My take on our top juniors

[mdrew]

Tyler Harper. The young northern New South Wales half back is currently a member of the Titans U15 Elite Academy squad and also is enrolled at PBC State High School as part of their Titans partnered Rugby League Excellence Program.

In mid-February 2021 Tyler Harper played in a Titans U15 Invitational Trial at Burleigh, a trial which included only the best of the 2021 Titans U15 squad members. Tyler Harper started the match at halfback for the Titans Blue side operating on his usual right side of the field.

Tyler Harper also started his 2021 school boy season off well kicking three conversions from as many attempts against Wavell State High School as PBC dominated in the Year Nine match to win 18 – 0 with Tyler Harper starting the match at halfback.

Tyler Harper also had a try assist in the match when a cross field bomb that he put up fell perfectly for the PBC five eight who took the ball on the full as it came down right on the goal line to score easily next to the right upright.

Tyler Harper also started at halfback for the PBC school boy Year Nine side in their win against Keebra Park with Tyler Haeper kicking the conversion to PBC opening try of the match.

In 2020 Tyler Harper played half back for the Tweed Heads Seagulls U14 side in the Group 18 junior rugby league competition with the Seagulls going through the ten regular season rounds undefeated, scoring 316 points and conceding just 64 to finish the regular season with +252 points differential from their ten matches to record an average winning margin of a fraction above twenty five points per match.

As a result of their outstanding season the Tweed Heads Seagulls Group 18 U14 side qualified for the Grand Final against the Tugun Seahawks. Tweed Heads prevailed in the 2020 Group 18 U16 decider 30 – 4 with Tyler Harper starting the Grand Final at half back.

In the 2020 Group 18 U14 Grand Final Tyler Harper operated primarily on the right side of the field and had a try assist in the Grand Final as well as converting the Seagulls third try from close to the right upright in the first half. Tyler Harper’s try assist came in the second half when he took the ball to the line before putting in a short stab kick which he weighted correctly for his right winger to dive on the ball in the in goal.

Tyler Harper was also heavily involved in another Tweed Heads try in the second half when a long cut out pass to his right put his right centre into space who was then able to set up his support runner to score.

Tyler Harper also attends PBC as part of their Elite Rugby League Program and in 2020 started at half back for the PBC Renouf Cup School Boy Grand Final side that went down in heart breaking fashion 10 – 8 to Marsden State High School.

In the 2020 Renouf Cup Grand Final, Tyler Harper had a big game kicking two from two and also recording a try assist for PBC’s sole try of the match. In the second half with Marsden leading 6 – 0, Tyler Harper who was operating on the left, put in a deft grubber kick in to his left with the kick sitting up perfectly for PBC left centre and fellow Titans linked Tyler Small to fly through to take the ball and score next to the posts.

Tyler Harper converted the try that he set up for Tyler Small and then kicked a late second half penalty goal to put PBC in front 8 – 6 before the heart break of seeing Marsden score in the last seconds of the match to snatch victory.

Tyler Harper also had a number of outstanding Renouf Cup regular season matches for PBC in 2020 including a stand out Round Five against Wavell State High School, recording two try assists and being involved in another two.

Tyler Harper’s first try assist of the match, in fact also resulted in the opening try of the match. Operating on the left, Tyler Harper received the ball two passes off the ruck before sending a pass to his left for left second rower Sam Stephenson to charge over from forty metres out. The key from the perspective of Tyler Harper’s contribution to the try was that Tyler Harper did not just catch and pass. Tyler Harper received the ball and moved towards the defensive line before taking a step to his left before off-loading

If Tyler Harper had not run towards the defensive line before passing, the defence would have been able to slide to their right and have additional numbers in front of Sam Stephenson, but by running at the line Tyler Harper forced the defenders to hold their spacing and keep a defender tasked with honouring the threat of Tyler Harper running the ball.

Tyler Harper’s second try assist come in the second half when he put in a right foot chip kick from thirty five metres out towards the left corner. The kick sat up perfectly for PBC left centre Tyler Small to run through and take the ball with no momentum loss to score on the left side of the field.

As noted Tyler Harper was also involved in two additional tries in the match, one on each half with Tyler Small scoring on both occasions. On both occasions, Tyler Harper did not throw the final pass for the try, but if he was not involved earlier in either play then it is unlikely Tyler Small scores either try.

On both occasions Tyler Harper received the ball on the left, sized up the situation perfectly (and quickly) and threw long cut out passes to runners in space who then could draw a defender and pass to Tyler Small. If on either occasion, Tyler Harper had either not thrown the pass as quickly (and accurately) or had gone through the hands then his outside support would not have had the time to take Tyler Harper’s pass in space and having the time to make the correct decision to draw and pass to set up a PBC try.

Tyler Harper was also more than solid In Round Three as PBC defeated Coombabah State High School 40 – 12. The match saw Tyler Harper record a try assist, two line break assists, both leading to Tyler Small tries and kicking three conversions, one in the first half and two in the second. Tyler Harper’s conversion in the first half was from just to the right of the uprights and in relation to his two second half conversions, one from just from the left of the uprights and the other, just to the right.

Tyler Harper’s try assist came in the second half, when under extreme pressure, after receiving the ball on the left, threw a perfect pass to Sam Stephenson who charged ten metres to score. Tyler Harper also had a line break assist in each half. In the first half Tyler Harper took the ball towards the line on the left side of the field, putting Sam Stepehenson into a big gap fifty metres out, Sam Stephenson was then able to off load to Tyler Small. In the second half, Tyler Harper called the ball off the dummy half down a fifteen metre left blind side on around the half way mark. Tyler Harper held the ball up nicely before throwing the pass out the back to his fullback who had looped around to the left and was able to take the pass in a big gap and then offload to Tyler Small.

In Round Four against Forest Lake State High School Tyler Harper continued his solid impressive Renouf Cup season on the way to recording three more try assists and also converted PBC’s final try of the match from directly in front in a 26 – 4 victory.

Tyler Harper’s first try assist of the Round Four match came early in the first half, when, as usual Tyler Harper was operating on the left side of the field. Tyler Harper received the ball down a short blind side and at the line put in a short right foot stab kick which sat up ideally for Tyler Small who flew through to score.

Tyler Harper’s second try assist of the match was an impressive effort by the young half. As soon as he received the ball on the left side of the field, Tyler Harper stepped off his right foot to get on the outside shoulder of the immediate Forest Lake defender and then popped an exquisite short pass to his left to a straight running Sam Stephenson who charged through the gap that Tyler Harper had established to score.

Tyler Harper’s third and final try assist of the match was a heads up play from around forty five metres out. After a long PBC break down the right touch line the ball came back to the left to Tyler Harper who kept his eyes down field and as soon as he say a lot of space down field put in a kick down field angled to the left corner post. PBC left centre Tyler Small raced through to take the ball on the bounce and was able to bring the ball around to put it down under the posts. Tyler Harper then stepped up to kick the conversion.

Post the completion of the Renouf Cup school boy competition Tyler Harper was awarded a Future Reds Award at the 2020 PBC Sports Awards night.

Tyler Harper also played Oztag in 2020 making the U14 Boys Queensland Fury side for the Queensland Oztag Super Series after representing the Tweed Coast Giants. In late 2020 Tyler Harper was named in the 2021 Tweed Coast Giants U14/15 Boys Oztag squad.

In 2019 Tyler Harper was part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Black side that took on Tweed Heads Seagulls White in the Group 18 U13 Grand Final, starting the match at halfback. In the tough Grand Final loss Tyler Harper was the Seagulls Black goal kicker and in the first half, kicked a good goal from the left side of the field to convert Riley Buchanan’s long range try.

In the 2019 Group 18 U13 Preliminary Final, Tyler Harper started at halfback, kicking three conversions and recording two try assists as the Seagulls qualified for the Grand Final.

Tyler Harper’s first try assist came in the 6th minute of the match when he ran the ball to the line on the right side of the field and threw a long cut-out pass to his right to put his winger into acres of space and get him a saloon passage to get the ball down in the right corner.

Tyler Harper’s second try assist came in the 25th minute of the second half when he put in a right foot grubber from ten metres out with the kick sitting up perfectly for Zane Harrison to run through and retrieve the ball and put it down under the posts.

Late in the 2019 Group 18 U13 regular season, Tyler Harper recorded another try assist against the Bilambil Jets.

Tyler Harper received the ball from the dummy half fifteen metres out in front of the posts and kicked with his right foot to the right corner. The ball was dropped b Bilambil with the Tweed Heads right centre on the spot to score out wide.

Tyler Harper also played for Tweed Heads in the 2018 U12 Group 18 Grand Final.

Tyler Harper is only slight of build but do not take his lack of size in any way as a lack of ability or courage, Tyler Harper has a lot of both, which is on display each time he runs onto the field. With the ball he is a very good distributor and will take the ball to the line in an effort to set up his supports. Tyler Harper is adept at drawing an opposing defender out of the defensive line and then putting his support runner through the resulting gap.

