Junior Development

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Round Two of the 2023 NRRRL U18 competition saw Cruz Dangerfield named on the bench for the Cudgen Hornets in their local derby against the Bilambil Jets even though Cruz Dangerfield was still U16 eligible in 2023.

Cruz Dangerfield also started from the bench in Round Four against the Byron Bay Devils with Cruz Dangerfield coming off the bench to operate in the middle of the field in the 14th minute.

Cruz made his first NRRRL U18 start when he started in the front row in Round Five against the Tweed Coast Raiders with Cruz Dangerfield stopping one of his opposing front rowers in his tracks with a heavy front on hit in the 24th minute less than a metre from the try line and directly in front of the goal posts.

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Joshua Donovan-Skinner started at fullback for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Round Five of the NRRRL U18 competition against the Byron Bay Devils with Joshua Donovan-Skinner kicking a conversion from directly in front of the goal posts in the 3rd minute of a 22 – 0 Seagulls victory.

The 8th minute saw Joshua Donovan-Skinner receive the ball to the left of the play the ball less than a metre from his own try line with Joshua Donovan-Skinner taking a hard carry to get the ball to the ten metre mark.

Joshua Donovan-Skinner then made a good kick return in the 10th minute when after taking the ball on the full on the halfway mark Joshua Donovan-Skinner beat one defender in a twenty metre kick return. The 35th minute saw Joshua Donovan-Skinner make another kick return when after collecting the ball just six metres out from his own try line in the left corner Joshua Donovan-Skinner ran the ball back towards the centre of the field and broke two tackles as he progressed to the thirty three metre mark.

Joshua Donovan-Skinner made another strong kick return in the 48th minute from ten metres inside his own territory to ten metres inside Byron Bay territory.

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Titans contracted Xhai Waerea starts in the front row today for the Keebra Parl SHS in the Hancock Cup against Redcliffe SHS.

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Ricco Waitititi started at right centre for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Round Five of the U18 NRRRL competition against the Byron Bay Devils with Ricco Waitititi recording a try assist in the 19h minute with a smart catch and pass to his right from three metres from the try line with put his right winger over to score in the corner.

The 25th minute saw Ricco Waitititi receive the ball two passes to the left of a Tweed Heads scrum win ten metres out from his own try line and after spinning 360 degrees counter clockwise after engaging the defensive line Ricco Waitititi was able to continue his run to get within thirteen metres of the halfway mark.

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Stevie O’Connor started at fullback for the Tweed Coast Raiders in Round Five of the NRRRL U18 competition against the Cudgen Hornets with Stevie O’Connor scoring a try and kicking three conversions in a 26 – 6 Raiders victory.

Stevie O’Connor scored a spectacular solo try in the 8th minute when after taking possession of the ball thirty two metres out and to the right of the play the ball Stevie O’Connor immediately stepped off his right foot to target the area immediately behind the play the ball and after breaking two tackles Stevie O’Connor straightened up his run before once again stepping off his right foot to round the Hornets fullback with Stevie O’Connor then beating the Cudgen left winger and carrying the left centre over the try line to get the ball down ten metres in from the left corner post. Stevie O’Connor then stepped up to convert his own try.

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Even though he was still U16 eligible in 2023 Banjora Porch was named to make his NRRRL U18 debut in Round Four for the Byron Bay Devils when Banjora Porch started from the bench against the Cudgen Hornets.

Banjora Porch also came off the bench in Round Five against the Tweed Heads Seagulls with Banjora Porch coming onto the field to operate in the front row in eh 13th minute and just two minutes later in the 15th minute from a Devils penalty tap restart Banjora Porch charged onto the ball on the halfway mark and burst through three attempted tackles as Banjora Porch carried the ball thirteen metres downfield.

Then from the kick-off to restart the match after halftime Banjora Porch returned the ball to thirty five metres away from his try line.

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After missing a number of HDC matches Reico Ratana was back at right second row for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Round Eight against the Central Queensland Capra’s with Reico Ratana making a line break in just the 2nd minute of the match when from thirty five metres out Reico Ratana burst through a gap off a Max Liles pass from his left with Reico Ratana tackled less than a metre short of the try line and three metres to the right of the uprights.

Reico Ratan produced another strong run in the 60th minute from a charge from forty metres away from his own try lien and to the right of the play the ball with Reico Ratana carrying the ball ten metres inside Capra’s territory.

