Junior Development

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Powerhouse New Zealand born lock/front rower Tyson Davies had a great 2022 season including startign at lock for the Akarana Falcons in their NZRL U20 Grand Final victory and in 2023 he will look to continue his rugby league career as part of the Burleigh Bears HDC squad.

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Titans contracted Ryder Williams started at five eight for the Burleigh Bears in the Round Seven MM Cup local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls with Ryder Williams scoring an outstanding solo try in the 68th minute when after receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball Ryder Williams ran the ball two metres over the halfway mark before putting in a right foot chip kick over the defensive line for himself with Ryder Williams collecting the ball after its first bounce just in front of the oncoming Seagulls fullback. After rounding the fullback by veering to his right Ryder Williams raced towards the try line and after being caught by the fullback just short of the try line Ryder Williams was able to twist over the try line with the fullback beneath him and reach his right arm around to get the ball down five metres to the right of the uprights.

Ryder Williams also kicked a good short kick-off in the 66th minute with a high short kick-off to his left which just travelled the requisite ten metres and landed perfectly for Sam Stephenson to take the ball on the full and charge to within five metres of the try line.

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Titans contracted Nayte Saaga started at hooker for the Burleigh Bears in the Round Seven MM Cup local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls with Nayte Saaga scoring a hat trick and kicking a last minute conversion from just to the right of the uprights to convert Ryder Williams’s smart solo try.

Nayte Saaga scored his first try in the 4th minute when Nayte Saaga chased through a Bailey McConnell chip kick towards the right corner with Nayte Saaga taking the ball on the full and diving over to score three metres in from the right corner post.

Nayte Saaga scored his second try in the 7th minute with a great solo effort when after moving in dummy half with the play the ball twelve metres out and just to the left of the uprights, Nayte Saaga dummied to his left before running to his right and just prior to the defensive line Nayte Saaga put in a left foot grubber kick which hit the left upright and rebounded into Nayte Saaga’s hands for him to score under the posts.

Nayte Saaga completed his hat trick in the 48th minute when Nayte Saaga ran to his right out of dummy half from two metres out after Nayte Saaga had dummied to his left to get the down ten metres to the left of the uprights.

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The Titans have snared Stretton State College Year Ten student Jahzayis Penenara-Livapulu to a three year contract.

Jahzayis Penenara-Livapulu was recently named in the Met West U15 School Boy Rugby League squad and even though he was still U15 eligible he started at left centre in all of the Brisbane Tigers U16 CC Cup matches this season.

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Titans contracted Zane Harrison moved to halfback for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the Round Seven MM Cup local derby against the Burleigh Bears with once again Zane Harrison putting in a player of the match performance on the way to recording four try assist and kicking four conversions in a big Tweed Heads victory.

Zane Harrison recorded his first try assist in the 19th minute and it was one of the strangest ones that I have ever seen, when from nineteen metres out and just to the right of the uprights Zane Harrison put in a right foot grubber kick towards the right corner. Then the Burleigh winger kicked the ball across field and into the arms of Seagulls fullback Mason Barber who literally fell over the try line to score next to the right upright.

Zane Harrison recorded a second try assist in the 23rd minute when after a long Tweed Heads intercept when defending their own try line, Zane Harrison received the ball from the dummy half twenty metres out and after running the ball down a short right blindside Zane Harrison summed the situation up and then drew the last Bears defender to put his centre over to score in the right corner.

Zane Harrison’s third try assist came in the 38th minute when from the right of the dummy half and eleven metres out Zane Harrison put in a right foot chip kick into the in-goal with the kick perfectly placed for Seagulls right winger Orlando Meturika to race through to take the kick on the full in the in-goal and get the ball down in the corner.

Zane Harrison rounded out his try assists in the match with his fourth try assist in the 57th minute when after receiving the ball around thirteen metres from the try line and to the right of the play the ball, Zane Harrison initially continued to run to his right and after showing the ball to a ball runner back in his inside Zane Harrison accelerated quickly to his right and threw a hard flat cut out pass to his right to his right winger Orlando Meturika who flew twelve metres down the touchline to cross the try line in the right corner before bringing the ball around closer to the goal post for the second try the two of them had combined to score in the match.

