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  1. #1306
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    Elliott Speed. (Updated) He is a young multi-sport athlete from northern New South Wales and squarely in the catchment area of the Titans.

    Elliott Speed was selected in the 2020 North Coast U18 Laurie Daley Cup squad and started at half in Round One against the Central Coast Roosters, operating primarily on the right side of the field and kicked four goals from seven attempts (three conversions and one penalty goal) in North Coast’s victory.

    Elliott Speed also started at half in Round Two against the Parramatta Eels in Sydney kicking four from six as North Coast won their second match in a row.

    Once again in Round Three against the Greater Northern Tigers, Elliott Speed started at half and kicked three from five in their tough two point loss. Elliott Speed made it four starts at half back in as many matches in Round Four against the Newcastle Knights scoring a try as well as kicking four from six conversions and one penalty goal from as many attempts in North Coast’s six point win.

    Elliott Speed’s try came in the first half, he ran at the Knights line on a 45 degree angle around twelve metres out from the line, at the last moment he tucked the ball under his arm and took on the Knights left side defence, the initial contact made Elliott Speed spin 360 degrees counter clock wise, but he was able to maintain his balance and dive over near the left upright.

    Elliott Speed also had a try assist in the match when he ran to the right of the play the ball about ten metres out from the try line producing a good short ball to his right to send his centre over.

    Elliott Speed started the Round Five “local derby” against the Northern Rivers Titans also at half kicking three conversions from five attempts in the twenty six all draw.

    In early 2020 Elliott Speed has selected as a reserve for the Lismore Diocese Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC) U18 touch school boy side.

    With the cancellation of the 2020 Group Two competition Elliott Speed moved to the Marist Brothers Rams to play in the 2020 NRRRL U18 competition including starting from the bench in Round One against Casino RSM. When Elliott Speed came into the match he played in the halves and took over the goal kicking duties finishing the Rams 20 – 8 win against Casino RSM kicking two conversions.

    Elliott Speed moved into the Marist Brothers Rams U18 starting side at half in Round Two against Ballina kicking a conversions in the Rams 30 – 14 loss at Ballina. Elliott Speed moved to five eight for Round Four against Casino RSM kicking two conversions in a 20 – 18 victory.

    Elliott Speed also started at five eight in Round Five against Ballina kicking three conversions from as many attempts as the Rams defeated Ballina 18 – 14. In Round Nine Elliott Speed started at half back and kicked a conversion as the Rams went down 28 – 14 to the Byron Bay Devils.

    Elliott Speed moved to fullback in Round Nine and had a day out scoring twenty four of the Rams 32 points (75%) from three tries and six goals (from as many attempts) in a 40 – 32 loss to Casino RSM.

    In Marist Brothers Lismore’s 2020 NRRRL U18 Gold Preliminary Final against Byron Bay, Elliott Speed started at fullback, scoring one try, setting up another, kicking four conversions and also kicking a key second half penalty goal as Marist Brothers qualified for the Grand Final after winning 32 – 24 in extra time in just a great game that neither team deserved to lose.

    Elliott Speed scored in the first half when he received an inside ball to slice through the middle of the Byron Bay ruck from five metres out to put the ball down near the right upright. In relation to his try assist which also came in the first half, Elliott Speed, whilst operating on the right, took the ball into the line before passing to his right to put his right centre into a hole and through to the try line.

    Elliott Speed also started the 2020 NRRRL Gold U18 Grand Final at fullback for the Rams as they went down to Ballina, with Elliott Speed scoring a try and kicked three conversions from as many attempts. Whilst Elliott Speed started the match at fullback, he moved to half back in the second half as the Rams chased the match. Elliott Speed also had a try assist in the Grand Final when he put in a chip kick for Campbell Harvey to retrieve and score.

    Elliott Speed kicked three conversions from as many attempts in the Grand Final and also scored an outstanding second half try after he had moved to half back for the Rams. With the Rams ten metres out from the Ballina line, Elliott Speed took it upon himself and took a hit-up to the right of the paly the ball, engaging the defensive line around four metres out from the line. Elliott Speed just kept pumping his legs and was able to force his way over with a number of Ballina forwards vaining trying to prevent him from getting the ball down.

    The McCauley Catholic College Grafton student had an outstanding 2019 season in the blue and white of the Grafton Ghosts in the Group Two U18 competition finishing the season being named the 2019 Group Two U18 Player of the Year as well as finishing as the competition’s leading point’s scorer and goal kicker. Elliott Speed also finished in the top five of the competition from a try scoring perspective.

    The award and points scoring feats noted above are more impressive when you consider that 2019 was Elliott Speed’s first year in senior rugby league (U18 level and above) and he is U18 eligible again in 2020.

    Included in the performances of the half/five eight prospect in the Group Two U18 competition in 2019 was a hat trick against the Sawtell Panthers in Round Three and a Round Five double against Woolgoolga.

    From a goal kicking perspective, Elliott Speed kicked nine goals in Round Five against Woolgoolga to finish that match with an individual point tally of twenty six and mid-season kicked six goals in a another match against Woolgoolga. Elliott Speed also had a twelve point haul in a late July derby against the South Grafton Rebels when he scored a try and kicked four goals in a keenly contested “Battle of Grafton”.

    Elliott Speed was also outstanding at five eight for McCauley College in the 2019 DEX Shield competition but unfortunately they went down in the Final to McLean High School who won the shield for the third season in a row.

    Elliott Speed is also an outstanding hockey player representing New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges and New South Wales in that sport across multiple age groups and earlier in 2019 was named in the 2019-20 Hockey NSW Athlete Acceleration Program (AAP) Boys Squad. Northern New South Wales is actually a bit of a hot spot for hockey as an aside.

    Elliott Speed is just a superb mover seemingly gliding across the field effortlessly with outstanding balance, body control and exquisite hand eye co-ordination which has been aided by playing hockey at a very high level. Seriously Elliott Speed’s running style looks just effortless and perfectly balanced.

    It is hard to put in words just how talented Elliott Speed is in terms of running the ball, he has outstanding speed both off the mark which I would consider in the plus plus category and top end speed which must be considered plus regardless of position.

    Elliott Speed with his pace is able to exploit even the smallest of gaps in the defensive line with an exceptional step off either foot and incredible acceleration as well as outstanding balance and body control. When Elliott Speed steps, regardless of the size of the step or in which direction there is absolutely no loss of speed or momentum as he moves to his new vector and continues on.

    It is that speed trait which opens up his incredible ball playing skills as well. Teams start to focus heavily on Elliott Speed when he has the ball with outside defenders looking to come in to assist that they open up holes wider out in the defensive line that Elliott Speed can exploit.

    Elliott Speed has exquisite timing on his passes and is able to weight them perfectly as well and can do so from either side of his body. Adding in this is that Elliott Speed can stop on a dime even travelling at full speed and pop the short pass, thus it looks for all money that he is going to run the ball thus the defence converges and then the ball is delivered to a support runner who is through a hole before the defensive line can readjust.

    Elliott Speed also runs with the ball in both hands out in front of his body which is another reason why the defensive line is unable to determine exactly what Elliott Speed is going to do with the ball at any given time.

    Elliott Speed just seems to have all of the time in the world to do what he wants on a rugby league field and is just so calm and composed and seemingly always two or three plays ahead of the opposition and his own team mates on occasion to be honest.

    Like when he has the ball in his hands, there is nothing that Elliott Speed cannot do in relation to kicking the ball. Elliott Speed is an exceptional tactical kicker with range and accuracy, he can put up pin point bombs and perfectly weighted grubber kicks into the in goal. In short if you can name a type of rugby league kick, Elliott Speed can execute it with precision.

    Defensively Elliott Speed is a very strong young man with exceptional functional strength to go along with an innate understanding of the attacking strategies of rugby league thus he is able to anticipate what an attacking side is looking to do with the ball and then be in the best position to negate it.

    Elliott Speed has a very good low tackling technique which is simple and repeatable and effective against all size opponents and thus there is no need for a defensive minder on Elliott Speed’s side of the field. In short just like his attacking play Elliott Speed is an outstanding defender.

    Elliott Speed is also an outstanding goal kicker with range and accuracy in a repeatable, technically simple and consistent goal kicking action and has the ability to be a primary goal kicking option at the NRL level.

    It will be interesting to see where Elliott Speed plays in 2021. Does Elliott Speed look to break into the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad, or does he stay in Northern New South Wales where he will no doubt make his First Grade debut.

    If he stays in northern New South Wales, even then there is questions, does Elliott Speed move back to play in the Group Two competition with the Grafton Ghosts (the Group Two competition did not restart in 2020) or does Elliott Speed stay in the NRRRL competition playing for the Marist Brothers Rams?

    Elliott Speed from what I understand played exclusively at five eight or half this season in school boy and club rugby league and I can really see him making a name for himself at five eight in particular over the next season or two in the Group Two First Grade competition for the Grafton Ghosts.

    In saying that however with his speed, body control, elusiveness and ball skills from playing in the halves regularly I would really like to see how Elliott Speed’s skills and athletic ability would translate to the fullback position where he would have more room to move and be in a position to be the second receiver when the ball is played out the back by the half or five eight. I think that Elliott Speed would be dynamic in the custodian role, as he showed towards the end of the 2020 NRRRL U18 season with the Marist Brothers Rams.

    From my perspective, a talented, unselfish attacking player with similar attributes to Elliott Speed is North Queensland Cowboys and former Melbourne Storm fullback Scott Drinkwater. Like Drinkwater, Elliott Speed has great acceleration to go along with a wicked sidestep off both feet, and the play making skills to make opposition teams pay if defences look to focus too much on him rather than his support runners or if individual defenders come out of the line too quickly.

    Also like Drinkwater, Elliott Speed has the skill set to play multiple positions and play them very effectively over the course of a match or season.

  2. #1307
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    Kel Sheather. (Revised) Kel Sheather started the opening two rounds of the 2020 New South Wales Country U23 Championships from the bench for the Northern Rivers Titans playing a variety of positions when he came on including in the centres and in the halves.

    When community sport restarted in New South Wales in late July 2020 Kel Sheather played rugby for Lennox Head with his first appearance in the Far North Coast Rugby First Grade competition coming in Round Four when he started at No. 9 and scored a double against Grafton. Kel Sheather also started at No. 9 in Round Five against Casuarina Beach.

    In the 2020 Far North Coast First Grade rugby Grand Final Kel Sheather started at No. 9 (half) for Lennox Head against Wollongbar Alstonville.

    Kel Sheather moved to No. 10 for Lennox Heads Round Six match agaisnt Bangalow and kicked five conversions in the match.

    Kel Sheather also played for the Ballina Seagulls in the NRRRL First Grade side in 2020 with his first match for the Seagulls coming when he started Round Four at half back as the Seagulls defeated Northern United 62 – 10. Kel Sheather also started from the bench in Round Six as the Seagulls defeated Casino RSM 62 – 0 and also in Round Ten against the Marist Brothers Rams after also starting from the bench in the earlier Reserve Grade fixture and scoring in Ballina’s 54 – 6 Reserve Grade victory.

    Even though he was named in start in the centre for Ballina in their NRRRL First Grade Preliminary Final against Casino RSM, Kel Sheather in fact started at five eight as the Seagulls qualified for the Grand Final with Kel Sheather contributing a first half try assist as well as a late match conversion. Kel Sheather, playing on the right, held the ball up well to put his fullback over from close range to account for his try assist.

    In the 2020 NRRRL First Grade Gold Grand Final, Kel Sheatehr started at five eight for Ballina as they took on the Marist Brothers Rams, with Kel Sheather operating on the right side of the field and recording an impressive etry assist when he split the Rams defence through the middle of the ruck, with the run starting from his onw terrirory, drawing the fullback and passing to his right to send his hooker on a long run to the try line.

    The Ballina Seagulls half Kel Sheather started Round One of the 2019 New South Wales Country U23 competition at half for the Northern Rivers Titans against the Central Coast Roosters.

    In the match, Kel Sheather did not have too many chances with the ball but was outstanding defensively, especially in relation to two plays in the first half. The first was when faced with a big overlap, he flew out of the line at the Central Coast half forcing a mistake and saving a try.

    In the second instance, Kel Sheather tracked a Titans clearing kick and hit the Central Coast fullback in an outstanding front on tackle, jolting the ball loose, with the Titans scoring in the next set of six.

    In the match Kel Sheather kicked one conversion which was a great kick from the left touchline.

    In Round Two against the Greater Northern Tigers Kel Sheather also started at half once again and kicked three conversions in a good Northern Rivers Titans win. He also started at half in the Northern Rivers Titans U23 side’s semi-final against the South Coast Dragons finishing the match kicking three conversions form four attempts in their twenty point loss.

    As in previous seasons, Kel Sheather played for the Ballina Seagulls in the NRRRL First competition but due to the presence of Jamie Lyon as captain/coach and five eight, Kel Sheather in fact started in the centres in Round One against Kyogle and contributed a try to Ballina’s 40 – 18 victory over the Turkey’s.

    With Jamie Lyon coming on board as Ballina’s NRRRL First Grade captain/coach, Kel Sheather has moved to the centres for the majority of the season playing in fourteen matches regular season matches scoring seven tries. Kel Sheather has missed a number of matches due to injury but came back into the Ballina First Grade side in time for the Final’s series in Round Eighteen against Byron Bay.

    Kel Sheather scoring a final regular season round (Round 18) double against Byron Bay with the remainder of his tries coming in separate matches against Kyogle twice, Lismore Marist Brothers, Northern United and Cudgen.

    Kel Sheather added a further try in Week Two of the NRRRL First Grade Finals when he scored for Ballina as they defeated Murwillumbah 30 – 20 to progress directly to the 2019 NRRRL First Grade Grand Final.

    In the NRRRL First Grade Grand Final Kel Sheather started at right centre and scored one of Ballina’s tries when he ran into a gap to score from twenty metres out as Ballina defeated Murwillumbah 38 – 18.

    The talented young half was still eligible to play in the MM Cup competition in 2108 and in fact was named in the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad but in fact has by-passed the U18 competition all together and commenced the 2018 season as the starting half back for the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Colts side and scored a good try in Round One against the North’s Devils when he split the North’s defence from around ten metres out when operating on the left side of the field to score around fifteen metres from the left corner post.

    Kel Sheather also started Rounds Two where he had a try assist and Three against Victoria and Burleigh respectively at half back. Kel Sheather has primarily played on the left side of the field so far this season for the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

    Round Three against Burleigh once again saw Kel Sheather lead Tweed Heads around the field well especially in the second half with the Seagulls coming from behind to beat their local rivals by four points with two late tries.

