his own line and to the right of the play the ball, Keano Kini cut back to his left and whilst being brought to ground by two defenders was able to get the ball to his left centre who burst downfield.

At the conclusion of the Championships Keano Kini was named in the 2022 Queensland Open School Boy Rugby League Representative side and just prior to the commencement of the Championships, Keano Kini was named by the Courier Mail as the seventh best U18 Rugby League player in Australia.

At the Australian U18 School Boy Championships for Queensland, Keano Kini was the vice-captain.

Keano Kini started at fullback in Match One against the Australian Capital Territory and made the first of multiple strong runs in the 5th minute when he charged onto the ball to the left of the dummy half on his own forty metre mark and just prior to the defensive line stepped off his right foot to beat two defenders to make fourteen metres.

Then in the 8th minute Keano Kini was at it again when after receiving the ball to the right of a Queensland scrum win on the halfway mark, Keano Kini ran after the defensive line with the ball in his outstretched right arm before stepping back inside off his right foot to make fifteen metres.

The 15th minute of the match saw Keano Kini record a line break and line break assist when after receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball on halfway Keano Kini stepped off his right foot and after spinning 360 degrees clockwise after being hit by one defender got a great ball away to a charging Arama Hau after drawing in two defenders with the giant left second rower charging away.

Keano Kini also started at fullback in Match Two being the semi-final against NSW CIS with Keano Kini scoring a great try in the 34th minute when from a set play Keano Kini raced onto an inside pass and after receiving the ball thirty eight metres out Keano Kini burst through the centre of the NSW CIS defence after a slight stumble before an exceptional right foot step took Keano Kini past the fullback with Keano Kini getting the ball down under the posts on the second attempt.

Keano Kini was causing trouble for the NSW CIS defence as early as the 5th minute when he flew onto the ball to the right of the play the ball making twelve metres to get the ball to the halfway mark. Then just a minute later in the 6th minute Keano Kini darted to the right from a Queensland scrum win and after getting to the outside of a number of defenders Keano Kini was able to make fifteen metres before being slung to ground.

Keano Kini made seventeen more metres in the 27th minute when he charged onto the ball to the left of the play the ball to get the ball to the halfway mark and then was awarded a penalty when he was held down too long in the tackle.

As a result of his performance, Keano Kini was deservedly named Player of the Match.

Keano Kini also started at fullback in Queensland U18 ASSRL Championships Grand Final victory over NSW CHS with Keano Kini recording a try assist in the 36th minute when after receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball around twenty metres out, Keano Kini threw a great long cut out pass to his right to put Tory Bath into space down the right wing and over in the corner. Seriously what a pass!

Keano Kini showcased his outstanding skill set in the 9th minute when he took a NSW CHS grubber kick into the in-goal and did exceptionally get the ball out from the in-goal and back into the field of play.

Keano Kini was his dangerous self running the ball in the Championship Final and highlighted that in the 36th minute when after taking possession of the ball thirty five metres out, Keano Kini beat five tackles in a great winding run that initially started to the left of the play the ball before Keano Kini cut back to his left before Keano Kini was still able to get an off-load away.

Keano Kini’s performances over the course of the 2022 ASSRL U18 Championships saw Keano Kini named in the Australian School Boys Squad for their Fijian tour with Keano Kini presented with the No. 1 jersey prior to heading to Fiji.

Keano Kini started the first “test” of the tour at fullback against Fiji Schools with Keano Kini scoring one try and setting up another in a big Australian School Boys victory.

Keano Kini scored in the 57th minute when he burst onto the ball through the centre of the field from fifty five metres out with Keano Kini veering to his right to round the Fiji fullback and race away to put the ball down under the posts.

Keano Kini recorded his try assist in the 48th minute when after making a line break through the centre of the field, Keano Kini drew the Fiji fullback and passed to his right to send his support runner away to score untouched under the posts.

Post the 2022 ASSRL U18 Championships, the Courier Mail released a revised Top 50 Australian U18 Rugby League Players with Keano Kini moving up to third on that list.

Keano Kini was also noted by the Courier Mail by being named on various other lists including the Best Try of the Championships and one of the Most Explosive Players of the Championships.

Round One of the 2022 Langer Cup School Boy competition saw Keano Kini start at fullback for PBC State High School against Marsden State High School and put in a Player of the Match performance including scoring a great double in a big PBC SHS 44 – 0 victory.

Keano Kini’s opening try in the 12th was an absolute blinder. Keano Kini received the ball fifty five metres out from the line to the left of the play the ball. Upon receipt of the ball Keano Kini ran back to the right towards the centre of the field and to get through the line executed wicked right foot step. Once through the line Keano Kini easily outpaced the cover defence before another outstanding right foot step gave the Marsden SHS fullback no chance with Keano Kini racing past to dive over next to the left upright.

Keano Kini completed his double in the 56th minute when after PBC SHS spun the ball to the left Keano Kini flew onto the ball after cutting underneath Josh Lynn. Keano Kini received the ball off Josh Lynn twelve metres out and to the left of the uprights but whilst still two metres from the line crashed into the Marsden SHS hooker with Keano Kini reaching out with the ball in his right arm to slam the ball down under the posts.

The match also saw Keano Kini record a number of try assists with the first of those coming in the 19th minute when after receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball Keano Kini veered slightly to his left to draw in one defender an then throw a great short ball in the same direction to send Brady Turner through a gap and subsequently score from twenty metres out near the left corner post.

Then in the 27th minute Keano Kini threw the final pass for Michael Roberts try. Keano Kini chimed into the PBC SHS backline on the left and after looking to split the line himself Keano Kini was able to keep his right arm off the ground as he was being spun around in a tackle and then execute a right arm off-load to Michael Roberts who came back inside to crash over.

Keano Kini recorded his third try assist in the 37th minute after having the foresight to get his feet back into the in-goal and take a Marsden SHS bomb on the full. Keano Kini then raced out to the twenty metre mark to take a quick tap restart. Keano Kini exploded through the middle of the Marsden SHS defensive line and after making twenty three metres was caught from behind but Keano Kini was able to keep his right arm free and off-load to his left to Jett Forbes who raced fifty seven metres untouched to score.

In fact in the 32nd minute Keano Kini once again positioned himself well to take a bomb on the full I the in-goal and looked to have burst through the Marsden SHS defensive line from the quick twenty metre tap restart but the referee ruled that one of the PBC SHS players was in front of Keano Kini so brought him back to take the tap restart a second time.

Keano Kini’s opening contribution for PBC SHS came in the 4th minute with his first run of the match when he made ten metres whilst bringing the ball off his own try line. Keano Kini made a strong run out of dummy half in the 15th minute when after he ran to his right making fifteen metres to thirty metres out.

Keano Kini’s ability to position himself correctly came to the fore in the 9th minute when with Marsden SHS on the attack Keano Kini raced to his left to take a Marsden SHS grubber kick on the bounce on his own try line and even with the chase coming through Keano Kini was able to promote the ball to ten metres away from the line.

Keano Kini was then named at fullback for Round Two against Redcliffe State High School with Keano Kini scoring in the 49th minute when after receiving a good short ball from his right from Josh Lynn, Keano Kini ran the ball down a short left blindside to score five metres in from the left corner post after slicing through the Redcliffe SHS right sided defensive line.

Keano Kini also recorded a try assist in the 27th minute when after joining the PBC SHS backline to the right of the play the ball Keano Kini took the ball deep into the defensive line before throwing a hard cut-out pass to his right to put Jett Forbes over in the right corner from eight metres out.

Keano Kini made a strong run in the 25th minute when from his own twenty metre mark Keano Kini executed a number of right foot steps to make eighteen metres.

The match also saw Keano Kini make a great try saving tackle in the 29th minute he raced to his left and smashed the Redcliffe SHS right winger just as he was preparing to put the ball down in the right corner with Keano Kini’s heavy contact knocking the ball from the wingers grasp just short of the try line.

Keano Kini also did well defensively in the 47th minute when after the Redcliffe SHS left winger got to a kick before him just fifteen metres out from the try line, Keano Kini did not panic and made sure of the tackle on the winger to eliminate the danger for PBC SHS.

Keano Kini was also named to continue at fullback in Round Three against Coombabah State High School and came desperately close to scoring in the 23rd minute when after chiming into the PBC SHS backline to the right and around twelve metres out Keano Kini stepped his way past a number of defenders before being caught but Keano Kini was close enough to reach out with his right arm but the referee adjudged that Keano Kini lost control of the ball he was able to get the ball over the line.

Keano Kini recorded a try assist in the 12th minute when from twenty five metres out and to the left of the play the ball, Keano Kini burst onto the ball, cutting off his left foot before in the tackle of the Coombabah SHS fullback getting away a right arm off-load to Tanu Nona who was backing up on Keano Kini’s right with Tanu Nona subsequently crashing over under the posts.

Keano Kini recorded a second try assist in the 57th minute when after lining up to the right of a PBC SHS scrum around forty metres out, Keano Kini received the ball from the back of the scrum and ran to his right to draw in two defenders before throwing a cut-out pass to his right winger who raced down the right touchline to score in the corner.

Keano Kini recorded a line break assist in the 7th minute when from a PBC SHS scrum wing, Keano Kini ran the ball to the left, darting across field before drawing in the last Coombabah SHS defender on the left side of the field and got the ball away to his left to put Jett Forbes away down the left touchline on a forty metre run.

The first of multiple Keano Kini line breaks came in the 37th minute when Coombabah SHS put up a high bomb that Keano Kini took on his own twenty metre mark under heavy pressure. Keano Kini was able to step past two on-rushing Coombabah SHS players and burst thirty three centres through the centre of the ruck to get the ball into Coombabah SHS territory.

Keano Kini made a further line break in the 46th minute when he made twenty metres as a result of a good ball from his inside from Josh Lynn.

The 55th minute saw Keano Kini make another line break when he made twenty two metres from the left of the play the ball with fifteen of the metres that Keano Kini made of the post contact variety.

Keano Kini continued his strong match in the 59th minute when after receiving an inside pass, Keano Kini burst through the line, making seventy metres before getting the ball away to Jett Forbes who subsequently found Tanu Nona backing up through the centre of the field to crash over under the posts.

Keano Kini made his first run of the match in the 3rd minute when he took a hit-up to the right of the play the ball with a great left foot step enabling Keano Kini to make twelve metres to promote the ball to near the halfway mark.

Keano Kini did well from a defensive perspective in right on halftime when he along with Will Saunders, he was able to hold up the Coombabah SHS fullback over the line on the left side of the field after the fullback had cut inside from near the left touchline.

Keano Kini’s performance against Coombabah SHS was such that he was named at five eight in the Courier Mail Langer Cup Round Three Team of the Week.

After the mid-season break, Keano Kini continued at fullback in Round Four against Ipswich State High School.

Keano Kini did well in the 14th minute when after receiving the ball in the attacking twenty metre zone to the left of the uprights, Keano Kini cut back towards the goal posts and when he was ten metres out Keano Kini put in a right foot grubber kick into the in-goal and then chased his own kick through to tackle the Ipswich SHS fullback in-goal and force a goal line drop-out.

Keano Kini made good tackle in the 36th minute when he along with Josh Lynn and Tanu Nona held up the giant Ipswich SHS front rower No. 8 over the line and directly under the posts.

Keano Kini continued at fullback in Round Five against Mabel Park SHS with Keano Kini scoring a simply spectacular try in the 13th minute. I will try to describe the try but there is no way that I will be able to do it justice.

Keano Kini, in the 13th minute received the ball after running an underneath route and after receiving the ball from Zane Harrison Keano Kini charged flat out into the defensive line, spinning 360 degrees clockwise after initial contact with the defensive line and then Keano Kini executed multiple left and right foot steps in an instant to beat multiple defenders to score an incredible try under the posts.

In addition to his spectacular try Keano Kini also recorded a try assist in just the 2nd minute of the match when he joined into the backline to the left of the play the ball with Keano Kini running the ball to within three metres of the try line and after drawing in the final defender got away a great off-load to his left to put his centre over of the first of many PBC SHS’s tries.

Keano Kini showed that he is not just a great ball runner in the 16th minute when after reengaging the defensive line Keano Kini was able to get an overhead off-load away to Blake Forder to continue to promote the ball.

Keano Kini also executed an outstanding try saving tackle in the match when in the 35th minute along with Cooper Camby, Keano Kini hit the Mabel Park SHS left centre literally right on the try line, stopping him dead and knocking him to the ground just inches short of the try line.

Keano Kini also started at fullback in the Round Six local derby against Keebra Park SHS with Keano Kini making a strong run in the 36th minute when after receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball, Keano Kini cut back to the right being towards the centre of the field with Keano Kini executing multiple steps off both feet to make twenty five metres.

Keano Kini, from a defensive perspective executed a great tackle along with Isaiah Scanlon to stop a Keebra Park SHS dart out of dummy half from close range to prevent a near certain try.

Keano Kini continued at fullback in Round Seven against Wavell SHS with Keano Kini scoring in the 55th minute when he ran a straight hard line and burst between two defenders from twenty metres out with Keano Kini getting the ball down mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the right side of the field.

Keano Kini also recorded the first of his two try assists in the 28th minute when from twenty metres out from his own line, Keano Kini made a line break down the left touchline and after racing fifty metres downfield Keano Kini drew the Wavell SHS fullback and got the ball away to Blake Forder who raced away to score under the posts.

Keano Kini recorded his second try assist in the 22nd minute with a great catch and pass under heavy pressure on the right side of the field and ten metres out with Keano Kini’s great pass to his right giving Jett Forbes the room to dive over in the right corner.

Keano Kini also saved a try in the 26th minute when he raced across field to his right to smash the Wavell SHS left winger and knock him into touch with the corner post going flying as a result of the Keano Kini.

Keano Kini also made a strong run in the 12th minute when from the right of the play the ball and eighteen metres out from his own try line, Keano Kini was able to make fourteen metres.

Keano Kini continued at fullback in PBC SHS’s Langer Cup Quarter Final against Mabel Park SHS with Keano Kini scoring twice as PBC SHS qualified for the semi-finals.

Keano Kini’s opening try came in just the 4th minute when after receiving an off-load from Jac Finnigan sixty five metres out from the try line, Keano Kini ran to his right and after drawing the Mabel Park SHS left winger Keano Kini got the ball away to Jett Forbes who after running fifteen metres down the right touchline got the ball back inside to Keano Kini. As he ran towards the fullback Keano Kini stepped off his right foot and then immediately off his left to totally wrong foot the Mabel Park SHS fullback with Keano Kini racing to dive over to score in the right corner.

