Junior Development

[mdrew]

Nelson Makaafi also lined up in a Titans jersey in mid-April 2023 when Nelson Makaafi started in the front row for a Titans U16 JTS squad that played a touring Auckland U16 side at Cbus Stadium as a curtain-raiser to the Titans NRL Round Seven match against the Brisbane Bronco’s with Nelson Makaafi making the fifth hit-up of the match from two passes to the left of the dummy half to carry the ball to the halfway mark.

The 7th minute then saw Nelson Makaafi charge onto the ball to the right of the play the ball from thirty seven metres from the try line and run through the centre of the field to within twenty metres of the try line. Nelson Makaafi made another strong run in the 31st minute getting the ball to the halfway mark after commencing his run thirty five metres from his own try line and to the right of the play the ball.

[mdrew]

Isaiah Veve-Fretton played for the Runaway Bay Seagulls in 2023 in the GCRL U14 Division One competition including starting in the front row in the 19 – 18 extra time Grand Final victory against the Coomera Cutters with Isaiah Veve-Fretton making the initial run of the match from the kick-off to carry the ball out to the twenty three metre mark.

The 8th minute then saw Isaiah Veve-Fretton run onto the ball to the left of the dummy to carry the ball from twenty seven metres out from the try line to nineteen metres with Isaiah Veve-Fretton then getting a right arm off-load away to his left to Brady Antonik. Then from a Runaway Bay penalty restart in the 22nd minute charged onto the ball twenty four metres out to get to within ten metres of the try line breaking two tackles along the way with around 65% of the metres that Isaiah Veve-Fretton being post contact.

Isaiah Veve-Fretton rounded out a strong match in the 52nd minute with a charge from the right of the play the ball from thirty seven metres out from his own try line to get the ball to twenty one metres out.

[mdrew]

Lyric Poto played for the Runaway Bay Seagulls in 2023 in the GCRL U14 Division One competition including starting at right centre in the Seagulls 19 – 18 extra time Grand Final victory against the Coomera Cutters and in the 12th minute from a Runaway Bay penalty restart Lyric Poto executed three right foot steps in quick succession to carry the ball from twenty eight metres from the try line to within ten metres with Lyric Poto breaking three tackles on his journey.

In extra time in the 65th minute after receiving an off-load thirty metres out from the try line, Lyric Poto stepped his way to within seventeen metres of the try lien and executed a lightning quick play the ball.

[mdrew]

Xavier Takatainga played for the Runaway Bay Seagulls in 2023 in the GCRL U14 Division One competition including starting on the right wing and scoring in the 19 – 18 extra time Grand Final victory against the Coomera Cutters.

In the 8th minute Runaway Bay fullback Ezrah Tangianu put in a cross kick from the left side of the field towards the goal posts and after the ball bounced in the in-goal, the ball ricocheted off a number of legs before Xavier Takatainga was able to dive on the ball to score four metres to the right of the goal posts.

[mdrew]

Ezrah Tangianu played for the Runaway Bay Seagulls in 2023 in the GCRL U14 Division One competition including starting at fullback and kicking the match winning field goal in extra time in the 19 – 18 Grand Final victory against the Coomera Cutters. In the 8th minute of extra time Ezrah Tangianu positioned himself behind the play the ball and after receiving a bullet pass out of dummy half Deshawn Crompton, Ezrah Tangianu slotted the Grand Final winning field goal from eighteen metres out and directly in front with Coomera Cutters players desperately trying to charge the kick down.

Ezrah Tangianu also kicked an 8th minute conversion in the Grand Final from four metres to the right of the goal posts.

Ezrah Tangianu also recorded a try assist in the 8th minute Ezrah Tangianu put in a cross kick from the left side of the field towards the goal posts and after the ball bounced in the in-goal, the ball ricocheted off a number of legs before Xavier Takatainga was able to dive on the ball to score four metres to the right of the goal posts.

Ezrah Tangianu recorded a second try assist in the 47th minute when after taking possession to the left of the dummy half Ezrah Tangianu ran the ball to twelve metres from the try line and threw a cut-out pass to his left to Matt Stone to score the first of his two tries.

In the 29th minute from the right of the play the ball Ezrah Tangianu stepped off his right foot on two occasions to cut back to the left to get from sixteen metres out from the try line to within five metres.

Ezrah Tangianu put in another good kick in the 45th minute when from the right of the play the ball down a wide right blindside twenty five metres out, Ezrah Tangianu put in a right foot chip kick over the top which was lot by Coomera and picked up by another Cutters player in an off-side position for Runaway Bay to be awarded the penalty.