Zane Harrison crossed the try line himself in the 29th minute when a great step off his right foot from ten metres out to score ten metres from the right goal post however the referee ruled that one of the Bears defenders was obstructed thus ruled no try.

Zane Harrison also came close to scoring in the 13th minute when from twenty seven metres out and in the centre of the field Zane Harrison took the Burleigh defensive line on and after spinning away from the Bears left second rower Zane Harrison broke three more tackles before being tripped up from behind with the try line just seven metres in from of him.

Zane Harrison also made a line break in the 37th minute when from twenty five metres out and to the left of the play the ball Zane Harrison slowly ran the ball to his left parallel to the defensive line and then Zane Harrison after dummying to his left, exploded through a gap but was caught by the desperate Bears cover defence just two metres from the try line and ten metres to the left of the uprights.

Then in 43rd minute from twenty five metres out and to the left of the play the ball Zane Harrison stepped off his right foot to break through the defensive line only to be tackled two metres out. Zane Harrison was then awarded a penalty for being held down too long.

Zane Harrison made a further line break in the 53rd minute from thirty metres out from the try line and to the right of the dummy half with Zane Harrison stepped off his right foot to split the defensive line and break three tackles as Zane Harrison got the ball two metres into Burleigh territory.

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Good to see Keebra Park SHS student and Souths Magpies junior VJ Letalu for his selection in the South Coast School Boy U15 Representative side.

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Well done to Kwinn Wolfe for being receiving the 2023 Northern Rivers Titans Andrew Johns Cup Coaches Award.

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Titans contracted Jimmy McCombie was recently named the 2023 Northern Rivers Titans Andrew Johns Cup Players Player Award winner.

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Titans contracted Majah Peachey started at left second row for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in Round Seven of the CC Cup against the Redcliffe Dolphins however Majah Peachey moved to right second row in the early minutes of the second half before switching back to the left not long after.

The 9th minute saw Majah Peachey record a line break and try assist in relation to the same run. After receiving the ball from on off-load on his inside three metres inside Redcliffe territory near the left touchline, Majah Peachey was then able to use a left arm fend to get on the outside of the Dolphins eight winger and then charge down the left touchline. After getting to within thirteen metres of the try line Majah Peachey was engaged by the Redcliffe fullback and another defender but Majah Peachey was able to get his right arm free and after raising it above his head Majah Peachey was able to get an off-load away to his left for his winger to score in the left corner.

Majah Peachey almost scored himself in the 23rd minute only to be held up over the try line mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field after Majah Peachey had received the ball ten metres out and stepped off his left foot to beat one defender before being held up over the try line by three more.

Majah Peachey recorded another line break in the 36th minute when after taking possession of the ball twenty seven metres out from the try line and down a left blindside Majah Peachey burst through the attempted tackle of two defenders before charging down the left touchline to within eleven metres of the try line.

Majah Peachey recorded his third line break in the 53rd minute when after receiving the ball from his right and forty metres out from his own try line Majah Peachey burst through the gap between two defenders and charged down the left channel and only being brought to ground twenty five metres out from the try line.

Majah Peachey’s first strong hit-up of the match came in the 4th minute when from a Wynnum Manly penalty tap restart five metres inside his own territory with Majah Peachey then stepping off his right foot to beat a charging defender as Majah Peachey got the ball five metres into Dolphins territory.

Majah Peachey engaged the Redcliffe right sided defensive line once again in the 45th minute when after receiving the ball twenty metres out two passes to the left of the play the ball Majah Peachey was hit by two defenders almost immediately but Majah Peachey was able to extract himself from their attempted tackles and continue his run down the left channel with Majah Peachey then able to get his left arm free above his head a execute a flick off-load to his left winger.

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Alex Leapai started all of the Souths Logan Magpies 2023 MM Cup matches in the front row and Alex Leapai was also a prolific try scorer for the Magpies crossing the try line on five occasions.

Alex Leapai scored his first try of the 2023 MM Cup season in Round Two against the Burleigh Bears when in the 50th minute Alex Leapai charged onto the ball to the left of the play the ball when ten metres out from the try line with Alex Leapai stepping off his left foot and carrying three Bears defenders over the try line to score mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the right side of the field.