In terms of his speed, I would suggest that an appropriate definition of Tyler Harper’s speed would be that he is quick off the mark but does not have an extra gear when he breaks into open space.

Regardless of the state of the game Tyler Harper will back his judgement and take the game on. Assisting his play is the fact that he makes the decision what to do with the ball quickly thus enabling the ball to get out wide quickly. Tyler Harper’s passing game is solid but seems to be slightly better when he is passing to the left side of the field. Tyler Harper’s ability to dummy and go also seems slightly more effective when he is running to the right side of the field.

Tyler Harper has a good short kicking game but he does not have the strongest leg in terms of kicking deep but is accurate and regularly finds the ground to enable the chasers to get down field.

In defence, due to his size Tyler Harper is obviously not going to come up with the big hit but reads the play well and can hold his own when defending much bigger players. Tyler Harper is also very vocal on the field always talking and encouraging his side both in attack and defence.

Defensively I like the way that Tyler Harper takes the line on, he is aggressive and attacks the ball carrier rather than waiting for the attackers to come to him. Tyler Harper clearly looks to limit the time opposition players have to generate momentum before they get to him. Against players similar in size or reasonably close to it, Tyler Harper is very aggressive and makes sure that he finishes off every tackle in an effort to win everyone on one individual battle against his opponent.

Tyler Harper will play for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the Group 18 junior rugby league competition, in 2022 in the U16 age group, where once again that side will be the team to beat after their outstanding undefeated 2020 and 2021 seasons.

2022 should also see Tyler Harper represent the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup representative side.

Tyler Harper will also continue at PBC moving up to the Walters Cup school boy rugby league competition in 2022.

Tyler Harper has a small physical frame but is courageous and competitive and has a good football brain on his shoulders and thus I believe that half back position suits him perfectly both now and into the future.

With his smaller frame and his undoubted courage to take the ball right to the line before he executes the play, whether that be kicking or passing as well as his intelligence, for me Tyler Harper has an uncanny playing style that resembles that of Sydney Roosters and New South Wales State of Origin five eight Blake Keary.

Both Keary and Tyler Harper have the strength of personality and toughness to take on any challenge on a rugby league field not matter how big the challenge (or opponent) is compared to how big they are.

[mdrew]

Rowan Mansfield. (Revised) The talented Ballina Seagulls Junior and Ballina Coast High School student has been part of the Titans junior development set up for a number of seasons in initially signing a Titans contract in 2018 as a fifteen year old.

After being involved in both the Titans and Bronco’s Development Squads in his early junior rugby league years it was great to see Rowan Mansfield sign a multi-year with the Titans in early 2018 that will keep him in Titans colours for the foreseeable future.

In June 2021 Rowan Mansfield was part of a Titans U18 Northern Rivers squad that played the Titans U17 JTS squad at Cbus Stadium in a curtain raiser to the Titans Round Fourteen NRL match against the Sydney Roosters.

Rowan Mansfield started from the interchange bench row for the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup side for their Round One match against the Wests Tigers at Ballina coming on to play in a roving forward role operating as a lock when he came on, regularly getting into dummy half and running a lot out of there.

After his impressive Round One performance, Rowan Mansfield deservedly moved into the starting line for the Northern Rivers Titans at lock in Round Two against local rivals the North Coast Bulldogs at Nambucca Heads, with Rowan Mansfield scoring the Northern Rivers Titan’s second try of the match and he also recorded a line break assist.

Rowan Mansfield’s try resulted when he ran a straight hard line from around three metres out from the North Coast line, hooker Tanu Nona darted out of dummy half to the left and put the ball onto his chest and Rowan Mansfield was able to put the ball down under the posts.

Rowan Mansfield’s line break assist resulted from a good piece of play in his own territory. Rowan Mansfield ran to the line, jinking to his left just prior to the line and popped a short pass to his left to Nicholas Troy to rumble into a gap and then make another twenty metres down the middle of the field.

Rowan Mansfield also started at lock in Round Three against the Greater Northern Tigers and recorded another line break assist when he put front rower Kyhan Weir into a big gap by way of a short pass to his left.

Rowan Mansfield also started at lock in Round Four at Lismore against the Central Coast Roosters and was once again busy and recorded a try assist in the 43rd minute when he cut inside on a hit-up close to the Central Coast line and was able to off-load to Jye Davis who dived over.

Rowan Mansfield continued at lock in Round Five against the Newcastle Knights and made his presence felt early with a strong front on tackle on the Newcastle front rower that forced the ball loose from his grasp. Rowan Mansfield produced another strong front on tackle that forced the ball loose from his Newcastle opponent when he took the hit-up from a penalty restart just a few minutes after his strong first hit.

Against the giant Newcastle forward pack Rowan Mansfield was able to use his footwork to make ground through the centre of the ruck including a strong fifteen run in the set of six after Michael Roberts early first half try. Rowan Mansfield made another strong run of ten metres through centre field in the dying minutes of the first half. Rowan Mansfield’s footwork continued in the second half including a strong sixteen metre effort from a hit-up to the left of the play the ball.

Late in the match Rowan Mansfield was almost rewarded for his effort in the match but he was held up over the line.

After the 2021 U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition was completed Rowan Mansfield suited up for the Ballina Seagulls once again starting Round One of the NRRRL U18 competition at fullback as they defeated Kyogle 54 – 4 with Rowan Mansfield scoring a double and adding two try assists.

Rowan Mansfield’s opening try came in the 16th minute and was an impressive solo effort. Positioned two passes to the right from a Ballina scrum, Rowan Mansfield received the ball twenty metres out immediately stepping off his left to beat the initial defender before a stutter step beat a second. Closing in on the try line, Rowan Mansfield spun clockwise to break away from two defenders before immediately spinning counter clockwise to beat the Kyogle fullback right on the try line. Rowan Mansfield then had the time and space bring the ball around and place it down between the posts.

Rowan Mansfield second try in the 26th minute was no less impressive then his first. Rowan Mansfield tracked back to retrieve a Turkeys clearing kick just five metres away from his own line. Rowan Mansfield immediately attacked the oncoming defensive line literally running straight through the defence to run ninety five metres to put the ball down under the posts,

It took less than a minute for Rowan Mansfield to record his first try assist in the match when from a Ballina scrum win ran into the line to the right of where the scrum was packed and just prior to contact threw a cut out pass to his right to put his right winger over in the corner.

Rowan Mansfield’s second try assist of the match came in the 8th minute after he darted out of dummy half to his right as he was bringing the ball out of his own territory. After running fifteen metres to get out to the forty metre mark, Rowan Mansfield was able to offload to his right winger for them to run sixty metres to score under the posts.

Rowan Mansfield also started at fullback in Round Two against the Byron Bay Devils and scored in the first half of Ballina’s 24 – 18 loss.

Rowan Mansfield scored in the 24th minute of the match when he was stationed on the right, receiving the ball five metres out from the line. Immediately upon receiving the ball Rowan Mansfield skipped to his right and shrugged off four defenders to get across the line and was able to bring the ball around closer to the goal posts.

Rowan Mansfield’s first touch of the ball came in the opening minute of the match when he positioned himself well to take Byron Bay’s first kick on the full and return the kick eighteen metres.

Rowan Mansfield positioned himself well once again in the 7th minute when he fielded a kick on his own line and was able to bring the ball to ten metres away from the line. Rowan Mansfield then fought to get to his feet quickly and was awarded a penalty for being held down too long.

From the subsequent set of set from the penalty Rowan Mansfield won he was on hand to track back to recover a lose pass and was able to break two tackles as he ran sixteen metres down the right touchline.

In the 46th minute made a further good run when he made fourteen metres from a scrum win and was then able to position Kye Cooper well to get an off-load away to him.

Rowan Mansfield also started Round Three at fullback against the Tweed Coast Raiders but with Ballina leading 22 – 0 at halftime, Rowan Mansfield was rested for the second half.

Even though he only played the first half Rowan Mansfield came close to getting his name on the score board when he in fact crossed the line but the last pass to him was ruled to have travelled forward.

Rowan Mansfield also started at fullback in Round Five against Casino RSM, playing the first half before being rested to start the NRRRL First Grade match against the same opponent on the right wing.

Rowan Mansfield was in the action early in the match running the ball back fifteen metres from Casino RSM’s clearing kick from their first set after the kick off. Then in the 19th minute Rowan Mansfield did some good work near halfway after a Seagulls scrum win, backing ground before getting an off-load away.

Probably Rowan Mansfield’s best moment of the first half came when in the 20th minute he put in a deft right foot chip to the right corner with Lachlan Offley in plenty of space but the ball took a horror bounce to just elude the right winger.

Round Eight of the NRRRL U18 competition saw Rowan Mansfield named at fullback against Northern United and Rowan Mansfield continued at fullback in Round Eleven against the Bilambil Jets with Rowan Mansfield scoring one try and setting up another in the Seagulls strong 30 – 0 win.