Ezrah Tangianu did well in the 4th minute to take a high Coomera bomb on the full two metres out from his own try line and just to the right of the goal posts with Ezrah Tangianu then beating two tackles as he carried the ball to seventeen metres away from the try line.

The 17th minute saw Ezrah Tangianu run out of dummy half to his right from twenty nine metres out from his own try line to forty one metres out.

[mdrew]

Ray Puru started from the bench for PBC SHS in the NRL School Boy Rugby League Grand Final against Westfield Sports High with Ray Puru coming onto the field to play at fullback in the 15th minute.

In the 23rd minute Ray Puru collected a Westfield’s Sport High grubber kick in his own in-goal area after the ball had come off the post and was able to get the ball out of the in-goal under heavy pressure to the four metre mark. Then in the 38th minute after taking possession of the ball to the right of a PBC SHS scrum win Creedence Donovan ran the ball from ten metres out from his own try line to get the ball out to the twenty four metre mark.

[mdrew]

Cornelius Kelsall played for the Coomera Cutters in 2023 in the GCRL U14 Division One competition including starting at fullback in the Grand Final with Cornelius Kelsall scoring a hat trick in a tough 19 – 18 extra time loss against the Runaway Bay Seagulls.

Cornelius Kelsall scored his first try in the Grand Final in the 26th minute when after receiving the ball to the left of a Coomera Scrum win twelve metres out from the try line Cornelius Kelsall’s elite speed enabled him to get on the outside of the Runaway Bay right sided defence to score in the left corner.

Cornelius Kelsall scored his second try in the 33rd minute when after receiving on off-load from his right from a rampaging Karter Iva twenty metres out from the try line, Cornelius Kelsall ran to his left and almost immediately stepped off his right foot and then once he was in space Cornelius Kelsall attacked the defensive line before dummying to his left to slice through with Cornelius Kelsall then beating the fullback by way of a left foot step to score mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

Cornelius Kelsall completed his hat trick in the 54th minute when after receiving the ball from his right from the dummy half down a short left blindside eighteen metres out from the try line, Cornelius Kelsall double pumped to his left before engaging the defensive line ten metres out. After Cornelius Kelsall was able to break away from two defenders, Cornelius Kelsall ran to his right, before cutting back to his left and then was able to break another tackle to crash over to score seven metres in from the left corner post.

Cornelius Kelsall also did well in the 30th minute to carry the ball from the left of the dummy half and break three tackles from twelve metres out from his own try line to thirty one metres out.

[mdrew]

Jac Finnigan started at right second row for PBC SHS in the NRL School Boy Rugby League Grand Final against Westfields Sports High with Jac Finnigan running onto the ball to the right of the dummy half in the 3rd minute to carry the ball from his own thirty seven metre mark to get to the halfway mark with Jac Finnigan then awarded a penalty for a Westfield’s Sports High lifting tackle.

The 13th minute saw Jac Finnigan carry the ball from thirty four metres out to twenty metres from the try line after taking possession of the ball to the right of the dummy half. Jac Finnigan, in the 45th minute ran onto the ball to the right of the play the ball dix metres inside his own territory and did well to get the ball ten metres into Westfield Sports High territory.

[mdrew]

DeShawn Compton continued to play for the Runaway Bay Seagulls in the GCRL U14 Division One competition including starting at hooker in the Seagulls extra time Grand Final victory 19 – 18 against the Coomera Cutters with Deshawn Compton putting the ball down over the try line in the 22nd minute mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the right side of the field off an Ezrah Tangianu grubber however the referee ruled that Deshawn Compton was in front of the kicker.

In the 8th minute of extra time Ezrah Tangianu positioned himself behind the play the ball and after receiving a bullet pass out of dummy half Deshawn Crompton, Ezrah Tangianu slotted the Grand Final winning field goal from eighteen metres out and directly in front of the posts. Deshawn Compton’s exquisite pass out of dummy half gave Ezrah Tangianu the time and space to execute the field goal.

Deshawn Compton made his opening foray out of dummy half in the Grand Final when after running out of dummy half to his right three metres inside Coomera territory Deshawn Compton was able to make sixteen metres through the heart of the Coomera defensive line. Then in the 45th minute Deshawn Compton ran out of dummy half to his left and ran through the centre of the field from forty five metres from the try line to thirty metres out.

In the 3rd minute of extra time, being the 63rd minute of the match Deshawn Compton ran out of dummy half once again to his right and was able to carry the ball from twenty five metres from the try line to twelve metres out with Deshawn Compton then awarded a penalty for ruck interference.

Inside the opening minute of the match Deshawn Compton showed that he was up for the Grand Final with a strong kick chase effort to make the Seagulls opening tackle of the match thirty seven metres away from the Cutters try line.

