Junior Development

[mdrew]

The Round Ten HDC local derby against the Burleigh Bears saw Ttans contracted Tanu Nona start at hooker for the Tweed Heads Seagulls with Tanu Nona recording a line break assist in the 22nd minute when after running out of dummy half to his right from twelve metres of the halfway mark, Tanu Nona got to the halfway mark before popping a good short ball to his right for Nicholas Hilton to charge down to the thirty metre mark.

In the 15th minute Tanu Nona ran to his right out of dummy half from eleven metres inside his own territory to carry the ball seven metres inside Burleigh territory. Then in the 71st minute Tanu Nona unlocked the Bears defence with a smart play out of dummy half to his left from three metres out from the try line but unfortunately a support runner dropped the ball in front of the posts with the line open.

Tanu Nona did well defensively in the 60th minute when he along with Kyhan Weir and Ryan Foran, Tanu Nona held up the Burleigh front rower No. 8 over the try line and under the posts. Then the 65th minute saw Tanu Nona do a good job to hold up the Burleigh No. 15 over the try line.

[mdrew]

Well down to Keebra Park SHS Rugby League Academy students, Blaine Adams (fullback), Fabian Pese (five eight) and Jasiah Ioane (front row) for their selection in the Queensland u12 School Boy side after representing South Coast. Lukah Nochols from Keebra Park SHS was also part of the South Coast side.

[mdrew]

Kai Smallwood started at fullback for the Bilambil Jets in Round Eight of the NRRRL Reserve Grade competition against the Kyogle Turkeys with Kai Smallwood scoring two tries and kicking two conversions in a 60 – 0 Jets victory.

Kai Smallwood scored his first try in the 15th minute when after receiving the ball to the right of the play the ball Kai Smallwood continued to run to his right with Kai Smallwood then stepping off his right foot to beat the Turkeys fullback with Kai Smallwood then able to bring the ball around to put it down under the goal posts.

Kai Smallwood completed his double in the 63rd minute with Kai Smallwood backing up a Jets scrum play from inside their own territory with Kao Smallwood backing up on the right but the pass to Kai Smallwood when behind him with Kai Smallwood having to reach back with his right arm but after a couple of juggles Kai Smallwood secured possession to score mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

[mdrew]

Young New Zealand born halfback or five eight Braxton Wilson-Clune headed over to Queensland in early January 2023 to attend Mabel Park SHS with an extensive (and impressive) rugby league resume with him from his time in New Zealand.

Braxton Wilson-Clune started from the bench for Mabel Park SHS in Round One of the 2023 School Boy Langer Cup competition against Redcliffe SHS with Braxton Wilson-Clune operating in the halves when he came on in the 22nd minute with Braxton Wilson-Clune making a stepping run shortly after coming on from fourteen metres out with Braxton Wilson-Clune getting close to scoring but grounded the ball just short of the try line.

Braxton Wilson-Clune was also named to start from the bench in Round Two against Wavell SHS and after coming onto the field to operate in the halves in the 18th minute Braxton Wilson-Clune recorded a try assist in the 43rd minute when from the left of the play the ball around twelve metres out, Braxton Wilson-Clune delayed a pass to his right to the last possible moment to put his right second rower over to score a critical try in a great Mabel Park SHS 16 – 6 victory.

Braxton Wilson-Clune continued from the bench in Round Three against PBC SHS coming onto the field in the 22nd minute.

Just prior to moving to Queensland Braxton Wilson-Clune trialled for a spot in the New Zealand Warriors 2023 U19 SG Ball squad as part of an initial eighty person trial squad. Braxton Wilson-Clune had been part of the Warriors Development Program for a number of seasons including attending multiple camps and playing Development Squad matches and trials in New Zealand.

Also in 2022 Braxton Wilson-Clune played for the Dannevirke Tigers U17 side in New Zealand and Braxton Wilson-Clune was also part of the Mid-Central Vipers U18 representative 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 (NZ Māori U15) and 2022 (NZ Māori U17).

Braxton Wilson-Clune is also an outstanding touch player and has represented New Zealand at both the U16 and U18 levels on multiple occasions, including in mixed touch teams.

[mdrew]

Well done to Quaide Gostelow from Marymount College who recently played for the South Coast U12 School Boy Rugby League side at the Queensland Championships.