Rowan Mansfield scored in the 26th minute of the match he chimed into the backline on the left side of the field around twenty metres out. Upon receiving the ball, Rowan Mansfield straightened up the attack before drawing two defenders and then skipping to their outside. By that time Rowan Mansfield had the remaining Jets right side defenders back peddling and then from there he dummied to his left and sliced through the line to get the ball down in the left corner.

Rowan Mansfield contributed a try assist to Ballina’s 30 – 0 when after chiming into the backline, once again on the left side of the field, Rowan Mansfield committed two defenders before throwing a long cut-out pass to his left to put his winger over in the left corner.

Rowan Mansfield continued at fullback in Round Twelve against the Byron Bay Devils as well as Round Thirteen against the Murwillumbah Mustangs and had some good moments in the match including a 42nd minute line break down the left touchline out of dummy half making twenty five metres before being brought down less than a metres from line.

Rowan Mansfield also recorded a 36th minute line break assist when he was able to put Damon Coldwell away down a left blindside with a good short pass.

Rowan Mansfield was also named to continue at fullback in Round Fourteen against the Cudgen Hornets.

In Round One of the 2021 NRRRL First Grade season, after starring at fullback in the U18 match earlier in the day, Rowan Mansfield came off the bench as Ballina thrashed the Kyogle Turkeys 72 – 12. Rowan Mansfield also came off the bench in Round Two against Byron Bay after starting the earlier U18 match at fullback.

Rowan Mansfield started on the right wing for Ballina in Round Five of the NRRRL First Grade competition against Casino RSM, scoring twice in the Seagulls victory.

Rowan Mansfield’s first try of the match came in the 50th minute when he found himself on the left side of the field, receiving the ball fifteen metres form the line, Rowan Mansfield charged at the line, spinning counter clockwise right on the line to get the ball down ten metres in from the left corner.

Rowan Mansfield’s second try was a simpler affair coming in the 53rd minute when he received the ball on the right wing after a Ballina backline movement with Rowan Mansfield running twenty metres untouched to put the ball down in the right corner.

After his Round Five double Rowan Mansfield was understandably named to start on the right wing in Round Six against the Mullumbimby Giants, a match that saw him record a 16th minute try assist when he retrieved a Ballina mid-field bomb that the Giants could not handle and immediately ran towards the right touchline. A desperate tackle saw Rowan Mansfield being swung around by the jersey but he kept his wits about him to off-load to his five eight to run around and score under the posts.

Rowan Mansfield was also heavily involved in Ballina’s 7th minute try. Rowan Mansfield’s opposing winger tried to beat him down the touch line but Rowan Mansfield got hold of his jersey and as he was swinging him into touch the Mullumbimby desperately threw the ball back infield with the Ballina right second rower intercepting the pass and running the ball back to score.

To round out a very good first half, in the 39th minute, Rowan Mansfield ran back to field a Giants kick on the full ten metres out from his own line and return the ball twenty five metres.

Rowan Mansfield also started on the right wing in Round Eight against Northern United after playing in the U18 match against the same opponent earlier in the day. Rowan Mansfield was more than solid in the match including contributing a try assist to Ballina’s victory. In the second half Rowan Mansfield ran out of dummy half to his right down a short blindside and drew in one defender before putting Luke Simpson over in the right corner.

Rowan Mansfield was also named to start on the right wing in Round Nine against the Evans Heads Bombers and also started on the right wing in Round Ten against the Lower Clarence Magpies and Round Eleven against the Bilambil Jets however he ended up not being in the final squad against the Jets.

In the NRRRL Round Three Reserve Grade match against the Tweed Coast Raiders, Rowan Mansfield came off the bench for Ballina after playing in the U18 match between the same two teams earlier in the same day. Rowan Mansfield also came off the bench in Round Eleven against the Bilambil Jets and scored in the 29th minute when he was on the end of a long range Ballina movement to receive a pass from his inside while he was positioned on the left touchline to score in the corner.

Rowan Mansfield also came off the bench in the Round Two NRRRL Reserve Grade match against the Byron Bay Devils and he also came off the bench in Round Thirteen against the Murwillumbah Mustangs.

In May 2021 Rowan Mansfield took part in the New South Wales Combined High School’s U18 rugby league trials, representing the Northern Region, scoring on Day One of the trials against Southern Region.

Rowan Mansfield was named to start on the wing for the Northern Rivers Titans in Round One of the 2020 U18 Laurie Daley Cup against the Parramatta Eels at Cudgen however the match was cancelled due to the wet conditions prevailing in northern New South Wales on that particular weekend.

Rowan Mansfield started Round Two of the 2020 U18 Laurie Daley Cup on the right wing against the Newcastle Knights in Ballina scoring in the first half when he took an intercept to run forty metres untouched to score under the posts.

Rowan Mansfield also produced a smart piece of play late in the match to add a try assist to his game stats. Rowan Mansfield retrieved a bomb that Newcastle let bounce but instead of trying to beat the remaining defender between himself and the line, held the ball up nicely to draw the defender to put Riley Lack away to score.

Rowan Mansfield also started on the right wing in Round Three against the Central Coast Roosters and recorded a try assist with a heads up play late in the match. A kick was put up to Rowan Mansfield’s right wing, he leapt high to take the ball on the full and just as he was about to be pushed over the side line threw a one armed right arm pass (like an NFL quarter back) back inside to Riley Lack who scored in the right corner from a metre out.

Rowan Mansfield also started on the right wing in Round Four against the Greater Northern Tigers as the Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup side maintained their unbeaten record on the back of a hard fought 26 all draw.

Rowan Mansfield played for the Ballina Seagulls once again in the NRRRL U18 competition once again in 2020 and In a Round One 34 – 18 loss to the Bilambil Jets, started at fullback and scored the Seagulls first try of the 2020 season.

Rowan Mansfield also started at fullback in Round Two against Marist Brothers Rams before starting in the centres in Round Five against Marist Brothers Lismore. Rowan Mansfield also started at left centre in Round Six against Casino RSM scoring in the Seagulls 26 – 12 loss.

Rowan Mansfield moved back to fullback and crossed once again in Round Seven as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 32 – 16. Rowan Mansfield scored from fullback once again in Round Nine as the Seagulls defeated Byron Bay 24 – 12.

Starting at fullback, Rowan Mansfield was one of Ballina’s try scorers as they defeated Casino RSM in the 2020 NRRRL U18 Gold Preliminary Final.

In the 2020 NRRRL U18 Gold Grand Final Rowan Mansfield started at fullback for Ballina as they took on the Marist Brothers Rams and winning 30 - 18. In the Grand Final Rowan Mansfield pulled off an early try saving tackle on a rampaging Campbell Harvey, taking him high and forcing him over the touch line.

Rowan Mansfield also had a Grand Final try assist when he took on the line on down a wide left blind side, getting through the line before offloading to his left to Damon Coldwell who easily beat the Marist Brothers fullback to score near the left corner.

Minutes prior the two combined for an almost identical play but Damon Coldwell was deemed to be held up even though replays seemed to suggest that Damon Coldwell had gotten the ball down.

Rowan Mansfield made his NRRRL Reserve Grade debut in Round Three against Northern United, coming off the bench and scoring as the teams played out a 28 all draw and also scored in Round Four against the Mullumbimby Giants when he started from the bench once again for the Seagulls Reserve Grade side.

Rowan Mansfield made it three NRRRL Reserve Grade matches in a row when he backed up from the U18 fixture to start from the bench in Round Five against Marist Brothers Lismore. Rowan Mansfield also started from the bench in Round Seven against Casino RSM.

Rowan Mansfield made his first NRRRL Reserve Grade start of his career in Round Eight in a 20 – 16 loss to Northern United with Rowan Mansfield starting at fullback and scoring in the Seagulls four point loss.

Round Nine saw Rowan Mansfield came off the bench for the Ballina Reserve Grade side in Round Nine in a Seagulls 38 – 18 victory over Mullumbimby and he also came off the bench in Round Ten against the Marist Brothers Rams scoring a double as Ballina ran away with the match to win 54 - 6.

Rowan Mansfield was also on the bench as Ballina qualified for the NRRRL Reserve Grand Final after beating Northern United in the Preliminary Final with Rowan Mansfield playing in the right centre position when he came on.

Rowan Mansfield was also one of Ballina’s try scorers in the Seagulls four point victory. The sequence of events that led to Rowan Mansfield’s try actually started thirty metres out from their own. Rowan Mansfield initially made a long break down the right after being put into a gap, and was able to offload to his right winger who was eventually dragged down eight metres out from the Northern United line.

Rowan Mansfield got into dummy half with the Northern United defence shot to bits, running out of dummy half to the right and crossing untouched to score a try that covered seventy metres at a key point in the match.