Keano Kini scored his second try in the 44th minute when from around ten metres out Keano Kini forced his way over the try line with three Mabel Park SHS defenders hanging off him to score seven metres in from the right corner post.

Keano Kini also recorded a try assist in the 20th minute when from twenty metres out Keano Kini threw a short to his left to Will Taylor who burst between two defenders before steeping off his left foot to beat the Mabel Park SHS fullback to score under the posts.

Keano Kini made line break in the 7th minute when after making a forty five metre stepping run through the middle of the Mabel Park SHS defensive line, Keano Kini’s pass to his right near the twenty metre mark went to ground.

Keano Kini made a further line break in the 14th minute when after taking a Mabel Park SHS kick Keano Kini made a thirty metre line break from the kick return after running to his right. Then in the 31st minute Keano Kini broke the Mabel Park SHS defensive line once again making twenty metres to get the ball two metres into Mabel Park SHS territory.

In the 24th minute, Keano Kini along with Reico Ratana and Tanu Nona did well to hold up the Mabel Park SHS No. 10 over the try line on the left side of the field. Then in the 48th minute along with Will Taylor, Keano Kini made a great covering tackle on the Mabel Park SHS hooker (No. 9) as he charged at the try line just to the left of the uprights.

Keano Kini was then named at fullback for PBC SHS in the 2022 Langer Cup Semi-final against Keebra Park SHS with Keano Kini scoring twice to propel PBC SHS into the Grand Final against Ipswich SHS.

Keano Kini’s opening try came in the 31st minute when Keano Kini received the ball to the left of a PBC SHS scrum win ten metres from the try line with Keano Kini sliding between two defenders to score ten metres in from the left corner.

Keano Kini scored his second try in the 37th minute and if you blinked you would have missed it. Keano Kini was on his own forty metre line as the Keebra Park SHS five eight ran directly at him after making a long line break with a support run to his right and Keano Kini’s left. At the last possible moment Keano Kini slid off the five eight just as he was passing the ball with Keano Kini taking the intercept cleanly.

After taking possession in the centre of the field, Keano Kini turned defence into attack and ran to his right getting to the right touchline before racing away to dive over in the right corner to score a truly spectacular try.

The intercept for his first try was not the only intercept that Keano Kini took in the match with Keano Kini taking another in the 41st minute when whilst defending on his own line with the Keebra Park SHS play the ball just a metre out from the try line they threw a cut out pass to PBC SHS’s right with Keano Kini flying off his line to take the intercept around four metres out from the try line with Keano Kini then making a winding fifty five metre run downfield.

Keano Kini was involved in PBC SHS’s first try of the match when in the 16th minute Keano Kini received the ball twenty metres out from the try line and on the left side of the field with Keano Kini stepping off his left foot to break the line with Keano Kini attracting multiple Keebra Park SHS defenders before being tackled by those multiple defenders two metres from the try line and mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field. Then even after being tackled by multiple defenders, Keano Kini was able to play the ball quickly with Michael Roberts being able to score from dummy half as a result.

Keano Kini took his opening run of the match in the 3rd minute when after letting a Keebra Park SHS kick go dead in-goal Keano Kini raced back to the twenty metre mark to take the quick tap himself with Keano Kini making seventeen metres.

Keano Kini made a great one on one low tackle on a rampaging Arama Hau in the 25th minute after the giant Keebra Park SHS lock had broken through the PBC SHS defensive line. Then in the 28th minute Keano Kini along with Jaylen Taewa and Tanu Nona stopped the Keebra Park SHS dummy half Dorian Lotaki just short of the try line after a great run out of dummy half just to the right of the uprights.

Keano Kini started at fullback for PBC SHS in the 2022 School Boy Langer Cup Grand Final against Ipswich SHS with Keano Kini’s first strong run of the match coming inside the opening minute when Keano Kini ran to his right out of dummy half making sixteen metres to get to twenty metres out from the try line and in front of the goal posts.

Then in the 33rd minute Keano Kini made eighteen metres down the right channel to get within thirty six metres out from the try line.

Whilst Keano Kini was his usual dangerous self in attack (until he was forced from the field), he was outstanding from a defensive perspective including a great sequence in the 33rd minute when initially Keano Kini made a great one on one tackle on the Ipswich SHS left centre who had made a line break and then on the next play Keano Kini made another great one on one tackle, this time on the Ipswich SHS left centre Tre Fotu just ten metres out from the try line to save what appeared to be a certain Ipswich SHS try.

Just two minute later in the 35th minute Keano Kini once again brought Tre Fotu who had made a line break with Keano Kini bringing down the centre with a strong low right shoulder tackle.

Then in the 38th minute when along with Caleb Te Momo, Keano Kini smashed the Ipswich SHS No. 14 forty metes out with the ball coming loose as a result of the heavy contact.

At the end of year PBC SHS Sports Awards night, Keano Kini was named the the winner of the 2022 Craig Weston Award as the best rugby league player in the PBC SHS Open age group.

At the completion of the 2022 School Boy Langer Cup competition Keano Kini was named at fullback in the 2022 Courier Mail Langer Cup Team of the Season. Keano Kini was also named as the second best School Boy Rugby League or Rugby player in the 2022 Courier Mail Top 30 school Boys.

In January 2021 Keano Kini started at fullback for the Titans U17 side in their annual match at Coffs Harbour against the Newcastle Knights U17’s and impressed in the deserved 32 – 20 Titans victory including scoring a special solo try in the second half which would not have been out of place in a State of Origin match.

As noted above, Keano Kini’s second half try was an absolutely special one. Keano Kini’s try started to the left of the play the ball with Keano Kini receiving the ball from the dummy half. Keano Kini immediately stepped off his left to beat the first (of many) Knights defenders and then cut back to his right across the face of the Newcastle defensive line, brushing past a couple of outstretched arms. As a Knights defender came out of the line, Keano Kini spun 360 degrees clockwise to generate a gap in the defensive line, ten metres out and then exploded through the gap forcing himself and the ball over the try line with three defenders still hanging off him five metres in from the right goal post.

Keano Kini also had an early second half try assist in the match when he put Seth Nikotemo into a gap to score from six metres away. In the second half Keano Kini moved up from fullback to spend time in the halves for the Titans with Blake Forder moving from the wing to fullback.

Keano Kini stamped his mark on the match in just the second minute. After the first five tackles of the match, Newcastle put in a clearing kick which Keano Kini took on the full over his left shoulder. Keano Kini immediately assessed the situation and seeing that the Knights had a shortened defensive line on the right side of their kick chase, Keano Kini exploded to his left, getting on the outside of the final Knights defender on the right of their defensive line, surging forty metres down the left touch line before eventually being corralled. The Titans scored the first try of the match two plays later, with the try being directly attributable to Keano Kini’s line break.

Wonderful stepping by Keano Kini was a key determinant in Keano Kini’s second half try, but the Knights should have known what was coming after getting a taste of his stepping ability when Keano Kini restarted play from a tap restart in the eighth minute of the first half after a Knights long kick went dead in-goal. Keano Kini took the tap from the twenty metre mark running to his left before producing a jump step off his right foot. On that occasion the Knights defence prevented a line break, in the second half they were not so lucky.

In June 2021 Keano Kini started at five eight 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.

The match saw Keano Kini dominate for long stretches including late in the second half when he scored in the left corner after a long Matthew Barrow break. In that period, Keano Kini also had a try assist when after he engaged the defensive line he got a great one arm off-load away to put William Semu into space to score untouched from long range.

Keano Kini also recorded a line break assist in the second half with a smart pass to hie left putting Matthew Barrow away for a fifty metre run down the left touchline.

Keano Kini was no less impressive in the first half, scoring one try and setting up another. Keano Kini scored when he backed up a long break from Arama Hau, receiving an off-load from his right to race forty five metres untouched to score.

Keano Kini’s try assist came whilst he was operating on the left side of the field. Keano Kini skipped on the outside of two Northern Rivers defenders on two occasions from twenty five metres out before drawing a third defender and offloading to William Semu who charged twenty metres to score near the left corner.

It was great to see in October 2020 Keano Kini named in the 2021 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.

Keano Kini started from the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in their first 2021 trial which was against the Easts Tigers at Langland’s Park and was one of the Seagulls best in their 28 – 12 first up victory.

In Tweed Heads second 2021 MM Cup trial against Burleigh that Tweed Heads comprehensively won, Keano Kini played the first half at fullback and then came back on late in the match to line up at fullback once again and scoring late in the match.

Keano Kini’s late second half try was a typical fullbacks opportunist try when after loitering behind the play the ball Keano Kini loomed up on the left of Ryan Foran. Ryan Foran steamed onto the ball forty eight metres out from the line, utilising a slight step off his left foot to break through the Burleigh defensive line and then Ryan Foran positioned his support in Keano Kini perfectly to draw the fullback and pass to his left for Kini to sprint twenty five metres to put the ball down under the posts.

Keano Kini was in the action early in the match setting up a try down the left side of the field for Tweed Heads left second rower Jayden Wright, Keano Kini took the pass from the dummy half twenty metres out down a wide blind side. Keano Kini ran at the line with the ball in both hands before subtly adjusting his running line to his left and producing a good short ball to the left of his body to put Jayden Wright into a gap and from there the second rower was able to power over and score five metres in from the left corner post.

Keano Kini also produced an outstanding run in the first half, when from a Seagulls scrum win, Keano Kini ran to the left of the field, rounding three defenders and making twenty metres downfield but just as he was about to breakaway, Keano Kini was dragged down from behind. Keano Kini however won a penalty for his team after the run when the Burleigh defence would not allow him to get to his feet and execute a quick play the ball.

Keano Kini also started from the bench in Tweed Heads final 2021 MM Cup final against the Souths Logan Magpies at Logan, scoring early in the second quarter. Keano Kini came onto the left wing in the second quarter before playing fullback in the second half.

Keano Kini’s try came in the 25th minute of the match, he had stayed on the left touchline as the ball was being thrown out in his direction. Keano Kini received the ball from Kaleb Ngamanu who threw a long pass to his left to Keano Kini. Three Souths Logan defenders were coming across in cover defence, but at the last moment Keano Kini who had presented that he was going for the left corner, stepped back inside off his left, resulting in all three defenders sailing past. Keano Kini was then able to dive over to score five metres in from the left corner post.

Keano Kini’s first run of the match came off a Tweed Heads scrum win. Keano Kini had moved in from his left wing to be the first receiver to the left of the scrum, darting past two defenders whilst making fifteen valuable metres from deep in his own half.

Keano Kini produced another superb second quarter run and once again it was as first receiver from a scrum with a Tweed Heads feed ten metres from their own line. Keano Kini received the ball just five metres out from his own line and literally ran around the three Souths Logan right side defenders before beating one when he stepped back inside off his left. Keano Kini burst through four attempted arm tackles on defenders who were trying to keep up with his directional changes before he was hit high from behind with the Souths Logan defender being sin binned and put on report for the high hit. Keano Kini’s exceptional run had brought the ball an additional thirty metres away from the Tweed heads Seagulls line.

Keano Kini continued his dominant performance in the second minute of the third quarter with an outstanding offload and line break assist. After moving to fullback, Keano Kini chimed into the Tweed Heads backline on the left side of the field, going deep into the line before producing an outstanding right arm around the corner pass to put Ryan Foran into space.

Keano Kini continued his exceptional match later in the third quarter with yet another impressive run. Souths Logan received a penalty and kicked for touch but the Tweed Heads left winger was able to bat the ball back into the field of play. Keano Kini retrieved the ball inside his own twenty, immediately racing to his right at a 60 degree angle. As he approached the Souths Logan defensive line, Keano Kini stepped subtly off his left twice but bumping off one defender who tried to take him chest high before cutting back to his left to make an additional ten metres post contact. In total from when he retrieved the ball, Keano Kini make forty metres.

Keano Kini produced a further outstanding run a couple of minutes later from the second hit-up after Billy Mozer’s try. Taking a hit-up to the left of the play the ball, Keano Kini was initially hit behind the advantage line, but after breaking that tackle, he exploded down field to make ten metres.

A third impressive run in the third quarter came in the 8th minute of the quarter when Keano Kini looped around to a short left blind side from a Titans scrum win. Thomas Weaver received the ball from Blake Mozer who had packed in at lock and held the ball up as Riley Lack ran a decoy line, giving the ball to Keano Kini who made twenty metres downfield utilising his exceptional footwork to beat multiple tackles.

Just two minutes later, Keano Kini again broke through the Souths Logan defensive line after being the first receiver of a Titans scrum win. Keano Kini ran to the right after receiving the ball from the back of the scrum, stepping off his left to beat one defender, making fifteen metres downfield before eventually being brought down.

Keano Kini also showcased his outstanding top end speed in the second quarter. Souths Logan Magpies captain and five eight Ezra Mam broke through the Tweed Heads right sided defence and chipped over the fullback with a foot race ensuing. Keano Kini started ten metres behind Mam and on the opposite side of the field but within twenty five metres Keano Kini had caught and passed Mam in the race to the ball that had pulled up in the in-goal, ultimately knocking the ball dead.

Keano Kini started Round One of the 2021 MM Cup competition on the left wing before spending a significant portion of the second half at fullback as Tweed Heads took on the Ipswich Jets at home and set up the Seagulls first try of the match.

Thomas Weaver took the ball down a shortish left blindside and throwing a long cut out pass when he was forty eight metres out to his left to put Keano Kini away down the left touch line. Keano Kini flew down the left touchline, drawing the fullback and passing back to his left looking for Jaylan De Groot who was backing up on the inside. The Ipswich Jets right winger got his hand in the way to knock the ball towards the Seagulls try line with Jaylan De Groot retrieving the ball to run ten metres to score nine metres from the left corner post to cross for the Seagulls first try of the match.

One of the things that has stood out in his time in Australia has been Keano Kini’s willingness to bring the ball out of his own territory and against Ipswich that was highlighted in the 16th minute when he made elven metres from a hit-up bringing the ball out of his own twenty metre area.

In the second half with more room to move, Keano Kini had some good moments including in the 54th minute when he tracked back to retrieve the ball essentially on his own line, utilising his outstanding right foot step, Keano Kini easily beat the first defender down the field.

Keano Kini also started on the left wing in Round Two against the Souths Logan Magpies and like he did in Round One Keano Kini moved to fullback in the second half with Keano Kini scoring in just the second minute of the match in their 32 – 24 victory.

Keano Kini scored when he flew down the left touch line to dive over in the left corner, putting the ball down with his outstretched right arm after getting a gem of a pass from Jaylan De Groot.