[mdrew]

Jaylen Taewa moved to the front row for the Currumbin Eagles in Round Nine of the GCRL U18 Division One competition against the Currumbin Eagles with Jaylen Taewa coming close to scoring in the 12th minute after a surge from twelve metres out saw the ball knocked loose from Jaylen Taewa’s grasp as he was putting the ball down over the try line mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

Jaylen Taewa almost scored once again in the 52nd minute when from the left of the play the ball and ten metres from the try line Jaylen Taewa burst past one defender to get within centremetres of the try line in from of the left upright and four Burleigh defenders required to finally stop Jaylen Taewa’s momentum.

The 48th minute saw Jaylen Taewa run onto the ball to the left of the play the ball with Jaylen Taewa able to get the ball from twenty four metres from his own try line to within ten metres of the halfway mark.

Jaylen Taewa made his presence felt with the second tackle of the match when Jaylen Taewa smashed the Burleigh left winger with a huge front on hit ten metres from the halfway mark.

[mdrew]

Well done to Titans partnered PBC SHS students Mason Szerszyn (centre) and Jesse Black (half) who recently played for the South Coast U12 School Boy Rugby League side at the Queensland Championships.

[mdrew]

Round One of the GCRL U18 Division One competition saw Kanititeiti Sikahele start at right second row for the Burleigh Bears against the Southport Tigers.

Kanititeiti Sikahele then started at lock in Round Six 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.

Kanititeiti Sikahele also started at lock in Round Eight against the Helensvale Hornets with Kanititeiti Sikahele making a strong run in the 20th minute from the left of the play the ball with Kanititeiti Sikahele carrying the ball from his own twenty metre mark to thirty six metres out.

Kanititeiti Sikahele then continued at lock in Round Nine against the Currumbin Eagles with Kanititeiti Sikahele making a strong run in the 7th minute from thirty eight metres from the try line to the left of the play the ball to twenty metres away from the try line. Then in the 9th minute from the right of the play the ball Kanititeiti Sikahele carried the ball to within ten metres of the try line after commencing his run thirty metres away from the try line.

[mdrew]

Titans have locked up one Leapai front rower from Mabel Park SHS in Alex but another is also making his way in the rugby league world in Maddox Leapai who recently represented the Met East U12 School Boy side at the Queensland Championships with Maddox subsequently named in the front row in the Queensland U12 School Boy side.

[mdrew]

Jake Lateo started at halfback for the Currumbin Eagles in Round Nine of the GCRL U18 Division One competition against the Currumbin Eagles with Jake Lateo kicking his only conversion attempt in the 28th minute from two metres to the right of the uprights.

Jake Lateo made a line break in the 30th minute when after the halftime siren had sounded Burleigh put in an attacking kick from a Bears scrum win but Jake Lateo picked up the ball ten metres from his own try line and then Jake Lateo charged down the right touchline and when he was eight metres inside Burleigh territory Jake Lateo cut inside off the touchline and threw a ling cut-out pass back to his inside and towards the centre of the field.

Jake Lateo made his second line break in the 37th minute in quite unique circumstances. After a Burleigh try, Jake Lateo initially shaped to drive the kick-off deep but instead put in a short kick along the ground with Jake Lateo raced forward to retrieve the ball and after getting to within twenty metres of the try line Jake Lateo got an off-load away to his right to a trailing Will Saunders.

Jake Lateo made another line break in the 51st minute from the right of the play the ball and twenty metres out from his own try line with Jake Lateo going straight through the middle of the Burleigh defensive line with Jake Lateo getting to the halfway mark with Jake Lateo then getting an off-load away to his left to Will Saunders.

The 11th minute saw Jake Lateo get six more tackles for Currumbin when from thirty metres out Jake Lateo received the ball down a short right blindside and put up a high bomb which was dropped by the Burleigh left winger for Currumbin to regain possession ten metres from the try line.

Jake Lateo also got a result from a short goal line drop-out in the 30th minute with a short drop-out to his right with Currumbin getting the ball back just after it had broken the ten metre plane.

[mdrew]

Congratulations to Titans partnered Marsden SHS students Murrie Herrmann (second row) and Te Aoturoa Pirangi-Pokaia (half) who recently represented the Met East U12 School Boy side at the Queenaland Championships with both subsequently named in the Queensland U12 School Boy side.

Well down also to Mason Bensley, Phoenix Seumanu and John Timoteo who were also part of the South Coast side.