[mdrew]

Zane Harrison continued at halfback and captain for PBC SHS in the 2023 NRL School Boy Rugby League Grand Final against Westfields Sports High and in the 44th minute after taking possession of the ball forty two metres out from the try line and to the right of the play the ball, stepped off his right foot to target the area behind the ruck and was able to get to the twenty seven metre mark with Zane Harrison then awarded a penalty for Westfield Sports High ruck interference.

Zane Harrison defended on the right side of the field for PBC SHS and had a great battle with the Westfield’s Sports High left second rower No 11 with Zane Harrison taking the points victory. The first time that the No. 11 targeted Zane Harrison came in the 7th minute but Zane Harrison was able to make a low try saving tackle on him to stop him two metres out mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the right side of the field.

Then in the 6th minute Zane Harrison crunched the second rower with a good right shoulder hit six metres out with Zane Harrison following up in the 13th minute with a driving tackle in the same second rower with Zane Harrison hitting him under the rib cage and rocking him forty metres out from the try line.

In the 27th minute the Westfield’s Sport High five eight made a half break from deep inside his own territory but Zane Harrison stopped him in his tracks with a crunching front on right shoulder tackle thirty five metres out from the Westfield’s Sport High try line.

[mdrew]

Creedence Donovan continued on the left wing for PBC SHS in the 2023 NRL School Boy Rugby League Grand Final against Westfields Sports High with Creedence Donovan scoring in the 34th minute with a six metre run to put the ball down in the left corner off a Sam Stephenson pass from his inside.

Creedence Donovan also put the ball down under the posts in the 46th minute after following through a Bailey McConnell grubber kick into the in-goal but the referee rules incorrectly that Creedence Donovan was off-side.

Creedence Donovan also made a line break in the 19th minute when after being put away down the left touchline off a Sam Stephenson pass from his right forty eight metres out, Creedence Donovan raced down the left touchline and when he was six five metres out from the try line Creedence Donovan chipped over the top of the fullback and after a scramble in the in-goal Zane Harrison dived on the ball but bizarrely the referee ruled that Creedence Donovan had knocked on in the in-goal when it was clear that Creedence Donovan went over the top of the ball and it was the Westfield’s Sports High fullback’s hand that touched the ball.

Creedence Donovan was initially involved in literally the opening seconds of the match when Creedence Donovan picked up a lost Westfield’s Sports High lost ball from the kick-off with Creedence Donovan collecting the ball eight metres out from the try line and five metres in from the left touchline.

In the 27th minute Creedence Donovan ran onto the ball to the right of the dummy half to promote the ball from his own thirty five metre mark to within two metres of the halfway mark. Then in the 42nd minute from the right of the play the ball once again Ray Puru made a yardage carry from thirty three metres out from his try line to forty six metres out.

[mdrew]

Karter Iva played for the Coomera Cutters in 2023 in the GCRL U14 Division One competition including starting in the front row in the Grand Final with Karter Iva scoring in a tough 19 – 18 extra time loss against the Runaway Bay Seagulls.

Karter Iva scored in the 30th minute with a long range barnstorming effort. After receiving the ball from his left still seven metres inside his own territory, Karter Iva charged forward with the ball in his right hand lifting his hand (and the ball) above his head to beat the Runaway Bay left winger near the halfway mark, with Karter Iva charging towards the try line and then Karter Iva beat the fullback with a powerful left arm fend twenty metres out and charge away to put the ball down for one of the better tries that I have seen twelve metres in from the right corner post.

Karter Iva was also heavily involved in Cornelius Kelsall’s 33rd minute try with Karter Iva charging onto the ball to the left of the dummy half to get the ball to within nineteen metres of the try line after making fifteen with Karter Iva then getting away a great right arm off-load away to his left to Cornelius Kelsall who raced to his left to score in the left corner after beating a number of Seagulls defenders.

Karter Iva made his presence felt in the Grand Final in the 6th minute with a carry from twenty metres from his ty line to thirty four metres out after running onto the ball to the left of the dummy half. Then in the 17th minute from the left of the play the ball Karter Iva produced a strong run that saw him propel the ball from twenty four metres out to within nine metres of the try line.
Karter Iva followed up with a run to the right of the play the ball in the 19th minute to get the ball from thirty three metres from his own try line to within two metres of the hallway mark. The 23rd minute saw Karter Iva charge onto the ball to the left of the play the ball from thirty metres out from his own try line and after spinning counter clockwise after engaging the Seagulls defensive line Karter Iva was able to gain separation to propel the ball six metres inside Runaway Bay territory. Then a tackle later from the right of the dummy half Karter Iva promoted the ball from forty four metres out from the try line to twenty seven metres out after running straight through the centre of the field.