Keano Kini also had a line break assist in just the 7th minute of the match. As he has all season, Keano Kini was the Seagulls first receiver from scrums, normally on the left side of the field. After receiving the ball, Keano Kini cut to his outside forcing the defender on his left to commit to the tackle and after driving into the line and drawing two defenders, Keano Kini threw a great ball to his left to put Kaleb Ngamanu into space down the left touchline.

Keano Kini’s speed and willingness to take the ball through the centre of the ruck was showcased once again in the 45th minute when he charged onto the ball just inside Souths Logan’s territory to the right of the play the ball. Keano Kini broke two tackles, making twelve metres before bouncing to his feet to generate a quick play the ball with Jaylan De Groot scoring due to the Souths Logan defence still back peddling from Keano Kini’s effort.

Once again in the 48th minute, Keano Kini took pressure off his forward pack when he took the second hit from the kick-off from Jaylan De Groot’s try, with Keano Kini breaking two tackles to get the ball out past the thirty metre line and then was awarded a penalty when the Souths Logan defence would not allow him to get to his feet for a quick play the ball.

Keano Kini continued his exceptional display in the 49th minute when he produced another line break when they got on the outside of his direct opponent on the left, breaking through the defensive line but unfortunately his pass back on the inside went to ground with a try potentially in the offing.

Keano Kini was literally everywhere and bobbed up once again in the 57th minute with yet another hit-up to the left of the play the ball, once again bring the ball out of his own territory, getting the ball up to the forty metre area.

Even with the game winding down and the Seagulls guaranteed the win, Keano Kini could not be kept out of the match. From a Tweed Heads scrum win on their own twenty, Keano Kini received the ball to the left of the scrum and literally ran around the Souths Logan right side defence to run twenty five metres downfield before cutting inside near the halfway mark to put a stamp on yet another impressive dare I say it, dominate performance.

Keano Kini once again started on the left wing in the Round Three Gold Coast derby against the Burleigh Bears scoring once again in the Seagulls victory.

As has become the norm, Keano Kini and Jaylen De Groot swapped positions on a number of occasions over the course of the match.

Keano Kini’s try came towards the end of the first half when he followed through a great break by Bailey Martin who off-loaded to his right to find Keano Kini in open space to run twenty metres untouched to score to the left of the uprights and bring the ball around from the left corner under no pressure.

Keano Kini had to be on his game in just the 9th minute of the match when Burleigh right second rower Seth Nikotemo put in a surprise chip ten metres out from the line. Keano Kini had to come off his left wing and dive forward to take the ball on the full less than a minute away from the try line. Keano Kini was then able to stay low to prevent being forced back into the in-goal.

The second half saw Keano Kini break through the Burleigh defensive line seemingly at will with the first of those occasions coming in the 46th minute when Keano Kini darted out of dummy half to his left. As soon as he was clear of the ruck, Keano Kini stepped off his right to get through the line and get Tweed Heads into Burleigh’s territory with Keano Kini making eighteen metres from the run.

Keano Kini broke the Burleigh line once again in the 50th minute. After Burleigh kicked to their right, Jaylan De Groot received the ball on the left and threw a long pass to his right that found Keano Kini in acres of space. Keano Kini stepped off his right to easily break through a fractured Burleigh defensive line, making thirty five metres downfield before finally being held.

Then in the 55th minute Keano Kini made his third line break in just ten minutes when he ran out of dummy half to his left, breaking two tackles before being tackled on the Burleigh forty metre mark after a twenty one metre run.

Unfortunately Keano Kini was unable to finish the match due to a lower leg injury with that injury forcing Keano Kini to miss the remainder of the 2021 MM Cup season.

In the Queensland Rugby League 2021 MM Cup Player of the Year Award Keano Kini was awarded two votes.

In mid-February 2021 Keano Kini was named at fullback in the school boy Oceanic Opens side for the South Coast school boy QSSRL U18 trial against Broadwater. Following the final round of trials, Keano Kini was named at fullback in the 2021 South Coast U18 school boy QSSRL squad.

After missing the opening two rounds of the 2021 Langer Cup school boy competition, Keano Kini started Round Three for PBC in a Gold Coast derby against Coombabah State High School, putting in a Player of the Match performance in PBC’s come from behind victory. Keano Kini’s initial involvement in the match came in the 3rd minute with his first run when he took a hit-up off the dummy half to the left making twelve metres.

Keano Kini dominant performance included a 33rd minute try when he took possession as PBC spun the ball to their left with Keano Kini collecting a Thomas Weaver pass on the bounce and exploding to his left through a gap and brought the ball around to put it down under the posts completely untouched.

Keano Kini almost scored a second try in the final minute of the match when from fifteen metres out on the left side of the field, Keano Kini stepped off his left foot to beat two defenders before charging at the line, initially it appeared that he got the ball down, but the referee adjudged that Keano Kini lost the ball just short of the line.

In addition to his try, Keano Kini made multiple line breaks with the first coming in the 8th minute with a line break after taking the kick-off after PBC’s opening try, making twenty metres before being brought to ground.

In the 18th minute Keano Kini made another line break when he took a Coombabah SHS clearing kick on the full and burst thirty metres downfield breaking three tackles. Keano Kini broke the Coombabah SHS line yet again in the 44th minute with the line break coming from what appeared at the start to be a regulation hit-up to the left of the play the ball thirty metres out from his own line. As he approached the defensive line, Keano Kini produced a devastating left foot step to slice through the line and then bamboozled the fullback with two left foot steps. Only after he got around the fullback and beat two more tackles was Keano Kini finally brought to ground.

Keano Kini continued at fullback for the Round Four blockbuster against Marsden State High School and was his usual elusive self including a great effort in the 9th minute when he retrieved a short Marsden SHS grubber kick into the in-goal and even with Marsden chasers everywhere, Keano Kini was able to step around a number of defenders to get the ball out of his own in-goal.

Keano Kini also produced an outstanding piece of play after the final siren. With Marsden SHS down by six as the final siren sounded, from fifteen metres from their own line Marsden kicked towards William Semu who charged onto the ball and flew down the left touchline and just as he looked as if he had beaten Keano Kini was able to produce a great desperate tackle to bring William Semu down just short of the line and save the match for PBC.

Keano Kini continued at fullback for the much anticipated Round Six local derby against Keebra park State High School and recorded a 53rd minute try assist when he ran at the line on the left side of the field, digging deep into the line before off-loading to his left to put his winger over in the left corner.

Keano Kini overall had a strong match including an impressive first kick return in just the second minute of the match when he was able to get the ball back to the halfway mark after taking receipt of the ball deep inside his own twenty metre area.

Keano Kini also started at fullback in Round Six against Mabel Park State High School and once again his ability to run parallel to the defensive line before exploding through the smallest of gaps was highlighted on numerous occasions including in the 55th minute when he exploded through a gap to comfortably break through the Mabel Park SHS defensive line, making thirty five metres for his progress was halted.

Keano Kini also scored for PBC in their 22 – 4 victory when in the 48th minute with the Mabel Park SHS defence back peddling Keano Kini ran the ball down a short left blindside, initially receiving the ball eighteen metres out before cutting off the left foot and then accelerating forward before diving over ten metres in from the left corner post between two defenders.

After the competition was suspended for a number of weeks due to a Covid 19 lock down, Keano Kini was named at fullback for PBC State High School in their semi-final against Keebra Park State High School with Keano Kini scoring the match sealing try in the 49th minute when after receiving the ball on the left side of the field around twenty metres out, Keano Kini dummied to his left before slicing through the Keebra Park defensive line to get the ball down ten metres from the left upright.

Keano Kini’s first of multiple outstanding contributions for PBC came in just the 2nd minute when Keano Kini made twelve metres to get to ten metres out after joining the backline on the left side of the field. Keano Kini then almost set up PBC’s opening try of the match with a great cut put pass to the left but the pass was desperately knocked down by the Keebra Park right winger.

Keano Kini then produced a great kick return in the 5th minute, bringing the ball back and running to his left before straightening up and taking the line on. Keano Kini was hit high in the subsequent tackle and was awarded a deserved penalty.

Keano Kini also recorded a line break assist in the match in the 19th minute when after receiving the ball, Keano Kini cut back to his left before straightening up and getting halfway through the line before throwing a great right arm around the corner pass to put Bailey Martin away down the left channel on a fifteen metre run.

Keano Kini made a line break of his own in the 18th minute with a strong run to his right, making fifteen metres from the second hit-up off the kick off from Jett Forbes first half intercept try.

Keano Kini continued his impressive ball running in the 57th minute with a strong run and right arm flick off-load to Brock Priestley to get the ball well into Keebra Park territory.

Keano Kini was also outstanding defensively in the match including a great one on one tackle on a rampaging Arama Hau in the 26th minute after the Keebra Park lock had broken through the heart of the PBC SHS defensive line.

Also on three occasions Keano Kini was able to hold up Keebra Park attackers over the line. The first of those occasions came in the 12th minute when he along with Ryan Foran and Thomas Weaver held up one of the Keebra Park front rowers over the try line.

In the 14th minute, Keano Kini along with Jayden Wright, Michael Roberts and Oskar Bryant held up Blake Mozer over the line and then in the 25th minute, Keano Kini, Michael Roberts, Brock Priestley and Bailey Martin held up Aram Hau over the line directly under the posts.

In the 2021 Langer Cup Grand Final against Marsden State High School, Keano Kini was named to start at fullback row for PBC and was his usual elusive self in the match including a 20th minute kick return of thirty metres. Keano Kini ran to his right after taking possession of the ball and getting between two defenders making the thirty metres before off-loading to Deine Mariner who was able to make thirty metre more.

Post the 2021 Langer Cup Grand Final, Keano Kini was named the joint Justin Hodges Medal winner for the most outstanding player in the 2021 Langer Cup competition. Keano Kini was also named at fullback in the Courier Mail 2021 Langer Cup Team of the Year.

Keano Kini was then named at fullback for PBC in the Queensland Open School Boys Final (Phil Hall Cup) against St Brendan’s College Yeppoon with Keano Kini scoring a double in PBC’s big 62 – 0 win.

Keano Kini’s opening try of the Grand Final came in just the 3rd minute of the match when Keano Kini received the ball on the left side of the field. When he was ten metres out, Keano Kini dummied to his left and then stepped off his left foot to get through the St Brendon’s initial defensive line before crashing over ten metres in from the left corner post.

Keano Kini scored his second try of the Grand Final in the 40th minute and it was the try of the match. St Brendan’s kicked downfield from inside their own territory with Keano Kini moving forward to take the ball on the move thirty metres from his own line. Keano Kini then split the St Brendan’s line and from there it was shut the gate with Keano Kini easily outpacing the cover defence to score near the right corner.

Keano Kini came oh so close to splitting the St Brendan’s defensive line in the 19th minute when he collected a St Brandan’s attacking kick just ten metres from his own line and burst downfield, getting over the twenty metre line before just being grabbed by his legs from behind. With the St Brendan’s defence still in disarray, the St Brendan’s defender was forced to hold Keano Kini down and concede a penalty.

At the end of the 2021 season, Keano Kini was named at No. 7 in the Courier Mail Top 60 school boys from the GPS Rugby, AIC Rugby and Langer Cup competitions.

In March 2020 Keano Kini was selected to captain the under 16 NZtag Black team that was due to compete in the 2020 Trans-Tasman Series however that competition was postponed as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. Early 2020 also saw Keano Kini named in the initial New Zealand rugby league U16 representative squad.

Keano Kini was not able to play much rugby league in 2020 but was able to play First XV school boy rugby in New Zealand for Rosmini College, not bad at all for a 16 year old.

Keano Kini started the 2020 school boy rugby year at fullback (N0. 15) for Rosmini College in their pre-season match against Rangitoto Collage, and when he season proper started all six of Rosmini College's First XV matches at fullback, finishing second in the competition with five wins and just one loss.

Keano Kini started against Kaipara High School (Round One 59 - 0 win), Westlake Boys High School (Round Two 24 - 19 loss), TGS (Round Three 31 - 5 win), Massey High School (Round Four 14 - 0), Orewa College (Round Five 48 - 5 win) and Whangarei Boys High (Round Six 43 - 10 win).

Post the school boy First XV competition, Keano Kini was selected for the New Zealand Rugby Blues U18 training squad.

In October 2020 Keano Kini played for Kotahitanga in the 2020 New Zealand Maori tournament and post the competition of the tournament was named at fullback in the U17 All-tournament team.

Keano Kini started the Grand Final of the 2020 New Zealand Maori Tournament at fullback for Kotahitanga as they defeated Taranaki Whanau 36 – 12 with Keano Kini scoring a try and kicking two conversions in the victory. Keano Kini scored when he was operating on the right side of the field and chased through a chip kick, taking the ball on the full and rounding two defenders to score under the posts.

The NZ Maori U17 side featuring Keano Kini at fullback played a New Zealand Residents U16 team on 24 October 2020 at Rotorua International Stadium with New Zealand Maori going down 46 – 6.

In 2019 Keano Kini played for Marist Saints in the Auckland U16 Open Rugby League competition even though he was impressively still U15 eligible. To be fair Keano Kini did not just play in the Auckland U16 competition, he absolutely dominated it, finishing at or near the top of the competition in the try scoring, goal kicking and overall points scoring categories.

Keano Kini moved to the Marist Saints from the Northcote Tigers where he had previously played his entire junior rugby league with before the 2019 season. Keano Kini currently attends Auckland’s Rosmini College where amongst other sporting pursuits Keano Kini played rugby, including sevens in Year Seven.

In the 2019 Auckland U16 Open competition, even though he was still U15 eligible Keano Kini had some outstanding matches including scoring twenty eight points from three tries and kicking eight goals against Mangere East Hawks in Round One and eighteen points from two tries and five goals against the Te Atatu Roosters in Round Two.

Being Marist Saints primary goal kicker meant that Keano Kini was one of the Auckland U16 Open competitions leading point’s scorers over the course of the 2019 season and try scorers for that matter.
Keano Kini started at half for Marist Saints in their 24- 12 semi-final win over the Waitemta Seagulls to progress to the 2019 Auckland U16 Open Grand Final.

In the 2019 Auckland U16 Open Grand Final Keano Kini started at half for Marist Saints against the Pakuranga Kingz with Marist Saints coming away with a 22 – 8 victory, with Keano Kini kicking three conversions from four attempts with his only miss being his first attempt of the Grand Final from wide out to the right of the uprights.

Keano Kini also set up Marist Saints first try of the Grand Final. Early in the first half, Keano Kini, was operating on the right side of the field two off the ruck. After receiving the ball is space, Keano Kini ran at the line with the ball out in front of his body in two hands, accelerating as he went. Impressively Keano Kini ran at the gap between two defenders, drawing both before popping a great short ball to his right for his fullback to surge over.