In the 2020 NRRRL Reserve Grade Grand Final Rowan Mansfield was named to start on the bench as Ballina took on Casino RSM in the decider after starting at fullback in the earlier U18 NRRRL Grand Final. When he came into the Grand Final Rowan Mansfield moved onto the left wing as Ballina defeated Casino RSM to make it two wins from as many Grand Finals for Rowan Mansfield on the day.

Rowan Mansfield made his much deserved NRRRL First Grade debut in Round Eight of the 2020 NRRRL competition off the bench as Ballina defeated Northern United 52 – 12. In the preceding Reserve Grade match Rowan Mansfield had started at fullback (his first NRRRL Reserve Grade start) and scored as the Seagulls went down 20 – 16 to Northern United.

Rowan Mansfield also played for the Titans when he started at right centre for the Titans U16 squad in their early October 2019 match against PNG at Burleigh’s Pizzey Park scoring in the first half in the right corner from a run starting from five metres out and outpacing the PNG cover defence coming across.

Rowan Mansfield started at fullback for the Titans U16 side in their match against the Newcastle Knights early in 2019. Unfortunately an injury meant that Rowan Mansfield was not able to see out the match.

Rowan Mansfield also was part of the Titans U15 side when they defeated the Western Mustangs six tries to three at Nerang in March 2018. In that match Rowan Mansfield lined up at right centre where he opposed the talented Blake Cesseri from the Western Mustangs and more than held his own over the course of the match.

In late 2018 Rowan Mansfield started at fullback for the Titans U15 side as they defeated a U15 Balmain Tigers touring side 16 – 10 at Cudgen with Rowan Mansfield scoring an outstanding long range try in the Titans victory.

In the first half Rowan Mansfield was dangerous with the ball and also scored early when he looked to step his way through the Balmain Tigers forward pack from close range and was also dangerous chiming into the backline off Titans scrum wins especially to the right side of the field.

In the second half Rowan Mansfield moved onto the right wing and scored an outstanding try highlighting his outstanding speed. The try was constructed in the inside through a chain of passes from Thomas Weaver through Jye Gray to Kaleb Ngamanu who put Rowan Mansfield into a gap down the sideline. Rowan Mansfield used an outstanding in and away to beat the Balmain fullback to score untouched after a seventy metre run just to the right of the goal posts.

In Round One of the 2019 U18 Andrew Johns Cup competition Rowan Mansfield partnered fellow Titan’s linked player Keegan Pace in the centres for the Northern Rivers Titans in their match against the Newcastle Knights Development Squad, with Rowan Mansfield operating on the left side of the field.

Even though he was playing on the left, Rowan Mansfield’s first break was made on the right when he looped around a Titans scrum win on their own twenty metre line and drove twenty metres down field before being brought down.

Rowan Mansfield also made a great break down the left tough line after a great pre-line Jack Cullen offload and was a deserved try scorer for the Titans when he took a pass off the dummy half around twenty metres out from the Newcastle try line and proceeded to power through the defensive line to score.

In the match, Rowan Mansfield on two occasions was able to pin Newcastle defenders in the in goal highlighting his enthusiasm to chase kicks. Both kicks were from fellow Titan’s contracted player Thomas Weaver.

Round Two of the 2019 Andrew Johns Cup competition saw Rowan Mansfield once again line up in the left centre position in their match against Parramatta. Rowan Mansfield did not see too much of the ball in the match but was still able to score for the Northern Rivers Titans in a try that was similar to his Round One try as he exploded onto a dummy half pass and through sheer speed and power dragged a couple of Parramatta players over the try line.

Round Three against the North Coast Bulldogs once again saw Rowan Mansfield start at left centre for the Northern Rivers Titans and once again he was outstanding on the way to scoring a double. Rowan Mansfield’s first try was a long range effort when he took a pass from fellow Titan and front rower Jack Cullen to spring sixty metres down the left touch line. Rowan Mansfield also scored the final try of the match when he pouched on a North Coast mistake in their own in goal for one of the easier tries that he will score in his career.

After starting the opening three rounds of the Andrew Johns Cup at left centre, Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters saw Rowan Mansfield move back to fullback.

After a week at fullback, Rowan Mansfield moved back to the centres for the Round Five match against the Greater Northern Tigers starting at left centre and scored an outstanding long range try when he exploded down the left touch line in a seventy run to the line easily outpacing the Greater Northern Tigers cover defence.

In the semi-final against Penrith Rowan Mansfield had arguably his best match of the Andrew Johns Cup competition (which is saying something) from his usual right centre position. He was aggressive in both attack and defence and made some telling runs out of dummy half for the Northern Rivers Titans as well as some aggressive defence on his opposite Penrith centre.

In the 2019 U16 Andrew Johns Cup Grand Final against the Western Rams Rowan Mansfield started at left centre and scored an outstanding try, the second of the match for the Titans in their outstanding 18 – 6 win.

At a scrum in front of the Western Rams posts, the Titans stacked the right side but instead the ball went to Rowan Mansfield on the left, he got outside of his direct opponent with speed before close to the line opposing winger came in to make the tackle. Rowan Mansfield literally ran straight through him to score in the corner.

Post the victory Rowan Mansfield was named on the wing for the New South Wales Country U16 side for their November three match tour of the United Kingdom.

Rowan Mansfield started on the left wing scoring a double in Game One of the tour scoring New South Wales Country U16’s second try of the match in their big 62 – 0 win over the U17 Community Lions.

Rowan Mansfield’s first try of the match was a sixty metre effort which he was able to bring around to under the goal posts (after crossing the try line in the left corner) in the first half after eluding the Lions fullback. Rowan Mansfield’s second try was scored when he leapt in the air to claim a Thomas Weaver cross kick on the full to score in the corner.

Rowan Mansfield also started on the left wing in Match Two of the tour and scored his third tour try late in the match from close range in the left corner as the NSW Country U16’s defeated the Leeds Rhino’s 32 – 10. Rowan Mansfield scored literally right in the left corner after a three metre after a chain of short passes to the left of the field by the New South Wales Country U16 side.

Rowan Mansfield finished the tour with five tries when he scored a double after starting the third and final match on the wing as the New South Wales Country U16 side defeated the British Community Lions 62 – 6. Rowan Mansfield’s first try (and the first of the match) was the result of a great back line move to the left in just the second minute and he completed his double in the twenty first minute when another backline movement saw Rowan Mansfield in space from where he was able to score.

The New South Wales Country U16 side played a New South Wales U16 Harold Matthews squad as a curtain raiser to the Penrith/Warriors NRL match on a Friday night at Penrith Park in May 2019. Rowan Mansfield started the match on the left wing.

In the match Rowan Mansfield did not get a lot of opportunities but he went looking for the ball and did make one good break down the left touchline before kicking inside to keep the ball alive.

Impressively less than 48 hours later Rowan Mansfield lined up for Ballina in their 58 - 0 NRRRL U18 Round Seven win over Tweed Coast and scoring in the big win.

Even though Rowan Mansfield was still U16 eligible in 2019, he made his NRRRL U18 debut in Round Four for Ballina in their 18 – 12 win over Murwillumbah.

In total in the 2019 NRRRL U18 competition Rowan Mansfield played in twelve regular season matches scoring seven tries for a 58.33% strike rate including a double in Round Sixteen against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

In 2019 Rowan Mansfield also scored against Lismore Marist Brothers in Round Six (his first U18 NRRRL try), in Round Seven against Tweed Coast, Round Twelve against Casino RSM, Round Thirteen against Murwillumbah and in Round Seventeen scored against Tweed Coast.

In Week Two of the 2019 NRRRL U18 Finals Rowan Mansfield was part of the Ballina side that defeated Cudgen 26 – 20 to progress directly to the Grand Final with Rowan Mansfield one of Ballina’s try scorers in their hard fought win.

From his fullback position Rowan Mansfield was hunting around the ruck and followed a break made by the Ballina hooker to receive a pass to race fifty metres to score untouched adjacent to the right upright.

In the 2019 NRRRL U18 Grand Final Rowan Mansfield started at fullback for Ballina as they won the premiership on the back of a 24 – 6 victory with Rowan Mansfield being a menace for the Cudgen defence constantly backing up his forwards through the centre of the ruck as well as returning Cudgen kicks regularly gaining valuable ground for Ballina.

Rowan Mansfield also started for Ballina in Round One of the 2019 Group One U16.5 competition in their 26 – 4 loss to South Grafton.

Rowan Mansfield scored seven Group One regular season 2019 U16.5 tries from nine matches in 2019 including a Round Seven double against Kyogle, also scoring a double in Round Ten against Casino RSM.

In Week One of the Group One finals series, Rowan Mansfield was unstoppable on his way to scoring a hat trick as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 20 – 8 to progress to Week Two with Ballina also winning then in the Preliminary Final 21 – 14 over South Grafton for Rowan Mansfield and his team mates to progress to the Grand Final.

In the 2019 Group One U16.5 Grand Final against Lismore Marist Brothers Gold Rowan Mansfield started at fullback as Ballina ran out winners 12 – 4 against the Rams.