Reico Ratana then produced a smart play in the 25th minute to chase through a Max Liles grubber kick to tackle the Central Queensland fullback in-goal to force a goal line drop-out.

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EJ Finau started from the bench for Burleigh Round Seven of the HDC against the Souths Logan Magpies in a curtain raiser to the Titans against Souths Sydney Rabbitohs Round Fourteen NRL match at Cbus Stadium with Ej Finau coming onto the field to operate in the front row in the 28th minute with EJ Finau’s opening run coming shortly after with a run from his own ten metre mark to twenty metres out from the try line.

Then in the 41st minute EJ FInau carried the ball from the left of the play the ball from twenty eight metres out from his own try line to within ten metres of the halfway mark. EJ Finau followed that run up a minute later with a strong Magpies goal line dro-out return from thirty five metres out to within seventeen metres of the try line.

EJ Finau then moved back into the Bears starting line-up in Round Eight against the Norths Devils with EJ Finau making his first hit-up of the match in the 2nd minute from three metres inside his own territory with EJ Finau carrying the ball to ten metres inside Norths territory before getting an off-load away to his right to his lock.

Then from a goal line drop-out return in the 3rd minute EJ Finau was able to carry the ball from the forty metre mark to within twenty one metres of the try line. A minute later in the 4th minute EJ Finau made a good kick-off return to the twenty six metre mark after receiving the ball just eight metres out from his own try line. EJ Finau then made a further strong charge from a kick-off return in the 75th minute to get the ball back to the twenty two metre mark.

EJ Finau came close to scoring in the 10th minute only to be held up eight metres to the left of the uprights after a twelve metre charge at the try line from the right of the play the ball.

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Titan Kyhan Weir continued from the bench for Tweed Heads in Round Eight of the HDC against the Central Queensland Capra’s with Kyhan Weir coming onto the field to operate in the front row in the 24th minute with Kyhan Weir coming close to scoring in the 46th minute only to be held up over the try line and under the posts after charging onto the ball from three metres out to the left of the play the ball.

The 30th minute saw Kyhan Wier make a strong run from a Central Queensland goal line drop-out with Kyhan Weir about to get the ball back to within twenty two metres of the try line. Then in the 31st minute from a kick-off return Kyhan Weir returned the ball to the twenty one metre mark with Kyhan Weirr doing it again from a kick-off return in the 37th minute to get the ball to the twenty four metre mark.

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Round Six of the NRRRL U18 competition against the Bilambil Jets saw Jakequan Roberts-Walsh start at fullback for Northern United with Jakequan Roberts-Walsh scoring in the 13th minute when after receiving the ball when Northern United spun the ball to the left, Jakequan Roberts-Walsh received the ball twenty five metres out with Jakequan Roberts-Walsh putting the ball under his left arm and charging at the try line with Jakequan Roberts-Walsh running straight over the top of the Jets right winger before stepping inside off his left foot to get past the Bilambil fullback and put the ball down five metres in from the left corner post.

Jakequan Roberts-Walsh came close to scoring a second try in the 45th minute when he chased through a chip on the left side of the field but the Bilambil fullback just got to the ball before Jakequan Roberts-Walsh, but Jakequan Roberts-Walsh then had a presence of mind to be involved in tackling the fullback in-goal.

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Ballina Seagulls Kye Cooper was back to lock in Round Six of the NRRRL U18 competition against the Mullumbimby Giants with Kye Cooper scoring a hat trick in a big Seagulls victory with the first of Kye Cooper’s tries coming inside the opening minute when from the right of the play the ball and ten metres from the try line Kye Cooper stepped off his right foot and then after being confronted by the fullback, Kye Cooper was able to push away from him and get the ball down mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

Kye Cooper scored his second try in the 17th minute when after receiving the ball seventeen metres out to the left of the play the ball, Kye Cooper just kept running to his left, veering further to his left on two occasions to score ten metres in from the left corner post.

Kye Cooper completed his hat trick in the 46th minute when from twenty two metres from the try line in the centre of the field and to the right of the play the ball, Kye Cooper stepped to his right foot twice, with the second step beating a defender with Kye Cooper then cutting back to his left and after breaking two tackles, Kye Cooper took on the Giants fullback and was able to get the ball down under the posts.

Kye Cooper also recorded two try assists with the first coming in the 12th minute from the right of the play the ball Kye Cooper popped a short sharp ball to his right for his support runner to charge ten metres to score next to the right upright.