Alex Leapai scored twice in Round Five against the Tweed Heads Seagulls with Alex Leapai’s opening try coming in the 2nd minute of the match when on the final tackle Alex Leapai charged onto the ball from five metres out and to the right of the play the ball with Alex Leapai spinning counter clockwise to gain separation from two defenders are get the ball down next to the left upright.

Alex Leapai completed his double in the 45th minute when he crashed over from five metres out and to the right of the dummy half after running underneath his dummy half had had run to his right with Alex Leapai getting the ball down two metres to the left of the uprights.

Alex Leapai also scored a double in Round Six against the Brisbane Tigers, scoring on the first occasion in the 10th minute when after initially lining up to the right of the play the ball, Alex Leapai ran to the right side of the ruck as the ball was being played and after receiving the ball from the dummy half Alex Leapai straightened up his run and then carried three Tigers defenders over the try line to get the ball down ten metres in from the left corner post.

Alex Leapai scored his second try in the 16th minute when he crashed over to score under the posts after receiving the ball to the right of the play the ball and four metres out from the try line.

2023 will also saw Alex Leapai line up for Mabel Park SHS in the School Boy Langer Cup competition after playing in the front row in the Langer Cup for Mabel Park SHS in 2022.

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In 2023 Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki part of the Souths Logan Magpies MM Cup squad with Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki named on the bench in Round Two against the Burleigh Bears.

Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki also started from the bench in Round Three against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls with Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki coming off the bench in the 23rd minute to operate at left centre.

Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki also started from the bench in Round Five against the Tweed Heads Seagulls with Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki coming onto the field in the 19th minute to operate at left centre.

Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki, in the 25th minute ran onto the ball to the left of the play the ball forty metres from the try line with Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki carrying two Tweed Heads defenders on his back in the final fifteen metres of his run that ended just sixteen metres short of the try line.

Then in the 36th minute Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki made fourteen metres down the left channel to get within ten metres of the halfway mark. The 39th minute then saw Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki, from thirty eight metres from his own try line broke five tackles in a powerful and winding run to ten metres inside Tweed Heads territory with Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki then able to get an off-load away.

Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki continued off the bench in Round Six 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.

Dorian Mapusua-Lotaki also started from the bench in Round Seven against the Norths Devils.

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In early October 2022 Harrison Doherty was named in the 2023 Tweed Heads Seagulls U16 Cyril Connell Cup squad after a strong 2022 campaign which was also Harrison Doherty’s first season on the Gold Coast.

Harrison Doherty’s first match in 2023 came in late January when he lined up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls CC Cup squad in their first 2023 trial against the Souths Logan Magpies CC Cup side at the Logan Metro Sports Complex.

Harrison Doherty was then part of the Seagulls squad for their second trial against the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side at Burleigh Juniors as part of the Titans Annual Super Saturday.

After Tweed Heads had a Round One bye Harrison Doherty was named at halfback in Round One of the 2023 U16 Cyril Connell Cup against the Brisbane Tigers with Harrison Doherty converting Dylan Watkins try in the 41st minute from directly in front of the posts.

Harrison Doherty then started from the bench in Round Six against the Norths Devils with Harrison Doherty coming onto the field in the 15th minute to operate in the dummy half role.

Harrison Doherty scored a smart try out of dummy half in the 41st minute when after moving into dummy half with the play the ball nine metres from the try line and less than a metre in from the left touchline, Harrison Doherty initially shaped to pass out of dummy half to hir right before catching the defence completely off guard to dart down the left blindside to dive over untouched in the left corner.

Harrison Doherty then started at hooker in the Round Seven local derby against the Burleigh Bears with Harrison Doherty almost creating something out of nothing in the final minute of the match when from a Seagulls scrum feed thirty metres out and in the centre of the field, Harrison Doherty picked the ball up from the back of the scrum and after running to his right Harrison Doherty put in a right foot chip kick and seemed certain to get the ball back before a Burleigh hand knocked the ball into touch to end the match.

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In late 2022 Keebra Park SHS student Christian Mikaele was named in the 2023 Ipswich Jets U16 Cyril Connell Cup squad.

Round Three of the 2023 U16 Cyril Connell Cup competition saw Christian Mikaele named on the bench for the Ipswich Jets against the Western Clydesdales.

