Junior Development

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A full strength Burleigh MM Cup side flexed their muscles in their final trial smashing the Tigers 46-6

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A solid performance from Paul Turner in the All-stars match yesterday starting at half for Maori.

Paul Turner ran for 68 metres (18 post contact), recorded a try assist when he put Riki over with a short ball to his left from ten metres out, recorded a line break assist, offloaded tbe ball, played the ball at an average speed of 3.17 seconds and made 21 tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

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He may have been on the losing side but towering front rower Ryan Harris made a huge impression against the Central Coast Roosters when he came off the bench yesterday for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side in their Round Two match.

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Just like in Round One Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup front rowers Isaac Harrison and AJ Hickling did a lot of the heavy lifting in both attack and defense and were once again key reasons for the Titans staying undefeated on the back of a 22-20 win yesterday against the Central Coast Roosters.

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Electric Greater Northern Tigers five eight Kaleb Hope kicked three conversions from as many attempts yesterday in Round Two of the U18 Laurie Daley Cup against Newcastle.

The young man is a serious talent.

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The Titans have a few players attending The Southport School (TSS) and also have a rich recent history there with the likes of Jojo Fifita, Kaleb Ngamanu and Nic Hilton recent graduates.

It has always been a great school and in 2023 the Titans boys currently at the school including Brock Lennox, Dallas Ingram and Viliami Fifita will have a new coach to work with at the First XV level in former Wallaby and Queensland Reds player Tai McIsaac this season.

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Jakequan Roberts-Walsh was named to start on the right wing in Round Two for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad against the Central Coast Roosters with Jakequan Roberts-Walsh scoring in the 19th minute when after good work on his inside Jakequan Roberts-Walsh darted ten metres to five over to score two metres in from the right corner post.

Jakequan Roberts-Walsh also made a line break in the 40th minute when whilst defending thirty five metres out from his own try line, Jakequan Roberts-Walsh swooped on a Central Coast dropped ball and got to near the halfway mark before he was brought down.

Jakequan Roberts-Walsh also made a strong tackle in the 32nd minute when whilst defending on his own try line one of the Central Coast Roosters halves threw a long cut-out pass towards Jakequan Roberts-Walsh’s wing with the Roosters right winger forced to jump high to take possession, Jakequan Roberts-Walsh hit him whilst he was still in mid-air and drove him hard into the ground near the sideline.

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Titans contracted Beau Hartmann was named to start at left centre in Round Two for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad against the Central Coast Roosters with Beau Hartmann doing well in the 19th minute when after a Central Coast Roosters penalty kick did not find touch, Beau Hartmann who taken the ball on the full near the forty metre mark charged back at the defensive line and was able to get within three metres of the try line, breaking three tackles along the way.

Beau Hartmann made a further strong run in the 25th minute when from the left of a Northern Rivers Titans scrum win thirty metre out from his own try line Beau Hartmann broke three tackles as he got the ball to forty three metres out from his try line.

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Titan Kaleb Smith was named to start at five eight in Round Two for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad against the Central Coast Roosters with Kaleb Smith executing a superb heavy front on tackle just over two minutes into the match when just as the giant Central Coast Roosters front rower No. 10 took possession of the match just five metres inside Northern Rivers Titans territory Kaleb Smith smashed him with a great front on tackle with the Roosters player knocking on as a result of Kaleb Smith’s powerful initial contact in the tackle.

Kaleb Smith made another strong tackle in the 24th minute, on that occasion on the Knights second rower No. 11 with Kaleb Smith smashing him just three metres out from the try line with the heavy initial contact by Kaleb Smith forcing the ball loose.

Kaleb Smith then made a try saving tackle in the 34th minute right on the try line mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the right side of the field on the Central Coast fullback with once again Kaleb Smith’s heavy initial contact forcing the fullback to lose possession.

Kaleb Smith made the first of a number of smart runs in the 13th minute when from twelve metres out and to the right of the play the ball, Kaleb Smith stepped his way within two metres of the try line and then after being impeded received a six again call in his favour. Then in the 27th minute Kaleb Smith once again got within two metres of the try line after initially receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball and twelve metres out.

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Aaron Singh-Goesel started at left second row for Round Two of the U18 Laurie Daley Cup for the Northern Rivers Titans against the Central Coast Roosters with Aaron Singh-Goesel making a desperate cover defending tackle in the 4th minute on the Rooster right centre who had made a line break down his right touchline. Aaron Singh Goesel never gave up the chase from the inside and dived full length to get to the centre and completely halt his forward momentum.

Aaron Singh-Goesel made a strong run in the 38th minute when after cutting back underneath Jesse Soric thirty five metres out Aaron Singh-Goesel burst through the Roosters defensive line before eventually being brought to ground eighteen metres out. Then in the 55th minute Aaron Singh-Goesel made fifteen hard metres, the majority of which were post contact down the left channel to get the ball to within twenty two metres of the try line.

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Ayden Byrnes was named at hooker for Round Two of the U18 Laurie Daley Cup for the Northern Rivers Titans against the Central Coast Roosters with Ayden Byrnes making a good run out of dummy half to his right in the 7th minute when from forty metres out Ayden Byrnes used a Roosters forward getting back onside as a shield with Ayden Byrnes then breaking three tackles whilst making twelve metres.

Ayden Byrnes made another good run out of dummy half in the 14th minute when from three metres inside his own territory Ayden Byrnes ran to his right and promoted the ball thirteen metres inside Central Coast territory with the speed and timing of Ayden Byrnes run catching numerous defenders off-side with a penalty to the Northern Rivers Titans subsequently being awarded.

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Callum Bowles started at right second row for Round Two of the U18 Laurie Daley Cup for the Northern Rivers Titans against the Central Coast Roosters with Callum Bowles forced a Central Coast Roosters goal line drop-out in the 19th minute when after receiving the ball to the right of the play the ball and around ten metres out, Callum Bowles put in a right foot grubber kick into the in-goal with the kick causing confusion amongst the Roosters defenders who even up knocking the ball on in-goal.

Callum Bowles made a strong run in the 6th minute down the left channel with Callum Bowles making thirteen metres to get to withing seven metres of the try line with at least 75% of Callum Bowles’s metres being of the post contact variety.

With the game on the line in the 59th minute with the Northern Rivers Titans holding onto a 22 – 20 point lead, Callum Bowles made a desperate last ditch tackle on the Central Coast No. 16 with Callum Bowles grabbing hold of the jersey high up on the back after the Rooster player had threatened to break through.

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Jesse Soric started at five eight for Round Two of the U18 Laurie Daley Cup for the Northern Rivers Titans against the Central Coast Roosters with Jesse Soric recording a try assist in the 44th minute when after the Roosters dropped the ball whilst trying to bring the ball out of their own twenty metre area, Jesse Soric collected the errand pass and ran five metres towards the try line before off-loading to his right to Riley Buchanan who had a fifteen metre run to score in a tackle three metres to the right of the uprights.

Jesse Soric executed another smart piece of play in the 18th minute when he chased a Zane Harrison clearing kick downfield and then as the Roosters fullback was bringing the ball back, Jesse Soric engaged him and thirty metres out and in the centre of the field with Jesse Soric executing a one on one strip to put the Northern Rivers Titans immediately onto the attack.

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Great to see Titans exciting second rower Nelson Makaafi named in the second row for the Burleigh Bears in Round One of the Cyril Connell Cup competition this weekend against Wynnum Manly.

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Recent Titans signing Majah-Rose Peachy named in the second row for Wynnum Manly in Round One of the U16 Cyril Connell Cup this weekend against Burleigh.