Also in 2019 Keano Kini started at half and kicked a conversion for the Auckland U16 side in their NRL curtain raiser in May 2019 against an U16 Future Warriors side at Mt Smart Stadium.

Keano Kini was part of the Marist Saints side that toured Australian in July 2019 playing a number of matches including a match on the Gold Coast against a Keebra Park select side in prefect conditions on the Gold Coast at Keebra Park’s school campus. In that match Keano Kini kicked five conversions.

Keano Kini also started at half in another tour match against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks with Keano Kini kicking six goals as Marist Saints defeated the Redbacks 48 – 0, with Keano Kini also recording a try assist, when operating on the right of the field, he held the ball up beautifully to put the Marist Saints right centre away on a twenty metre run to score.

To cap off an outstanding 2019, Keano Kini was selected in the New Zealand U16 side that played a TAO Samoa U16 side in Auckland in October. Keano Kini played the entire match at half for New Zealand and converted their final try with six minutes to go from directly in front as his New Zealand side went down 26 – 20.

Even though he played the 2019 season in the Auckland Rugby League U16 competition and represented New Zealand at the U16 level, Keano Kini was still U15 eligible in 2019 and represented the Akarana Falcons in that age group in the 2019 New Zealand U15 National Youth Tournament, an impressive achievement.

On Day One of the Tournament Keano Kini started at half and scored for the Akarana Falcons as they defeated the Wellington Orca’s 40 – 10. On Day Two Keano Kini once again started at half back as his Akarana Falcons side won 12 – 0 against the South Island Scorpions to be unbeaten after two matches.

On Day Three Keano Kini had a huge match scoring a double and kicking four goals as the Akarana Falcons defeated the Northern Swords 48 – 4. In the Akarana Falcons semi-final clash against Wai Coa-Bay Keano Kini was once again at half and scored a double as the Akarana Falcons progressed to the Tournament final on the back of a 32 – 8 win.

In the New Zealand U15 National Youth Cup Final against the Manakua Stingrays Keano Kini led his Akarana Falcons side from half back to the New Zealand U15 National Youth Title on the back of a 18 -6 win.

At the conclusion of the Championship Final, Keano Kini was named the New Zealand U15 National Youth Tournament Player of the Tournament and was also named at half in the U15 All-Tournament Team to cap an outstanding week for the budding Titans super star.

In 2018 Keano Kini represented the Akarana Falcons at the New Zealand U15 National Youth Tournament including kicking four conversions on Day One against the exceptionally named Wellington Orca’s.

Rugby League recognition is not new to Keano Kini who in 2016 was named MVP of the U13 2016 ARL Jets camp, also making the merit squad from the camp and playing for the Auckland U13 side.

2016 also saw Keano Kini named MVP of the Auckland Rugby League Regional Representative season when Keano Kini played in the U13 competition.

Incredibly Keano Kini attended a Titans meet and great session in 2014 at the home of the Northcote Tigers. Obviously the Titans players that were there made a very positive impression that day on Keano Kini.

In addition to also dabbling in rugby Keano Kini is also an outstanding athlete being named U13 Auckland Athlete of the year in 2016 for his exploits in other sports such as tennis and athletics amongst others.

Keano Kini continues to have an outstanding athletes career with Rosmini College. In 2019 Keano Kini competed in the Auckland North Zone Athletics Championships, running in the 100 metre and 200 metre events.

In the 100 metres, Keano Kini finished third in the final running 11.99 seconds into a head wind after running 11.88 seconds in the preliminaries. Keano Kini also finished second in the 200 metre final running 24.26 seconds improving the time that he ran in the preliminaries which was 24.35 seconds.

Keano Kini also competed for Rosmini College in the 2018 Auckland North Zone Athletics Championships, representing his school in long jump and the 100 metre and 200 metre spring events.

In the long jump Keano Kini finished second with a jump of 5.28 metres. In the 100 metres sprint Keano Kini finished sixth in the final running 11.65 seconds after running 12.50 in the preliminary round. In the 200 metre final Keano Kini finished second running 25.69 seconds after improving from running 25.95 seconds in the preliminary round.

In 2016 Keano Kini had an outstanding year from an athletics perspective including being awarded an Integrated Schools Sporting Award for winning a gold, silver and bronze medal at the Colgate Games and two gold medals at the Trans-Tasman Athletics Championships.

In 2016 Keano Kini was named the Rosmini College Intermediate Athlete of the Year after winning the long jump, 100 metres and 200 metres sprint races at the school athletics championships. Keano Kini jumped 5.87 metres to win the long jump, ran 11.65 seconds to win the 100 metres and 23.7 seconds to win the 200 metre sprint.

To round off an impressive 2016 Keano Kini represented Rosmini College in basketball at the NZCT AIMS Games, ultimately being named in the boys merit side after leading Rosmini College to a second place finish.


Young New Zealand born half or five eight Braxton Wilson-Clune has headed over to Queensland with an extensive rugby league resume behind him in New Zealand.

Just prior to moving to Queensland Braxton Wilson-Clune trialled for a spot in the New Zealand Warriors 2023 U18 squad. Braxton Wilson-Clune had been part of the Warriors Development Program for a number of seasons.

Also in 2022 Braxton Wilson-Clune played for the Dannevirke Tigers and was also part of the Mid-Central Vipers u18 side that took part in the 2022 New Zealand Rugby League National Youth Championships.

Over the last couple of seasons, Braxton Wilson-Clune has been selected in multiple New Zealand Māori Representative Teams including in 2019 (NZ Māori U14), 2020 (U15) and 2022 (U17).

Braxton Wilson-Clune is also an outstanding touch player and has represented New Zealand at both the U16 and U18 levels.

[mdrew]

Great to see an article on the Official site about this weekend’s JTS matches against Newcastle.

https://www.titans.com.au/news/2023/...coffs-harbour/

[Hail Sezer]

Great to see an article on the Official site about this weekend’s JTS matches against Newcastle.

That 17's team should be very strong if Zane doesn't get pushed to 19's. Very talented group.

[mdrew]

I am looking forward to see how Casino Cougars junior Jack Hannigan goes this weekend for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in their trial against the Souths Logan Magpies.

The young halfback had a strong 2022 season in the NRRRL U18 competition for the Cougars and he is looking to continue his development in 2023 in the MM Cup competition.

[mdrew]

In late January 2022 Elijah Lui started on the left wing for the Titans U19 side in a match at Pizzey Park against the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side with Elijah Lui scoring in the left corner literally as the fulltime siren sounded.

With less than a minute to go, the Titans spun the ball to their right and after some good work from Arama Hau and Thomas Weaver the ball found its way back to the left and into the hands of Jaylan De Groot who drew the Burleigh right winger and passed to Elijah Lui who had an easy five metre run to put the ball down in the left corner.

Elijah Lui made his first line break of the match in the 7th minute when he got away down the left touchline from deep inside his own territory from a long cut-out pass from Oscar Bryant. Unfortunately as Elijah Lui looked to pass the ball back inside near the halfway mark, the ball went to ground.

Elijah Lui also was solid defensively in the match including in the 8th minute when he along with Kaleb Ngamanu they prevented a Burleigh try in the left corner when the two Titans players stopped the Bears right winger centremetres from the line and then forced him into touch.

In mid-December 2021 Elijah Lui had the opportunity to train with the Titans NRL squad in a joint training session between the Titans NRL squad and the Titans JTS Program Squads.

In late 2021 it was confirmed that Elijah Lui would play the 2022 season as part of the Burleigh Bears Hastings Deering’s Colts squad and Elijah Lui is also Colts eligible in 2023.

Round One of the 2022 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition saw Elijah Lui named on the left wing for the Burleigh Bears as they got their season underway against the Redcliffe Dolphins and also was named to start on the left wing in the Round Seven local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls however Elijah Lui was a late scratching from the Burleigh side.

Elijah Lui started on the left wing in Burleigh’s first official 2022 trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls with Elijah Lui throwing the final pass to put Dion Samuela into space and over from thirty metres out in the left corner. The play prior to the try saw Burleigh make a long break down the right side of the field from their own line. Elijah Lui came all of the way over to the other side of the field to be a link man receiving the ball near mid-field and running to his left drawing the final Seagulls right sided defender and then passing to an unmarked Dion Samuela.

The talented young 2021 Keebra Park student was in early November 2020 named to be part of the 2021 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.

Elijah Lui started on the wing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in their first 2021 trial which was against the Easts Tigers at Langland’s Park as Tweed Heads commenced their season with an impressive 28 – 12 victory.

In the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup sides second trial against Burleigh, Elijah Lui started the second half on the right wing. Elijah Lui produced some impressive runs off his wing when Tweed Heads were bringing the ball out of their own territory. In relation to those runs, Elijah Lui literally just ran flat out at the line. Elijah Lui also leapt high to take a huge spiralling mid-field bomb on the pull, highlighting both his leap and safe hands.

Elijah Lui had some other good moments in the match, one being when he chased through a long Seagulls kick to the left corner, Elijah Lui charged downfield and along with Reef Sommerville and Reico Ratana got to the Burleigh fullback and dragged him back into the in-goal area, forcing Burleigh to drop the ball out from their own line.

In Round One of the 2021 MM Cup competition, Elijah Lui was named as the Seagulls 18th man against the Ipswich Jets and was named on the Seagulls extended bench for Round two against the Souths Logan Magpies as well as for Round Three against the Burleigh Bears.

Elijah Lui was also named on the Seagulls extended bench for their Round Four match against the Ipswich Jets and for Round Five against the Souths Logan Magpies.

Elijah Lui came into the Seagulls side, starting at fullback for the final regular season round of the 2021 MM Cup competition in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears.

After initially being named on the Tweed Heads extended bench for the 2021 MM Cup semi-final against Wynnum Manly, Elijah Lui in fact started the match on the left wing, making the most of his promotion with an outstanding second half try.

Elijah Lui’s try came in the 56th minute of the match. When he backed up on the inside of a long Thomas Weaver break down the left touchline. As he approached the fullback, Thomas Weaver kicked the ball forward with Elijah Lui outpacing the Wynnum Manly defence. As he approached the ball and the try line, the ball sat up perfectly for Elijah Lui who took the ball and dived over.

Prior to his try, Elijah Lui made a strong run out of dummy half to the right, making fifteen metres after cutting back behind the play the ball making fifteen metres to get the ball outside his own thirty metre area.

Elijah Lui was also heavily involved in Jaylan De Groot’s 45th minute try when after being put away down the left touchline by a great Kaleb Ngamanu pass put in an inside kick which Ryan Foran retrieved and passed to his right to Jaylan De Groot who dived over under the posts.

Not long before his involved in the afore mentioned Jaylan De Groot try, Elijah Lui made another line break when he was put away down his wing by Kaleb Ngamanu only for Elijah Lui to be tackled less than ten metres from the try line.

In the 2021 MM Cup Queensland Grand Final against the Townsville Blackhawks, Elijah Lui once again started on the left wing as the Seagulls won the MM Cup Grand Final for the second (played) season in a row.

In February 2021 Elijah Lui took part in the South Coast Open school boy trials and was named on the wing in the South Coast Open A school boy side as a result of his trial performances.

Elijah Lui started South Coast’s Day One match against Met North on the right wing and in just the 2nd minute of the match made a ten metre run down the left sideline to get to within eight metres of the try line. Elijah Lui displayed calm nerves and courage in the 13th minute when he came forward to take a difficult kick-off on the full under intense pressure.

Round One of the 2021 Langer Cup School Boy Rugby League competition saw Elijah Liu start at fullback for Keebra Park State High School against Keebra Park.

Elijah Liu also started at fullback in Round Two against Mabel Park and almost scored in the 9th minute when he chimed into the backline on the left side of the field however he was held up in the left corner.

Elijah Liu made a line break in the 25th minute when he came forward to take a Mabel Park dropped ball just ten metres from his own line and sliced through the defence, making fifty five metres from before being tackled from behind, Elijah Liu then attempted to get to his feet quickly but was held down and was awarded a penalty as a result.

Round Three against Ipswich State High School saw Elijah Lui named on the bench for Keebra Park but he was back in the starting side on the left wing for Round Four against St Mary’s College Toowoomba.

The Round Five local derby against PBC saw Elijah Lui continue on the left wing and scored Keebra Park’s opening try in the match in the 23rd minute with a try in the left corner after he had taken the cut-out pass above is head.

Elijah Lui came close to a second try in the 37th minute when after a great off-load from Immanuel Kalekale Elijah Lui raced down the left touchline and kicked forward for himself when confronted by PBC fullback Keano Kini. Keano Kini got back to the ball first but Elijah Lui was able to force Keano Kini into the in-goal to force a goal line drop out.

Elijah Lui continued on the left wing in Round Six against Wavell State High School and scored three first half tries as Keebra Park held on to win 18 – 16.

After the competition was suspended for a number of weeks due to a Covid 19 lock down, Elijah Lui was named on the left wing for Keebra Park State High School in their semi-final against PBC State High School with Elijah Lui scoring Keebra Park’s opening try of match in the 32nd minute when he ran onto a great long cut out pass from De’Ontae Perese and then was able to outpace the PBC cover defence to dive over in the left corner.

At the 2021 Keebra Park State High School Sports Awards Night Elijah Lui was named on the wing in the 2021 Keebra Park Team of the Year.

Post the completion of the 2021 Langer Cup competition, Elijah Lui was named on the wing in the Courier Mail’s 2021 Langer Cup Team of the Season.

At the end of the 2021 season, Elijah Lui was named at No. 47 in the Courier Mail Top 60 school boys from the GPS Rugby, AIC Rugby and Langer Cup competitions.

In 2020 Elijah Lui had an outstanding season for the Keebra Park school boy rugby league side in the 2020 Titans Cup Division One school boy rugby league competition, including starting the Grand Final of the competition at fullback against Marsden State High School.

In the Grand Final that Keebra Park won 18 – 0 Elijah Lui scored a great Keebra Park long range try, through a break down the left side of the field, with Elijah Lui backing up on the inside and receiving an inside pass to finish an outstanding Keebra Park long range movement early in the second half to extend Keebra Park’s lead.

Elijah Lui also had an outstanding earlier round match in the Titans Cup Division One competition against Marymount College when once again from fullback, Elijah Lui scored a double as Keebra Park accounted for their Gold Coast school rivals.

Elijah Lui’s first try came in the first half down the left side of the field when he backed up a break by his left second rower and was able to bring the ball around to put it down under the posts.