Kye Cooper recorded a second try assist in the 54th minute when from forty five metres from the try line and to the left of the play the ball Kye Cooper broke through the defensive line before drawing the fullback and off-loading to his right to Noah Waldock who raced away to score under the posts.

Kye Cooper also had success with his kick-offs including in the 16th minute when his right foot kick-off went over the dead ball line for force a Mullumbimby goal line drop-out. Then from the second half kick-off Kye Cooper’s spinning kick-off was dropped cold by Mullumbimby for Ballina to get a scrum feed deep on the attack.

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Kanititeiti Sikahele started at lock for the Burleigh Bears in Round Six of the GCRL U18 Division One competition against the Southport Tigers with Kanititeiti Sikahele scoring in the 8th minute through a hard straight charge from the right of the play the ball and six metres out to crash over and get the ball down ten metres in from the left corner post.

Then in the 14th minute from the left of the play the ball and fourteen metres out from his own try line Kanititeiti Sikahele was able to promote the ball to ten metres of the halfway mark. Kanititeiti Sikahele made a further strong charge in the 51st minute from twenty metres out from his own try line with Kanititeiti Sikahele then able to get a right arm flick off-load away to keep the play going for Burleigh.

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Round Six of the 2023 NRRRL U18 season saw Leeton Smith start at hooker for Northern United against the Bilambil Jets with Leeton Smith scoring in the 13th minute when from two metres from the try line, Leeton Smith ran to his left out of dummy half to burrow his way over to score adjacent to the left upright.

Leeton Smith could easily have scored a minute earlier in the 12th minute but was stopped just short of the try line in from of the posts after darting out of dummy half to his right.

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Round Six against Northern United saw Harry Chadburn continue at five eight for the Bilambil Jets in the NRRRL U18 competition with Harry Chadburn recording a try assist in the 39th minute when from the left of the play the ball and five metres from the try line Harry Chadburn threw a deft short pass to his left to put his left second rower through a gap and over to score.

In just the 2nd minute of the match harry Chadburn also threw a smart pass to his left to put his left second rower in a gap before getting the ball back on the opposite side of the second rower (a run around if you will), with Harry Chadburn then making eighteen metres to get within twelve metres of the try line.

The 9th minute saw Harry Chadburn put in a left chip towards the left corner with the Northern right winger dropping the ball for the Jets to regain possession five metres out and just in from the left touchline.

Harry Chadburn made a strong sequence of tackles in the 25th minute, the first being a driving tackle on the Northern United right second rower (No. 12) around eight metres out with the tackle needing to be made. Harry Chadburn also made the next tackle from the marker position moving to his left with Bilambil being awarded a penalty when the Northern United player negatively reacted to harry Chadburn’s tackle.

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Mullumbimby Giants Cooper Nelson moved to fullback in Round Six of the NRRRL U18 competition against the Ballina Seagulls with Cooper Nelson scoring a try and kicking a conversion with Cooper Nelson’s conversion coming in the 30th minute from ten metres to the left of the uprights.

Cooper Nelson scored in the final minute of the match when after bursting onto the ball to the left of the play the ball from eighteen metres out from the try line, Cooper Nelson broke through one tackle when still eight metres from the try line before stepping around the Ballina fullback to score under the posts.

Earlier in the 15th minute Cooper Nelson made good metres from a Giants scrum play when after feeding the ball into the scrum Cooper Nelson moved to the right of the scrum down a right blindside and after receiving the ball from the lock twenty two metres out Cooper Nelson ran to his right and got within a metre of the try line with Cooper Nelson then executing a blindingly quick play the ball for Mullumbimby to score as a result.

Cooper Nelson recorded a good result from a 19th minute kick-off when his high spiralling kick-off was dropped by Ballina with Mullumbimby getting the ball back twenty five metres from the try line. Cooper Nelson got a further result from one of his kick-offs in the 48th minute when Cooper Nelson drove a kick-off along the ground to his right with the ball going over the touch line just after breaking the ten metre plain with Mullumbimby receiving possession as a result.

Then in the 52nd minute Cooper Nelson drove a kick-off deep with the Ballina player losing track of where he was to put his foot on the dead ball line after taking Cooper Nelson’s kick on the full to require a goal line drop-out to get the match restarted.

Cooper Nelson made his NRRRL First Grade debut off the bench in Round Two against Northern United with Cooper Nelson scoring from the left wing in the 64th minute when he chased through a gruuber kick to dive on the ball in the in-goal in the left corner.