At the 2019 Group One Junior Rugby League Awards night Rowan Mansfield was named Group One Junior Rugby League Representative Player of the Year. Rowan Mansfield also received an award at the 2019 Ballina Coast High School Sports Awards night.

In 2018 in the Group One U15 competition, Rowan Mansfield played in eleven matches, including the finals scoring five tries. Each of Rowans Mansfield regular season’s tries came from individual matches and were scored against, South Grafton, Clarence Coast on two occasions and against Casino RSM.

On the first Saturday of the Group One finals, Rowan Mansfield scored for Ballina in their 26 - 4 Group One U15 semi-final victory over South Grafton.

In the 2018 Group One U15 Grand Final Rowan Mansfield and his Ballina team mates went down to a committed South Grafton Rebels side 16 – 0 in a defensive tussle.

Rowan Mansfield also played in three Group One U16.5 matches, making his debut against Clarence Coast in early August scoring on debut.

Earlier in 2018 Rowan Mansfield was part of the New South Wales Combined High Schools (NSW CHS) U15 side that participated in the ASSRL U15 national Championships, being one of ten Titans involved in the Championships. NSW Combined High School Titans team mates were second rower Ryan Foran and fullback/centre Riley Lack.

At the 2018 New South Wales Country U15 Championships Rowan Mansfield was named in the centres for the Group One U15 representative side.

In Group One’s Round One U15 match against Newcastle Rowan Mansfield started in the centres with Group One winning 22 – 18 against Newcastle and Rowan Mansfield scoring a double.
In Group One’s second match of the Championships Rowan Mansfield kicking a conversion as Group One ran out 28 – 6 winners against Group Three.

Group One won their Northern Cup semi-final against Group 19 before going down 10 – 6 against Group Two in the U15 new South Wales Country Northern Cup Final.

Rowan Mansfield played four matches at the U16 ASSRL Championships primarily at fullback and scored against New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges.

Early in 2017 Rowan Mansfield represented Group One U14’s in the New South Wales Age Championships were he was named in the centres. In those Championships, Rowan Mansfield was absolutely outstanding on his way to scoring four tries from just three matches, including a Round One hat trick against Group 14 and in Round Three he scored against the Central Coast.

For the 2017 season Rowan Mansfield was the leading try scorer in the Group One U14 competition scoring 23 tries from just twelve matches. Rowan Mansfield scored five in a match against Marist Brothers and also had hat tricks against the Grafton Ghosts and South Grafton Rebels.

In a seven match span to start the 2017 season Rowan Mansfield scored an incredible nineteen tries. Rowan Mansfield was in fact named the U14 Ballina Seagulls Best and Fairest for the 2017 Group One U14 season.

Rowan Mansfield also played eight matches in the 2017 Group One U15 competition scoring against Casino RSM. On six of the eight occasions that Rowan Mansfield played U15’s he was backing up from the U14 contest earlier in the day.

In the 2016 season Rowan Mansfield scored an amazing 35 tries in only 13 games to finish the leading try scorer by 13 tries, adding in his two conversions, Rowan Mansfield had a total points tally of 144 on the season in the U13 Group One Junior Rugby League competition and added another six tries from as many games in the U14 age group.

In the U13 competition in 2016, Rowan Mansfield was only kept try less on one occasion in 2016, being against Lismore Marist Brothers in the last match of the season. Rowan Mansfield scored six tries in a match against Kyogle and five also against Kyogle earlier in the season and on four occasions, scored four tries in a match which came against Casino RSM on two separate occasions and against Grafton and South Grafton.

Rowan Mansfield also scored two hat tricks, coming against Lismore Marist Brothers on two separate occasions. At the U14 level, Rowan Mansfield scored two doubles which came against Grafton and Kyogle.

Rowan Mansfield is also an outstanding track athlete including in 2019 when representing Ballina Coast High School he won the 100 metre/200 metres sprint double at the 2019 North Coast Combined High Schools Track and Field Championships.

In the 100 metre final Rowan Mansfield won in a time of 11.70 seconds after running 11.84 in his heat and he ran 23.83 seconds to win the 200 metre final after running 24.82 in his heat.

In attack his speed off the mark is the first attribute that you will notice when you see Rowan Mansfield play live. Only watching him play live will do his speed off the mark justice, watching him play live, it is great to see when he takes off. He also has an extra gear once he is through the defensive line and has the ability and endurance to maintain his speed over a long distance. Couple his speed with a very good right foot step and you have a young player who seemingly makes breaks at will.

Rowan Mansfield can and will beat defenders on 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. When he has the ball in his hands.

Rowan Mansfield also backs up any line breaks that are made by his forwards. Yes I know that he is still very young but Rowan Mansfield has absolutely blazing speed already, which would have to be considered in the plus-plus category.

For the Titans U15 side in March 2018 Rowan Mansfield expertly got on the outside of his Western Mustangs opponent down the right hand grand stand side of the field at Nerang beating his opposing centre with speed and guile and even with a lot of cover defence coming across expertly set up his fullback with a great pass back on the inside. Even though the fullback was pulled down just short of the try line it was a great piece of play by Rowan Mansfield and personified his style of play perfectly in that brief moment of brilliance.

Rowan Mansfield also has very good hands for such a young player and when he retrieves the ball from an opponent’s kick he simply just takes off and is difficult for the opposition to get his hands on as he nears top speed.

Rowan Mansfield is not the biggest or necessarily strongest player but will take the hit when needing to make the tackle in the last line of defence and has the recovery speed to compensate if he needs to turn and chase an opponent’s break. Rowan Mansfield is also adept at using the sideline to his advantage when he is defending against opposition breaks.

Even against such a talented centre as Blake Cesseri (the best U15 centre in Queensland) Rowan Mansfield held his own for the Titans U15 side, especially considering that Rowan Mansfield has not spent a great deal of time in the centres over the last couple of seasons.

Rowan Mansfield played in the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition for Ballina for the third season in a row and also played a number of matches in the NRRRL First Grade competition, Rowan Mansfield was just that good. Rowan Mansfield was also a member of the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad.

In 2022 Rowan Mansfield will either look to break into a Hastings Deering’s Colts squad with either Burleigh or Tweed Heads and say in Ballina where he would continue to be a regular in the Seagulls NRRRL First Grade side.

From a position perspective, I would suggest that Rowan Mansfield will continue to play fullback and centre for the foreseeable future, although I believe when it is all said and done Rowan Mansfield will ultimately end up at fullback although with how he played in the centres for the Titans U15 side and in 2019 for the U16 Northern Rivers Titans Andrew Johns Cup winning side and on the wing in 2020 for the U18 Laurie Daley Cup Northern Rivers Titans, it cannot be ruled out that Rowan Mansfield will not stay in the centres or on the wing and perform very well there as well.

I just prefer Rowan Mansfield a touch more at fullback where he can pick and choose when to get involved and also at fullback and loiter around the centre of the ruck and use his speed off the mark to break the line if he gets an off load from one of his forwards.

From a player comparison perspective, think along the lines of Cowboys fullback Lachlan Coote as a fullback with above average pace and footwork in attack, especially around the centre of the ruck and who is also courageous when it comes to his defensive duties, fielding kicks and on subsequent kick returns.

Taking into account the previous two paragraph’s I note that in the U18 Laurie Daley Cup for the Northern Rivers Titans, Rowan Mansfield played a fair portion of the 2021 season at lock, having a roving commission and performing well in the role, which included a lot of running out of dummy half. With his footwork developed from his time at fullback and in the centres, Rowan Mansfield was able to make a lot of ground through the centre of the ruck, especially late in halves when he could exploit the fatigue of the opposition forwards.

When playing at lock, Rowan Mansfield, looked not dis-similar to the new age rugby league locks such as the Sydney Roosters Victor Radley and South Sydney’s Cam Murray.

There is just something about how this young man moves that is impossible not to be impressed by and the scary part of me is that even though he was solid for the Titans U15’s, U16’s and the Northern Rivers Titans U16 and U18’s over the last couple of seasons there is plenty more to come from Rowan Mansfield, plenty more indeed.

[mdrew]

Riley Lack. The young Murwillumbah five eight, centre or fullback has been a Titans contracted player for a number of season now and is part of an exceptional group of young men contracted to the Titans in the 16 to 18 year age group from northern New South Wales that all signed at the same time and continue to progress of the ranks together from U15 representative sides through to the MM Cup competition in 2021, playing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

Others in the outstanding group of Titans NRL players of the future include Thomas Weaver, Ryan Foran, Jack Cullen, Reef Sommerville and Jaylan De Groot.

In January 2021 Riley Lack started from the bench for the Titans U19 side in their annual match at Coffs Harbour against the Newcastle Knights. When he came on, Riley Lack played five eight and operated on the right side of the field as the Titans ran away with the match in the second half to records a well-deserved 40 – 6 victory.