Elijah Lui’s second try came in the second half, when he looped around to the right, receiving the ball from his five eight two passes off the ruck and sliced through the Marymount defence twenty metres out from the line before beating the fullback with a right foot step to score ten metres from the right goal post.

[mdrew]

Recently Titans contracted Gazniah To’omaga played for Keebra Park in the 2022 Hancock Cup School Boy competition.

Gazniah To’omaga started at lock in Round Five against Forest Lake SHS and what a match the young man had including scoring a try, making two line breaks and kicking a conversion in the 10th minute from four metres in from the left touchline.

Gazniah To’omaga scored a strong solo try in the 11th minute when Gazniah To’omaga charged onto the ball to the right of the play the ball and from fifty five metres out Gazniah To’omaga burst between two defenders before stepping off his right foot at full pace to beat the fullback with Gazniah To’omaga then charging away to score adjacent to the left upright.

Gazniah To’omaga’s initial line break came in the 21st minute when Gazniah To’omaga ran onto the ball to the left of the play the ball right on the halfway mark with Gazniah To’omaga easily breaking through three tackles to get the ball within twenty metres of the try line.

Gazniah To’omaga recorded a further line break in the 41st minute when after taking possession of the ball to the right of the play the ball and to the right of the play the ball, Gazniah To’omaga immediately cut back to the area behind the play the ball with Gazniah To’omaga breaking multiple tackles in a thirty metre charge.

Gazniah To’omaga continued at lock in Round Six against PBC SHS with Gazniah To’omaga recording a try assist in the 20th minute when after making a line break from sixty metres out by way of a left foot step, Gazniah To’omaga drew the PBC SHS fullback before passing to his left to put his fullback over to score under the posts.

Gazniah To’omaga continued at lock row against Marsden SHS.

2022 also saw Gazniah To’omaga continue to play for the Southport Tigers in the Gold Coast Junior Rugby League U14 Division One competition, leading the Tigers to a Grand Final appearance against the Burleigh Bears with Gazniah To’omaga starting the Grand Final at Cbus Stadium at lock.

Gazniah To’omaga also had a strong match in Round Fourteen against the Beaudesert Kingfishers coming off the bench to operate at lock with Gazniah To’omaga making a strong line break in the 33rd minute when after packing into a scrum with a Southport feed ten metres out from the Tigers try line, Gazniah To’omaga after packing at lock, Gazniah To’omaga picked up the ball and ran to his left and used a left arm fend to break through the Beaudesert defensive line and charge seventy metres downfield before being tackled from behind.

Gazniah To’omaga made another line break in the 40th minute when from fifty five metres out and to the right of the play the ball Gazniah To’omaga broke through the defensive line and was able to promote the ball forty metres downfield.

In September 2022 Gazniah To’omaga was named in the South Queensland Māori U14 Tuakana representative squad starting Round One of the QPICC Carnival at lock against Queensland Tonga with Gazniah To’omaga scoring in the 36th minute when after receiving the ball to the right of the play the ball and around twelve metres out, Gazniah To’omaga stepped off his right foot and whilst surging the try line, Gazniah To’omaga broke through four attempted tackles and then carried four more defenders over the try line to get the ball down three metres to the left of the uprights.

Gazniah To’omaga also scored in the semi-final also against Samoa and also started at lock in Maori’s three other matches including their Grand Final victory agaisnt PNG.

In the semi-final against Samoa, Gazniah To’omaga on the stroke of halftime (20th minute) when from eight metres out and to the right of the play the ball, Gazniah To’omaga after receiving the ball stepped off his right foot to easily beat one defender with Gazniah To’omaga carhsing through two more defenders to score next to the right upright.

Gazniah To’omaga also recorded a 12th minute line break assist when from forty metres out and to the right of the play the ball, Gazniah To’omaga ran the ball at the Samoa defensive line before popping a good short ball to his right to put Cavell Tuilaepa into a gap with the front rower coming very close to scoring as a result.

[mdrew]

At the 2022 Marymount College Sports Presentation Awards Sam McAlister was named the Marymount College Rugby League First XIII Best Forward.

Sam McAlister was also part of the 2022 Marymount College Confraternity Carnival side and at the completion of the carnival Sam McAlister was awarded the Marymount College Scott Casselle With Spirit Award.

[mdrew]

Late last year Titans contracted Cooper Bai was named the 2022 Marymount College Year Nine/Ten Rugby League Best and Fairest.

[mdrew]

The younger brother of Titans NRL standout Jojo Fifita, Viliami Fifita like his older brother is attending The Southport School (TSS) on the Gold Coast but unlike his older brother Viliami Fifita is a forward and in addition to playing school boy rugby for TSS like Jojo, Viliami Fifita plays rugby league on the Gold Coast including starting in the front row in the Burleigh Bears GCRL U14 Division One side including starting in the 2023 Grand Final against the Southport Tigers.

In early December 2022 Viliami Fifita attended a joint training session for the Titans JTS Program members with the Titans NRL squad in a great experience for the JTS squad members that is held on an annual basis before signing a three year contract with the Titans.

In 2022 in addition to playing for the Burleigh Bears Junior Rugby League club, Viliami Fifita played for the TSS U14A side in the GPS School Boy Rugby competition.

After starting all of the TSS U14A trials at No. 3 being tight head prop, Viliami Fifita also started Round One of the 2022 GPS U14A school boy rugby competition at tight head prop against St Joseph’s Nudgee College with Viliami Fifita named as TSS U14A’s equal best forward in the match.

With TSS having a Round Two bye Viliami Fifita continued at tight head prop in a trial match against Downland’s College with Viliami Fifita setting up a try for Max Kahler in a big TSS U14A victory.

Viliami Fifita backed up his performance with a player of the match effort in Round Three against Toowoomba Grammar School with Viliami Fifita scoring twice in a Player of the Match performance.

Viliami Fifita continued at tight head prop in Round Four against Anglican Church Grammar School and scoring once again and once again being named the TSS Player of the Match in Round Five against Brisbane Grammar School.

Viliami Fifita started in all of the remaining TSS U14A GPS School Boy matches in 2022 except for Round Seven when Viliami Fifita came off the bench against Gregory Terrace.

[mdrew]

The Titans have signed Helensvale Hornets Junior forward Jyah White to a two year contract with the 15 year old just starting his rugby league journey after an outstanding 2022 season for the Hornets in the GCRL U14 Division One competition.

[mdrew]

Impressively on November 1, 2022, Kaleb Ngamanu commenced training in the Titans NRL off-season program on a train and trial basis.

In early December 2022 Kaleb Ngamanu took part in a joint training session betweed the Titans JTS contracted players and the Titans NRL squad.

Kaleb Ngamanu undertook the 2021/22 pre-season with the Titans NRL squad as a member of the Titans Rookie Squad looking to impress Justin Holbrook and the other NRL coaches in the pre-Christmas portion of the 2021/22 off-season.

It is an absolute coup that the Titans have kept Kaleb Ngamanu in rugby league and away from the clutches of the likes of the Queensland Reds and even better that in late January 2022 Kaleb Ngamanu once again resigned with the Gold Coast Titans for a further two seasons.

In early May 2022 Kaleb Ngamanu was named in the Queensland U19 Rugby League Representative side for their annual match against New South Wales with Kaleb Ngamanu named on the Queensland extended bench for the match.

In late January 2022 Kaleb Ngamanu started at left centre for the Titans U19 side in a match at Pizzey Park against the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side.

Kaleb Ngamanu was solid defensively in the match including in the 8th minute when he along with Elijah Lui they prevented a Burleigh try in the left corner when the two Titans players stopped the Bears right winger centremetres from the line and then forced him into touch.

Kaleb Ngamanu made another strong defensive effort in the 64th minute when he brought down his opposite number Tuvalli Khan-Pereira with a scything low tackle less than ten metres from the try line to stop Burleigh’s attacking move dead.

Kaleb Ngamanu made a number of strong runs as well including a good effort in the 11th minute when he made a hard ten metres to get the ball to twenty metres away from his own try line. Kaleb Ngamanu continued his strong match in the 27th minute when a ten metre effort out of his own twenty metre area, bumping off one Bears defender who attempted to tackle Kaleb Ngamanu around the chest.

In late July 2022 Kaleb Ngamanu started at left centre for a Titans U19 side that played their annual match against the North Queensland Cowboys that was played as a curtain raiser at Cbus Stadium to the Titans Round Twenty NRL match against the Canberra Raiders with Kaleb Ngamanu recording a try assist in the 22nd minute when after good work on his inside by Jaylen De Groot, Kaleb Ngamanu received the ball ten metres out from the try line and then drew the fullback to put Keano Kini over in the left corner.

Kaleb Ngamanu made a strong run in the 47th minute when a strong run down a short left blindside with Kaleb Ngamanu making sixteen metres being tackled five metres out with Kaleb Ngamanu doing very well to stay in the field of play with multiple defenders trying in vain to get him into touch.

Kaleb Ngamanu made another strong run in the 52nd minute with a sixteen metre run down a left blindside to get the ball ten metres into North Queensland territory.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s initial significant contribution in the match was form a defensive perspective and came in the 5th minute when Kaleb Ngamanu ran to his right to make a great covering tackle on the Cowboys right winger who had broken away down the touchline.

Round One of the 2022 Queensland Cup competition saw Kaleb Ngamanu named on an extended for the Tweed Heads Seagulls as they took on the Easts Tigers and Kaleb Ngamanu was also named on the Seagulls extended bench for Round Two against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

Round Three of the 2022 Queensland Cup competition saw Kaleb Ngamanu named to start on the left wing for his debut match for the Tweed Heads Seagulls against the Norths Devils with Kaleb Ngamanu having a very very solid Queensland Cup debut.

Playing the entire eighty minutes Kaleb Ngamanu ran for ninety two metres (forty nine post contact), made a line break, played the ball at an average speed of 3.26 seconds and made eight tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

Kaleb Ngamanu played his second Queensland Cup match in Round Ten against the PNG Hunters when he started on the left wing. Playing all eighty minutes Kaleb Ngamanu ran for ninety four metres (thirty four post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.28 seconds, made a line break and made three tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued on the left wing in Round Eleven against the Ipswich Jets with Kaleb Ngamanu scoring his career first Queensland Cup try in the 25th minute when he was on the end of a sweeping backline movement to his left wing with Kaleb Ngamanu receiving the ball six metres and flying over to score in the left corner.

Playing all eighty minutes Kaleb Ngamanu ran for 123 metres (forty one post contact), made a line break, broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.79 seconds and made a tackle.

Kaleb Ngamanu was back on the left wing in Round Seventeen being the local derby against the Burleigh Bears with Kaleb Ngamanu scoring in the 53rd minute when after receiving a right arm around the corner off-load from Ioane Seuili, Kaleb Ngamanu had a six metre run down the touchline to dive over to score in the left corner.

Playing all eighty minutes of the match Kaleb Ngamanu ran for seventy six metres (seventeen post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.68 seconds and made three tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at left centre in Round Sixteen against the Townsville Blackhawks as well as Round in Round Seventeen against the Easts Tigers.

In total in the 2022 Queensland Cup competition Kaleb Ngamanu played in four matches, scoring twice. Kaleb Ngamanu also broke two tackles, made four line breaks, made fifteen tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency and ran for 387 metres at a per game average of ninety six metres.

Also in late 2021 Kaleb Ngamanu was part of the Titans NRL squad that undertook a joint training session with ninety members of the Titans JTS Program.

In late 2021 it was confirmed that Kaleb Ngamanu would play the 2022 season as part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad and Kaleb Ngamanu is also Colts eligible in 2023.

Kaleb Ngamanu was also named at left centre in the Round Two local derby against the Burleigh Bears with Kaleb Ngamanu making twenty five metres down the left touchline in just the 3rd minute of the match before off-loading to Brent Barnes to his left.

Kaleb Ngamanu showed that he is prepared to be the hard work in the 8th minute when he charged onto the ball deep inside his own twenty metre area, making a strong, hard fourteen metres. Kaleb Ngamanu also made some hard metres in the 44th minute directly from the kick-off to Brent Barnes early second half try. Kaleb Ngamanu executed a further strong run in the 75th minute making twelve metres from a Tweed Heads penalty restart to get the Seagulls into the attacking twenty metre zone.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued at left centre in Round Three against the Townsville Blackhawks with Kaleb Ngamanu coming out of the line with Townsville on the attack ten metres from the try line to smash the Blackhawks fullback with a great driving right shoulder tackle.

Kaleb Ngamanu came out of the line once again in the 52nd minute and smashed his opposite number over the top just twenty metres from the try line.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at left centre in Round Six against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls and recorded a 10th minute line break and try assist when from the near the halfway mark Kaleb Ngamanu got on the outside of the Wynnum Manly left sided defence and racing thirty metres downfield before drawing the Wynnum Manly fullback and sending Brent Barnes away to score near the left corner.

Kaleb Ngamanu made a further line break in the 16th minute when he burst away down the left touchline on a twenty metre run after being put away as a result of a Ryan Foran off-load from his inside.

Kaleb Ngamanu made a great try saving tackle in the 39th minute when facing an overlap whilst defending on his own try line Kaleb Ngamanu came out of the defensive line to execute a great ball and all tackle on the Wynnum Manly lock just a metre out from the try line.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued at left centre in Round Six against the Northern Pride scoring a double in the Seagulls big 66 – 0.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s opening try came in the 52nd minute when after receiving the ball from his inside, Kaleb Ngamanu accelerated between two defenders from twelve metres out and smartly in the wet conditions dived early and slid over the try line from three metres out and three metres in from the left corner. In fact Kaleb Ngamanu’s try ended up being an eight point try after he was hit late after crossing the try line.

Kaleb Ngamanu completed his double in the 64th minute when after receiving the ball around thirty three metres out down a short left blindside, Kaleb Ngamanu dummied to his left to break the defensive line before a second dummy to his left saw him beat the fullback and dive over three metres in from the left corner post.

Kaleb Ngamanu also recorded a 51st minute line break when from forty metres out and down a short left blindside, Kaleb Ngamanu skipped to the outside of his direct opponent, to break clear. As the cover defence converged on him, Kaleb Ngamanu was able to get the ball away to Brent Barnes who kicked into the in-goal with the kick forced dead by the Northern Pride fullback.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s first significant impact on the match came in the 7th minute with a line break down the left side of the field that came from a Seagulls scrum win around twenty metres out from his own line. Kaleb Ngamanu received the ball from the back of the scrum on the left side of the field, Kaleb Ngamanu then got on the outside of his direct opponent and then dispatched him with a right arm fend. After running around forty metres downfield Kaleb Ngamanu got the ball away to his left to Brent Barnes who then got within ten metres of the try line.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at left centre in the rescheduled Round One match against the Norths Devils and once again scored a double with his first try coming in the 34th minute when he raced away to score after receiving a good off-load from his left from Jaylan De Groot who had broken through the Norths right sided defensive line.

