Junior Development

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Titans contracted Nelson Makaafi was back to start at right second row for Burleigh in Round Six of the CC Cup against the Redcliffe Dolphins with Nelson Makaafi making his first strong run of the match in the 4th minute when Nelson Makaafi charged down the right channel from his own thirty metre mark out to within seven metres of the halfway mark.

Then in the 11th minute Nelson Makaafi, from thirty five metres out from his own try line, ran the ball to the left of the dummy half with Nelson Makaafi able to get the ball to within four minutes of the halfway mark.


Nelson Makaafi also made his mark against the Dolphins defensively including a great try saving one on one try saving tackle on the Redcliffe No. 15 just three metres out from the try line and in front of the right upright.

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Titans contracted Sunny Kama started at right centre for the Burleigh Bears in Round Six of the MM Cup against the Redcliffe Dolphins with Sunny Kama making the first of his strong runs in just the 2nd minute when after receiving the ball two passes to the right of the play the ball just two metres from his own try line Sunny Kama was able to get on the outside of his opposing centre and make a thirty one metre line break down the right touchline, breaking two tackles in the process.

Sunny Kama made a further line break in the 61st minute when after Redcliffe dropped the ball whilst attacking four metres out from the try line, Sunny Kama swooped on the ball and burst thirty three metres downfield before being caught from behind.

Also in the 21st minute to the left of a Burleigh scrum win twelve metres out from his own try line Sunny Kama charged to thirty two metres out and then after playing the ball Sunny Kama stayed alive and took an off-load from the dummy half and extended the ball to within seven metres of the halfway mark.

Then in the 25th minute from ten metres inside his own territory Sunny Kama ran onto the ball to the right of the play the ball with Sunny Kama able to promote the ball to fifteen metres inside Dolphins territory.

Sunny Kama’s performance saw him named in the 2023 Courier Mail MM Cup Round Six Team of the Week.

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After Burleigh had a Round Five bye, Titans contracted Ryder Williams moved back to five eight for Round Six of the MM Cup against the Redcliffe Dolphins with Ryder Williams setting up the Bears only try of the match in the 22nd minute when after receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball ten metres out, Ryder Williams ran the ball down a wide left blindside and after he had drawn a defender out of the defensive line Ryder Williams got a good ball away to his left to put Sam Stephenson over to score six metres in from the left touchline.

Ryder Williams came close to scoring himself in the 50th minute only to be held up over the try line five metres in from the left corner post after running out of dummy half to his left from two metres out.

Ryder Williams also forced a Dolphins goal line drop-out in the 11th minute when from the left of the play the ball and ten metres out Ryder Williams put in a right foot stab kick into the in-goal with the kick having to be taken dead by the Dolphins defenders.

Ryder Williams put up a high bomb from twenty five metres out and in the centre of the field towards the left corner with the ball knocked on by the Dolphins fullback and then picked up in an offside position by another Redcliffe player for Burleigh to be awarded a penalty.

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Titans contracted Sam Stephenson started at left centre in Round Six of the MM Cup for Burleigh against the Redcliffe Dolphins with Sam Stephenson scoring the Bears only try of the match in the 22nd minute when Sam Stephenson ran onto a good short ball from his right from Ryder Williams to have a four metre run to score six metres in from the left corner post.

Sam Stephenson also made a number of line breaks against the Dolphins including in the 34th minute when from a Burleigh scrum win in the centre of the field and ten metres out from his own try line Sam Stephenson ran onto the ball to the left of the scrum with Sam Stephenson breaking through the defensive line and getting within seven metres of the halfway mark before being caught from behind.

Sam Stephenson made a further line break in the 48th minute when after receiving an off-load on the halfway mark Sam Stephenson made a line break down the left channel to get to twenty two metres out from the try line.

Sam Stephenson made another line break in the 61st minute when from forty metres out from their own try line, Burleigh spun the ball to the left and after Sam Stephenson received the ball on the end of the movement Sam Stephenson shrugged off two defenders to get within seventeen metres of the try line.

Sam Stephenson made a strong run in the 4th minute when from the right of a Burleigh scrum win Sam Stephenson was able to get the ball from thirteen metres out from his own try line to twenty three metres out. Then in the 21st minute from five metres inside his own territory Sam Stephenson was able to get the ball ten metres inside Redcliffe territory.

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Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki continued off the bench for the Soutsh Logan Magpies in Round Six of the MM Cup against the Brisbane Tigers and almost immediately after coming onto the field to operate in the dummy half role, Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki was heavily involved in Israel Leota’s 29th minute try when from deep inside his own territory Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki ran to his right out of dummy half and burst straight through the heart of the Tigers defensive line and then after drawing the fullback Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki passed to his left to his halfback who then got the ball away for Israel Leota to score.

Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki made another strong run in the 56th minute when to the left of the dummy half and five metres from the halfway mark, Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki initially shaped to pass to his right before stepping off his right foot to beat two defenders before a Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki right foot step beat another. From there Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki easily bumped off two additional defenders as he got the ball to thirty metres out from the try line.

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Marsden SHS’s Cairo Rangahuna-Riri started at five eight for the Souths Logan Magpies in Round Six of the MM Cup against the Brisbane Tigers with Cairo Rangahuna-Riri scored twenty two points from a try and nine goals. Some of Cairo Rangahuna-Riki’s conversions were outstanding kicks from the touchline including in the 3rd minute with the conversion of Philip Coates second minute try. Then also from the right touchline in the 23rd minute Cairo Rangahuna-Riri converted Dylan Gallagher’s try. Cairo Rangahuna-Riri then moved over to the left touchline to convert Israel Leota’s 30th minute try

Cairo Rangahuna-Riri scored in the 60th minute when after backing up a Magpies break that started as a result of a strong run and off-load by William Semu received an off-load from his right from Xavier Atoa twenty five metres out and then Cairo Rangahuna-Riri burst between defenders including carrying one eight metres to score mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field. Cairo Rangahuna-Riri then stepped up to convert his own try.

Cairo Rangahuna-Riri also recorded a line break assist in the 50th minute when from twenty five metres out from the try line and to the left of the play the ball Cairo Rangahuna-Riri took the ball right to the defensive line before throwing a good short ball to his left to put his second rower through a gap for him to be tackled within two metres of the try line.

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Titans contracted William Semu continued off the bench for the Souths Logan Magpies in Round Six of the MM Cup against the Brisbane Tigers with William Semu coming onto the field to operate at left second row late in the first half with William Semu making a great charge in the 38th minute when from forty two metres out from his own try line and to the left of the dummy half, William Semu broke through two tackles and then William Semu carried another defender as he charged ten metres inside Tigers territory.

Then in the 59th minute from thirty five metres out from his own try line and to the left of the dummy half William Semu charged onto the ball and after crashing through two attempted tackles William Semu got a great left arm off-load away to a support runner with the Magpies ultimately scoring from the play as a direct result of William Semu’s strong run and great one arm off-load.

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Disharne Tonihi has been named to make his MM Cup debut for the Tweed Heads Seagulls off the bench in the Round Seven local derby against the Burleigh Bears this weekend.

Round One of the 2023 U18 Mal Meninga Cup saw Disharne Tohini named on the Seagulls extended bench for their Round Two match against the Brisbane Tigers and Disharne Tohini was also named on the Seagulls extended bench for Round Three against the Brisbane Tigers. Disharne Tonihi was then named the Seagulls 18th man in Round Six against the Norths Devils.

The utility back from Keebra Park SHS started at five eight for a Titans U16 side on late September 2022 against a Sydney Roosters U16 side at Pizzey Park with the Titans winning the match in convincing fashion 32 – 8. Disharne Tonihi was also part of the Titans U16 squad that comprehensively defeated a Balmain Tigers U16 side 40 – 8 to win the Annual Anthony Laffranchi Cup between the two sides in Northern New South Wales.

2022 also saw Disharne Tonihi play for the Helensvale Hornets in the GCRL U16 Division One competition including starting at left centre in the Hornets 32 – 22 Grand Final victory against the Burleigh Bears with Disharne Tonihi scoring two tries and recording a try assist in a great individual Grand Final performance.

Disharne Tonihi scored the first of his two tries in just the 8th minute when after receiving the ball thirteen metres out after the Hornets had spun the ball to the left, Disharne Tonihi burst onto the ball immediately getting on the outside of his direct opponent before Disharne Tonihi used a left arm fend to hold off the Bears right winger with Disharne Tonihi then reaching out with his right arm to get the ball down three metres in from the left corner post.

Disharne Tonihi completed his double in the 54th minute when he backed up a great line break by Zac Kumbamong with Disharne Tonihi then getting an off-load from the front rower with Disharne Tonihi then racing forty metres down the left touchline to cross the try line near the left corner but then Disharne Tonihi smartly brought the ball around to put the ball down under the posts.

Disharne Tonihi recorded his Grand Final try assist in the 22nd minute when after receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball which occurred in the centre of the field and twenty five metres out, Disharne Tonihi ran to his left and drew in the Burleigh right winger and passed to his left to put his left winger in a long break away run to score under the posts.

Disharne Tonihi came close to recording a second try assist with a great catch and pass in the 29th minute to his left winger but the Hornets winger was ruled to have gone into touch just before getting the ball down in the left corner.

Disharne Tonihi also started at left centre in Helensvale’s 16 -12 Preliminary Final victory against the Southport Tigers as well as Week One of the Final’s against Burleigh White.