    In total for Tweed Heads in the 2018 Colts competition, Kel Sheather played in eleven matches scoring two tries. In addition to the try noted above against Victoria, Kel Sheather also scored against Wynnum Manly in Round Six.

    Kel Sheather started his first eight U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts matches at half back, the last being in Round Eight against the Western Mustangs. In his other three matches being against Ipswich in Round Ten, Redcliffe in Round Thirteen and Wynnum Manly in Round Seventeen, Kel Sheather has started from the interchange bench.

    Kel Sheather also played a number of matches in the 2018 NRRRL competition for Ballina making his NRRRL First Grade debut in June and scoring against Casino RSM. In his eight NRRL First Grade regular season matches in 2018 Kel Sheather scored 32 points from four tries and eight goals.

    Kel Sheather was also heavily involved in 2018 Ballina’s NRRRL First Grade final’s series, culminating in Ballina playing the Tweed Coast Raiders in the 2018 NRRRL First Grade Grand Final with Ballina going down 24 – 4 against the Tweed Coast Raiders in a physical contest in Ballina.

    Kel Sheather started the Grand Final at five eight and operated primarily on the right side of the field for Ballina. He did not get too many chances in attack but acquitted himself well defensively against a Tweed Coast forward pack that sent a lot of traffic his way.

    Kel Sheather had a huge match late in the regular season against Lower Clarence in Round Seventeen scoring two tries and kicking eight goals for an individual point’s haul of 24. Kel Sheather’s other regular season tries came in Round Seventeen against Lismore Marist Brothers and Round Seven against Casino RSM.

    Kel Sheather also played one 2018 NRRRL U18 match being in May against the Tweed Coast Raiders and that day he then backed up for the First Grade match later in the afternoon.

    The 2018 season was the second season in which Kel Sheather has been involved in the NRRRL First Grade competition after playing in nine matches in 2017, scoring one try.

    The St Johns College Woodlawn half back in 2017 plyed his trade for the Ballina Seagulls in the NRRRL Northern Rivers Rugby League competition playing both first grade and U18’s this season as well as playing for St College Woodlawn in a number of Schoolboy competitions including the GIO Cup. Kel Sheather set up a great try in the semi-finals of the New South Wales Catholic Cup schoolboy competition when a great kick of his in the wet found the chest of centre Jordan Sly but a late try resulted in a 14 – 10 loss to Sydney’s Holy Cross Ryde.

    Kel Sheather also scored a 100 metre try and was singled out for special praise by his coach in Woodlawn’s New South Wales GIO Cup Grand Final victory over Patrician Brothers Fairfield in Sydney in late August 2017.

    Kel Sheather in 2017 played ten matches in the U18 NRRRL competition scoring 52 points from five tries and sixteen goals. All of his tries have been scored in different games and came against Tweed Coast on two separate occasions, Byron Bay, Casino RSM and Kyogle. Kel Sheather also played nine NRRRL first grade matches and scored his sole try in his third ever first grade match against Byron Bay.

    In 2016 Kel Sheather started from the bench for the Northern Country Combined Catholic College side in the NSW CCC trials. Over the last couple of years, the young halfback has not played a great deal of club rugby league for his club side the Ballina Seagulls but has played a fair amount of matches, including the National GIO Cup competition with St Johns College Woodlawn.

    Kel Sheather came to prominence in the green of Woodlawn in 2017 when he was part of the NSW CCC Cup Woodlawn side that made the semi-finals of that competition last year. That side included former Titan Sam Elliot and Zac Beecher who has previously played in the MM Cup competition of the Gold Coast.

    In attack his initial burst of speed off the mark is the first attribute that you will notice when you see him play, he has a dynamic initial burst however he does not have an extra gear to move to when he is in open space. Coupled with a very good step off both feet, although he seems to step off his right foot on a more regular basis, Kel Sheather’s speed enables him to make breaks however his lack of plus top end speed does impact on his ability to score from his own breaks.

    Kel Sheather’s initial burst off the mark was the primary reason for his try in Round One against the North’s Devils. He received the ball on the left side of the play the ball about ten metres out from the North’s line. Kel Sheather ran across field with the ball out in front of him in both hands and when the North’s defensive line hesitated not knowing whether he would run or pass, Kel Sheather stepped off his left foot and exploded through a small gap to score with the North’s fullback trying in vain to make the tackle as Kel Sheather dived across the line to score near the left upright.

    Kel Sheather can and will beat defenders in the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies and also backs up well.

    It is these attributes that means Kel Sheather is a threat to run every time he is at dummy half and opposing defences must that that into account, for if the markers do but work hard or there are slow moving forwards he has the ability to exploit that on each occasion, like he did against North’s.

    A good left foot step in Round Two against the Victorian Thunderbolts highlighted the effectiveness of his step to create opportunities. With a couple of minutes to go in the match, Kel Sheather took the ball on the field (where he has primarily played) stepped off his left foot to elude a defender who had rushed out of the line and then popped a good short inside ball to Ben Thomas who scored near the posts. The try from Kel Sheather’s perspective involved good footwork in limited space and then appropriate timing, direction and weight on his pass to set up Ben Thomas for the try.

    In previous year’s he has run quite a lot but last year and so far this season he has seemingly taken a step back and become more of an organising type of halfback, but he still takes on the line when he sees an opportunity as was evidenced in Round One against North’s.

    At present, one area for him to continue to develop is his play making skills, including putting his runners holes gaps. I am not suggesting that play making skills are currently under developed but an improvement in that area will enable his speed and footwork to play better in game situations as defensive lines start to focus in his runners and thus leave more space for him.

    Kel Sheather continues to refine his passing especially to his left and has thrown a number of good passes this season, none more so than a good long spiral to left centre Lee Turner which put him outside his defender and then Lee Turner just had to draw the winger and pass Gerard Ah Nau for his first try in the left corner and his first in Seagulls colours since his move from Group 20.

    From a goal kicking perspective, he is very effective near the posts, his strike rate last year was a touch above 90% and will have his moments where he kicks then in bunches from the sideline as well. I am not sure whether he will be a team’s primary goal kicker going forward, but it is certainly not out of the question that he will not be either.

    In defence, due to his size he is obviously not going to come up with the big hit but reads the play well enough and can hold his own when defending much bigger players. When confronted with forwards running directly at him on the fringes of the ruck he will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives. He does have an aggressive streak in him when defending and this holds him in good stead when defending against wide running back rowers.

    Kel Sheather is an interesting prospect in that he is one of the better players running around in the NRRRL First Grade competition and at still just 22 years old has more development left in his game. It will be interesting in 2021 if Kel Sheather stays with Ballina in the NRRRL First Grade competition or test himself on the Gold Coast likely starting in the First Grade competition before looking for a Queensland Cup opportunity.

    From a position perspective, Kel Sheather made a good fist of half back with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side in 2018 and in the NRRRL First Grade competition and clearly has made great strides in his game management and ball playing skills and thus there is no reason to consider a move from half back.

    Whilst Kel Sheather has played in the centres this season for Ballina in the 2019 and 2020 NRRRL First Grade competitions but his future certainly lies closer to the action at either half back or five eight.

    With his evolving game management and ball playing skills to compliment his running game a player comparison to young Brisbane Bronco half back Brody Croft is not unwarranted. Like Croft Kel Sheather is also a very good goal kicker as well as tactical kicker.

    Kel Sheather certainly has an intriguing skill set and has come on in leaps and bounds over the last two seasons and has adapted easily to the size and speed of the older players he is up against very quickly indeed.

  3. #1308
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    Lochlyn Sheldon. (Revised) The Gold Coast local was part of the Burleigh Bears 2020 Queensland Cup squad and started at lock for the Burleigh A Grade side in their late February 2020 trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

    When the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League competition restarted in August, Lochlyn SHeldon was part of the Burleigh Bears side that was looking to repeat their 2019 Premiership success starting Round One of the GCRL First Grade competition against Southport in the front row and also started in the front row in Round Two against the Currumbin Eagles.

    Lochlyn Sheldon moved to lock for Round Three aginast the Ormeau Shearers and also started at lock in Round Four against the Tugun Seahawks scoring in the Bears 66 – 0 win. Round Seven against Runaway Bay saw Lochlan Sheldon move back to the front row starting there against the Runaway Bay Seagulls and also started in the front row in Round Eight against the Southport Tigers as well as in Round Nine against the Currumbin Eagles.

    In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition, being Round Ten, Lochlan Sheldon started in the front row for the Bears against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.

    In Burleigh’s 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Semi-final Lochlyn Sheldon started in the front row against the Southport Tigers.

    Lochlyn Sheldon also started in the front row for the Burleigh Bears against the Runaway Bay Seagulls in the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Grand Final.

    In the Gold Coast Bulliten’s 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League Team of the Year, Lochlyn Sheldon was named at lock.

    The talented 178cm, 99kg front rower or lock missed the opening rounds of the 2019 season with injury but came back into the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side for their Round Eight ANZAC Day match against the Western Mustangs starting at lock for the Bears. Lochlyn Sheldon also started at lock in Rounds Nine and Ten against Redcliffe and the Northern Pride respectively.

    In a Gold Coast Rugby League bye week, Lochlyn Sheldon was back in the Burleigh Colts side for Round Sixteen against Souths Logan, starting at lock and scoring his first Colts try of the year. Close to the Souths Logan line, Burleigh hooker Lachlan Turnbull ran to his right and Lochlyn Sheldon ran back towards the play the ball on an underneath route and crashed over after he received the inside pass.

    Lochlyn Sheldon also started at lock in Round Seventeen against Tweed Heads scoring Burleigh’s first try of the match when he ran onto a short pass from his left from hooker Lachlan Turnbull to easily crash over from close range.

    Lochlyn Sheldon added a further try in Round Nineteen against Redcliffe when he was on hand to receive an inside ball from Tristian Powell to score under the posts from about ten metres out.

    Starting at lock in Round Twenty One Lochlyn Sheldon added another try when he cut back underneath Burleigh dummy half Lachlan Turnbull to crash over from close range, it was simply that Lochlyn Sheldon wanted to score more than the defence wanted to stop him.

    Lochlyn Sheldon also had a big part in the first half try for Shallin Fuller, running to the right of the play the ball Lochlyn Sheldon took the ball right to the line before popping a great short ball to his right to put Tristian Powell into a gap, who then found Shallin Fuller to score under the posts.

    Lochlyn Sheldon scored again in Round Twenty Three against Central Queensland, he received the ball on the right of the play the ball, dummied to the right to break through the initial defensive line before stepping off his right foot to easily beat the fullback to score under the posts.

    Lochlyn Sheldon scored again in Burleigh’s Week One Major Semi-final loss to Wynnum Many. Lochlyn Sheldon ran an outside shoulder route to the right of the final the ball and after receiving a pass from Cameron Brown got on the outside of his opponent scoring from fifteen metres out about half way between the corner post and goal post on the left side of the field.

    In Week Two of the Finals Lochlyn Sheldon scored in Burleigh’s 42 – 12 win against Norths after starting the match at lock. After a play to the left broke down Cameron Brown brought the ball back towards the centre of the field and found Lochlyn Sheldon running into a gap. Lochlyn Sheldon then produced a fend with each hand to run twelve metres to score under the posts.

    Lochlyn Sheldon’s 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts season came to an end when he started at lock for Burleigh as they went down 23 – 16 to Sunshine Coast in the Preliminary Final.

    In total in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition, Lochlyn Sheldon played in fifteen matches including Burleigh’s finals starting all at lock and scoring seven tries.

    At the end of season Awards night, Lochlyn Sheldon was named 2019 Burleigh Sportsman of the Year and also was awarded the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Coaches Award.

    Lochlyn Sheldon in 2019 received a quick promotion to the Burleigh GCRL First Grade side making his 2019 GCRL First Grade debut from the bench as the Bears defeated Currumbin 22 – 20 in Round Nine.

    Lochlyn Sheldon moved into the Burleigh GCRL First Grade starting line-up in the left second row position for their Round Ten match against Runaway Bay scoring a double which were in fact the first two tries that Burleigh scored.

    For his first try Lochlyn Sheldon received the ball down a short left blind side to dive over a couple of metres from the left corner post. Lochlyn Sheldon showed some outstanding pace for his second try a few minutes later. Burleigh made a break on the half way mark and Lochlyn Sheldon showed impressive pace to loom up on the inside to take the ball and run twenty metres to score.

    In total in the 2019 GCRL First Grade competition, Lochlyn Sheldon has played in six matches scoring the two tries noted above.

    Lochlyn Sheldon was an ever present in the front row for the Burleigh Bears early in the Hastings Deering’s U20 Colts side in 2018, starting in the front row in their first nine of their matches before being promoted to the Gold Coast Rugby League Burleigh First Grade side.

    Lochlyn Sheldon is not going to score many tries but did score in Round Three of 2018 in the local derby against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

    In 2018 Lochlyn Sheldon made his Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade debut for Burleigh starting from the bench in Round Six when the Bears defeated Bilambil 40 – 10. Lochlyn Sheldon played eight matches for Burleigh in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition in 2018.

    Lochlyn Sheldon had a very good 2017 season on the field for Burleigh in the MM Cup competition and for Runaway Bay across multiple grades in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition. In addition, Lochlyn Sheldon played one match for the Burleigh Bears U20 Colts Challenge side which was in Round Fourteen against the Ipswich Jets, that afternoon Lochlyn Sheldon made his debut from the interchange bench and scored a second half try in a positive debut Colts match.

    For Burleigh in the 2017 MM competition, Lochlyn Sheldon captained the side and started in five of their six matches in the front row and came off the interchange bench in Round Three. Lochlyn Sheldon crossed for three tries over the six matches, scoring in Round One against Redcliffe, in Round Three against North’s and also in Round Six in the local derby against Tweed Heads Seagulls a match in which Burleigh won and a match that also included a number of Tians linked players on both sides.

    For Runaway Bay in the Gold Coast Rugby League Competition, Lochlyn Sheldon played twelve matches in the U19 competition, eleven in the Doug Lipp Cup including starting the Grand Final at lock (Unfortunately Runaway Bay were defeated 13 – 6 by Beaudesert) and one match in the A grade making his A Grade debut in August against Ormeau.

    Across his twelve matches in the 2018 U19 competition, Lochlyn Sheldon scored five tries all coming in a stellar four game period mid-season where he scored double against Mudgeeraba and also tries in that period against Beaudesert, Burleigh and Bilambil.