Kaleb Ngamanu completed his double in the 74th minute when he was on hand to ground the ball in-goal when a cross field Thomas Weaver bomb was dropped by the Devils fullback.

Kaleb Ngamanu also recorded a line break assist in the match when in the 40th minute Kaleb Ngamanu ran the ball from deep inside his own territory and after he took on two defenders Kelab Ngamanu was able to executed a right arm off-load to his left to put Brent Barnes away down the left touchline.

Kaleb Ngamanu first significant contribution to the Seagulls victory came in just the 4th minute when he drove his right shoulder into the Devils fullback who was returning a kick with Kaleb Ngamanu driving the fullback back three metres.

Kaleb Ngamanu also made a strong run in the 23rd minute when he ran onto the ball to the left of the play the ball with Kaleb Ngamanu stepping off his left foot which enabled him to make fifteen metres to get the ball over the halfway mark.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued at left centre in the rescheduled Round Seven match against the Souths Logan Magpies.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at left centre in Round Eleven against the Central Queensland Capra’s and scored in the 25th minute after Thomas Weaver took the ball deep into the defensive line and then threw a perfectly weighted short ball to his left to put Kaleb Ngamanu over to score from eight metres out with Kaleb Ngamanu getting the ball down left three metres in from the left corner post.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s first strong run of the match came in just the 3rd minute when Kaleb Ngamanu made fifteen metres down a short left blindside to get the ball to within twenty five metres of the try line.

Kaleb Ngamanu made another twenty metres of valuable ground in the 65th minute when after receiving the ball on the halfway mark Kaleb Ngamanu was able to work the ball twenty five metres downfield.

To round out a strong match Kaleb Ngamanu threw the final pass for Brent Barnes’s 76th minute try in the left corner which temporarily gave the Seagulls the lead.

The match saw Kaleb Ngamanu run for a team leading 181 metres.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued at left centre in Round Thirteen against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued at left centre in Round Fifteen against the Northern Pride with Kaleb Ngamanu scoring in a big Seagulls victory.

Kaleb Ngamanu scored in the 54th minute when Jaylan De Groot chimed into the Seagulls backline on the left side of the field and got the ball away to his left to Kaleb Ngamanu twelve metres out with Kaleb Ngamanu holding one defender off him with the right arm fend to score in the left corner.

Kaleb Ngamanu also recorded a try assist in the 28th minute when from twenty metres out on the left side of the field, Kaleb Ngamanu broke through the Northern Pride left side defensive line before when eight metres out Kaleb Ngamanu got an off-load away to his left to put Ryan Foran over to score ten metres in from the left corner post.

Kaleb Ngamanu recorded a second try assist in the 61st minute when Kaleb Ngamanu ran the ball down a short left blindside and got a pass away when twenty five metres out to his left to put Jotham Russell away to score near the left corner.

Kaleb Ngamanu also made a line break in the 24th minute when Kaleb Ngamanu received the ball to the left of a Tweed Heads scrum win with Kaleb Ngamanu receiving the ball thirty two metres out with Kaleb Ngamanu dummying to his left behind surging forward with Kaleb Ngamanu only tackled when he had gotten to six metres out from the try line.

Kaleb Ngamanu made another strong run in the 25th minute when he broke three tackles in a twenty five metre run on the left side of the field from an off-load from Ben Liyou to get the ball into Northern Pride territory.

Week One of the 2022 Hastings Deering’s Colts Final saw Kaleb Ngamanu start at left centre in the Elimination Final against the Easts Tigers with Kaleb Ngamanu taking the second hit-up of the match.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at left centre in the Week Two Final against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

In early January 2021 Kaleb Ngamanu started on the right wing for the Titans U19 side in their annual match against the Newcastle Knights in Coffs Harbour, a match which the Titans dominated, especially in the second half to record an impressive 40 – 6 victory in shockingly hot and humid conditions.

Whilst the ball did not get to his wing often in general play, Kaleb Ngamanu was still very effective in the match through multiple kick returns with Kaleb Ngamanu fielding a lot of the kicks in his direction on the full and he was also very effective running out of dummy half when bringing the ball out of his own territory.

Two instances late in the match highlighted the hard work that Kaleb Ngamanu undertook bringing the ball upfield. In the 23rd minute of the second half, Kaleb Ngamanu came off his wing and charged into the Knights set defensive line, taking the first defender on front on, bumping him off in a twenty metre run that had started when Kaleb Ngamanu received the ball less than ten metres out from his own line.

Just two minutes later in the 25th minute, Kaleb Ngamanu was at it again when he looped around to the other side of the field to once again start his hit-up from less than twenty metres out from his own line and through sheer hard running and leg drive got to the forty metre line before his forward momentum was eventually stopped and he was forced to play the ball.

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

Kaleb Ngamanu had a more than solid match against the Bears including an outstanding thirty metre run that started just ten metres out from his own line early in the first half. From a Titans scrum win deep in their own half, Kaleb Ngamanu took the ball from Ediq Ambrosyev who had packed in at lock, producing an outstanding right foot step to beat the first defender, with Kaleb Ngamanu beating a second defender with a second right foot step. Kaleb Ngamanu then burst downfield before he was dragged down from behind on the forty metre mark just as he was winding up to get to his top speed.

Kaleb Ngamanu was also a key player in one of the Titans first half tries. Dummy half Oskar Bryant kicked out of dummy half, with the weighting being ideal, forcing the Burleigh fullback to go back into his in-goal. As he was trying to bring the ball back into the field of play, he was hit by Kaleb Ngamanu with the contact forcing the ball loose for Reef Sommerville to simply put his hand on the ball to be awarded a try.

After a more than solid first half on the right wing, Kaleb Ngamanu moved to left centre in the second half and produced some real moments of class from there for the Titans including a 19th minute (of the second half) try assist. Kaleb Ngamanu, playing left centre flew into a gap just thirty metres from his own line, receiving a good ball from Thomas Weaver.

After getting through the Bears line Kaleb Ngamanu accelerated away from any potential Bears cover defenders. After a forty metre run, Kaleb Ngamanu expertly drew the Burleigh fullback, then passing to his right to Jaylan De Groot who had loomed up on his inside.

Kaleb Ngamanu then showcased his positioning skills in the final minute of the match. Even though they were on the wrong end of the scoreboard, Burleigh were still desperately trying to score up until the final siren and thus in the final minute the Bears half put in a grubber kick to the Titans left corner. Kaleb Ngamanu turned and chased the kick back, knocking the ball dead literally out of the clutches of the Bears right winger.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started on the right wing in Tweed Heads final 2021 MM Cup final against the Souths Logan Magpies at Logan. Kaleb Ngamanu moved to left centre early in the second quarter after a Campbell Watchairs ankle injury forced him off the field.

It was from that left centre position where Kaleb Ngamanu threw the last pass to Keano Kini for him to score. The pass that Kaleb Ngamanu threw was to his left and covered around twenty metres and found Keano Kini in full stride and right on his chest. As a result Keano Kini was able to step inside the cover defence to score.

Early in the third quarter Kaleb Ngamanu raced thirty metres down the left touchline after good work on his inside from Keano Kini and Ryan Foran, unfortunately Kaleb Ngamanu was taken into touch just metres away from the left corner post.

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

In November 2020 Kaleb Ngamanu was named in the powerful Tweed Heads Seagulls 2021 MM Cup squad and in Round One Kaleb Ngamanu started at left centre against the Ipswich Jets.

It was an interesting game for Kaleb Ngamanu, for the first sixty five minutes the ball and play always seemed to be on the opposite side of the field, but with the game on the line in the final five minutes with Tweed Heads holding onto a two point lead, all of a sudden the ball and play was everywhere where Kaleb Ngamanu was.

In the 65th minute with the Seagulls defending their own line, Kaleb Ngamanu produced an outstanding tackle on the Jets tearaway left second rower. The Jets second rower had space to build his momentum and charged at the line but Kaleb Ngamanu put him on the ground with a superb low tackle.

The Jets No. 11 second rower felt the power of Kaleb Ngamanu once again just three minutes later in the 68th minute. The Jets had an overlap but Kaleb Ngamanu came out of the line to hit the second rower around the chest just as he was looking up after taking possession of the ball.

Interspersed between those two outstanding tackles was a strong hard run brining the ball out of his own twenty metre area by Kaleb Ngamanu who received the ball off Oskar Bryant to the left of the play the ball making ten valuable metres. The last five metres of the run were on his hands and knees after Kaleb Ngamanu was tripped up not long into his run but Kaleb Ngamanu just kept forcing his way forward.

Such was Kaleb Ngamanu’s performance that he was named as the Seagulls best in the Round One match.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at left centre in Round Two against the Souths Logan Magpies and was outstanding once again in both attack and defence.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s impressive match started to just the 7th minute with a line break of twenty five metres down the left touch line after he was put away by great work on his inside by Keano Kini. Kaleb Ngamanu made another strong run down the left touchline in the 31st minute, making twelve metres before Kaleb Ngamanu was eventually stopped just centremetres short of the line in the left corner.

Kaleb Ngamanu also had some strong runs through the centre of the field, as good as any of those runs was in the 19th minute when from his own territory, Kaleb Ngamanu made eleven metres through the centre of the ruck to give the Seagulls some room to move. Kaleb Ngamanu made a further fifteen metres in the 34th minute of the first half when once again brining the ball out of his own territory.

The half time break did not slow Kaleb Ngamanu down as in the 36th minute he took the second hit up of the second half after the kick-off. The play the ball was only ten metres out from the line but Kaleb Ngamanu was able to bring the ball out to the Twenty metre line after taking on the centre of the Souths Logan defensive line.

With the game in the balance, Kaleb Ngamanu continued to press Tweed Heads case with a strong effort from a tap restart from a penalty, making thirteen metres to get the Seagulls into the Magpies twenty metre area and then in the 67th minute, Kaleb Ngamanu darted out of dummy half to his right making twelve hard fought metres to get Tweed Heads within ten metres of the Souths Logan try line.

Defensively Kaleb Ngamanu was also very strong in the match with a number of tackles standing out including a front on tackle in the 37th minute on his opposite number with Kaleb Ngamanu’s strong initial contact forcing the ball out and putting Tweed Heads back on the attack.

Kaleb Ngamanu almost got himself on the scoreboard in the 51st minute when he took a Souths Logan cross kick on the bounce and looked set to streak away on an eighty metre runaway try but the play was called back for interference on the Souths Logan kicker.

Kaleb Ngamanu once again started at left centre in the Round Three Gold Coast derby against the Burleigh Bears and once again was one of the Seagulls best in their strong derby victory.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s impressive afternoon got underway in just the 6th minute with a perfectly timed and executed driving low tackle after coming out of the line on Burleigh second rower Seth Nikotemo which forced the much bigger player back three metres.

Kaleb Ngamanu added a further great low tackle to his highlight reel in the match with a beautifully executed tackle in the 56th minute of the match when he moved up from a Burleigh scrum win to take down the Burleigh centre less than ten metres out from the Burleigh line and then backed up to make the next tackle.

Kaleb Ngamanu was outstanding defensively against Burleigh but also had some strong runs with the ball with the first of many coming in the 9th minute of the match when he took the ball from the dummy half just a metre out from his own line. Kaleb Ngamanu was able to get the ball out to the ten metre mark with the Burleigh defence rushing at him. Then just four minutes later Kaleb Ngamanu produced another ten metre effort to get the ball away from the try line.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued to show up when his team needed him including in the 34th minute when with Tweed Heads under pressure in their own territory Kaleb Ngamanu surged sixteen metres through the centre of the ruck to get the ball just into Burleigh’s territory.

Late in the first half Kaleb Ngamanu was on hand to continue to put pressure on Burleigh when he along with Ryan Foran was on hand to drag the Burleigh right winger into touch just out from his own line after he took a bomb on the field in the left corner.

Kaleb Ngamanu was also named to start at left centre for Round Four match against the Ipswich Jets and was close to if not the Seagulls best in their big 28 – 24 victory.

Kaleb Ngamanu was into the action early in the match in just the second minute with a strong run to the right of the dummy half before cutting back into the area behind the play the ball to make eleven metres to bring the ball out of the Seagulls twenty metre area.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued his strong start to the match in the 3rd minute with a run that made ten metres to get Tweed Heads within twenty metres of the try line. Just two minutes later, in the 5th minute, Kaleb Ngamanu charged onto the ball to the right of the play the ball before cutting off his right foot to gain sixteen metres.

Late in the first half in the 27th minute Kaleb Ngamanu once again was key in getting Tweed Heads out of their own territory, on that occasion Kaleb Ngamanu made eighteen metres to get the ball across the halfway mark.

Even with the game well and truly won, Kaleb Ngamanu’s effort did not drop off as was evidenced in the 67th minute, when he took a hit-up to the right of the dummy half with the run starting one metre out from his own line and Kaleb Ngamanu bringing the ball out to seventeen metres out from his own line.

It was not just off the play the ball that Kaleb Ngamanu was able to make ground as in the 23rd minute, Kaleb Ngamanu made fifteen metres down a wide left blindside off a Tweed Heads scrum win, with Kaleb Ngamanu then making a further ten metres more to get to the Ipswich forty metre mark later in the same set of six.

Kaleb Ngamanu was also heavily involved in a Tweed Heads try in the 12th minute when Thomas Weaver threw a long pass to his left to find Kaleb Ngamanu who went into the line before passing to his left also to Kuuz Remine who dived over in the left corner. It was the exact same combination of players and essentially the exact same movement in the 32nd minute that led to another Kruz Remine try.

Kaleb Ngamanu was also strong defensively in the match including a sithing low tackle on the Ipswich right second rower (No. 11), cutting him down expertly.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s calmness under pressure was also on display in the match in the 7th minute when he left high to take a cross field bomb on the full under heavy pressure.

Late in the match in the 61st minute Kaleb Ngamanu almost produced a try out of nothing. Ipswich were attacking the Tweed Heads line down their right side but the ball went to ground, Kaleb Ngamanu got to the ball first and toe’d it through and then around the halfway mark kicked the ball off the ground for the second time, unfortunately in the subsequent foot race the ball was knocked forward just ten metres out from the try line.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at left centre in Round Five against the Souths Logan Magpies.