Riley Lack started the second half playing at five eight on the right side of the field and was involved to the Titans first try of the second half when he threw a good quick pass to his right to Brock Priestley, who subsequently offloaded to Reef Sommerville, with a spectacular Jaylan De Groot try resulting from a Reef Sommerville kick back inside.

A week after the match against the Newcastle Knights Riley Lack once again lined up for the Titans U19’s as they took on a Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts squad with the Titans winning 32 – 20 with no conversions attempted.

Riley Lack started the match on the bench, coming on at half time and playing at five eight for the Titans on the right side of the field. As he did against the Knights, Riley Lack played an understated role against the Bears, doing a lot of the little things such as looking for his support runs and chasing downfield in relation to Titans tactical kicking. It was a similar situation from a defensive perspective for Riley Lack against the Bears.

Probably Riley Lack’s most effective tactical kick in the match came in the 68th minute of the match, when Riley Lack received the ball down a short left blind side just inside his own half. Riley Lack put in a long right foot kick down the left touchline with the ball bouncing up in the in-goal forcing the Burleigh fullback to play at the ball. The Burleigh fullback was caught inside his own ten metre line with Riley Lack one of the first Titans players down field forcing the Bears fullback towards the Titans right side defence.

In November 2020 Riley Lack was named in the powerful 2021 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.

Riley Lack started from the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in their first 2021 trial which was against the Easts Tigers at Langland’s Park and was one of the Seagulls best in their 28 – 12 first up victory.

In Tweed Heads second 2021 MM Cup trial against Burleigh that Tweed Heads comprehensively one, Riley Lack played the first half at five eight, operating on the left side of the field, putting in a noteworthy performance, including an outstanding solo try, a try assist, a big hand in another Seagulls try and well as producing an astute kicking display.

Riley Lack’s outstanding solo try was certainly worth the wait, operating on the right, Riley Lack received a low pass from his right as Tweed Heads were set up to the left. To catch the ball, Riley Lack had to dive forward to take the low pass. As soon as he had hit the ground, Riley lack was back on his feet and cut back to his right in the direction of where the pass had come from. Riley lack was confronted with a line of Burleigh defenders but expertly grubbered through the line and get the perfect bounce to retrieve the ball with no loss of momentum and go through and put the ball down untouched just to the right of the uprights.

Riley Lack’s try assist came late in the first half when he put in a pin point kick to the left wing which hit left winger Kruze Rimene on the chest and Rimene was able to fall over the line from two metres out and a metre in from the left corner post.

Riley Lack was also heavily involved in left winger Kruze Rimene’s first try of the match. Tweed Heads spun the ball to the left side of the field, when Riley Lack received the ball he threw a long twenty metre cut-out pass to his left that found left centre Campbell Watchairs in space, who then put Kruze Rimene over in the left corner.

As noted above, Riley Lack produced an assured kicking display in the first half, including an impressive early match kick that forced Burleigh to restart through a goal line drop out. Riley Lack took the ball on the sixth tackle off the dummy half and ran to the line before grubbing through the Bears line. The ball hit the left goal post and by the time the Bears fullback gained possession in his own in-goal there was nowhere for him to go and thus he was pinned there.

Riley Lack also started at five eight in Tweed Heads final 2021 MM Cup final against the Souths Logan Magpies at Logan scoring the Seagulls final try in a 32 – 8 (no conversions) victory.

Late in the fourth quarter Jaylan De Groot burst down the right touchline after good work on his inside. As he was being hemmed in by the Souths Logan fullback and cover defence Jaylan De Groot grubbered kicked with his right foot inside with the kick perfectly weighted for Riley Lack who was tracking the play on the inside to get downward pressure on the ball to be awarded a try, the final one of the eight that Tweed Heads scored in the match.

Unfortunately was hit in the head a fraction after he got the ball down, forcing him off the field. The Souths Logan player responsible was put on report for the high hit. Unfortunately the head knock that he suffered in scoring the try meant that Riley Lack missed Round’s One and two of the 2021 MM Cup competition.

Riley Lack was back in the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side, starting at five eight in their Round Three local derby against Burleigh and did not miss a beat alongside Thomas Weaver, scoring one try and assisting in another in the Seagulls comprehensive victory.

Riley Lack scored in the 26th minute of the match when he chased through a kick out of dummy half midfield by Blake Mozer, Riley Lack got the ball just before the Burleigh fullback toeing the ball forward before retrieving the ball down low three metres from the line diving over to score fifteen metres in from the right corner post.

Riley Lack’s try assist came in just the 14th minute of the match when he ran the ball down a right blindside around twenty metres out from the line and as the defence converged on him, Riley Lack produced a great right arm out of the back of his hand flick pass to put Jayden Wright into a gap to cross for his second try of the match.

Riley Lack was also named to start at five eight for Round Four match against the Ipswich Jets and saved a try in just the 7th minute of the match when he chased down the Ipswich left winger bringing him down with a great diving low tackle along the touchline.

Riley Lack was named to start at five eight in Round Five against the Souths Logan Magpies however was a late scratching.

Riley Lack then started at five eight for the Seagulls for the final regular season round of the 2021 MM Cup competition in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears and converted the Seagulls first two tries of the match.

Riley Lack worked hard in both attack and defence in the match and in the 56th minute made a good defensive play when he raced off his own try line to get up into the face of Burleigh’s Seth Nikotemo with the pressure meaning the Bears second rower could not maintain possession.

After missing Tweed Head’s semi-final victory over Wynnum Manly, Riley Lack was the 18th man for the 2021 MM Cup Grand Final against the Townsville Blackhawks.

In Round Two of the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition, Riley Lack started at five eight for the Murwillumbah Mustangs and kicked eight conversions as the Mustangs accounted for Northern United.

After Murwillumbah had a number of byes back to back, Riley Lack started at five eight in Round Six against the Kyogle Turkeys, kicking five conversions in the Mustangs big victory.

Riley Lack was also involved in Ryan Foran’s second try of the match when he put up a huge bomb from near midfield which the Kyogle defence could not handle, Ryan Foran charged through to dive on the loose ball in the in-goal.

Riley Lack also started at five eight in Round Seven against Byron Bay, kicking two conversions in the Mustangs 20 – 0 victory. Riley Lack also recorded a try assist when he put in a chip kick down a right blindside which was taken on the full by his right winger who raced away to score.

Riley Lack continued at five eight in Round Eight against Marist Brothers Lismore, kicking four conversions from five attempts in the Mustangs victory.

After Murwillumbah’s Round Nine match against the Tweed Coast Raiders was postponed, Riley Lack was back at five eight for Round Ten against the Cudgen Hornets. Riley Lack was in the match in the first minute when he put up a huge bomb sixty metres out from the line and after bouncing once that ball amazingly hit the cross bar and then bounced into the in-goal with Cudgen subsequently trapped there and was forced to drop the ball out to restart the match.

Riley Lack also produced another kick in the match that had a positive impact for the Mustangs when in the 45th minute he put in a chip kick from twenty metres out that Cudgen’s Reef Sommervile was forced to take over the dead ball line.

Riley lack came very close to scoring in the first half of the match after a slicing run to his left but unfortunately the ball was knocked out of his grasp just as he was crossing the line. Also Riley Lack showcased his speed in the first half when he chased Cudgen’s Jett Forbes down field after the Hornets right centre took an intercept twenty metres from his own line and took off but Riley Lack rounded him up still twenty metres from the try line.

Riley Lack continued at five eight in Round Twelve against Northern United and had a day out, scoring one try, kicking an exceptional ten from ten, including conversions from both sidelines and also recorded three try assists.

Riley Lack scored in the 49th minute, after a superb break from inside his own territory by Blake Forder, Riley Lack received the ball on the right and was able to get the ball down in the right corner.

Riley Lack’s opening try assist of the match came in the 29th minute he cut back inside off his right foot and was able to offload to Cooper Wolf who crashed over from close range.

Riley Lack added his second try assist in the 35th minute when from thirty five metres out he put in a right foot chip kick which sat up perfectly for Matthew Bollard to race through and retrieve the ball and he was able to bring the ball around and put it down under the posts.

Riley Lack recorded his third and final try assist in the 41st when he fed a scrum running to the left and executing an old fashioned run around with Brandon Williams before putting his support runner through a huge gap thirty five metres out.

Round Thirteen against the Ballina Seagulls saw Riley Lack continue at five eight and recording two try assists as well as kicking three conversions.

Riley Lack’s first try assist came in the 17th minute when after receiving the ball around sixteen metres out whilst operating on the right side of field, Riley Lack cut back off his right foot towards mid-field, breaking a number of tackles before getting a right arm off-load away close to the line for Mustangs front rower Chad Jones to force his way over under the posts.

Riley Lack added his second try assist in the 48th minute and once again Riley Lack received the ball on the right side of the field before cutting back towards mid-field and once again was able to great another great right arm off-load away, on this occasion to his hooker who was able to get over the line next to the left upright.