    Lochlyn Sheldon made his Doug Lipp Cup debut in June 2018 against Bilambil and went on to make eleven appearances for Runaway Bay in that competition scoring three tries which came against Ormeau, Tugun and Bilambil. In five of his eleven Doug Lipp Cup matches, Lochlyn Sheldon played in the U19 contest and then backed up to play the Doug Lipp Cup fixture immediately after the conclusion of the previous match.

    Lochlyn Sheldon was named player of the carnival for the 2016 Confraternity Shield as well as being named in the second row for the Queensland Independent Colleges (QIC) Secondary Schools rugby league side after playing for Gold Coast based Aquinas College in the carnival which was held in September 2016.

    Fellow Aquinas College student Lachlan Douglas was also named in the all carnival side in the front row. Lachlan Douglas is currently part of the 2018 Burleigh U20 Hastings Deering’s squad.

    Previously Lochlyn Sheldon has made multiple representative sides, including the Queensland U13 side, South Coast U15’s where he was named player of the match on Day Two against Darling Downs, Qld Marron U15’s from which he made the U15 Australian Merit Team with Titans linked Konrad Edwards and also the Queensland U16 side in 2015, which also contained Titans Ben Thomas and Darius Farmer.

    Lochlyn Sheldon was part of the Brisbane Broncos elite development squad for a number of years, but unfortunately for him he was not able to gain a contract with the Broncos, which was good news for the Titans.

    Running with the football, Lochlyn Sheldon has good footwork prior to the line and does not often just put his head down and run straight, but uses his solid footwork to try to work the gaps between defenders rather than trying to simply run over them.

    Lochlyn Sheldon does not have great speed off the mark or necessary great high end speed, but he will work hard and make the most of his ability. He actually does have a decent off load when he has impacted the defensive line as well.

    Where there has been a clear development in Lochlyn Sheldon’s game has been he is ability to off load prior to contact with the defensive line in a 2017 Round Three MM match against the North’s Devils Lochlyn Sheldon popped a great short ball to Noah Lolesio off his right hip who crossed untouched for one of his four tries that afternoon at Pizzey Park.

    Defensively Lochlyn Sheldon is not a big hitter, usually aiming for just under the ribs and first intention is to lock up the ball to prevent offloads. One area where is quite effective whether he is defending on the fringes of the ruck or in the centre of the ruck including when he is defending at marker, is against smaller attackers who look to use their foot work.

    Lochlyn Sheldon has quite reasonable lateral mobility for a forward and due to the fact that he also is not that tall, usually is able to wrap up the smaller attackers without his tackles slipping up to around the head or neck, and thus giving away penalties. His ability to successfully defend against these type of attackers as well as having the technique to defend against larger forwards is one of a number of reasons that I consider that a future in the second row is probable.

    Lochlyn Sheldon will probably not stand out during a game but will work hard both in attack and defence and leave all the eye catching things like big hits, line breaks and one handed off loads to other forwards who will benefit from his hard working style.

    Lochlyn Sheldon push for a spot in the Burleigh Queensland Cup side in 2021 and I would not bet against him making an impact in that competition sooner rather than later.

    Whilst he has alternated between second row and front row over previous junior seasons, I would anticipate that based on his build and skill set that starting as early as next season Lochlyn Sheldon will likely transition to the second row full time. Lochlyn Sheldon likely could play front row in an emergency type situation but second row seems like a more natural fit for him from my perspective at least.

    From a player comparison perspective, one player with a similar playing style from my perspective is former Titans second rower and current Titans coaching staff member Anthony Laffranchi, as a solid hard working forward who will probably never be a star but will be a solid contributor to a team’s forward pack.

    Likely there will be players with more natural ability that will not go as far in rugby league as Lochlyn Sheldon will, simply because he will make the most of the ability he has through sheer hard work and effort.

  4. #1309
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    Taine Tuaupiki. (Revised) He is a local young Titans linked utility (halfback/five eight/fullback) who started at fullback for the Burleigh A Grade trial against Tweed Heads in late February 2020.

    When the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League competition restarted in August, Taine Tuaupiki was part of the Burleigh Bears side that was looking to repeat their 2019 Premiership success starting Round One of the GCRL First Grade competition against Southport at left centre and provided to be a handful for the Southport defence almost everytime that he touched the ball, finishing the match with two try assists.

    Both of Taine Tuaupiki’s try assists came in the second half and on both occasions he set up tries for Will Evans. In relation to his first try assist, Taine Tuaupiki received the ball off the dummy half on the left side of the field, forty metres out from the Southport line after a long break by Jayden Campbell. Taine Tuaupiki took the line on and threw a great one armed around the corner pass to his left to Will Evans who raced the forty metres to score.

    Taine Tuaupiki’s second try assist resulted from a more traditional pass to his left to Will Evans after he had made a break down the left side of the field, sending the pass to enable Will Evans an easy thirty five metre run to the line.

    After an impressive performance in Round One, Taine Tuaupiki maintained his place at left centre in Round Two against the Currumbin Eagles and scoring in the first half . From a penalty ten metres out, in front of the posts, Burleigh immediately spun the ball to the left and Taine Tuaupiki was able to get on the outside of his direct opponent and score in the left corner.

    Taine Tuaupiki moved to fullback for Round Three against the Ormeau Shearers before starting Round Five against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks at left centre and scored a long range seventy metres try donw the left touch line when Burleigh fielded an attacking kick in their own in goal, racing down field before passing to Taine Tuaupiki who ran the remainder of the distance.

    After Burleigh had a Round Six bye, Taine Tuaupiki started at left centre once again in Round Seven against Runaway Bay making a couple of sniping runs in the first half.

    Taine Tuaupiki was named to start at left centre in Round Eight against the Southport Tigers but in fact started Burleigh’s 23 – 22 win at half back.

    In Burleigh’s 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Semi-final Taine Tuaupiki started on the right wing against the Southport Tigers.

    In the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Grand Final Taine Tuaupiki started on the right wing for Burleigh agaisnt Runaway Bay.

    Taine Tuaupiki was in outstanding form for the Burleigh Bears U20 Hastings Deering’s Colt’s side in 2019 and also deservedly played a number of Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade matches with Burleigh.

    Taine Tuaupiki started at half for the 2019 Burleigh U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts Round One side as they drew 24 all with Norths at Bishop Park, in total playing in nine games in total scoring five tries, three of which came in Burleigh’s finals campaign.

    Taine Tuaupiki started all nine of his 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts matches, starting four at half, one being Round Six against the Western Mustangs at five eight and the remaining four matches at right centre, with his first start at centre coming in Round Twenty Three against Central Queensland. Taine Tuaupiki followed that up by starting all three of Burleigh’s finals at right centre.

    In Round Three against Tweed Heads Taine Tuaupiki scored a good solo try, he received the ball playing on the right side of the ruck around twelve metres out from the line and after stepping off his right foot to create a gap, surged through the Tweed fullbacks tackle right on the try line.

    Taine Tuaupiki also scored an outstanding try in Round Ten against the Northern Pride. He received the ball around ten metres out from the Pride line whilst operating on the left side of the field, and after stepping back inside the Pride defence exploded through a small gap in the line to cross near the left upright.

    After missing a number of weeks Taine Tuaupiki started Round Twenty Two against Sunshine Coast in the centres for Burleigh and also at right centre in Round Twenty Three against Central Queensland. Taine Tuaupiki terrorised the Capra’s left side defence in the match including making a long break from a scrum but he was bundled into touch a metre out.

    In Week Two of the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Finals series, Taine Tuaupiki once again started at left centre and scored a try in each half to propel Burleigh into the Preliminary Final with both of his tries impressive individual efforts.

    Taine Tuaupiki’s first try was a seventy metre effort, he received the ball one off the scrum bursting through the initial defensive line with a slight step off both foot, the first coming off his right, before beating the fullback and getting away from a cover defender who looked to grab his jersey collar to score under posts.

    Taine Tuaupiki’s second try resulted from a series of side steps on the left of the field. Taine Tuaupiki received the ball wide on the left and immediately stepped twice off his left foot create space and then produced a right foot back towards the side line and accelerated from ten metres out to score.

    Taine Tuaupiki’s 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts season came to an end when he started at left centre for Burleigh as they went down 23 – 16 to Sunshine Coast in the Preliminary Final with Taine Tuaupiki being one of Burleigh’s try scorers in the match.

    Playing left centre once again, Taine Tuaupiki received the ball around forty five metres out and ran at the defensive line with the ball out in front in both hands before stepping odd his left foot to beat the initial defender before accelerating away from the defence then beating the fullback and streaking away to score.

    In the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Year Award tally Taine Tuaupiki finished with two votes.

    Taine Tuaupiki also played a number of matches for Burleigh in the GCRL First Grade competition including starting at fullback in Round Seven against Tugun. For what I believe was his first match at fullback in that competition, Taine Tuaupiki played quite well and made a number of sniping runs through the centre of the ruck.

    Taine Tuaupiki scored his first Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade try of 2019 when he scored in Round Twelve against Southport starting at fullback as the Bears won 34 – 10.

    Taine Tuaupiki lined up on the left of the field taking the ball from the dummy half about ten metres out from the Southport line and exploded towards the line, with the ball out in front of his body in two hands, after a quick dummy to his left, Taine Tuaupiki sliced through two Tigers defenders to score half way between the touch line and left upright.

    In total for Burleigh in the GCRL First Grade competition Taine Tuaupiki, including Finals played in four matches this season.

    In Round Two of the 2018 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition in a 28 – 20 victory over Redcliffe at Pizzey Park he was as dominant as I have seen a player at that level as he constantly split the Redcliffe defence and directed Burleigh around the field superbly.

    In that particular match, Taine Tuaupiki had the ball on a string and also scored a great try highlighting his speed and elusiveness. Taine Tuaupiki also scored in Round One against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

    In addition to the tries that he has scored in the Colts competition in 2019 Taine Tuaupiki had at least four try assists on the season that I can recall immediately including one from a deft banana grubber kick in Round Two against the Redcliffe Dolphins and three from sublime passes right at the defensive line in various matches.

    Taine Tuaupiki’s Round One try came as a result of a great short ball to his right side to Titans fellow linked second rower Apiata Neoma-Matenga who went through the line untouched before drawing the fullback and passing back inside to Taine Tuaupiki to score under the posts untouched for an outstanding Burleigh try.

    Taine Tuaupiki’s try in Round Two against Redcliffe was as a result of a dummy where after receiving the ball two wide of the ruck on the right side Taine Tuaupiki shaped to pass wider out and then exploded through a gap to score just wide of the right hand upright.

    Over the course of the opening rounds Taine Tuaupiki forged a very successful combination on the right side of the field with fellow Titans youngster Apiata Neoma-Matenga which I am sure will lead (and has already) to a lot of line breaks and tries for both over the course of the season.

    In total in the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition this season Taine Tuaupiki played in fourteen matches for Burleigh starting all at five eight bar Round Four against Souths Logan when he started from the interchange and has scored six tries and kicked five goals.

    As noted above Taine Tuaupiki scored in the opening two rounds of the season against Sunshine Coast and Redcliffe. Taine Tuaupiki has also scored in Round Nine against Townsville, Round Thirteen against Ipswich, Round Fourteen against the Northern Pride and in Round Twenty-One against Wynnum Manly.

    Taine Tuaupiki made his Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade debut at five eight against Tweed Heads and prior to his move back to the Burleigh Colts side made three First Grade appearances and recorded a 100% strike rate. Taine Tuaupiki scored a double on debut against Tweed Heads and also scored against Southport.

    Taine Tuaupiki started the 2017 season in the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side and upon completion of the competition progressed to the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Colts Challenge side. From a representative perspective Taine Tuaupiki has represented South East Queensland at the U16 level in 2016 was one of the key reasons that Coombabah State High School had such a great GIO Cup run which finished in heart breaking fashion against Keebra Park.

    For the 2017 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side Taine Tuaupiki played all six matches at half back including scoring in Round Two against Victoria. Immediately upon completion of the MM Cup competition, Taine Tuaupiki was drafted into the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Colts Challenge side and except for Round Six which he missed, he played every match. Taine Tuaupiki started Rounds One to Five at fullback scoring tries in Round Two against Easts, Round Three against Redcliffe and Round Five against Wynnum Manly.

    Taine Tuaupiki switched to five eight in Round Seven, making an immediate impact scoring against the North’s Devils and except for Round Ten where he started from the interchange bench, Taine Tuaupiki started at five eight, scoring doubles in Round Eight against Ipswich and Round Thirteen in a comeback win against the Easts Tigers. Taine Tuaupiki also scored against the Sunshine Coast Falcons in Round Twelve. Taine Tuaupiki also started at five eight in Round Fourteen through Sixteen.

    In the 2017 finals series Taine Tuaupiki started in Tweed Heads three matches, starting Week One at five eight before starting at half back in Tweed Heads second final and their Preliminary Final loss. Isaac Worboys started at five eight in the last two Seagulls Finals matches of 2017.

    In 2016, Taine Tuaupiki played for Runaway Bay in the U17 Division One GCJRL competition where his side finished as the minor premiers, however they were beaten 18 – 12 in the Grand Final by Burleigh. Taine Tuaupiki started the 2016 Grand Final at half back.

    Over the course of the 2016 U17 Division One season, Taine Tuaupiki scored five tries and conversion and field goal to finish with a total points tally of 23 on the season with the field goal coming in a semi-final against Burleigh.

    If anything Taine Tuaupiki looks like he has put on a bit of size over the recent off season but a huge positive is that his outstanding speed off the mark has not been compromised at all nor has his elusiveness in general.

    In attack, Taine Tuaupiki’s speed off the mark is the first attribute that you will notice when you see him play, he has a dynamic initial burst off the mark. He does not seem to have an extra gear once he is through the defensive line, but has the ability to maintain his speed over a reasonable distance. Coupled with a very good step off both feet, his speed enables him to make breaks. His try in Round Two detailed above highlighted his speed off the mark.

    Taine Tuaupiki can and will beat defenders in the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies and also backs up well. It is these attributes that means Taine Tuaupiki is a threat to run every time he is at dummy half and opposing defences must that that into account, for if the markers do not work hard or there are slow moving forwards Taine Tuaupiki has the ability to exploit that on each occasion.

    In Round Twenty One of the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts season against Wynnum Manly Taine Tuaupiki’s step and speed resulted in scoring a good try. Taine Tuaupiki received the ball about ten metres out from the Wynnum Manly line, drifted across field a touch and then stepped back inside the B defender and accelerated in outpace the cover defence.