After being rested in Round Six, Kaleb Ngamanu was named at left centre for the Seagulls Semi-final against Wynnum Manly and was in the match early, being involved in the Seagulls first tackle of the match when he chased through a Thomas Weaver kick into the left corner.

The ball did not get out to Kaleb Ngamanu’s side of the field through ball movement but Kaleb Ngamanu was still very effective in the match, especially in terms of running out of dummy half. in the 15th minute, Kaleb Ngamanu ran out of dummy half to his right making twenty metres before once again running out of dummy half to his right once again in the 21st minute, on that occasion making fourteen metres to get into Wynnum Manly territory.

Kaleb Ngamanu ran to his right out of dummy half once again in the 25th minute, making a further twelve metres with approximately 60% of those metres made post contact.

Kaleb Ngamanu made a further run out of dummy half in the 33rd minute making thirteen metres to near halfway after going to his right.

Kaleb Ngamanu also recorded two line break assists in the match with the first coming in the 49th minute when after receiving the ball from the base of a scrum ran to his right, putting on a stutter step to get outside one defender and draw the Wynnum Manly right winger to put Elijah Lui away down the left touchline, with the Seagulls left winger eventually being tackled less than ten metres out.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s second line break assist came in the 45th minute when a great short quick pass to his left put Elijah Lui away down the left touchline who then kicked inside for Ryan Foran to retrieve the ball and pass to his right to Jaylan De Groot who dived over under the posts.

Kaleb Ngamanu then produced another strong run of sixteen metres in the 58th minute, which was the third hit-up from the kick off after Elijah Lui’s long range try.

In the 2021 MM Cup Queensland Grand Final against the Townsville Blackhawks, Kaleb Ngamanu once again started at left centre as the Tweed Heads Seagulls made in back to back MM Cup successes by beating Townsville 30 – 24 with Kaleb Ngamanu scoring in the final minute of the match to ensure victory.

With just seconds to go in the match and ten metres out from their own line, Townsville tried to run back a Thomas Weaver grubber but Kaleb Ngamanu got hold of his opponent and stripped the ball in a one on one tackle and ran ten metres to dive over near the left corner to get the Seagulls celebrations under way.

In addition to his try Kaleb Ngamanu also recorded a line break when in the 13th minute from a hit-up from his own twenty he bumped off two would be defenders to get to near the halfway mark before he was brought down.

In the 30th minute Kaleb Ngamanu pulled off a smart piece of play when he charged down a Blackhawks clearing kick to get the ball back for Tweed Heads and in good field position as well.

In February 2021 Kaleb Ngamanu took part in the U18 South Coast Open school boy trials and was named in the centres for the South Coast Open A school boy side as a result of his trial performances. Kaleb Ngamanu was one of two Titans contracted 2021 TSS School Boy Rugby First XV players in the South Coast Squad with the other being Nicholas Hilton.

Kaleb Ngamanu started at left centre for South Coast’s Day One match against Met North and made his initial contribution in the opening minute when he ran back to take a Met North clearing kick on the full when still running back towards his own goal line. Then Kaleb Ngamanu took the third hit-up in that same set.

The in the 5th minute, Kaleb Ngamanu made a run of ten metres from a South Coast scrum win, getting the ball to within twenty metres of the try line and then was awarded a penalty after the Met North defenders held on for too long in the tackle.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued his strong start to the Championships in the 13th minute when he was able to make fifteen metres after he had picked the ball up at dummy half and run to his right. Also in the 24th minute, a stepping Kaleb Ngamanu accounted for twelve more valuable metres.

Defensively Kaleb Ngamanu also had a strong Day One match including in the 16th minute when facing an overlap he came out of the line and drove the Met North half backwards, hitting him just as he received the ball.

Kaleb Ngamanu came out of the line once again in the 37th minute producing a great low tackle on the Met North 14 who had tried to get on his outside.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at left centre on Day Two as South Coast took on Met East and almost immediately made thirteen metres out of his own twenty metre area in just the second minute of the match.

On Day Three against Capricornia Kaleb Ngamanu once again start at left centre and made a forty metre line break down the left touchline after being put into space by Ryan Foran, then as he was confronted by the cover defence, Kaleb Ngamanu got the ball back inside to Ryan Foran.

Kaleb Ngamanu started the Championship Final against Met North at left centre and whilst the ball did not get out to his side of the field too often more than held his own defensively including in the 32nd minute when he defused a Met North bomb under immense pressure.

Kaleb Ngamanu was part of the TSS school boy rugby First XV once again in 2021, playing the season as a full colours player in what was Kaleb Ngamanu’s third season in the TSS First XV. Kaleb Ngamanu was also the 2021 TSS First XV captain.

Kaleb Ngamanu was named as a stand by player in TSS’s opening GPS trials, being a set of round robin trials against Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) and Gregory Terrace.

Kaleb Ngamanu made his first appearance for TSS in late May 2021 for the First XV in TSS’s first full trial against Ipswich Grammar School when he started at inside centre (No. 12).

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at inside centre in TSS’s second 2021 First XV trial against Nudgee College on the Gold Coast and also started in the same position in the final full scale GPS First XV trial against Brisbane Boys College (BBC).

In TSS’s final trial before the commencement of the 2021 GPS First XV school boy rugby season, Kaleb Ngamanu started at inside centre against the TSS Second XV.

Round One of the 2021 GPS school boy rugby First XV competition saw Kaleb Ngamanu line up at inside centre (No. 12) for TSS as they took on Brisbane Grammar School at home with Kaleb Ngamanu contributing two try assists.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s first try assist came in the 10th minute when after he made a long fifty five metre break down the left touchline, Kaleb Ngamanu drew the Brisbane Grammar School fullback and passed to his right to Jye Gray who raced away to score under posts.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s second try assist came in the 58th minute when from twenty seven metres out he put in a chip kick to his left which was perfectly weighted for his left winger to take the ball on the full whilst running at full speed to score comfortably.

Kaleb Ngamanu was also outstanding in others aspects general play in TSS’s 71 – 5 victory with his initial contribution coming inside the opening minute of the match, when he combined from a TSS scrum win with Syris Schmidt to put fullback Jye Gray into space down the left side of the field who then was able to put his winger over in the corner.

Then in the 30th minute Kaleb Ngamanu combined in for all intents and purposes exactly the same way for another TSS try with the only difference being that the move was executed on the right side of the field as opposed to the opening minute when the moved was executed on the left.

As a result of his performance in the match Kaleb Ngamanu was named at inside centre in the Courier Mail GPS First XV Team of Round One and also received a TSS coaches honourable mention.

Round Two away to Anglican Church Grammar School saw Kaleb Ngamanu named at inside centre for the TSS First XV side with Kaleb Ngamanu proving to be a difficult proposition for the Churchie defence on the way to recording two try assists.

The first of Kaleb Ngamanu’s try assists came in the 23rd minute when after slicing through the defence on the right side of the field from thirty metres out, Kaleb Ngamanu then drew the Churchie fullback and passed to his left to Jye Gray who ran away to score under the posts.

Kaleb Ngamanu added his second try assist when in the 67th minute he threw a good cut out ball to Nicholas Hilton who ran a good inside shoulder route to score next to the right upright. Just five minutes earlier in the 62nd minute Kalbe Nagamnu had also broken the line on the right once again and was able to off-load to Nicholas Hilton.

As a result of his performance in the match Kaleb Ngamanu was named at inside centre in the Courier Mail GPS First XV Team of Round Two and also was awarded three points from the TSS First XV coaches for their weekly awards.

After the GPS school boy rugby competition was suspended for a number of weeks, Kaleb Ngamanu started at inside centre for the TSS First XV side that played an internal TSS trial in late August in preparation for the restart of the competition also in late August against Toowoomba Grammar School.

When the 2021 GPS First XV rugby season recommenced in late August, Kaleb Ngamanu started at No. 12 (inside centre) in Round Six against Toowoomba Grammar School making a line break in the 38th minute of TSS’s victory. After receiving the ball on the left side of the field, Kaleb Ngamanu made a fifty metre line break into Toowoomba Grammar School territory. Unfortunately Kaleb Ngamanu was hurt in the tackle and was unable to take any further part in the match.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at No. 12 (inside centre) in Round Eight against Nudgee College with Kaleb Ngamanu also setting up a try for TSS in the 45th minute when he was able to get halfway through the Nudgee College line and was able to get a good ball away to his left however the ball was knocked down by a Nudgee College defender ten metres from the line, directly in front of the goal posts.

Kaleb Ngamanu also produced a great front one tackle in the 8th minute of the match when he drove his left shoulder into his Nudgee College opponent with Kaleb Ngamanu’s initial contact forcing the ball loose.

Kaleb Ngamanu played his last First XV game for TSS in Round Nine against Gregory Terrace with Kaleb Ngamanu leading the TSS First XV side onto the field as captain and starting the match at outside centre.

The match saw Kelab Ngamanu record a try assist in the 59th minute when after Gregory Terrace lost the ball, Kaleb Ngamanu tracked back to swoop on it and after racing twelve metres downfield Kelab Ngamanu put TSS fullback Jye Gray into a gap to race away to score the match sealing try.

After a tough opening thirty minutes, Kaleb Ngamanu came into his own in the 35th minute with a surging twenty metre on the right side of the field to get the ball into Gregory Terrace territory.

Then in the 39th minute Kaleb Ngamanu was at it again with another run that accounted for twenty metres with Kaleb Ngamanu beating three tackles. Kaleb Ngamanu added another strong run in the 41st minute with the run starting from inside his own in-goal area with Kaleb Ngamanu getting the ball fifteen metres into the field of play with the combination of left foot and right footsteps of Kaleb Ngamanu’s beating four would be defenders.

Kaleb Ngamanu has always been known as an outstanding defender and his final match reinforced that when he made a great low tackle in the 49th minute near mid-field on the charging Gregory Terrace No. 8.

Post the final round of the 2021 GPS First XV competition, Kaleb Ngamanu was named on the bench in the Courier Mail Team of the Season.

At the end of the 2021 season, Kaleb Ngamanu was named at No. 29 in the Courier Mail Top 60 school boys from the GPS Rugby, AIC Rugby and Langer Cup competitions.

Kaleb Ngamanu started Round One of the 2020 MM Cup competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls on the left wing against the Northern Pride scoring in the 14th minute of the first half as the Seagulls recorded a big first up victory. Unfortunately the Seagulls chase for repeat Queensland and National U18 success in 2020 was hamstrung by the Covid 19 pandemic.

In early July 2020 Kaleb Ngamanu was part of the TSS Senior Squad that undertook a three day rugby camp prior to the commencement of the 2020 GPS School Boy Rugby First XV competition and played the 2020 GPS school boy First XV season as a full colours TSS rugby representative.

Kaleb Ngamanu started at No. 12 (inside centre) as well as being named vice captain for the TSS First XV in their internal trial in mid-July 2020 and also started at inside centre against Nudgee College being the first trial TSS had against another GPS school. Kaleb Ngamanu was also the TSS vice-captain for that trial as well.

Against Nudgee Kaleb Ngamanu had some very good moments including putting in the kick that resulted in the try that put TSS in front for good with two minutes to go. Kaleb Ngamanu received the ball to the right of the break down on around the half way mark and put in a right foot kick along the ground into space behind the Nudgee line, after the ball was retrieved by TSS, Jojo Fifita dived over out wide to seal a TSS 24 – 21 victory.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at No. 12 and was also vice-captain in the TSS First XV’s final trial against Anglican Church Grammar School on the Gold Coast. Kelab Ngamanu made numerous line breaks in the match, including one in the first half off a TSS line out win when he split the Churchie defence running forty metres but he could not quite set up his support runner, being Jojo Fifita.

Also in the first half, Kaleb Ngamanu produced an outstanding series of plays which ended in a TSS try. With Churchie on the attack, Kaleb Ngamanu ripped the ball away from a Churchie attacker, retrieved it and went on a fifty metre run down the left touch line. When he was eventually tackled, Kaleb Ngamanu recycled the ball quickly for Jye Gray to grubber through the disorganised Churchie line to score under the posts.

Round One of the GPS school boy rugby First XV competition proper saw Kaleb Nagmanu start at No. 12 and run on as TSS vice-captain against Brisbane State High School. Round Two against Toowoomba Grammar School saw Kaleb Ngamanu move to outside centre (No. 13), scoring his first try of the season when he backed up on the inside after a one on one steal by Syris Schmidt to run forty metres to score. Kaleb Ngamanu laos made a thirty metre break early in the match which generated momentum for TSS eventually leading to Syris Schmidt slicing through the Toowoomba Grammar School defence to score.

Kaleb Ngamanu started at outside centre and vice-captain once again in Round Three against Brisbane Grammar School recording a critical try assist late in the match when he burst through two defenders down a short blind side charging thirty metres before offloading to his right to his winger to score a key try in a 20 – 15 TSS victory.

In the pivotal 2020 GPS school boy rugby First XV Round Four match against Brisbane Boys College Kaleb Ngamanu moved back to inside centre. In Round Four against Gregory Terrace Kaleb Ngamanu moved back to No. 13 (outside centre) for the home match making a critical break down the right touch line in the dying moments of the match. TSS received a penalty from the next phase which Syris Schmidt kicked after the final siren to secure a 23 – 22 victory. Kaleb Ngamanu received one vote by the TSS coaches in the TSS First XV 2020 Player of the Season voting.

Kaleb Ngamanu continued at outside centre (No. 13) for Round Five against Ipswich Grammar School.

TSS had a Round Six bye but the TSS First XV side played a “trial” against Downlands College with Kaleb Ngamanu starting at No. 13 and was vice-captain once again and was on the winning side as TSS finished their 2020 season with a 50 – 24 victory.

Kaleb Ngamanu also represented TSS in the 2020 GPS schools Athletics Competition as part of the TSS 4 x 100 metre Open Relay team. Kaleb Ngamanu ran the third leg of the relay for TSS who finished 7th in a time of 44.69 seconds.

Kaleb Ngamanu is originally from Western Australia where he played two years of rugby league for the Joondalup Giants who moved over to the Gold Coast at the start of 2016 season, making every post a winner since that time in his junior rugby league career and for that matter in school boy rugby for the Southport School (TSS) including the First XV side and in 2019 signed a new contract with the Titans which will keep him with the club for the next couple of seasons.

One of Kaleb Ngamanu’s most recent matches for the Titans was when he started at fullback for the Titans U16 squad in their early October 2019 match against PNG at Pizzey Park and made a great fist of the fullback role regularly chiming into the Titans back line as they easily accounted for the PNG U16 side 44 – 12.