Disharne Tonihi had an outstanding match at left centre in Round Fourteen against the Beaudesert Kingfishers with Disharne Tonihi scoring a try, recording two try assists and making two line breaks in an outstanding individual display.

Disharne Tonihi scored in the 43rd minute when after moving into dummy half sixty metres out from the try line Disharne Tonihi moved into dummy half and initially ran to his right and used a vicious left arm fend to dispatch the Kingfishers marker with Disharne Tonihi then cutting back to his left and after bursting between two more defenders Disharne Tonihi raced away down the left touchline before Disharne Tonihi brought the ball around to put it down under the posts.

Disharne Tonihi recorded a try assist in the 16th minute when after receiving the ball thirty eight metres out from his own try line down a short left blindside Disharne Tonihi beat his opposing defender with a right arm fend with Disharne Tonihi then drawing in the Beaudesert right winger to send his left winger on a fifty metre run to score.

Disharne Tonihi also made a line break in the 27th minute when after receiving a pass from his inside forty metres out Disharne Tonihi executed a great in and away to easily beat the Kingfishers fullback and it appeared that Disharne Tonihi would race away to score but ultimately Disharne Tonihi was ankle tapped from behind just centre metres short of the try line.

Disharne Tonihi made a second line break in the 55th minute when Disharne Tonihi made a line break down the left touchline with Disharne Tonihi getting into Beaudesert territory before he off-loaded the ball to his inside.

Disharne Tonihi also scored in Round Thirteen against the Coomera Cutters when in the 56th minute Disharne Tonihi and his left winger interchanged a multitude off passes from long range down the left touchline with Disharne Tonihi receiving the final pass from the winger to score in the left corner.

Disharne Tonihi also recorded a line break in just the 2nd minute of the match when after receiving the ball just five metres out from his own try line with Disharne Tonihi having to reach behind him and stop his forward momentum and well as stumbling to take the ball. Disharne Tonihi then broke away down the left touchline before getting the ball away to his inside on the halfway mark.

Round Five against the Southport Tigers saw Disharne Tonihi record a try assist in the 58th minute when he drew in the Tigers right winger to send his left winger over to score in the left corner.

Disharne Tonihi also played for Keebra Park SHS in 2022, playing in both the Walters Cup and Titans Cup School Boy competitions.

Disharne Tonihi started the 2022 season off as part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls U16 Cyril Connell Cup competition including starting on the left wing in Round One against the Burleigh Bears as well as in Round Two against the Redcliffe Dolphins.

2022 also saw Disharne Tonihi named in the Queensland Māori U16 Tuakana side for the 2022 QPICC Carnival with Disharne Tonihi starting all four of Māori’s matches at fullback including their semi-final against Queensland Samoa.

Disharne Tonihi scored a try and kicked three conversions from as many attempts in Round Three against Queensland Niue and kicked two conversions in Round One against Queensland Tonga and a conversion in Round Two against Queensland Samoa.

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Some great battles with Titans against Titans in the CC Cup this weekend in Round Seven when Tweed’s Devin Bates-Wellington lines up in the second row against Burleigh’s Titans second row pairing of Luke Jones and Nelson Makaafi.

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In this weekend’s Round Seven of the MM Cup Future Titans player makers Zane Harrison is set to line up at halfback for the Tweed Heads Seagulls opposite Burleigh’s Titans halves pairing of Bailey McConnell and Ryder Williams.

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What a battle it is set to be between Titans Isaiah Scanlon (Tweed) and Cooper Bai (Burleigh) when they are both wearing the No. 13 jersey in this weekend’s Round Seven of the MM Cup.

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In October 2022 Antwone Quinlan-Randall was named in the 2023 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad who will be looking to win back to back competitions after their outstanding 2022 literally last minute Grand Final success.

Antwone Quinlan-Randall was named to start at lock in Round Two against the Central Coast Roosters with Antwone Quinlan-Randall’s opening run coming in the 4th minute from the reight of the play the ball from forty two metres out with Antwone Quinlan-Randall getting the ball to within thirty metrwes of the try line.

Antwone Quinlan-Randall made a further strong run in the 22nd minute when after running onto the ball to the left of the paly the ball, Antwone Quinlan-Randall made sixteen metres to get the ball into the Northern Rivers Titans attacking twenty metre area.

Antowne Quinlan-Randall was also named at lock for Round Three against the South Coast Dragons with Antowne Quinlan-Randall making the fifth hit-up of the match. Then in the 4th minute Antowne Quinlan-Randall made a stepping run of fifteen metres from the left of the play the ball to get the ball withing thirty metres of the try line.