    It was a similar instance in Round Twenty Four against Easts, Taine Tuaupiki went on a great run using his outstanding foot work to beat multiple defenders and then threw a great pass to give Sean garner a solon passage to the line.

    Holding the ball out in front of his body in both hands enables Taine Tuaupiki to put doubt into the minds of the opposing defensive line and thus me can dummy and run if there is a gap in the defensive line or put his support runners into gaps. His decisive nature also means that when the ball needs to get out to his back line he will get it out there quickly to give his outside backs as much space as possible to work with prior to contact with the opposing defensive line.

    Getting the ball out to the back line quickly is no issue for Taine Tuaupiki as he has a very good long passing technique which delivers the ball quickly and accurately to the right place at the right time from either side of his body.

    The one thing that has stood out through the U20 Colts competition this season is Taine Tuaupiki’s willingness to take the ball right to the line before passing. A couple of examples highlight this including a number of plays in Round Two against Redcliffe and again in Round Twenty One against Wynnum Manly.

    On one occasion, Taine Tuaupiki operating on the right popped a great short ball to New Zealand born centre Mikey Williams who as a result had a big 50 metre run down the field which led directly to a try to Reece Tapine on the opposite side of the field on the next play. Also against Redcliffe Taine Tuaupiki took the ball to the line and popped a short ball to Apiata Neoma-Matenga who scored after a barn storming run just right of the uprights at the ‘hill’ end of Pizzey Park.

    I have noted a couple of very good plays from Taine Tuaupiki when he has been operating on the right side of the field, but it would be patently unfair to suggest that he cannot operate on the left equally effectively.

    In Round One against the Sunshine Coast Falcons, Taine Tuaupiki in fact set up two tries down the left side of the field, on both occasions he got outside his opposite defender and presented left centre Jaxson Paulo with passes directly to his chest leading him onto the ball nicely. On the first occasion Jaxson Paulo scored untouched and the second Jaxson Paulo drew the Falcons winger for Reece Tapine to score also untouched.

    Taine Tuaupiki also has a solid kicking game both from a tactical and attacking perspective and in Round two against Redcliffe got a try assist when in broken play and facing the sideline, Taine Tuaupiki put in a right footed banana grubber kick that was perfectly weighted to the in goal for Burleigh fullback Corey Alexander to dive on the ball in the in goal area and score.

    In Round Twenty One against Wynnum Manly a deft kick by Taine Tuaupiki was perfectly weighted for halfback Harry Fitzhugh to score under the posts. Similarly in Round Twenty Four against Wynnum Manly, a perfectly weight Taine Tuaupiki set up a try under the posts for half Cameron Brown.

    In defence, Taine Tuaupiki reads the play very well and can hold his own when defending much bigger players. When confronted with forwards running directly at him in the centre of the ruck he will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives.

    Taine Tuaupiki does have an aggressive streak in him when defending and this holds him in good stead when defending in the centre of the ruck. His additional size and strength this season has certainly assisted Taine Tuaupiki defensively this season.

    Taine Tuaupiki was set to push for a sport in the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side in 2020 but his inevitable Queensland Cup debut will now have to wait until the 2021 season. Regardless of when (not if) it occurs Taine Tuaupiki’s Queensland Cup debut will certainly be richly deserved and applauded by many.

    Taking into account his speed off the mark and his solid passing skills, I am leaning towards half back as the ultimate landing sport for Taine Tuaupiki where if everything falls into place, he could develop into a dynamic runner of the ball from the half back position who could cause a degree of havoc towards the end of each half as opposing forward packs fatigue as well as being able to direct his team around the field and play within the game plan.

    In saying that however those exact same traits could equally equate to an outstanding career as a fullback on a rugby league field. From either position Taine Tuaupiki shapes as an outstanding ball runner and underrated ball player and defender.

    From a player comparison perspective for Taine Tuaupiki the speed, footwork, game management and passing skills of St George Dragons play maker Corey Norman are comparable. If anything Taine Tuaupiki’s running and passing skills and to a lesser extent his game management skills have already exceed those of Corey Norman.

    Taine Tuaupiki is a young player of immense potential who has had an outstanding 2019 rugby league season and appears destined for higher honours in rugby league and is on the fast track to an NRL berth almost certainly in the coming years. Let’s hope that it is a Titans jersey.

    Through the Hastings Deering’s Colts U20 Cup competition and the GCRL First Grade competition over the last few seasons Taine Tuaupiki has been an absolute stand out in his own right for Burleigh and the scary part is that Taine Tuaupiki has barely even scratched the surface of the immense potential that he possesses.

    Taine Tuaupiki is an outstanding talent for the Titans and with players like him coming through the ranks the future for the Titans shines very bright indeed.

  5. #1310
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    Tyler Szepanowski. (Revised) The big tall young former St Brendan’s College front rower signed with the Titans mid-way through the 2017 season and has previously been a member of the Titans Rookie Squad.

    Tyler Szepanowski started on the bench for the Burleigh Queensland Cup side in their February 2020 trial against the Titans at Pizzey Park. When he came on Tyler Szepanoswki was very effective running for eighty two metres (thirty post contact) and made twenty three tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Tyler Szepanowski also started in the front row for the Burleigh A Grade side in their late February 2020 trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

    When the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League competition restarted in August, Tyler Szepanowski was part of the Burleigh Bears side that was looking to repeat their 2019 GCRL First Grade Premiership success starting Round One of the GCRL First Grade competition against Southport in the front row and also started in the front row in Round Two against the Currumbin Eagles.

    Round Three against the Ormeau Shearers saw Tyler Szepanowski start in the front row and his first try of the season in the victory over Ormeau. Tyler Szepanowski scored from close range after the Burleigh dummy half tried to score out of dummy half but popped the ball back to Tyler Szepanowski who dived over next to the right upright.

    Round Four against Tugun saw Tyler Szepanowski once again start in the front row for Burleigh against the Tugun Seahawks and he scored for the second week in a row. Tyler Szepanowski received the ball three metres out from the line off the dummy half to the left of the play the ball and stepped off his left foot to dive over next to the left upright for the last try of the 66 – 0 Burleigh victory.

    Tyler Szepanowski also recorded a try assist in the first half of the match when after receiving the ball as Burleigh threw the ball to the right, Tyler Szepanowski took the ball to the line before throwing a good pass to his right to put Lochlyn Sheldon into a gap twenty five metres out to score near the right upright.

    Tyler Szepanowski also started in the front row in Round Five against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks and in Round Seven against Runaway Bay. Unfortunately Tyler Szepanowski laster less than a minute in the match before suffering a head knock and was assisted from the field.

    Tyler Szepanowski was back in the Burleigh GCRL First Grade side, starting in the front row in Round Nine against the Currumbin Eagles.

    In Burleigh’s 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Semi-final Tyler Szepanowski started in the front row against the Southport Tigers.

    Tyler Szepanowski also started in the front row for the Burleigh Bears against the Runaway Bay Seagulls in the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Grand Final.

    Like he did in 2018 Tyler Szepanowski started the 2019 season in the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side, playing the opening eight rounds in the front row before being promoted to the Burleigh GCRL First Grade side, starting from the bench in Round Seven in a 16 all draw with Tugun.

    In Week Two of the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Finals Tyler Szapanowski scored in Burleigh’s 42 – 12 win against Norths after starting the match in the front row. Tyler Szapanowski ran onto a Cameron Brown pass in the second half barging over near the left upright after an impressive run especially post contact and dragged three Norths defenders over the line with him.

    In total in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for Burleigh Tyler Szapanowski played in eleven matches starting all in the front row and in fact he captained the side for the first half of the season prior to his promotion to the Burleigh GCRL First Grade side.

    In addition to his Finals Week Two try, Tyler Szepanowski’s other try of the season came in Round two against the Ipswich Jets.

    Tyler Szapanowski made his 2019 GCRL First Grade starting debut in Round Eleven against Bilambil when he started in the front row and also started in the front row in Round Sixteen against Tugun and Round Seventeen against Runaway Bay.

    In total in the 2019 GCRL First Grade competition for Burleigh Tyler Szapanowski played in eight matches, including starting in the front row in Burleigh’s Major Semi-final 26 – 12 win over Currumbin.

    Tyler Szapanowski also started in the front row as Burleigh won the GCRL First Grade Grand Final by defeating Southport 30 -12.

    Tyler Szepanowski started the 2018 season in the Burleigh Bears Hastings Deering’s U20 Colts squad starting his opening ten matches in the front row before being promoted to the Burleigh Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade side where he has stayed since that time.

    In the GCRL First Grade competition Tyler Szepanowski made his debut against Southport in June and went on to play in seven matches and scored his first and to date only try against Tugun in late July. For Burleigh in the GCRL First Grade side Tyler Szepanowski on the majority of occasions has come off the bench but he has started one or two matches at lock towards the end of the season.

    In 2017 Tyler Szepanowski was part of the Central Queensland Capra’s U18 squad after having a solid season in Schoolboy rugby league in 2016. The young front rower was the St Brendan’s College Co-captain a great achievement for the young man who came to the school from Moranbah and also was part of the St Brendan’s side that made the 2016 Final of the Confraternity Shield where they played Ignatius Park in that final.

    Tyler Szepanowski was approached by the Titans after the Capra’s Round Three match against the Burleigh Bears MM side in 2017 at Browne Park and is probably the first player the Titans have signed with a Prussian heritage.

    For the Central Queensland Capra’s MM side in 2017 Tyler Szepanowski started in five of their six matches, in each of his starts Tyler Szepanowski played in the front row. Tyler Szepanowski only missed the final round being Round Six.

    Tyler Szepanowski scored two tries in the five matches with his tries coming in Rounds One and Two against the Central Crows and Redcliffe Dolphins. Tyler Szepanowski also captained the Capra’s in their Round Five matches against eventual MM champions the Western Mustangs.

    At the completion of the MM competition in 2017, Tyler Szepanowski moved to playing first grade in the Rockhampton Rugby League competition with Brothers Rockhampton making his First Grade debut in late April against the North’s Chargers. In total Tyler Szepanowski played in thirteen Rockhampton RL First Grade matches and scored his sole first grade try in June against Woorabinda.

    Tyler Szepanowski started all of his first grade matches in the second row. Late in the 2017 season, Tyler Szepanowski also played one match in the Rockhampton Rugby League U20 competition with the match being against Brothers Rockhampton.

    At the Rockhampton Senior Rugby League awards in late 2017 Tyler Szepanowski was named at the Rockhampton Rugby League First Grade Rookie of the Year.

    Tyler Szepanowski who trailed for the Parramatta Eels Harrold Matthews side in 2015 won the Coaches Award at the 2016 St Brendan’s Sports Awards night and represented the Queensland Capra’s in the CC Cup competition in 2016 and also Capricornia U15 side in 2014 at the QSSRL U15 Championships.

    The young front rower who currently weighs around the 101kg mark has what I would consider plus speed for a front rower, in fact his speed would be above average for a forward of any position. He uses this speed to impact the defensive at top speed. Tyler Szepanowski does not necessarily get back deep, but his plus speed off the mark as well as plus top speed (for a front rower) enables him to still hit the line hard.

    Tyler Szepanowski runs very front on but will lower his body into the defenders as the commit to the tackle, and through a combination of size, speed and determination regularly bumps the first defender off when they try to tackle Tyler Szepanowski around the chest area.

    Once he impacts the defensive line Tyler Szepanowski also is adept at redirecting his momentum to address the next defender who is coming in to hit him.

    When he is close to the line he seems to have an extra gear again and crashes into the defensive line low and hard and is very difficult to stop. He scores a high proportion of his tries coming from situations where he took on a set defensive line from reasonably close range and was able to carry defenders across the line.

    I have not seen too many off loads from him in relation to when he has engaged the line, the majority of his offloads have come from situations where his momentum is stopped but Tyler Szepanowski is able to get an arm free, usually his right arm and then pop the ball out the back.

    In defence Tyler Szepanowski regularly is the first player up to target the ball carriers, even though he is one of the bigger forwards in his team and will make solid initial contact as well as having the ability of defending one on one. He is not averse to looking for the big hit but does have a good front on defensive technique and decent agility and lateral movement when looking to tackle smaller opponents.

    Tyler Szepanowski’s technique is also quite decent for a taller player and he gets low in defence to look to mitigate the possibility of his tackles slipping up around the hard and neck area of shorter opponents when he is looking to initiate contact.

    Tyler Szepanowski will also track the ball across the field and just needs to ensure that he stays vigilant when the ball is moved further out and continue to cover the inside channel so that he is not caught out of the ball is passed back inside.

    At this stage he has the speed to compensate and close the distance to the attacker quickly but as he progresses in the upper age groups he just needs to ensure that he is in the right position, and to be fair he is in the right position the vast majority of the time.

    Tyler Szepanowski was looking to progress to the Queensland Cup competition in 2020 with the Burleigh Bears but when the Gol d Coast Rugby League competition restarted in July 2020 Tyler Szepanowski was a key member of the Bears GCRL First Grade side as he looked to gear up for a tilt to make his Queensland Cup debut in 2021.

    With his build (190cm and 101kg) and style of play, I can envisage Tyler Szepanowski playing in the front row as he continues his junior rugby league career although he will likely to continue to spend some time in the second row while he continues to develop physically.

    From a style perspective, think along the lines of the James Tamau of the Penrith Panthers as a tall front rower with good footwork both in attack and defence and he is also a leader on the field who can set the direction and tempo for his team by leading from the front in the most demanding position on a football field regardless of the age group or level of competition.

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    Vinncent Takataka. The former Canterbury Bankstown junior moved up to South East Queensland at the start of the 2018 season and had an exceptional start to his rugby league career in South East Queensland over the course of subsequent seasons including an impressive 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade campaign with the Premiership winning Runaway Bay Seagulls.

    Vinncent Takataka kicked off his 2020 campaign starting in the second row in Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls against the Northern Pride with the Seagulls starting off with a big 50 – 20 victory.

    With the cancellation of all competitions run by the Queensland Rugby League,Vinncent Takataka played the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League competition with the Runaway Bay Seagulls, starting Round One of the GCRL First Grade competition from the bench and scoring as the Seagulls defeated the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.

    Vinncent Takataka’s try was as a result of a powerful run when he took the ball one off the dummy half to the right and powered over by breaking three tackles to score under the posts.