Christian Mikaele was then named to move into the Jets starting line-up at five eight in Round Four against the Wide Bay Bulls with Christian Mikaele scoring in the 59th minute when after receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball eighteen metres out, Christian Mikaele ran the ball to his left shaping to pass both to his left and right before Christian Mikaele stepped off his right foot before crashing through three defenders to score seven metres in from the left corner post untouched.

Christian Mikaele also recorded two try assists against the Bulls with the first coming in the 25th minute when from the right of the play the ball, eleven metres out and down a short right blindside, Christian Mikaele put up a high right foot chip kick which was ideally weighted and went over the out stretched arm of the Bulls left winger and into the waiting arms of the Jets left winger in the in-goal to score.

Christian Mikaele recorded his second try assist of the match early in the second half in the 34th minute when to the right of the play the ball and twelve metres out from the try line Christian Mikaele ran the ball down a short right blindside and after taking the ball deep into the defensive line Christina Mikaele, from eight metres out, put in a right foot grubber kick into the in-goal with his right winger winning the race to ground the ball in the in-goal three metres in from the right corner post.

As a result of his exceptional performance Christian Mikaele was named at five eight in the 2023 Courier Mail Cyril Connell Cup Round Four Team of the Week.

Christian Mikaele continued at five eight in Round Five against the Sunshine Coast Falcons with Christian Mikaele scoring one try and setting up another.

Christian Mikaele scored in the 6th minute when he ran to his left from dummy half to crash over from six metres out to ground the ball mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

Christian Mikaele recorded his try assist in the 29th minute when from around ten metres out and in the centre of the field Christina Mikaele put in a right foot chip kick towards the left corner which was perfectly weighted and landed in the arms of the Jets left winger in the in-goal to score.

Christian Mikaele continued at five eight in Round Six against the Western Clydesdales with Christian Mikaele scoring in the 29th minute of a 40 – 20 Jets victory.

In the 30th minute the Jets made a line break down the right touchline from deep inside their own territory and after backing up on the inside Christian Mikaele received the pass from his right winger who had drawn the fullback with Christian Mikaele having a twenty five metre run to dive over to score five metres to the right of the uprights.

Christian Mikaele also started at five eight in Round Seven against the Wide Bay Bulls.

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In late March 2023 Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu signed a three year contract with the Titans.

Even though he was still U15 eligible in 2023 Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu started all of the Brisbane Tigers U16 Cyril Connell Cup matches at left centre with Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu scoring on three occasions.

Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu scored his first 2023 CC Cup try in Round Two against the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the 3rd minute when after receiving the ball from his inside when twenty two metres out from the try line, Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu charged towards the left corner holding one defender off with a strong right arm fend with Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu then getting the ball down two metres in from the left corner post.

Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu scored his second try in Round Four against the Redcliffe Dolphins in the 53rd minute when from two metres from the try line Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu ran to his left out of dummy half to crash over mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu added a third try in the 55th minute of the Round Six match against the Souths Logan Magpies when after receiving the ball around five metres out on the left side of the field Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu initially juggled the ball before taking clean possession and driving over to score two metres in from the left corner post.

In early 2023 Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu was named in the Met West U15 School Boy Representative side.

2023 also sees Jahzayis Perenara-Livapulu playing for the Souths Magpies in the GBJRL U15 Division One competition.

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In early October 2022 Brodie Saunders was named in the 2023 Tweed Heads Seagulls U16 Cyril Connell Cup squad after a strong 2022 rugby league campaign.

Brodie Saunders’s first match in 2023 came in late January when he lined up for the Tweed Heads Seagulls CC Cup squad in their first 2023 trial against the Souths Logan Magpies at the Logan Metro Sports Complex. A week later Brodie Saunders lined up for the Seagulls in their second trial against the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad at Burleigh Juniors at the Annual Titans Super Saturday series of matches.

After Tweed Heads had a Round One bye Brodie Saunders was named at lock in Round Two of the 2023 U16 Cyril Connell Cup competition against the Brisbane Tigers as well as in Round Three against the Redcliffe Dolphins.

Brodie Saunders also started at lock in Round Four against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls with Brodie Saunders making a strong tackle twenty metres from the try line to force the ball loose. Then in the 13th minute Brodie Saunders made a strong front on tackle on the Wynnum Manly No. 10.

Brodie Saunders also started at lock in Round Six against the Norths Devils with Brodie Saunders taking the fourth hit-up of the match to get the ball five metres into Norths territory.