Riley Lack also produced a great kick-off in the 45th minute when he hit the kick-off towards the left touchline, with the ball bouncing less than a foot from the touchline and ten metres out. Riley Lack set up a try from the subsequent Murwillumbah restart.

In Round Two of the NRRRL First Grade competition, Riley Lack came off the bench and kicked a late first half conversion against Northern United after kicking eight conversions in the U18 match earlier in the day.

Round Three of the NRRRL First Grade competition saw Riley Lack start at halfback for the Mustangs as they had a big win over the Lower Clarence Magpies.

Round Four of the 2021 NRRRL First Grade competition saw Riley Lack moved to five eight for their local derby against the Mullumbimby Giants with Riley Lack recording a second half try assist when he spilt the Giants defence around the halfway mark as he ran to his left. Once Riley Lack was through the line he drew the fullback before passing to his left to put fullback Liam Cusack over untouched.

In Round Twelve of the NRRRL Reserve Grade competition, Riley Lack came off the bench against Northern United and Riley Lack also came off the bench in Round Thirteen against the Ballina Seagulls.

Riley Lack was named to start at five eight for the Northern Rivers Titans in Round One of the 2020 U18 Laurie Daley Cup against the Parramatta Eels at Cudgen however the match was cancelled due to the wet conditions.

Riley Lack started Round Two of the 2020 U18 Laurie Daley Cup at five eight against the Newcastle Knights in Ballina playing on the right side of the field as usual. Riley lack also scored late in the match after putting a bomb up to the right corner. Riley Lack immediately chased his own kick and after it was retrieved by Rowan Mansfield was on hand to take the pass from the fellow Titans contracted player to score.

Riley Lack moved to the right centre position for Round Three against the Central Coast Roosters scoring late in the second half. A kick was put up to the right wing, Rowan Mansfield leapt high to take the ball on the full and just as he was about to be pushed over the side line threw a one armed pass (like an NFL quarter back) back inside to Riley Lack who scored in the right corner from a metre out. Riley Lack will probably never score an easier one.

Riley Lack moved back to five eight for Round Four against the Greater Northern Tigers and for the Round Five local derby against North Coast.

When the 2020 NRRRL competition recommenced in late July Riley Lack was part of the Murwillumbah Mustangs U18 side, starting Round One at fullback and kicking three from four conversions as the Mustangs overcame the Tweed Coast Raiders 22 – 16. Round Two saw Riley Lack move to five eight and kick four conversions from as many attempts as Murwillumbah defeated the Bilambil Jets 24 – 18.

Riley Lack led the Murwillumbah U18 NRRRL side to the Green Grand Final, starting the decider at left centre and scored a late second half try as the Mustangs went down 28 – 16 to the Cudgen Hornets.

Riley Lack scored from a set play off the scrum. The scrum lacked in the left corner ten metres out from their own line, after winning the scrum the ball was kicked down field by the five eight. Riley Lack outpaced the Cudgen defence who had been caught off guard to score out wide on the left.

Riley Lack made his NRRRL First Grade debut in Round Eight when he came off the bench in Round Eight against the Bilambil Jets. In the 2020 NRRRL First Grade Preliminary Final, Riley Lack started on the right wing and scored the last minute try that sealed Murwillumbah’s 20 – 18 win when he chased through a Kade Hill chip kick to take the ball on the full and score wide out in the left corner.

Riley Lack started from the bench for the Titans U18 side in their annual match against the Newcastle Knights SG Ball (U18) side in Coffs Harbour in January 2020.

Riley Lack had an outstanding 2018 season including playing for the Titans U15 Invitational side in a match against the Western Mustangs in March 2018 when he started at fullback.

Riley Lack has played in additional matches for the Titans since then starting a number at five eight, the first being against the Balmain Tigers in late 2018 (Riley Lack spent some time at fullback in the second half of that match) and in January of 2019 when he started at five eight against the Newcastle Knights in Coffs Harbour.

Against the Knights Riley Lack primarily operated on the right side of the field with half Thomas Weaver playing on the left. Riley Lack had a solid match and even though he had the No. 6 on his back fed the ball into the scrum for most of the match but on occasion packed in at lock when the Titans had the scrum feed so that he could distribute the ball from the back of the scrum immediately.

Riley Lack also showed his rugby league intelligence in the match, in the second half a Knights second rower ran at him and was dragging Riley Lack with him, Riley Lack got his hands around the ball and stole it in a one on one strip around the half way mark to give the Titans good field position. Riley Lack also had a try assist when he threw the inside ball to Brody Smitka for the big front rowers second half try.

On the Thursday Night match at Cudgen in September 2018 against the Balmain Tigers Riley Lack recorded a try assist when late in the first half he threw a great long pass to Titans right winger Timothy Seilaff-Burns who was able to freeze the Balmain defender and then beat him on the outside to score in the right hand corner from close range.

One of Riley Lack’s more recent matches for the Titans was when he started at five eight for the Titans U16 squad in their early October 2019 match against PNG at Pizzey Park.

In Round One of the 2019 U16 Andrew Johns Cup competition Riley Lack started at five eight for the Northern Rivers Titans in their match against the Newcastle Knights Development Squad and just like for the Titans U16’s operated on the right with Thomas Weaver on the left and showcased his footwork on a number of occasions.

Round Two of the 2019 Andrew Johns Cup competition saw Riley Lack once again line up at five eight in their match against Parramatta having an outstanding game including throwing the last pass for two of the Titans tries. In the first half Riley Lack took the ball to his left inside his own half and sliced through the Parramatta defence before getting the ball away on his inside to fullback Jaylan DeGroot to score.

Late in the second half, Riley Lack had his second try assist of the match when once again operating on the right, he threw a great cut-out pass to winger Jake Coleman to score untouched in the right corner.

In the match Riley Lack also showed some good kicking skills including forcing a line drop out from a deft right foot kick.

For the third week in a row, Riley Lack started at five eight against the North Coast Bulldogs in Round Three, setting up two tries and kicking two from three conversions, with his only miss being from right on the left touch line.

Riley Lack’s first try assist came in the first half when he took the ball right to the defensive line before popping a good short ball to his left to send second rower Nicholas Troy over. In the second half with the Titans pressing Riley Lack took a pass high above his body with the North Coast defence converging, Riley Lack was able to bring the ball down and pop a good short pass almost instantaneously to his left, under extreme pressure to fullback Jaylan DeGroot who scored under the posts.

In Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters Riley Lack started in his customary five eight position scoring once again and split the Central Coast defence from about forty metres out on the left side of the field in the first half.

Riley Lack also started at five eight in Round Five against the Greater Northern Tigers scoring the first try of the match when he pounced on a deft kick from Thomas Weaver. Riley Lack also added a conversion from the left touch line after Ryan Foran had scored out wide.

Riley Lack really did display outstanding game management skills in the match. When Thomas Weaver was sent to the sin-bin, Riley Lack took over the running of the side and controlled play very well.

Riley Lack had another try assist in the Northern Rivers Titans 26 – 14 semi-final victory over Penrith which came from a first half attacking kick down the right side of the field with Reef Sommerville able to dive on the ball to ensure that the Titans went into half time with a two point lead.

In the 2019 U16 Andrew Johns Cup Grand Final against the Western Rams Riley Lack started at five eight in the Northern Rivers Titans outstanding 18 – 6 victory.

Riley Lack was a major contributor to the victory including one towering bomb which the Western Rams fullback could not handle in the first half, with Rowan Mansfield scoring from the resultant scrum.

Post the victory Riley Lack was named at five eight for the New South Wales Country U16 side for their November 2019 three match tour of the United Kingdom and was also named in the New South Wales U16 36 man train on squad and was one of only four New South Wales Country players in the squad, two others being fellow Titans Thomas Weaver and Ryan Foran.

Riley Lack started at five eight in Game One of the UK tour scoring New South Wales Country U16’s second try of the match in their big 62 – 0 win over the U17 Community Lions. Riley Lack also started at five eight in Game Two as NSW Country ran out 32 – 10 winners against the Leeds Rhino’s and operated primarily on the right of the field.

Riley Lack also started at five eight and scored a double in Game Three of the New South Wales Country U16’s tour of the UK as they finished undefeated on the back of a 62 – 6 victory over a British Community Lions squad consisting of players from the Lancashire and Cumbria region of England. Riley Lack’s first try came three minutes from half time when he darted over after a probing run from ten metres out to score near the right upright.

Riley lack’s second try came in the second half from a scrum move. Riley Lack fed the ball into the scrum and shaped to pick the ball up from the base of the scrum but instead backed away to his right on a wide blind side on that side of the field. The lock picked up the ball drawing the Lions half for Riley Lack to score wide out in the right corner.

The New South Wales Country U16 side played a New South Wales U16 Harold Matthews squad as a curtain raiser to the Penrith/Warriors NRL match on a Friday night at Penrith Park in May 2019. Riley Lack started the match at five eight and put in a couple of good kicks two of which resulted in line drop outs for his side.