[mdrew]

Bailey McConnell continued at halfback for the Burleigh Bears in Round Nine of the GCRL U18 Division One competition against the Currumbin Eagles with Bailey McConnell scoring in the 39th minute through a long range effort from his own twenty metre mark with Bailey McConnell getting an off-load and racing eighty metres down the left touchline to get the ball down seven metres in from the left corner post.

Bailey McConnell made the first of his two line breaks in the 17th minute when after one of the Burleigh lost the ball backwards just inside their own territory Bailey McConnell scooped the ball up at full speed four metres inside Burleigh territory and burst downfield with Bailey McConnell then veering to his left then stepped off his left foot to beat the Eagles fullback before being tackled ten metres from the try line.

Bailey McConnell made his second line break in the 44th minute when after receiving an off-load nine metres inside his own territory Bailey McConnell darted straight through the centre of the Currumbin defensive line with Bailey McConnell then stepping off his left foot to beat the fullback and as he was being tackled from behind Bailey McConnell was able to get a pass away to his left.

[mdrew]

Titans contracted Zac Kumbamong continued at right second row for the Helensvale Hornets in Round Nine of the GCRL U18 Division One competition against the Coomera Cutters with Zac Kumbamong scoring a hat trick in a big Hornets victory.

Zac Kumbamong scored his first try in the 14th minute when after receiving the ball two passes to the right of the play the ball, Zac Kumbamong bumped off one defender immediately upon receipt of the ball with Zac Kumbamong bumping off another still eight metres short then Zac Kumbamong pushed between two more defenders to score under the posts.

Zac Kumbamong scored his second try in the 27th minute as a result of a ten metre run to the right of the play the ball with Zac Kumbamong crossing the try line wide out on the right side of the field with Zac Kumbamong then bringing the ball around to put it down adjacent to the right upright.

Zac Kumbamong completed his hat trick in the 44th minute when after moving into dummy half with the play the ball just centremetres from the try line Zac Kumbamong bullied his way over to score to the left of the play the ball with Zac Kumbamong getting the ball down seven metres in from the right corner post.

Zac Kumbamong also made a line break in the 29th minute when after the Cutters put in a short kick off to their left Zac Kumbamong took the kick-off on the full around sixteen metres from the halfway facing his own try line. Upon turning around Zac Kumbamong broke three tackles as he got over the halfway mark with Zac Kumbamong then stepping off his left foot to beat the Coomera fullback before getting a right arm off-load away to his left.

In just the 2nd minute of the match Zac Kumbamong made a strong run from a Helensvale penalty tap restart after kicking the ball out over the right touchline with Zac Kumbamong receiving the ball on the halfway mark and rumbling downfield to within twenty nine metres from the try line. Then from another penalty tap restart in the 14th minute Zac Kumbamong carried the ball from eight metres inside his own territory to seven metres inside Coomera territory.

Then in the 32nd minute Zac Kumbamong carried the ball from the left of the play the ball and twenty two metres out from his own try line to thirty six metres out.

[mdrew]

He may have been on the losing side yesterday but Reshawn Brown played very well from right centre for Northern United in their NRRRL U18 match against Tweed Heads with Reshawn Brown scoring wide out on the right.

[mdrew]

Titans contracted Immanuel Kalekale started in the front row for the Helensvale Hornets in Round Nine of the GCRL First Grade competition against the Tugun Seahawks with Immanuel Kalekale making the opening tackle of the match.

Immanuel Kalekale then made good ground from a Helensvale penalty tap restart from ten metres inside Hornets territory with Immanuel Kalekale able to drag defenders with him to get the ball three metres inside Tugun territory. Then in the 23rd minute after receiving an off-load from his right when twenty metres out, Immanuel Kalekale got within centremetres of scoring before being dragged to ground two metres to the left of the uprights.

Immanuel Kalekale made not just his best run of the match in the 44th minute but the best run of the match full stop, when from the left of the dummy half and thirty metres out form his own try line Immanuel Kalekale crashed and smashed his way to ten metres inside Tugun territory breaking five tackles with at least 80% of Immanuel Kalekale’s metres being post his contact with the Seahawks defensive line,

Then in the 72nd minute from the right of the play the ball Immanuel Kalekale carried the ball from forty three metres from the try line wot thirty metres with Immanuel Kalekale then able to get his right arm free and get an off-load away to his right.