Seth Nikotemo. The big strong young Titans contracted forward had a more than solid 2019 season for both Runaway Bay and Keebra Park State High School as well as for the Titans U15 side in their matches which book ended Seth Nikotemo’s 2019 season.

Seth Niketemo started in the second row of the Titans U15 side that defeated a Balmain Tigers U15 touring side 34 – 16 in early October performing strongly in the impressive Titans win and was near, if not the Titans best on the night.

For Runaway Bay in the 2019 GCRL U15 Division One competition Seth Nikotemo played in eleven regular season matches scoring his first try in Round Thirteen against Ormeau and following that up with a try in Round Fourteen being the last regular season round against Helensvale.

Seth Niketemo also kicked two goals from as many attempts in the regular season with both coming against Helensvale in early June in a Seagulls victory with from my recollection both goals coming in the second half.

In Week Two of the GCRL U15 Division One finals Seth Nikotemo started for Runaway Bay against Nerang teaming with fellow Titan Joseph Shannon in the front row as Runaway Bay progressed to the Grand Final on the back of a 20 – 0 Friday night win.

In the 2019 GCRL U15 Division One Grand Final Seth Nikotemo started the match in the front row once again with Joseph Shannon, scoring an outstanding first half try for the Seagulls. In the end though Runaway Bay went down 36 – 22 to Nerang in a tense physical encounter especially in the forwards.

In relation to his try Seth Niketemo charged onto the ball off the dummy half around eighteen metres out from the try line to the right of the play the ball cutting back behind the play the ball a fraction and such was his speed that he broke through the initial defensive line before it could start to move up in a coherent fashion and the fullback was no match for him either as Seth Niketemo crashed over mid-way between the left corner post and goal posts.

Seth Nikotemo made his GCRL U16 Division One debut in Round Fourteen against Helensvale when he came off the bench after playing and scoring in the U15 Division One match earlier in the evening. Seth Niketemo handled the step up in age group with aplomb.

2019 also saw Seth Nikotemo represent the South Coast U15 side that played in the QSSRL U15 Championships held in Ipswich with South Coast going through the Championships undefeated and Seth Nikotemo played a key role in that positive outcome.

In 2018 the former 2016 Queensland U12 representative started the season for Runaway Bay in the Gold Coast Rugby League U14 Division One competition before moving to the U15 Division One competition with the Seagulls before the half way mark of the season.

In the GCRL U14 Division One competition in 2018, Seth Nikotemo played in seven matches scoring in the final regular season round against Ormeau and also late in the season kicked a conversion against Burleigh.

Seth Nikotemo made his 2018 U15 Division One debut in June of that year against Burleigh and went on to play in ten matches. Seth Nikotemo started all of Runaway Bay’s U15 Division One Finals matches on the bench including the Grand Final and scored as the Seagulls went down 38 – 20 to a powerful Ormeau Shearers side.

Running with the football, Seth Nikotemo 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.

Seth Nikotemo 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. Seth Nikotemo 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 Seth Nikotemo is also showcasing his ability to offload prior to the defensive line, a skill that he has developed and incorporated is recent seasons.

Defensively Seth Nikotemo can certainly hit very hard, usually aiming for just under the ribs and first intention is to lock up the ball to prevent offloads.

Seth Nikotemo has more than reasonable lateral mobility for a forward and due to the fact that he bends his hips when looking to make a tackle he is 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. Seth Nikotemo can however get fired up and really cause havoc defensively.

Seth Nikotemo will play the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League season with the Runaway Bay Seagulls at the U16 Division One level and should also be a key member of one of the two Gold Coast Vikings sides for the 2020 South East Queensland U16 preseason challenge come February 2020.

Seth Nikotemo will also be a key member of the Keebra Park side in their school boy competitions in 2020 specifically the GIO and Langer Cups. Of course the closer relationship now between the Titans and Keebra Park cannot but help keep Seth Nikotemo a Titan for the long haul with that certainly being a very desirable scenario.

Seth Nikotemo has been a front rower a fair bit this season but with his ability to hit the defensive line with speed and power along with similar attributes in defence, I think that Seth Niketomo has a real chance of playing second row into the future.

From an NRL player comparison perspective in relation to Seth Nikotemo, consider someone along the lines of the St George Dragons and New South Wales State of Origin front rower Paul Vaughan as a big strong tough mobile front rower who hits the defensive line hard when he runs as well as the opposition when they are running the ball.

Like Vaughan, Seth Nikotemo is a throwback to the old style of forward who does not try to be too fancy, just effective, very effective. With his hard working attitude, Seth Nikotemo also has the leadership skills to be a potential NRL captain one day.