    Round Four saw Vinncent Takatara move into the starting side in the front row against the Southport Tigers and also started in the front row in Round Five against the Tugun Seahawks, with the young front rower one of the Seagulls try scorers when he chased through a short attacking kick to dive on the ball two or three metres from the deab ball line under the posts.

    Vinncent Takatara moved back to the bench for Round Six against the Currumbin Eagles as well as for Round Seven against Burleigh and Round Eight against the Ormeau Shearers. Round Nine saw Vinncent Takatara moved back into the starting line up in the second row agaisnt the Tugun Seahawks.

    In Runaway Bay’s 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Semi-Final against Mudgeeraba, Vinncent Takatara started in the front row.

    In the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Grand Final Vinncent Takatara was on the bench for Runaway Bay as they took on the Burleigh Bears.

    Vinncent Takatake came into the 2019 Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts side for their Round Two match against the Townsville Blackhawks starting from the bench and maintained his place in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears starting at lock and scoring his sole try of the season.

    In total in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition Vinncent Takatake played in thirteen matches including their Elimination Final loss to Mackay. Vinncent Takatake started six matches in 2019, four at lock and two in the second row with his first match in the second row coming in Round Nineteen against the Mackay Cutters.

    Vinncent Takatake made his Gold Coast Rugby League Doug Lipp Cup debut from the bench in Round Twelve against Currumbin.

    Vinncent Takataka also played three GCRL U20 matches for Runaway Bay in 2019 with his total of two points coming when he kicked a conversion against Southport in May.

    Vinncent Takataka represented South’s Logan in the 2018 MM Cup competition starting a number of the Magpies matches including their MM Cup Grand Final against North’s and their National Final against Penrith. Earlier in 2018 the former Canterbury Bankstown junior represented South Coast at the U18 QSSRL Championships in Toowoomba where South Coast was defeated by Met East in the Championship final.

    In the 2018 MM Cup competition for South’s Logan as noted Vinncent Takataka played in four South’s Logan’s matches. Vinncent Takataka broke into the South’s Logan MM side in Round Three against North’s from the inter change bench and also played off the bench in Round Four against Burleigh. Vinncent Takataka started Round Five against Wynnum Manly in the front row and started the MM Cup Grand Final and U18 National Final in the second row, scoring in the National Final against the Penrith Panthers.

    Post those feats, Vinncent Takataka made his debut in the Gold Coast Rugby League U19 competition when he started in the second row for Runaway Bay in Round Eight in their 32-24 win over the Ormeau Shearers. In Round Nine Vinncent Takataka started in the second row once against and scored a double as his Runaway Bay side defeated Beaudesert 32 – 20.

    In total in the Gold Coast Rugby League U19 competition in 2018, Vinncent Takataka played in six matches and in addition to the previously mentioned double against Beaudesert also scored against Burleigh and Helensvale in consecutive matches in August 2018.

    Vinncent Takataka, prior to his move to Queensland was part of the Canterbury Bulldogs Junior Development set-up for a numbers of years, joining the Bulldogs in their U15 Development Squad in 2015 and progressing to playing for the Bulldogs U16 Harrold Matthews Cup side in 2016. Vinncent’s Takataka’s junior rugby league club in Sydney was the Bankstown Sports Club where he started his rugby league journey in the U12’s.

    Vinncent Takataka is a powerfully built second rower with a solid frame and a low centre of gravity, but for his size has above average balance, speed and footwork operating normally on the left side of the ruck.

    Vinncent Takataka’s style of play is that of a powerful wide running back rower with above average speed for the position. I would actually argue that in fact a better definition of his speed would be well above average to plus. Vinncent Takataka is quite quick off the mark, but what makes him even more impressive from a speed perspective is that when he gets into space, he has an extra gear again which is a plus attribute for such a strong powerful second rower, making it almost impossible for the cover defence to catch him once he is open space.

    Couple those two aspects with a very good fend and you have a big strong powerful young player who can cause nightmares for any defensive line. Vinncent Takataka seems to line up on the left side of the field more so than the right, but I have no doubt moving forward that he will be able to play on either side of the field, he seems to be just so skilful.

    For a backrower of his size, he runs with pace, strength and power every time he touches the ball during a game. For a young player, Vinncent Takataka seems to have a good understanding of when to off load the ball, currently most of his off loads occur when he is part way through the defensive line and can get his right arm free to pass to his outside support runners.

    Vinncent Takataka is aggressive in defence whether he is defending in the centre of the ruck or on the fringes, and due to his natural strength is more than capable of defending one on one and can and will stop even the biggest opposing forwards in their tracks and targets the area around where the attackers carry the football. His speed and lateral movement means that he will not be beaten by light stepping halves trying to take advantage of tiring forwards or the opposition running out of dummy half.

    Vinncent Takataka will play the 2021 season as part of the Runaway Bay Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade side as he works towards breaking into the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup side in 2021 or beyond.

    With his above average to plus speed and foot work for a solidly built player Vinncent Takataka shapes as a second rower for the duration of his rugby league career.

    This should be no real surprise as Vinncent Takataka has been playing almost exclusively in the second row since starting in the second row for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs in Round One of the 2016 Harrold Matthews U16 Cup competition. I do note that he did start one MM Cup match that season in the front row for South’s Logan.

    Vinncent Takataka has the look of a very talented player with a playing style similar to that of about to be Newcastle Knights, New South Wales State of Origin and Australian International second rower Tyson Fizzell as a powerful and devastating runner on the fringes of the ruck.

    Like Fizzell what makes Vinncent Takataka such a handful is his outstanding foot work that compliments his speed and power with a low centre of gravity perfectly.

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    Ji Van Heerwaarden. The big strong young second rower originally from the Glenn Innes Magpies club in the New England Group 19 competition moved up to the Gold Coast for the 2018 season linking with the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the 2018 MM Cup competition.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden started Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the front row against the Northern Pride.

    When rugby league on the Gold Coast restarted Ji Van Heerwaarden played for the Currumbin Eagles in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition and after a Round One bye, Currumbin took on Burleigh in Round Two with Ji Van Heerwaarden starting the match on the bench.

    After missing a number of GCRL First Grade rounds, Ji Van Heerwaarden was back starting from the bench in Round Nine against the Burleigh Bears scoring a try from close range when he charged onto a short pass from Cole Geyer to the right of the play the ball to drag two defenders three metres to get the ball down under the posts.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden also played a number of matches in 2020 in the Doug Lipp Cup competition for the Currumbin Eagles, including starting in the front row in the Grand Final of that competition against the Tugun Seahawks.

    In 2019 Ji Van Heerwaarden played primarily for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the U20 Hastings Deering’s Colt competition, playing in nineteen consecutive matches including their Elimination Final loss to the Mackay Cutters after coming into the side in Round Three against Burleigh.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden as noted above started from the bench in Round Three and moved into the starting side in the front row in Round Five against Wynnum Manly. Ji Van Heerwaarden maintained his starting spot through to Rounds Twenty Two and Twenty Three against Easts and Souths Logan respectively when he started from the bench.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden’s sole 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts try came in Round Sixteen against Wynnum Manly.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden also played one match for Currumbin in the GCRL U20 competition including starting from the bench and scoring a double in Round Seventeen against Southport. Both tries were a result of sheer will power, Ji Van Heerwaarden charged at the line and just wanted to score more than the defence wanted to stop him.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden made in GCRL First Grade debut in May against Bilambil coming off the bench on that occasion.

    In 2018 Ji Van Heerwaarden only played in one MM Cup match last season being in Round One against Norths when he started in the front row.

    In the Gold Coast Rugby League competition he played for the Currumbin Eagles and went his first thirteen U19 matches without scoring but chose the perfect time to score when he scored a double in Currumbin’s 34 – 20 Grand Final victory over Southport after starting the match in the front row.

    In 2018 Ji Van Heerwaarden also made his Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade debut coming off the interchange bench for Currumbin and Round Fifteen against Ormeau. He also came off the bench in Round Sixteen against Tugun.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden played the 2017 season in the Group 19 U18 competition where he was one of the standout players. Across the ten matches that he played for Glenn Innes in the U18 competition, Ji Van Heerwaarden scored nine tries including a great end to the season when he scored four tries in his final three matches including a double in Glenn Innes’s final loss.

    In the final two rounds of the regular season U18 competition, Ji Van Heerwaarden also scored against the Moree Boomerangs and the Inverell Hawks. Earlier in the season, Ji Van Heerwaarden scored a double against the Moree Boars and also scored in the first two rounds against the Tingha Tigers and Armidale Rans respectively. In June of 2017 Ji Van Heerwaarden made his Group 19 First Grade debut when he started against the Moree Boars after playing in the U18 clash earlier in the day.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden is a big powerful young man who whilst using his size to his advantage by running hard and straight, he does have quite decent footwork prior to the defensive line, which he uses to cut back behind the play the ball to take advantage of defenders who are slow to get back into the defensive line.

    Where Ji Van Heerwaarden’s game has really developed over the last couple of seasons his ability to play wider of the ruck, which is where he is primarily playing for the U18 Glenn Innes side this season. With his size and strength wider of the ruck Ji Van Heerwaarden attracts defenders and thus is in a position to use his ball skills to set up his outside supports early in a match.

    When defences start to try to anticipate that Ji Van Heerwaarden is going to pass then he can use his size and power to cash through the defensive lien as no defender is going to be able to handle him one on one by themselves.

    In defence Ji Van Heerwaarden uses his size and strength to make very solid initial contact and certainly can take on all opposing forwards one on one. Ji Van Heerwaarden is not adverse to looking for the big hit but does have a good front on defensive technique, maintaining decent leverage and reasonable agility and lateral movement when looking to tackle smaller opponents on the edge of the ruck, although clearly he is more effective in the centre of the ruck, as most front rowers are.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden trainied with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup side over 2020 off season thus it is certainly conceivable that he is also in the mix to break into the Seagulls Queensland Cup side over the course of the 2021 season.

    Ji Van Heerwaarden has a bit of height to go along with some more than decent speed for a forward and I would anticipate that whilst he will also spend some time in the from row, Ji Van Heerwaarden is for the short to medium term at least, is best suited to staying in the second row.

    A current NRL player with a similar playing style for me is Newcastle Knights rookie second rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon. Like Fitzgibbon Ji Van Heerwaarden shapes as a talented young second rower who just needs the right opportunity to highlight his interesting skill set.

  8. #1313
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    Callum Boomer. (Revised) Callum Boomer started on the left wing for the Tweed Heads A Grade side in their late February 2020 trial against the Burleigh Bears for his first hit out of the 2020 rugby league season.

    With the cancellation of all competitions run by the Queensland Rugby League, Callum Boomer played the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League competition with the Southport Tigers, starting Round One of the GCRL First Grade competition at left centre as the Tigers took on the Bureigh Bears.

    Callum Boomer moved to the left wing for Round Three against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks finishing the Tigers victory with fourteen points from a try and five conversions. Callum Boomer scored in the first half when he flew down the left wing after good work on his inside by Ethan O’Neill to score in the left corner.

    Callum Boomer also started on the left wing in Round Four against the Runaway Bay Seagulls and Round Five against the Currumbin Eagles scoring a try and kicking three conversions in the Tigers big victory.

    Callum Boomer also started on the left wing in Round Six against the Tugun Seahawks filling up the stats column with five goals, a try and a try assist which came when he made a long break down the left touch line, drawing the fullback to send his left centre away.

    Callum Boomer’s try came after some good work between the Tigers dummy half and first receiver who cut back behind the play the ball and put Callum Boomer into a gap, Callum Boomer drew the fullback sending the ball inside before getting it back to score out wide of the left side of the field.

    Callum Boomer continued his run of GCRL First Grade starts on the left wing in Round Seven against the Ormeau Shearers as well as in Round Eight against Burleigh when he kicked three conversions in the Tigers 23 – 22 last minute loss.

    In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition being Round Ten, Callum Boomer started on the left wing as the Tigers took on the Tugun Seahawks and had a day to remember scoring four tries and also kicking four conversions for an individual twenty four point haul.

    The first three of Callum Boomer’tries came through backing up, the first through the centre of the ruck and the second and third backing up breaks down the left touchline. Callum Boomer’s third and final try came when he was on hand to retrieve an attacking kick to his left wing.

    In Southport’s 2020 GCRL Preliminary Final against Burleigh, Callum Boomer started on the left wing as the Tigers well one win short of a Grand Final berth.

    The hard working winger started the 2019 season with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad, playing in sixteen matches for the Seagulls after coming into the side in Round Three on the bench against Burleigh.

    In 2019 Callum Boomer had eighty six points come his way from six tries and thirty one goals.

    Callum Boomer had a try scoring double in Round Eleven against the Northern Pride and also scored in Rounds Ten, Twelve, Fifteen and Twenty against Easts, Souths Logan, Townsville and Ipswich respectively.

    With the boot Callum Boomer kicked five goals in Round Thirteen against Souths Logan and kicked four goals in a match on four occasions.

    Positionally Callum Boomer started his first six 2019 Colts matches in 2019 on the wing, seven in the centres the first being against the Northern Pride in Round Eleven and started two matches at lock with those matches being against Wynnum Manly in Round Thirteen and Ipswich in Round Twenty.

    At the late September 2019 Tweed Heads Seagulls Presentation Night Callum Boomer was awarded the 2019 Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts Coaches Award.

    Callum Boomer made his deserved Queensland Cup debut in Round Seventeen of 2019 in the derby against Burleigh playing the entire match on the right wing, almost scoring on debut when he was held up early in the second half but also saved a try when he held up the Burleigh left centre and then with Tremain Spry pushed him into touch in goal.

    In his debut Callum Boomer ran for fifty one metres (12 post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 4.83 seconds and had a tackling efficiency of 100%.

    Callum Boomer started the 2018 season playing in the Gold Cost Rugby League First Grade competition for the Southport Tigers starting on the wing in the first two rounds against Currumbin and Tugun and kicked a conversion in each of those matches.

    In total for Southport in the Gold Coast First Grade competition Callum Boomer played in four matches scoring twelve points from the two tries mentioned above and two conversions.

    In Round Three after being named earlier that week on an extended bench for the Burleigh Colts side Callum Boomer played in the U19 Gold Coast Rugby League competition. Callum Boomer started in the centres and scored a try and kicked three goals in a 22 all draw with the Bilambil Jets.

    Round Four saw Callum Boomer once again start in the centres for the Southport Tigers U19 side in their clash against Burleigh which they won 31 - 18. Callum Boomer had a day out in the win over Burleigh when he scored 19 of Southport’s 31 points. Callum Boomer scored two tries, kicked five goals and a field goal. Through his first two U19 games this season, Callum Boomer scored 29 points from three tries eight goals and the field goal.