In January 2019 Kaleb Ngamanu started on the left wing for the Titans U16 side against the Newcastle Knights U16 Harold Matthews squad in Coffs Harbour and was very unlucky not to be awarded a second half try. To be honest I am still unsure why the try was disallowed, Kaleb Ngamanu flashed into the back line from the fullback position on the left hand side of the field and broke through two Knights defenders to seemingly score but the try was disallowed I assume for a lost ball but to be honest, from my vantage point it seemed like a certain try.

Kaleb Ngamanu started the match on the left wing but spent some time at fullback midway through the first half when he swapped positions with Rowan Mansfield for a few minutes. In the second half with Rowan Mansfield injured, Kaleb Ngamanu played the entire half at fullback and showed his outstanding speed when he backed up a long break from Joseph Shannon (who had been put into a hole as a result of a great Bailey Martin pass).

In the first half Kaleb Ngamanu produced three outstanding pieces of play including two try saving tackles, the first when the Knights winger burst through the centre of the ruck and Kaleb Ngamanu tracked back and caught him from behind. His second try saving tackle was made in the left corner when he stopped the Knights winger in his tracks about a metre from the try line when the winger looked certain to score.

With the ball Kaleb Ngamanu made an outstanding break down the left touch line when he got outside his direct opponent as a result of a great ball from half Thomas Weaver whilst playing on the left wing in the first half.

On top of all that Kaleb Ngamanu forced at least three errors that I can recall as a result of sheer hard work and effort.

Kaleb Ngamanu signed a multi-year deal with the Titans in early 2018 after a starring on the left wing for the Titans U15 side in their six tries to three win over the Western Mustangs in March 2018 and late in the 2018 season started on the wing for the Titans U15 as they defeated a U15 Balmain Tigers touring side 16 – 10 with Kaleb Ngamanu scoring an outstanding try in the match.

Kaleb Ngamanu scored in around the 6th minute when he flashed down the left touch line untouched and was able to bring the ball around under the posts. For the try Kaleb Ngamanu kept his width and exploded onto a great cut out ball from Thomas Weaver to score from around 30 metres out showcasing his speed.

In the match Kaleb Ngamanu also had some other highlights including an outstanding fifty metre second half run when he expertly fielded a low kick and split the defence from his own line, but unfortunately just could not find Thomas Weaver with the inside pass.

Kaleb Ngamanu was also involved in the final Titans try scored by Rowan Mansfield. At the time Kaleb Ngamanu was playing right centre, he took a pass from Jye Gray before drawing the Balmain winger and popping a great ball to Rowan Mansfield to send him down the touch line.

Early in 2019, Kaleb Ngamanu was part of the Gold Coast Vikings U16 side that played in the South East Queensland U16 Challenge and post that championship was named in the South East Queensland U16 train on squad.

Kaleb Ngamanu started on the left wing for the Queensland City U16 side in their match against Queensland Country U16’s, playing the entire seventy minutes. Kaleb Ngamanu ran for 45.1 metres in the match and made three tackles at a 75% tackling efficiency. It was just one of those frustrating matches for a winger as the ball just did not go out Kaleb Ngamanu’s way but credit to him, Kaleb Ngamanu certainly went looking to get involved as often as possible.

Kaleb Ngamanu started the 2019 season for the Coomera Cutters in the GCRL U16 Division One competition, starting in the centres in Round One against Burleigh and scoring in the match which was his one and only GCRL match of the season.

Kaleb Ngamanu kicked off his 2019 school boy rugby campaign for The Southport School (TSS) in late April 2019 when he was part of the TSS Second XV side that defeated the touring New Zealand School New Plymouth Boys High 36 – 0, starting the match at inside centre. Kaleb Ngamanu then was on the bench for the TSS First XV side that went down 31 – 29 also against New Plymouth Boys High.

Kaleb Ngamanu made his TSS First XV run on debut in a trial against Brisbane State High School in May 2019 with TSS winning 57 – 12.

Kaleb Ngamanu was once against part of the TSS First XV squad for the next set of GPS rugby trials against Brisbane State High School (BSHS) and Gregory Terrace at the TSS campus on the Gold Coast, in late May 2019 with Kaleb Ngamanu named on the bench. TSS won the trial against Gregory Terrace but went down against BSHS in the second match.

Kaleb Ngamanu started TSS’s next trial against Nudgee College in the right wing (No. 14) for the TSS First XV. Kaleb Ngamanu moved to the left wing (No. 11) for the TSS First XV’s next trial against Ipswich Grammar School at Ipswich.

Kaleb Ngamanu started at outside centre for the TSS First XV in their final GPS rugby trial prior to their Round One fixture against Nudgee College with TSS winning 10 - 5 away to Sunshine Coast Grammar School.

In Round One of the 2019 GPS school boy rugby competition season proper, Kaleb Ngamanu started on the right wing for TSS against Nudgee College and was outstanding defensively, both in terms of his initial contact and cover defence.

In the match the ball did not get out to his right wing a great deal but Kaleb Ngamanu did have an outstanding run late in the second half where he dragged a number of Nudgee defenders five or six metres. Kaleb Ngamanu actually crossed the line in the second half but the final pass was called back for being forward. To be fair it was only two or three metres forward.

Kaleb Ngamanu also showcased his hands in Round One taking producing a great contest catch of a TSS box kick under extreme pressure to maintain TSS’s momentum in a pivotal moment of the first half.

Kaleb Ngamanu was also outstanding in Round Two as TSS thrashed Churchie 64 – 7 with Kaleb Ngamanu starting on the right wing but moving into inside centre around the 10 minute mark after an injury.

From that position Kaleb Ngamanu scored his first First XV try of the career. At a set piece about fifteen metres out from the Churchie line, Kaleb Ngamanu originally lined up in the left of the piece but rotated around to the right receiving the ball in space.

Kaleb Ngamanu ran at the opposition defensive line which started to back pedal holding the ball in both hands and after shaping to pass the ball to his right Kaleb Ngamanu ran through the resultant gap in the line to score mid-way between the touch line and goal post on the right hand side of the field.

After finishing Round Two at inside centre, Kaleb Ngamanu started there in Round Three against Brisbane State High School. In the first half Kaleb Ngamanu focussed primarily on ball playing for his outside backs but in the second half ran the ball more and came close to scoring twice.

Kaleb Ngamanu also started at inside centre in Round Four against Toowoomba Grammar School in Toowoomba scoring his second try of the season as well as recording a try assist and also being heavily involved in a few others.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s try assist came in the second half and was as a result of a great sleight of hand from a set play. From a TSS scrum win on the Toowoomba Grammar School twenty metre line Kaleb Ngamanu received the ball to the right of the scrum and produced an outstanding no look pop up pass to his right as the TSS left winger looped around to charge through the resultant gap to score adjacent to the left upright.

Kaleb Ngamanu’s try (his second of the season) came late in the match, Kaleb Ngamanu picked up the ball on from the back of a ruck and drove to his left to score from close range to round out a 62 – 3 TSS route.

Round Five against Brisbane Grammar School saw Kaleb Ngamanu continue at inside centre scoring for the second week in a row and third for the season. Kaleb Ngamanu’s try can only be considered a superb effort. In the 16th minute of the first half, Kaleb Ngamanu received the ball to the right of the ruck and ran diagonally to his right and used a great fend which literally knocked the Brisbane Grammar School fly half (now at Keebra Park), being Connor Te Kani off his feet.

Once that occurred Kaleb Ngamanu ran through the resultant gap to score mid-way between the goal posts and the right corner flag under pressure from two more BGS defenders for a simply outstanding individual try.

In Round Six Kaleb Ngamanu started once again at inside centre against fellow unbeaten school Brisbane Boys College at Toowong in Brisbane in essentially what was the GPS First XV Premiership decider between the only remaining unbeaten schools.

Unfortunately Kaleb Ngamanu was forced off the field with a cheek bone injury in the early minutes of the second half in TSS’s 23 – 20 victory in front of a massive crowd at Toowong in Brisbane’s west that knocked BBC out of the GPS First XV Premiership race.

The win ensured that TSS were the 2019 GPS School Boy rugby First XV Champions and it is a touch ironic that it came against BBC which was the school that Kaleb Ngamanu’s two older brothers starred for being Cullen and Jayden Ngamanu.

Kaleb Ngamanu in 2019 was also part of the Queensland U18 Reds Academy Rugby side that defeated Victoria 46 – 18 with Kaleb Ngamanu coming off the bench to play on the right wing and mid-way through the second half set up a try when he drew the Rebels fullback and passed back inside to the Reds outside centre to score after a long run down the right touch line.

2018 saw Kaleb Ngamanu’s selection in the South Coast U15 QSSRL side at the completion of the South Coast Trials. Kaleb Ngamanu was subsequently selected in the Queensland Maroon U15 side for the U15 ASSRL Championships.

Other Titans linked boys to make the 2018 U15 South Coast QSSRL squad included front rower Brody Smitka, centre/second rower Ezra Ubaldino and outstanding backrower Bailey Martin.

As a result of his performance at those Championships Kaleb Ngamanu was selected in one of the two Queensland sides for the Australian Championships. Unfortunately Kaleb Ngamanu was injured in the camp just prior to the U15 ASSRL Championships and was unable to take his place in the Queensland Maroon side.

In late 2018 Kaleb Ngamanu was named in the Gold Coast Vikings U16 Training Squad for the 2019 U16 South East Queensland Challenge.

Kaleb Ngamanu is also part of the 2019 U16 Queensland Emerging Origin squad and in their opposed session was on the same side as fellow Titans Bailey Martin and Orlando Swain.

When he moved over to the Gold Coast, Kaleb Ngamanu started attending Keebra Park State High School making a big impression in their U13 side even though he missed portions of the 2016 season with an injury. Kaleb Ngamanu however was identified by The Southport School (TSS) and for 2017 transferred there standing out in their U14A GPS rugby side in 2017 in Term Three.

In 2018 Kaleb Ngamanu played club rugby league for the Coomera Cutters and obviously for TSS in terms of school boy rugby and for Queensland II in the Australian U16 Rugby Championships.

For Coomera in the U15 Division One competition in 2018 Kaleb Ngamanu has played in six matches scoring three tries. Kaleb Ngamanu scored a Round One double against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks and scored against Runaway Bay in Round Four.

Kaleb Ngamanu played for the TSS U15A side in 2018 playing in four GPS matches and one match against Downlands College. Kaleb Ngamanu started Round One at outside centre against Anglican Church Grammar School and then missed a number of matches before returning once again at outside centre in Round Six against Gregory Terrace.

In Round Seven against Brisbane Boys College Kaleb Ngamanu moved to the open side flanker position before returning to outside centre for Round Nine against Nudgee College. Kaleb Ngamanu also started at outside centre against Downlands College in TSS’s Round Eight bye week.

Prior to the GPS school boy rugby season proper, Kaleb Ngamanu played in a number of trial matches for TSS. Kaleb Ngamanu started on the bench for the first two trials which were against Far North Coast and Toowoomba Grammar School before moving into the starting side at outside centre for the last four trials against Nudgee, Ipswich Grammar School Ambrose Treacy College and Sunshine Coast Grammar School. In those four appearances in the starting trial sides Kaleb Ngamanu has been partnered in the centres with rugby league youngster Syris Schmidt.

Kaleb Ngamanu also played club rugby on the Gold Coast in 2018 season at the U15 level for the Griffith University Colleges side and started at outside centre in the Grand Final which they won 47 – 19 against the Helensvale Hogs and Cbus stadium as a curtain raiser to the 2018 Rugby International between Argentina and the Wallabies.

Kaleb Ngamanu played in nine matches for the Griffith University Colleges starting two at outside centre (No. 13) including the Grand Final, one at inside centre (No. 12) and the remainder from the interchange bench. In Round Two against the PBC Alleygators Kaleb Ngamanu kicked three conversions in a big win for Griffith University Colleges.

In October 2018 Kaleb Ngamanu was part of the Queensland II side for the Australian U16 Championships. In Round One Kaleb Ngamanu started on the left wing for Qld II in their big 57 – 5 win over Western Australia.

Round Two against Victoria saw Kaleb Ngamanu once again start on the left wing for Queensland II and scored one of Queensland II’s three tries when he flew down the left touch line as Queensland II went down 19 – 17 in a tight encounter.

For the Round Three clash against New South Wales I Kaleb Ngamanu swapped to the right wing but unfortunately Queensland II went down 29 – 17.

The 2017 season Gold Coast Junior Rugby League season saw Kaleb Ngamanu play up an age group in the U15 Division One competition after transferring from Southport to the Coomera Cutters. In the U15 Division One competition, Kaleb Ngamanu played in eight matches scoring 28 points in total from three tries and eight goals, with the tries coming against Southport, Helensvale and Nerang. In the match that he scored against his former club Southport, Kaleb Ngamanu also kicked six goals for a sixteen point haul on the night.

Kaleb Ngamanu also played one match for Coomera in the 2017 U14 Division Two competition (his regular age group) which was against the Robina Raptors, he then backed up to play for his “regular” U15 Division One side later that Friday night.

2017 also saw Kaleb Ngamanu represent the Gold Coast Vikings at the U14 level and from there going on to make the South East Queensland Green U14 side for the Queensland Age Championships that were held in Toowoomba in July last year. In those Championships, Kaleb Ngamanu scored on each of the first four days, in order against Central, Northern South East Queensland White and Central again.

In 2017 Kaleb Ngamanu played for TSS in the GPS U14A competition, starting all eight of TSS’s matches at outside centre except for Round Nine when he started at fullback against Nudgee College. In those eight matches he scored six tries and was awarded the best back award on three occasions, being against Brisbane State High School in Round One, against Ipswich Grammar School in Round Three and against Gregory Terrace in Round Five.

Kaleb Ngamanu scored a Round Six double against Brisbane Grammar School and also scored against Ipswich Grammar School in Round Three, against Brisbane Boys College in Round Four, against Gregory Terrace in Round Five and against Nudgee College in Round Nine.

Kaleb Ngamanu also scored against Downlands College in a “trial” match when TSS had a GPS Round Seven bye.

Kaleb Ngamanu played the 2016 season for the Southport Tigers at the U14 level splitting time between the U14 Division One and Division Two competitions even though he was still eligible to play in the U13 competition.

Kaleb Ngamanu started off his rugby league journey on the Gold Coast with a bang by making the 2016 U13 Vikings squad after impressing in the trials held in the weekend of 16-17 April 2016 where Kaleb Ngamanu played the majority of the trials in the centres after playing almost exclusively at five eight in the Western Australian junior rugby league competition.

[mdrew]

Great article on tomorrow's JTS matches against the Knights.

https://www.titans.com.au/news/2023/...-face-knights/