Antowne Quinlan-Randall also made a strong hit-up in the 18th minute when from the left of the play the ball Antowne Quinlan-Randall burst onto the ball on the halfway mark and broke two tackles as he progressed to within twenty five metres out from the try line.

Antowne Quinlan-Randall also started at lock in Round Four against the Northern Tigers with Antowne Quinlan-Randall making the first of a number of strong runs in the 6th minute with a sixteen metre run to the left of the play the ball with Antowne Quinlan-Randall getting the ball wto within ten metres of the try line.

Antowne Quinlan-Randall made a strong tackle in the 57th minute on the Tigers five eight forty metres out from the try line.

Antowne Quinlan-Randall also started at lock in Round Five against the North Coast Bulldogs with Antowne Quinlan-Randall making the third hit-up of the match to get the ball to the halfway mark.

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In late September 2022 William Wright was named in the 2022 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad after a strong 2022 season with the Murwillumbah Colts in the Group 18 Junior Rugby League competition.

William Wright was involved in the Northern Rivers Titans opening 2023 Andrew Johns Cup trial against the North Coast Bulldogs in Coffs Harbour. William Wright then was part of the Northern Rivers Titans second trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls U16 CC Cup side at Burleigh Juniors as part of the Titans Annual Super Saturday series of matches.

Round One of the 2023 U16 Andrew Johns Cup competition saw William Wright named on the left wing for the Northern Rivers Titans against the Newcastle Knights.

William Wright was then named on the Northern Rivers Titans extended bench for Round Two against the Central Coast Roosters

William Wright was then named on the right wing for Round Three against the South Coast Dragons with William Wright scoring in the 19th minute with a twelve metre run to dive over to get the ball down in the right corner.

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In October 2022 Banjora Porch was named in the 2023 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad with Banjora Porch starting in the front row in the Northern Rivers Titans opening 2023 trial against the Northern Coast Bulldogs in Coffs Harbour with Banjora Porch scoring a strong second half try.

Round One of the 2023 U16 Andrew Johns Cup competition saw Banjora Porch named in the front row for the Northern Rivers Titans against the Newcastle Knights with Banjora Porch taking the third hit-up of the match.

Banjora Porch was also named to start in the front row in Round Two against the Central Coast Roosters with Banjora Porch’s best run coming in the 53rd minute when he made thirteen metres out of his own twenty metre area after running onto the ball to the left of the play the ball.

Banjora Porch was also named in the front row in Round Three against the South Coast Dragons wit hbanjora Porch tacking the thirf hit-up of the match.

Banjora Porch continued in the front row in Round Four against the Northern Tigers as well as in Round Five against the North Coast Bulldogs with Banjora Porch along with Kwinn Wolf smashing the Bulldogs No. 10 twenty metres from the try line with the ball lost as a result of the heavy defensive contact in the 8th minute.

In the 12th minute Banjora Porch made a strong fourteen metre run from the right of the play the ball with Banjora Porch breaking two tackles as he got within two metres of the try line.

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In late 2022 Cruz Dangerfield was named in the 2023 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad after a stellar 2022 campaign with Cruz Dangerfield involved in the Northern Rivers Titans opening 2023 trial against the North Coast Bulldogs in Coffs Harbour.

Crus Dangerfield then was part of the Northern Rivers Titans second trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls U16 CC Cup side at Burleigh Juniors as part of the Titans Annual Super Saturday series of matches.

Round One of the 2023 U16 Andrew Johns Cup competition saw Crus Dangerfield named on the bench for the Northern Rivers Titans against the Newcastle Knights with Cruz Dangerfield coming onto the field in the 22nd minute with Cruz Dangerfield making a strong run on the 50th minute from the left of the play the ball with Cruz Dangerfield taking possession just ten metres out from his own try line with Cruz Dangerfield then able to get a right arm off-load away near the twenty metre mark.

Cruz Dangerfield was then named to start at right second row in Round Two against the Central Coast Roosters with Cruz Dangerfield making a strong thirty metre run down the right chanell to twenty metres out mid-way through the second half.

Cruz Dangerfield was also named at right second row for Round Three against the South Coast Dragons with Cruz Dangerfield taking the opening hit-up of the match after the Dragons had kicked-off to get the match underway with Cruz Dangerfield taking the ball on the right touchline and subsequently getting the ball over the twenty metre mark.

Cruz Dangerfield also started at right second row in Round Four against the Northern Tigers with Cruz Dangerfield recording a line break in the 29th minute when Kaleb Smith put Cruz Dangerfield through a gap down the right channel just inside Northern Rivers territory with Cruz Dangerfield making sixteen metres.

Cruz Dangerfield also started at right second row in Round Five against the North Coast Bulldogs with Cruz Dangerfield taking the opening hit-up of the match from the North Coast kick-off.