    After a couple of matches for the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s U20 Colts side Callum Boomer was back in the Southport U19 side for Round Seven and starting at centre kicked three goals as the Tigers fell to a 28 – 28 defeat to Mudgeeraba.

    Southport progressed all of the way to the Gold Coast Rugby League U19 Grand Final with Callum Boomer starting the Grand Final at fullback and scoring two tries and kicking two conversions as Southport went down 34 – 20 to Currumbin.

    In total for Southport in the U19 competition Callum Boomer played in ten matches scoring 93 points from seven tries, thirty two goals and a field goal (against Burleigh). In addition to the two tries that he scored in the Grand Final Callum Boomer also scored doubles against Burleigh and Mudgeeraba and also scored against Bilambil in his first U19 match of the season.

    Callum also had some big matches with the boot in the U19 competition this season including kicking six in a match against Mudgeeraba (he also scored a double in the match) and five goals in matches against Ormeau, Mudgeeraba and Burleigh. In Week One of the U19 Finals Callum Boomer kicked three goals as Southport progressed with a 34 – 8 win over Burleigh.

    Callum Boomer made his deserved Hastings Deering’s U20 Colts debut for Burleigh in their Round Eleven match against Easts, starting in the centres and kicking seven from seven in a 42 – 4 victory for the Bears.

    Callum Boomer maintained his place in the Burleigh Colts side for their match against the Mackay Cutters starting on the wing as Burleigh won 14 - 6. Callum Boomer kicked three from three and through his first two Hastings Deering’s Colts matches Callum Boomer has kicked ten from ten.

    Round Sixteen saw Callum Boomer score his first career Colts try when he crossed against Tweed Heads. In the match Callum Boomer also kicked eight goals.

    In total for Burleigh in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition Callum Boomer played in eight matches scoring the try against Tweed heads and kicked twenty goals to finish with fifty two points.

    Callum Boomer started five of those matches on the wing and three in the centres.

    In 2017 Callum Boomer played for the Burleigh Bears MM Cup squad having a great Round One when he scored two tries, one in each half and kicked three goals in Burleigh’s tough two point loss to Redcliffe at Dolphin Oval whilst playing on the right wing. Post the MM Cup competition, Callum Boomer also played a number of matches for Burleigh in the U20 Colts Challenge side playing primarily on the right wing.

    For Burleigh in the 2017 MM Cup competition Callum Boomer started in all six of Burleigh’s matches on the right wing scoring 56 points including five tries and 18 goals. In addition to his double in Round One against Redcliffe, Callum Boomer also scored double in Round Four against Souths Logan and he also scored in Round Six against Tweed Heads. Kicking wise, Callum Boomer kicked eighteen goals from twenty eight attempts for a goal kicking conversion rate of 64.28%.

    For Burleigh in the 2017 U20 Colts Challenge competition, Callum Boomer played a total of nine matches scoring three tries which came in Rounds six, seven and eight against Tweed Heads, Ipswich and Redcliffe respectively. Callum Boomer started Round One on the wing against the Sunshine Coast Falcons and in total played five matches on the wing and four at fullback.

    Callum Boomer also played a number of matches in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition in 2017 for Runaway Bay. He played one match in the GCRL U19 competition and what a match it was. Against Ormeau Callum Boomer scored 22 points from a try and nine conversions in a dominant Runaway Bay performance.

    Callum Boomer also played two matches for Runaway Bay in the Doug Lipp Cup competition, both matches being finals matches starting both on the wing. In his debut match (final) against Beaudesert Callum Boomer kicked four conversions and a fortnight later started on the wing in the Doug Lipp Cup Grand Final and kicked a conversion in a 13 – 6 loss to Beaudesert. A team mate for runaway Bay in the Grand Final was fellow Titans Rookie Squad member Lochlyn Sheldon who started in the front row and an opponent Charlie Gee.

    The former Coombabah State High School student had a successful 2016 season, including kicking a late penalty goal which propelled the Queensland GIO Cup final between his Coombabah side and Keebra Park into golden point territory, unfortunately for Callum Boomer and his team mates Keebra Park kicked a golden point field goal to progress to the 2016 National GIO Cup final.

    Callum Boomer played for Runaway Bay in the 2016 U17 Division One competition on the Gold Coast in 2016, finishing as one of the leading points scorers with 110 points which came from 10 tries and 35 goals from just eleven matches. Callum Boomer scored a hat trick against Beaudesert late in the season and also a double against Currumbin. In terms of goal kicking Callum Boomer twice kicked five goals in a match, on both occasions against Currumbin and in both of those matches, Callum Boomer also scored at least one try, meaning 32 of his 110 points came in just two matches against Currumbin.

    Whilst in does not have a great deal of speed off the mark, Callum Boomer does have decent top end speed once he gets moving and can break tackles by using a very good fend, when he gets to the outside, this prevents defenders from getting he under his ribs and thus he can maintain his running line under defensive pressure.

    When engaged with the defensive line he also has a reasonable offload and when Callum Boomer breaks through the main defensive line he is also very effective at setting up his outside support, by drawing the fullback.

    Callum Boomer also has a decent in and away to complement his other attacking attributes and is effective when attacking close to the try line and knows which routes to run to take advantage of situations where the defensive line has not come up off the try line and thus he is able to push through the defensive line and carry defenders over to score. He is just a solid attacking player and before you realise he has made a number of breaks and scored multiple tries.

    Callum Boomer is also adept at keeping his spacing on the wing and that attribute led to his second try for Burleigh on the weekend where he stayed outside his direct opponent on the blind side and thus was in a very good position to score from close range before his opposite winger could react accordingly.

    Defensively the area that Callum Boomer has impressed me the most is his ability to defend against any size opponent, from small quick outside backs to big strong powerful backrowers running wide of the ruck. He seemingly has more strength that his size would indicate, and he uses this strength to move up and hit around the area where the ball is usually held, redirecting the momentum of the ball carrier and thus eliminating the attacking threat in the short term.

    Purely from a skill and physical attribute perspective he seems more suited to a sliding defensive methodology rather than an up and in style, but this is more conjecture from me rather than a fact based argument. Like with his attacking attributes Callum Boomer is just solid defensively there is really no other word to describe it.

    Callum Boomer is also a very good goal kicker with both good range and accuracy as positive traits. I would suggest that he is likely to be his side’s primary goal kicker regardless of the level that he progresses to into the future.

    Callum Boomer will continue to press his claims for playing time in the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side in 2021 and if he is not in the game day seventeen for any given match he will play for Southport in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition.

    For me with his above average speed and elusiveness in the confined space near the touch line, Callum Boomer is the ideal modern day winger. I appreciate that he started the Grand Final for the U19 Southport side at fullback in 2018 but this season he has played exclusively on the wing including in his Queensland Cup debut and thus I think that his future is more likely than not on the wing.

    Campbell Graham the former Australian School Boy and boom South Sydney Rabbitohs rookie for me has a similar playing style to that of Callum Boomer. Both have good straight line speed, know their way to the try line and have a willingness to take the ball into the centre of the ruck to take some pressure off their forward pack when coming out of their own area.

  9. #1314
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    Grant Brown. The electric Clarence Coast Magpies junior rugby league centre or fullback (and occasional five eight in 2020) had an outstanding start to the 2020 Group One U13 season and turned that start into a heck of a 2020 season overall with consistently high standard performances each and every round of the 2020 Group One U13 season.

    In Round One of the Group One U13 2020 season Grant Brown started at right centre and scored a hat trick as the Magpies defeated the South Grafton Rebels 46 – 16 to get their 2020 season off to an outstanding start.

    Grant Brown then backed up to start on the bench for the Group One U14 Round One fixture and made it four tries on the day for the Clarence Coast Magpies as they defeated the Rebels 26 – 16 in that age group. Grant Brown was also on the bench for the Round Three Group One U14 fixture against the Ballina Seagulls that immediately followed the U13 match.

    Grant Brown moved to fullback for Clarence Coast’s Round Three Group One U13 match against the Ballina Seagulls, scoring one try and kicking a conversion as the Magpies went down 32 – 22 to the Seagulls.

    Grant Brown was back in the centres in Round Four against the Grafton Ghosts and kicked two conversions. Grant Brown then started from the bench for the Magpies U14 side also against Grafton in the following match of the day.11

    Round Five saw Grant Brown once again start in the centres and score a try and kick three goals for a ten point individual haul as Clarence Coast defeated Ballina 34 – 22. Grant Brown kicked a further five goals in Round Six as the Magpies defeated Casino RSM 30 – 22.

    Grant Brown moved back to fullback for Round Seven against Kyogle and made the most of the switch scoring a double and kicking three conversions.

    Grant Brown moved positions once again in Round Nine, moving to five eight for the Magpies as they went down 30 – 22 to the Kyogle Turkeys, but Grant Brown scored sixteen of the Magpies points (72.73%) from a hat trick and two goals.

    In total in the 2020 Group One U13 season Grant Brown scored seventy six points from seven matches, including scoring twelve tries (171% strike rate) andkicked fourteen goals, to average just on eleven points per game.

    Grant Brown is a quick centre with a fluid running style with a classic centres build with the ability to stand up his direct opposite and then beat him with pace on the outside. In term of his play, the in and away is his bread and butter, Grant Brown has very good speed off the mark and can break to the outside quickly, couple that with long arms, which he uses to great effect with a powerful fend makes him difficult to tackle. When opposing centres are able to get hold of him, Grant Brown usually is able to maintain his balance and running line as well as keep an arm free, looking to offload.

    Grant Brown has more tools though than just an in and away, he will also use his size and strength to run straight over smaller opposing centres as well as also having the skill to step back inside of the defender if he is pushing to the outside too early. What Grant Brown is also adept at doing is timing his pass to his outside supports if the outside defender looks to come in and help defend him allowing an overlap to develop on the outside.

    Due to his size and strength, Grant Brown is a very good defender regardless of position. He will not necessarily hit hard, but he is very good at mirroring the movement of the opposing centre and wrapping him up ball and all. Grant Brown is also quick enough to recover and chase if the opposing centre gets on the outside and his long reach is also a positive attribute in those situations.

    From a team defensive methodology stand point, Grant Brown seems to be very comfortable in a sliding defensive scheme where he can use his speed and body control to their best advantage.

    Grant Brown is also a very good goal kicker with both good range and accuracy, I am not sure whether he has the consistency at this point in time to be a team’s primary goal kicker, if not he will be a very useful back-up.

    Grant Brown played the 2020 Group One rugby league competition in his usual U13 age group but also played multiple matches up in the Group One U14 age group. In 2021 Grant Brown will play for the Clarence Coast Magpies in the Group One U14 competition and like in 2020 may well play a number of matches up in the U15 competition.

    Age representative sides start at the U14 age group in New South Wales Country thus in 2021 Grant Brown, I am sure will push for a spot in the Group One U14 representative side for the 2021 New South Wales Country Age Championships.

    Grant Brown with his outstanding combination of speed and elusiveness looks certain to be able to stay in the centres long term. Identifying and nurturing young strike centres is probably the most difficult thing in rugby league, and to that extent I will be following Grant Brown’s career as he continues to grow, mature and develop.

    I do note however that Grant Brown is also a more than capable fullback as was evidenced by his 2020 performances in the Grop One competition for Clarence Coast and whilst I ultimately belive that he will end up in the centres, it is definitely not out of the realms of possibility that Grant Brown will not make the fullback position his own and be an outstanding one at that.

    In relation to a current NRL player with a similar playing style to Grant Brown my observations would suggest that Brisbane Broncos and Tongan International centre Ketone Staggs is similar. Both Staggs and Grant Brown are tough, quick, aggressive and deceptively strong ball runners who know the way to the try line and get there with regularly. Similarly Grant Brown and Staggs are outstanding defenders with a technique first approach to that aspect of rugby league.

    Grant Brown is just a natural footballer who just oozes class, skill and confidence on a rugby league field and the sky is the limit for this outstanding naturally gifted and outstanding rugby league talent from northern New South Wales.
    Last edited by mdrew; 27-10-20 at 11:13 AM.

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    Dylan Watkins. The exceptionally classy Ballina Seagulls five eight could not have had a better start to the 2020 Group One U13 rugby league season, scoring five tries and kicking a conversion in Round One to finish Ballina’s 28 – 18 win over Casino RSM with an outstanding twenty two point individual haul being 78.57% of his team’s points in the match. In fact the five tries that Dylan Watkins scored in the match were the only five that Ballina scored highlighting just how dominant Dylan Watkins performance against Casino RSM was.

    Dylan Watkins continued his outstanding form in Round Two of the 2020 Group One U13 competition scoring two tries and kicking a conversion for a ten point individual haul as Ballina defeated South Grafton 22 – 4, once against playing five eight in the match for the Seagulls.

    Dylan Watkins outstanding 2020 continued in Round Three scoring a hat trick and kicking two goals, for an individual game tally of sixteen points as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 32 – 22 to maintain their 2020 unbeaten record.

    Dylan Watkins also started at five eight in Round Four against the Kyogle Turkeys scoring and kicking a goal but the Seagulls went down 22 - 18. Dylan Watkins added a further two tries after starting once again at five eight in Round Five in a 34 – 22 loss to Clarence Coast. Dylan Watkins added a further double in Round Six against Grafton in a 26 – 24 loss also from the five eight position.

    Round Seven in a 34 – 20 win against Casino RSM saw the exciting five eight score a further four tries and also kick a conversion to finish the match with an individual points haul of eighteen.

    In Round Eight in a Seagulls 24 – 12 win against Casino RSM, Dylan Watkins scored four tries for the second round in a row from the five eight.

    Dylan Watkins 2020 try scoring feats (and points scoring) continued unabated in Round Nine when he scored twenty six of his team’s sixty points (43.33%) from five eight, from three tries and seven goals as Ballina defeated South Grafton 60 – 14.

    Round Ten being the final Group One U13 regular season round did not see a slow down in Dylan Watkins try scoring and points scoring in a 24 all draw with the Clarence Coast Magpies. Dylan Watkins scored sixteen of his sides points (67%) from three tries and two goals.

    In total in the 2020 Group One U13 regular season competition Dylan Watkins scored a staggering twenty nine tries (290% strike rate) and kicked fifteen goals to finish with 146 points to average just under three tries and 14.6 points per game.