Also in the 28th minute from the left of the play the ball Karter Iva produced an outstanding yardage carry to promote the ball from twenty two metres out from his own try line to within five metres of the halfway mark. The 36th minute then saw Karter Iva make a strong kick-off return to get the ball out to the twenty eight metre mark.

Karter Iva continue his outstanding Grand Final in the 53rd minute with an effort from the right of the dummy half to get the ball from five metres inside his own territory to ten metres into Runaway Bay territory. Karter Iva rounded out a very strong match in the 3rd minute of extra time as Karter Iva carried the ball to four metres into Seagulls territory after taking possession of the ball to the right of the play the ball and ten metres inside his own territory.

[mdrew]

SUnny Kama on the right wing for PBC SHS in the NRL School Boy Rugby League Grand Final against Westfields Sports High with Sunny Kama making eleven metres to get the ball out to his thirty six metre mark after running onto a pass to the right of a PBC SHS scrum win.

In the 16th minute from a PBC SHS penalty restart Sunny Kama was able to get the ball from thirty three metres out from his own try line to within four metres of the halfway mark. The 23rd minute then saw Sunny Kama run the ball to the right of the dummy half and progress the ball from twenty four metres out from his own try line to thirty seven metres out.

In the 25th minute from the left of the play the ball once again Sunny Kama ran the ball from just two metres out from his own try line and through sheer guts and determination was able to get out to the twelve metre mark.

Sunny Kama followed up with a run from a PBC SHS penalty restart from thirty six metre from his own try line to two metres of the halfway mark. Then in the 42nd minute from the left of the play the ball Sunny Kama was able to get the ball out to the thirty four metre mark after receiving the ball twenty metres from his own try line.

In the 15th minute Sunny Kama jumped high to take a Westfield Sports High bomb on the full ten metres out from his own try line with Sunny Kama then awarded a penalty for being tackled whilst still in the air.

Sunny Kama did well defensively in the 47th minute to come out of the defensive line just six metres out from the try line when facing a two person overlap with Sunny Kama snuffing out the play by hitting the Westfield Sports High fullback just after he had taken possession of the ball.

[mdrew]

Sam Stephenson started at left centre for PBC SHS in the NRL School Boy Rugby League Grand Final against Westfield’s Sports High with Sam Stephenson recording a try assist in the 34th minute when after receiving the ball from two passes to the left of a PBC SHS scrum win twelve metres out from the try line, Sam Stephenson ran to his right and off-loaded to his left to Creedence Donovan to score in the left corner after drawing in the Westfield’s Sport High’s right winger.

Sam Stephenson also recorded a line break assist in the 19th minute when after receiving the ball from his right from Bailey McConnell, Sam Stephenson ran the ball down a short left blindside and when he got two metres inside Westfield’s Sports High territory, Sam Stephenson passed to his left to Creedence Donovan who charged down the left touchline after Sam Stephenson had drawn in the right winger.

In the 23rd minute from the left of the play the ball Sam Stephenson was able to get the ball from just three metres out from his own try line to seventeen metres out and then in the 25th minute from the left of the play the ball once again Sam Stephenson carried the ball from ten metres out from his own try line to twenty four metres out.

Sam Stephenson followed up in the 33rd minute with a run two passes to the left of the play the ball to get the ball from six metres inside his own territory to six metres into Westfield Sports High territory.

In the 42nd minute from the left of a PBC SHS scrum win Sam Stephenson was able to carry the ball from eight metres out from his own try line to twenty two metres out. Then Sam Stephenson, from two passes to the left of the play the ball Sam Stephenson made a half break as he got the ball from fourteen metres out from his try line to twenty seven metres out.

[mdrew]

Jahkayis Mabbell lined up in a Titans jersey in mid-April 2023 when Jahkayis Mabbell started from the bench for a Titans U16 JTS squad that played a touring Auckland U16 side at Cbus Stadium as a curtain-raiser to the Titans NRL Round Seven match against the Brisbane Bronco’s and after coming onto the field to operate in the dummy half role I the 22nd minute, Jahkayis Mabbell almost immediately ran out of dummy half to his right from thirty two metres from the try line to get the ball to within eighteen metres of the try line.

In the 31st minute after picking up an errant New Zealand pass one metres from his own try line and in the centre of the field Jahkayis Mabbell was able to get the ball to fifteen metres away from his try line.

Then in the 32nd minute Jahkayis Mabbell ran to his right out of dummy half once again from forty metres out, Jahkayis Mabbell attacked the area behind the play the ball to get to within twenty six metres of the try line with Jahkayis Mabbell then awarded a penalty for being held down too long by the defence.