    Dylan Watkins started at five eight in the 2020 Group One U13 Grand Final against the Grafton Ghosts where he had an outstanding match scoring eighteen of Ballina’s twenty two points from three tries and three conversions as the Seagulls went down 32 - 22.

    Dylan Watkins made his Group One U14 debut off the bench in Round Seven scoring as the Seagulls defeated Casino RSM 32 – 0. Dylan Watkins had scored four tries in the U13 match earlier in the same day.

    In Round Eight of the 2020 Group One U14 competition, Dylan Watkins once again came off the bench for the Ballina side and scored a double as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 32 – 0. Like in Round Seven, Dylan Watkins had scored four tries in the U13 match earlier in the day between the same two teams.

    Dylan Watkins made his Group One U14 starting debut in Round Nine, starting in the halves and scoring a try as Ballina defeated South Grafton 20 – 10 after Dylan Watkins scored a hat trick and kicked seven goals in the earlier U13 fixture between the same two sides.

    In total in the Group One U14 competition Dylan Watkins playe in three Group One U14 matches scoring four tries for a 133% strike rate.

    It is hard to put in words that do justice to just how talented Dylan Watkins is especially in terms of running the ball, he has outstanding speed both off the mark which I would consider in the plus plus category and top end speed which must be considered above average regardless of position.

    Dylan Watkins with his speed is able to exploit even small gaps in the defensive line with an exceptional step off either foot, Dylan Watkins also has incredible acceleration as well as outstanding balance anda body control. It is that exceptional speed trait which opens up time and space for his incredible (and still evolving) ball playing skills as well.

    Teams automatically start to focus heavily on Dylan Watkins when he has the ball with outside defenders looking to come in to assist that then open up holes wider out in the defensive line that Dylan Watkins can readily exploit.

    Dylan Watkins has exquisite timing on his passes and is able to weight them perfectly as well and can do so from either side of his body. Adding in this is that Dylan Watkins can stop on a dime even travelling at full speed and pop the short pass, thus it looks for all money that he is going to run the ball thus the defence converges and then the ball is delivered to a support runner who is through a hole before the defensive line can react and readjust.

    Dylan Watkins also runs with the ball in both hands which is another reason why the defensive line is unable to determine exactly what Dylan Watkins is going to do.

    Like when he has the ball in his hands, there is nothing that Dylan Watkins cannot do in relation to kicking the ball. Dylan Watkins is an exceptional tactical kicker with range and accuracy, he can put up pin point bombs and perfectly weighted grubber kicks into the in goal. In short if you can name a type of rugby league kick, Dylan Watkins can execute it with precision.

    Defensively Dylan Watkins is a very strong young man with exceptional functional strength to go along with an innate understanding of the attacking strategies of rugby league thus he is able to anticipate what an attacking side is looking to do with the ball and then be in the best position to negate it.

    Dylan Watkins has a very good low tackling technique which is simple and repeatable and effective against all size opponents and thus there is no need for a defensive minder on Dylan Watkins’s side of the field. In short just like his attacking play Dylan Watkins is an outstanding defender.

    Another area where Dylan Watkins has a plus attribute is in relation to his leaderships skills. He is a strong confident personality and that translates to a leader on and off the field and you can see that the other players gravitate towards him.

    This is a trait that you cannot teach, you either have it or you don’t. Even if he is not the nominated captain on the field Dylan Watkins is a leader regardless of which team he is lining up for and acts accordingly both on and off the field.

    Dylan Watkins played the 2020 U13 Group One rugby league competition for the Ballina Seagulls and in 2021 Dylan Watkins will play in the Group One U14 competition once against for the Ballina Seagulls.

    Age representative sides start at the U14 age group in New South Wales Country thus in 2021 Dylan Watkins, I am sure will push for a spot in the Group One U14 representative side for the 2021 New South Wales Country Age Championships.

    Dylan Watkins has the speed, body control, elusiveness and ball skills to continue to be an outstanding five eight on a rugby league field for a long time.

    I must admit I would really like to see how Dylan Watkins skills and athletic ability would translate to the fullback position where he would have more room to move and be in a position to be the second receiver when the ball is played out the back by the half or five eight. I think that Dylan Watikins would be dynamic in the custodian role but as long as he has the ball in his hands, good things will happen for Dylan Watkins and his team mates.

    With his outstanding skill set coupled with his size and speed combination Dylan Watkins is simply a player of immense potential and the play of Parramatta Eels NRL boom rookie five eight Dylan Brown is a more than fair and accurate comparison.

    Both Dylan Watkins and Brown have the ability to play to a set game plan as well as playing what is in front of them and unlike some current NRL halves have the youthful courage to look to win the match rather than trying not to lose it.

    I appreciate that it is a big call but for me a further comparison to Darren Lockyer is not unreasonable. Dylan Watkins has more speed however than when Darren Lockyer moved to five eight. Dylan Watkins really does present on the field as an exceptional naturally gifted young player who does not take that natural ability that he possesses for granted.

    Dylan Watkins can do it all run, pass, kick and tackle all whilst seemingly having all the time in the world to make a decision and then work through alternatives that are at his disposal. Like Lockyer Dylan Watkins seems always to be one or two plays ahead of everyone on the field and playing at a different level to team mates and opponents alike as well.

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    Toby Hannah. The young Casino RSM five eight is not just a game manager but a talented ball runner and goal kicker as well and that was on show on multiple occasions over the course of the 2020 Group One U13 season.

    In Round One of the 2020 Group One U13 competition, Toby Hannah started at five eight and scored a try and kicked three from three conversions against Ballina. Toby Hannah also started at five eight in Round Two against the Kyogle Turkeys scoring eight of Casino RSM’s twelve points in their 12 – 4 win from a try and two conversions from as many attempts.

    Toby Hannah added a conversion in Round Three as Casino RSM went down 26 – 14 to the Grafton Ghosts. In Round Four in a 42 – 4 win over South Grafton Toby Hannah who started at five eight once again scored fourteen points from a try and five conversions.

    Round five saw the young five eight score a try and kick two goals against the Kyogle Turkeys and in Round Six Toby Hannah kicked three goals as Casino RSM went down 30 – 22 to the Clarence Coast Magpies.

    In a high quality Round Seven match against Ballina, the exciting five eight scored a try and kicked two goals as Casino RSM went down 34 – 20 and also kicked two goals in Round Eight in a 24 – 12 loss to the Ballina Seagulls. Toby Hannah also started at five eight in Round Nine against the Grafton Ghosts.

    In the final regular season round of the 2020 Group One U13 competition being Round Ten, Toby Hannah started at five eight and scored sixteen points from a try and six goals as Casino RSM defeated South Grafton 40 – 4.

    In total in the 2020 Group One U13 regular season competition Toby Hannah scored seventy six points from ten matches, made up of six tries and twenty six goals.

    In attack, Toby Hannah generally plays an understated role, focussing more on the distribution and game management aspects of his role as a half. A key attribute to how Toby Hannah plays is his ability to organise and direct his team around the field as well as adjusting his game to the specific situations encountered within a game, including where his team is situated on the field and which team has the momentum.

    Toby Hannah is just a superb passer of the ball in all aspects, from accuracy, direction, weighting and also importantly timing of when to pass. Normally half backs and five eight, even at the NRL level have a clear preference in terms of passing to one side of their body, and normally it is easy to recognise. In relation to Toby Hannah however his passing to either side of his body is exquisite and simply amazing to watch.

    Toby Hannah literally just flicks his wrists and the ball flies out of his hands like a perfectly aimed bullet. I personally do not recall seeing a young play maker which such outstanding command and control in relation to hs passing game.

    Toby Hannah’s passing game is just so natural and precise and really is impressive for such a young player and certainly bodes well for his future in a play mking role whether that is at five eight or half back.

    The confidence Toby Hannah’s passing ability has on his team mates surely cannot be understated. Toby Hannah’s team mates can run various lines and run into gaps confidently knowing that the pass that they receive from Toby Hannah will be perfectly weighted and directed to give them the best opportunity to either break the line or make ground before or after contact.

    Another plus attribute that Toby Hannah has is his calmness on the field. Regardless of the situation of the match or where his team is on the field or the pressure of the score board, Toby Hannah just seems to always stay calm and this is able to execute his plan. I use the word plan as Toby Hannah also seems to do things with purpose rather than just pass the ball on to a support player. With Toby Hannah there is no jogging across field and obviously calling a runner back underneath.

    Everything that Toby Hannah does, he does for a reason and he does it with a calmness and assuredness that exerts a positive influence on his team mates regardless of how stressful the situation is on the field from a position on the field perspective or time pressures that his team were under. I can only imagine that Toby Hannah would be a very coachable young man who would have no trouble at all following a game plan regardless of its complexity.

    The other issue around game plans in the context of Toby Hannah is that he clearly has the intelligence to modify the game plan as the match unfolds if he identifies nuisances or specific changes which would enhance the effectiveness of the team’s performance. Another reason to suggest that Toby Hannah is extremely coachable.

    Toby Hannah will though take the line on when the opportunity arises however, but as noted his best attribute is that of a game manager with the ability to draw defenders out of the line and put his runners into the subsequent hole that is generated. Toby Hannah has decent speed off the mark and quick twitch feet in confined space but does not have explosive acceleration or high top end speed.

    From a kicking perspective Toby Hannah has a solid kicking game, with reasonable distance and accuracy on all types of kicks, from kicking for field position or from an attacking perspective as well as tactically for field position. Like his passing game, Toby Hannah’s kicking game comes across as so fluid and effective.

    When confronted with forwards running directly at him on the edge of the ruck, Toby Hannah will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives. Due to his speed off the mark Toby Hannahis also a very good cover defender as he tracks the ball across the field and has a solid low tackling technique from the side.

    Toby Hannah played the 2020 U13 Group One rugby league competition for the Casino RSM and in 2021 Toby Hannah will play in the Group One U14 competition for Casino RSM.

    Age representative sides start at the U14 age group in New South Wales Country thus in 2021 Toby Hannah, I am sure will push for a spot in the Group One U14 representative side for the 2021 New South Wales Country Age Championships.

    When you have a player with the ability to see a number of plays ahead of what is currently happening and has the ball playing and game management skills to take advantage of that you put them in a position to have the balls in their hands as much as possible. Toby Hannah is one such player and therefore playing five eight or half seems to be the ideal position for him now and into the future.

    This young man can do it all run, pass, kick and tackle all whilst seemingly having all the time in the world to make a decision and then work through alternatives. Toby Hannah seems always to be one or two plays ahead of everyone on the field and playing at a different level as well.

    A current NRL player with a similar playing style and skill attributes to Toby Hannah for me is Penrith Panther and New South Wales State of Origin half Nathan Cleary as a half who really takes control of his team and just does everything well including goal kicking and running the ball amongst other impressive traits.

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    Jed Mulcahy. It is hard not to cheer for try scoring and goal kicking front rowers and that is exactly what this young man from the Kyogle Turkeys junior rugby league club is.

    In 2020 Jed Mulcahy played for Kyogle in the Group One U13 rugby league competition and then regularly backed up for the U14 match.

    In Round One of the 2020 Group One U13 competition Jed Mulcahy scored a double against the Grafton Ghosts and then in Round Three added a hat trick and a conversion for a fourteen point individual haul as his Turkeys side defeated the South Grafton Rebels 34 – 4.

    Jed Mulcahy continued his run of points scoring in Round Four against Ballina, scoring try and kicking a conversion in the Turkeys 22 – 18 victory. Jed Mulcahy started in the front row and scored once again in Round Five as Kyogle defeated Casino RSM 30 – 16 and scored once again in Round Six as the Turkeys defeated South Grafton.

    Jed Mulcahy was back on the try scoring list in Round Seven against the Clarence Coast Magpies, but unfortunately the Turkeys went down 34 – 6 to the Magpies. In Round Eight against Grafton, Jed Mulcahy moved to start the match at five eight.

    Jed Mulcahy moved back to his usual front row position for Round Nine against the Clarence Coast Magpies and made the most of the change, scoring a hat trick as the Turkeys defeated the Magpies 30 – 22. Jed Mulcahy also started in the front row in Round Ten, being the final regular season round against Grafton.

    Jed Mulcahy finished the 2020 Group One U13 regular season scoring thirteen tries in just nine matches to finish the season with a strike rate of 144%.

    Jed Mulcahy played his first match in the 2020 Group One U14 competition in Round Two, starting on the wing and then started Round Three in the front row against South Grafton, on each occasion starting in U13 match earlier in the day. Jed Mulcahy then came off the bench in Round Four against the Ballina Seagulls.

    In 2019 Jed Mulcahy was part of the U12 Lismore Diocese rugby league trials from St Brigid’s Kyogle and is also a talented cricketer as well as a St Brigid’s School Captain.

    Jed Mulcahy is a hard running player who never seems to just put his head down and runs straight, he always uses a slight step prior to contacting the defensive line, coupled with the fact that he drops his shoulder into defenders, means that he is a bit of a handful to tackle and he is not often knocked back onto his heals. He is also good at maintaining his momentum after impacting the defensive line.

    Jed Mulcahy has a huge high work rate and I would suggest that he would normally be at or near the top of his team’s statistics in terms of the number of hit ups he makes and on occasion runs a very good inside shoulder route to supplement his other attacking attributes. Jed Mulcahy does not off-load the ball much however and probably never be one based on how he asked to play the game.

    Defensively Jed Mulcahy aims hits very hard and usually hits around the top of the ball region and is certainly someone opposing forwards look for when running the ball up and is adept at making sure the opposition do not get quick play the balls by using wrestling techniques well. This season Jed Mulcahy’s speed and mobility seemed to have increased and as a consequence he was better able to mirror the opposition attacker’s movement more effectively.

    Jed Mulcahy will probably not make a large amount of hits that are going to knock opposing forwards backwards, but opposing forwards are going to feel everyone and start to look out for where he is in the defensive line.

    Jed Mulachy played the 2020 Group One rugby league competition in his usual U13 age group but also played multiple matches up in the Group One U14 age group. In 2021 Jed Mulcahy will play for the Kyogle Turkeys in the Group One U14 competition and like in 2020 may well play a number of matches up in the 2021 U15 competition.

    Age junior representative sides start at the U14 age group in New South Wales Country thus in 2021 Jed Mulcahy, I am sure will push for a spot in the Group One U14 representative side for the 2021 New South Wales Country Age Championships.

    Jed Mulcahy is a big strong young man who has played essentially his entire junior rugby league career to date in the front row and I believe that he will stay in the same position that being in the front row going forward.

    Jed Mulcahy is a big strong tough rugby league front rower with a touch of aggressiveness in his game and therefore from an NRL player comparison perspective, for Jed Mulcahy would be Titans front rower Jaimen Jolliffe as a front rower who will continue to take the ball up all day long and also be very effective at it as well and one who is a touch underrated defensively in terms of how hard his initial contact is in defence as well as his capacity to continually get back into the defensive line, set himself and move up to make the next tackle for long stretches.

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    Jasper Whalley. The young Clarence Coast Magpies centre had a start to remember in the 2020 Group One U13 rugby league competition scoring often for the Magpies and maintained his form throughout the 2020 season as a whole.

    Jasper Whalley scored doubles in the opening two rounds of the 2020 Group One U13 competition against the South Grafton Rebels and the Ballina Seagulls respectively and added a further try in Round Four against the Grafton Ghosts to record a 167% strike rate through the opening three rounds of the competition. For completeness the Round Three match between Clarence Coast and Grafton was a washout when heavy rain blanketed the area.

    Jasper Whalley added a further try in Round Five against the Ballina Seagulls in a 34 – 22 Magpies victory, starting in the centres once again and also scored in Round Six in a 30 – 22 win over Casino RSM, starting the match as he has all season in the centres.

    Jasper Whalley maintained his record of starting in the centres and also maintained his try scoring record with a double against Kyogle in Round Seven and also scoring in Round Nine against the Kyogle Turkeys. Jasper Whalley also started in the centres in Round Ten, being the final regular season round against Ballina with the match finishing in a 24 all draw.

    Jasper Whalley had an outstanding 2020 Group One U13 regular season scoring ten tries in just eight matches to finish the season with a strike rate of 125%.

    Jasper Whalley is a quick centre with a fluid running style with a classic centres build with the ability to stand up his direct opposite and then beat him with pace on the outside. In term of his play, the in and away is his bread and butter, Jasper Whalley has very good speed off the mark and can break to the outside quickly, couple that with long arms, which he uses to great effect with a powerful fend makes him difficult to tackle. When opposing centres are able to get hold of him, Jasper Whalley usually is able to maintain his balance and keeps an arm free, looking to offload.

    Jasper Whalley has more tools though than just an in and away, he will also use his strength to run straight over smaller opposing centres as well as also having the skill to step back inside of the defender if he is pushing to the outside too early. What Jasper Whalley is also adept at doing is timing his pass to his outside supports if the outside defender looks to come in and help defend him allowing an overlap to develop.

    Jasper Whalley will not necessarily hit hard in defence, but he is very good at mirroring the movement of the opposing centre and wrapping him up ball and all. Jasper Whalley is also quick enough to recover and chase if the opposing centre gets on the outside and his long reach is also a positive attribute in those situations.

    From a team defensive methodology stand point, Jasper Whalley seems to be very comfortable in a sliding defensive scheme where he can use his speed and body control to their best advantage.

    Jasper Whalley played the 2020 Group One rugby league competition in the Group One U13 age group and in 2021 Jasper Whalley will play for the Clarence Coast Magpies in the Group One U14 competition.

    Age junior representative sides start at the U14 age group in New South Wales Country thus in 2021 Jasper Whalley, I am sure will push for a spot in the Group One U14 representative side for the 2021 New South Wales Country Age Championships.

    With his ability to get on the outside of his opponent with limited room to move and also a solid dependable and repeatable tackling technique I think that centre will be Jasper Whalley’s primary position as he progresses through the junior rugby league ranks at Clarence Coast and also likely at representative level over the coming seasons. There is no doubt however that Jasper Whalley would be equally at home wider out on the wing if circumstances warranted a move there at any time into the future.

    For me with his ability to slide through gaps in the defensive line especially close to the line and a solid repeatable defensive technique, Jasper Whalley has a playing style similar to that of Titans NRL centre Dale Copley as a reliable centre who is able to find is way to the try line on a regular basis and is also more than sound defensively.

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    Jake Lateo. The talented Titans linked PBC student (formerly of Benora Point State School in northern New South Wales) started at five eight for the PBC Hancock Cup school boy Grand Final side that went down in heart breaking fashion 26 – 24 to Marsden State High School at Langlands Park with the Brisbane based school kicking the winning penalty goal after the final siren had sounded.

    Jake Lateo scored an impressive try late in the second half. Operating on the left, Jake Lateo threw a bueatiful long cut out pass to PBC left winger Bailey Simpson who after running down the left touch line kicked inside. Jake Lateo backed up in the inside retrieving the ball close to the Marsden line under heavy pressure. To create space for himself to separate from the defenders close to him, Jake Lateo spun 360 degrees counter clockwise and was able to force his way over from close range fifteen metres from the left goal post to get PBC within four points in the dying stages of the hard fought Grand Final.

    Jake Lateo was also heavily involved in PBC’s try that was scored right on the half time siren by fullback Creedence Donovan when he was able to beat a tackle and start the movement down a short blind side near the right touch line around seventy metres out from the Marsden SHS try line that led to Creedence Donovan ultimately scoring under the posts.

    Jake Lateo not only had a very good Hancock Cup Grand Final but also had a number of stand out matches in the regular rounds of the 2020 Hancock Cup including an impressive match against Wavell State High School in Round Five when Jake Lateo recorded three try assists in PBC’s impressive victory.

    Jake Lateo’s first try assist came as he split the Wavell SHS defence with a left foot step off a PBC scrum win, running sixty metres before drawing the fullback and passing to his left to fullback Creedence Donovan who had loomed up on his outside. Jake Lateo was also heavily involved in another Creedence Donovan first half try when he put up a big mid-field bomb which was let bounce by Wavell and Creedence Donovan flew through to get to the ball on the bounce.

    Jake Lateo’s third and final try assist of the match came in the second half, when Jake Lateo ran to the left of the field, ten metres out from the line and brought his left second rower back underneath to crash over next to the left uprights.

    In Round Four against Forest Lake State High Sschool Jake Lateo scored as well as recording a further two try assists. Jake Lateo’s try was a hard working effort when he took the ball from the dummy half around ten metres out to the left of the play the ball, cutting back towards the area behind the play the ball to run between two defenders to score near the posts.

    Jake Lateo’s two try assists were very different, the first came from a good stab kick to the left for PBC to pounce and the second from a long cut out pass to his left winger who was in space, five metres out from the line. The pass must have travelled around fifteen metres and Jake Lateo put it directly on the chest of his winger.

    In early October 2020 Jake Lateo was part of the Titans Gold Coast based U14 side that played a trial match against a Titans NRRRL U14/U15 squad with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience including wearing Titans jerseys in the match.

    In 2019 Jake Lateo played for the Group 18 U14 representative side at the New South Wales Country Age Championships, playing primarily on the wing.

    In attack, Jake Lateo generally plays an understated role, focussing more on the distribution and game management aspects of his role as a half. A key attribute to how Jake Lateo plays is his ability to organise and direct his team around the field as well as adjusting his game to the specific situations encountered within a game, including where his team is situated on the field and which team has the momentum.

    Jake Lateo is just a superb passer of the ball in all aspects, from accuracy, direction, weighting and also importantly timing of when to pass. Normally half backs and five eight, even at the NRL level have a clear preference in terms of passing to one side of their body, and normally it is easy to recognise. In relation to Jake Lateo however his passing to either side of his body is exquisite and simply amazing to watch.

    Jake Lateo literally just flicks his wrists and the ball flies out of his hands like a perfectly aimed bullet. I personally do not recall seeing a young play maker which such outstanding command and control in relation to hs passing game.

    Jake Lateo’s passing game is just so natural and precise and really is impressive for such a young player and certainly bodes well for his future in a play mking role whether that is at five eight or half back.

    The confidence Jake Lateo’s passing ability has on his team mates surely cannot be understated. Jake Lateo’s team mates can run various lines and run into gaps confidently knowing that the pass that they receive from Jake Lateo will be perfectly weighted and directed to give them the best opportunity to either break the line or make ground before or after contact.

    Another plus attribute that Jake Lateo has is his calmness on the field. Regardless of the situation of the match or where his team is on the field or the pressure of the score board, Jake Lateo just seems to always stay calm and this is able to execute his plan. I use the word plan as Jake Lateo also seems to do things with purpose rather than just pass the ball on to a support player. With Jake Lateo there is no jogging across field and obviously calling a runner back underneath.

    Everything that Jake Lateo does, he does for a reason and he does it with a calmness and assuredness that exerts a positive influence on his team mates regardless of how stressful the situation is on the field from a position on the field perspective or time pressures that his team were under. I can only imagine that Jake Lateo would be a very coachable young man who would have no trouble at all following a game plan regardless of its complexity.

    The other issue around game plans in the context of Jake Lateo is that he clearly has the intelligence to modify the game plan as the match unfolds if he identifies nuisances or specific changes which would enhance the effectiveness of the team’s performance. Another reason to suggest that Jake Lateo is extremely coachable.

    Jake Lateo will though take the line on when the opportunity arises however, but as noted his best attribute is that of a game manager with the ability to draw defenders out of the line and put his runners into the subsequent hole that is generated. Jake Lateo has decent speed off the mark and quick twitch feet in confined space but does not have explosive acceleration or high top end speed.

    From a kicking perspective Jake Lateo has a solid kicking game, with reasonable distance and accuracy on all types of kicks, from kicking for field position or from an attacking perspective as well as tactically for field position. Like his passing game, Jake Lateo’s kicking game comes across as so fluid and effective.

    Defensively Jake Lateo is a very strong young man with exceptional functional strength for any position let alone a half/five eight, to go along with an innate understanding of the attacking strategies of rugby league thus he is able to anticipate what an attacking side is looking to do with the ball and then be in the best position to negate it.

    Jake Lateo has a very good low tackling technique which is simple and repeatable and effective against all size opponents and thus there is no need for a defensive minder on Jake Lateo’s side of the field. In short just like his attacking play Jake Lateo is an outstanding defender.

    In 2021 Jake Lateo will move up to the PBC Walters Cup school boy rugby league squad and will also be pushing for a spot in the QSSRL South Coast school boy U15 representative squad.

    From a position perspective, Jake Lateo plays the same way whether he is wearing the No. 6 or No. 7 jersey and there is no way known that I could see that a coach would consider moving him away from either the halves positions.

    With his calm demeanour and outstanding kicking game Jake Lateo very much reminds me of current Titans NRL Development contract holder Toby Sexton. Both Jake Lateo and Sexton have a calmness about them when they are playing and rarely ever seemed rushed in performing their role for their team.

  15. #1320
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    Jonah Beaven. The talented Titans linked PBC student started in the front row for the PBC Hancock Cup School Boy Grand Final side that went down in heart breaking fashion 26 – 24 to Marsden State High School who kicked a penalty goal after the final siren.

    Jonah Beaven was deservedly named the 2020 Hancock Cup Grand Final Player of the Match after taking on the giant Marsden State High School forward pack for the entire fifty minutes of the match in a tireless display and courage and all out effort. Jonah Beaven did not have the size of his opponents but he made up for that with all out effort and sheer intensity.

    Jonah Beaven not only had a very good Hancock Cup Grand Final but also had a number of stand out matches in the regular rounds of the Hancock Cup including an impressive match against Wavell State High School when he once again took on and excelled against other giant forward pack. It was the same situation against Keebra Park as well in the regular rounds of the 2020 Hancock Cup competition.

    Joanh Beaven also also impressive in Round Four against Forest Lake State School including a thirty metre charge through the centre of the Forest Lake ruck. After a quick play the ball by Jonah Beaven PBC moved the ball to the left, scoring soon after.

    Jonah Beaven was unlucky not to score in Round Three of the 2020 Hancock Cup against Coombabah State High School when he was held up adjacent to the right upright after a strong ten metre run into the teeth of the Coombabah SHS forward pack.

    In 2019 Jonah Beaven played for the Mudgeeraba Redbacks in the Gold Coast Rugby League U14 Division One competition as well as representing the Gold Coast Vikings U14 representative side at the Hill Stumer Championships that were held in Ipswich with Jonah Beaven starting the Vikings matches at lock. Post those Championships, Jonah Beaven was selected in the U14 South East Queensland Training Squad.

    Running with the football, Jonah Beaven has good footwork prior to the line and does not often just put his head down and run straight, but uses his solid footwork to try to work the gaps between defenders rather than trying to simply run over them although you can see that when he gets fired up all subtlety and thoughts of self-preservation goes out the window and he becomes a giant wrecking ball.

    Jonah Beaven does not have great speed off the mark or necessary great high end speed, but he will work hard and make the most of his ability. Jonah Beaven actually does have a decent off load usually with his right hand when he has impacted the defensive line as well and regularly showcases this in game situations.

    In game situations Jonah Beaven is also showcasing his ability to offload prior to the defensive line, a skill that he has developed and incorporated is recent seasons.

    As you would expect, due to his size and strength, Jonah Beaven is a very good defender, for his size he will not necessarily hit hard (he certainly can however when the opportunity presents), but he is very good at mirroring the movement of the opposing centre and wrapping him up ball and all.

    Defensively Jonah Beaven uses his size to good effect, he drives with his shoulder into his opponent and has very good timing in terms of when to come out of the line and certainly has the speed to readjust and chase if his timing is slightly off and his opposing centre gets on his outside.

    His long reach is also a positive attribute in those situations and also when moving up into the defensive line as Jonah Beaven can disrupt passing lanes on the fringes of the ruck.

    Jonah Beaven is the defensive leader of the Nerang U16 Division One BBC three quarter line and other defenders keyed off him in terms of whether to use an up and in methodology and slide to the outside.

    Jonah Beaven on an individual level has the body control to redirect quickly and mirror the movement of the opposing attackers and anticipate what vector the attack comes from and innately understands when to allow the attacking play to develop in from of him and when to come out of the line to disrupt the attacking play prior to its formation.

    In 2021 Jonah Beaven will move up to the PBC Walters Cup school boy rugby league squad.

    Whilst Jonah Beaven played primarily in the front row for PBC in the Hancock Cup school boy competition in 2020, with his rangy build for his size, I think that Jonah Beaven has the physical attributes and skill set to be inpressive second rower operating wider of the ruck than just charging through the middle.

    From a playing style perspective for Jonah Beaven, the one NRL player comparison that stands out for me is former Queensland State of Origin and North Queensland and Titans second rower Gavin Cooper, as a rangy, mobile, wide running backrower with some toughness, hardness and underrated skill in his impressive game. Similiarly Penrith’s Isiah Yeo is also an apt player comparison as a multi-talented player who continues to develop his game through shear hard work.


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