Riley Lack made his NRRRL U18 debut in Round Ten of the 2019 competition for Murwillumbah in their 28 – 10 victory over the Tweed Coast Raiders and also played in Round Eighteen of the same season, being the last regular season round against Tweed Heads when he kicked three goals from as many attempts to score his first career NRRRL U18 points.

Riley Lack was selected in the 2018 New South Wales Combined High Schools U15 side for the U15 ASSRL National Championships. He was named to start from the bench but started a number of matches.

Titan’s team mates in the NSW CHS side were fullback Rowan Mansfield and second rower and fellow Murwillumbah High School student Ryan Foran and was one of nine Titans contracted U15 players that participated in the U15 ASSRL Championships.

On Day Three in a semi-final against NSW CCC, Riley Lack started the match and kicked two from two including converting a 9th minute try from fellow Titans contracted player Ryan Foran. Unfortunately after leading 8 – 0, NSW CHS went down 10 – 8.

On the final day of the Championships being Day Five, Riley Lack started against NSW CIS kicking two conversions in a 12 – 0 victory for his NSW CHS side.

After the completion of the 2018 season Riley Lack and fellow Group 18 U15 team mates headed overseas to play in the Battlefield Challenge to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the end of World War I, a competition that the side won including victories against Emory Moor 12 – 6 and Leigh East 18 – 12.

In a warm up match in England prior to the Tournament they defeated a Hemel Stags U16 side and post the Tournament defeated French side Aude Cathare. A number of other Titans players were involved in the tour including Tom Weaver, Keegan Pace, Jack Cullen, Ryan Foran, Byron Jones and Bailey Cox.

In 2017 Riley Lack represented Group 18 at the U14 level in the New South Wales Country Age Championships, playing three matches in the centres and scoring against Group One.

Riley Lack, in addition to being a very good rugby league player is also a very good overall athlete, being named the Year 16 Athletics Champion at the 2019 Murwillumbah High School Athletics Championships. At those Championships Riley Lack set a new 16 years 100 metres record when he ran 11.41 seconds. Riley Lack also won the “Champion of Champions” race to determine the fastest runner in the school - open 100 metre dash winning in a time of 11:41 seconds.

Riley Lack then went on to represent Murwillumbah High School at the 2019 Far North Coast Athletics Championships, winning the 200 metres sprint and coming second in the 100 metres sprint. Riley Lack was also part of the Murwillumbah High School 16 Years relay time that won the sprint relay.

In 2018 Riley Lack was named the 15 Years cross country male age Champion after the three kilometres race was run.

In addition to athletics and rugby league Riley Lack has also represented Far North Coast in touch, specifically in the U15’s in 2018 when he was the North Coast captain.

When playing in the centres’s Riley Lack 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, Riley Lack 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, Riley Lack usually is able to maintain his balance and keeps an arm free, looking to offload.

Riley Lack 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 Riley Lack 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.

At five eight, I really like the way that Riley Lack plays in attack, he will try different things and play what is in front of him rather than stick to the same tactics over and over again. In many respects Riley Lack is very unpredictable when he gets the ball, he is adept at running himself when presented with an appropriate opportunity and has a very good turn of speed off the mark and similarly can throw some superb passes to his support runners if they find themselves running into a gap.

Currently Riley Lack is probably a touch better runner of the ball then ball player and can step off both feet and is quite strong for his size and will shrug off larger defenders if they try to go high and try to wrap up the ball without committing to the tackle properly or with an incorrect tackling technique.

Riley Lack is able to drift across field and then just takes off through any gaps in a staggered defensive line. When he looks to take advantage of an overlap on the blind side and is adept at drawing in outside defenders to give his winger a clear path to the line by creating a two on one situation.

Riley Lack 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 Riley Lack 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.

Riley Lack also runs with the ball out in front of his body in both hands which is another reason why the defensive line is unable to determine exactly what he is going to do before the play is executed or develops in front of them.

Riley Lack 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. Riley Lack 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.

Riley Lack is a solid tactical kicker and is able to generate good distance with his right foot. I am not sure whether Riley Lack will be a team’s primary tactical kicker but at worst he will be a more than able alternate.

From a kicking perspective Riley Lack is a very good attacking kicker, both in terms of bombs to the corners as well as grubber and chip kicks close to the opposition try line. Riley Lack has a deft touch in terms of being able to get the ball into the in goal line and will chase hard to make the kick even better.

In the context of chasing hard, that is what Riley Lack does no matter who is doing the kicking and where the kick lands on the field. In 2020 for the Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup side, Riley Lack regularly led his side down the field chasing long tactical kicks. What Riley Lack is also adept at in those circumstances to communicate with his team mates on the chase down the field and organise the defensive line in an attempt to corral the opposing fullback.

Riley Lack is also a solid right foot goal kicker but like his tactical kicking I believe Riley Lack’s ceiling is that of a solid back-up goal kicker rather than his team’s primary goal kicking option.

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

In 2022 Riley Lack will move permanently in the senior age groups with his U18 eligibility coming to an end. Riley Lack certainly has the ability to push for a spot with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad in 2022 but if he chooses to stay in the NRRRL competition there is no doubt that he will be one of the first players selected for the Murwillumbah Mustangs in the NRRRL First Grade competition.

Riley Lack can play either five eight, centre or fullback and also spent time on the right wing in the NRRRL First Grade competition, but I am leaning more towards a permanent spot at five eight over centre or fullback for the Northern New South Wales youngster, but only just.

For me with his ability to slip through gaps in the defensive line especially close to the line and a solid repeatable defensive technique, Riley Lack has a playing style similar to that of Penrith Panthers rookie five eight Matt Burton as a solid reliable player who finds his way to the try line on a regular basis.

Like Burton, Riley Lack however will display tantalising flashes of exquisite skill whether that is in relation to a deft kick, scything run, beautiful pass or a determined kick chase at a time that is pivotal to his side’s ultimate success.

Riley Lack is never going to be a player that stands out but is an exceptional compliment to the players around him and has a game that makes the players around him better regardless of how good they already were.

Riley Lack is just a footballer’s footballer who just does all of the little things on a rugby league field well and probably is under appreciated by all but his team mates and coaching staff.

[mdrew]

Damon Somerville. The former Titans Development Squad member is off contract with the Brisbane Broncos at the end of the 2020 season and it would be great to see him back with the Titans sooner rather than later.

After missing significant time through injury it was great to see Damon Somerville start on the right wing for the Burleigh Bears Hastings Deering’s Colts side in their Round Seventeen victory against Ipswich with Damon Somerville celebrating has return with a double.

Damon Somerville only had to wait until the 5th minute to cross the line. The play that led to Damon Somerville’s opening try started inside Bureigh territory when Tuvalli Khan-Pereira burst through the Ipswich left sided defensive line. It initially looked as if Tuvalli Khan-Pereira was going to pass to his inside but at the last minute passed to his right to Damon Somerville. Damon Somerville skipped out of a tackle metres from the right corner post and then was able to bring the ball around to put it down under the posts.

Damon Somerville’s second try came in the 50th minute and it will be one of the easier ones that he scores. Tuvalli Khan-Pereira did well on the inside, drawing in the Ipswich left winger and passing to Damon Somerville who jogged over from seven metres out, putting the ball down under absolutely no pressure.

The match also saw Damon Somerville record a try assist in the 23rd minute for Cameron Brown. In fact Cameron Brown started the movement from just inside his own territory when he threw a cut-out pass to his right to put Tuvalli Khan-Pereira into a gap. Tuvalli Khan-Pereira subsequently got the ball away to Damon Somerville who then passed inside to Cameron Brown who raced away to score under the posts.

Damon Somerville also made a line break in the 38th minute when from a Burleigh scrum win, Damon Somerville looped around to the left side of the field, breaking through the line before getting the ball away to Cameron Brown who subsequently off-loaded to Tony Francis who made twenty metres down the left touchline.

Damon Somerville then moved to left centre for the rescheduled Round Thirteen match against the Sunshine Coast Falcons with Damon Somerville scoring in the 22nd minute of the match.

Damon Somerville continued at left centre in Round Fourteen against the Northern Pride setting up one try and making a long line break.

In the 12th minute Damon Somerville ran the ball down the left side of the field after a Burleigh scrum win, getting on the outside of his opposite number before drawing the Northern Pride right winger to put Tony Francis over in the left corner.

Damon Somerville almost set up another Burleigh try in the 29th minute when after making a break down the left touchline he kicked back inside before going into touch but the ball just went dead in goal before the Burleigh chasers could get to it.

Damon Somerville’s line break came in the 38th minute. With the Northern Pride on the attack they moved the ball to their right with Damon Somerville coming out of the line to take an intercept ten metres from his own line and raced sixty metres downfield before being tackled from behind with unfortunately coming loose when he hit the ground.

Damon Somerville’s first hit out of the 2020 season was when was involved for the Burleigh MM Side in their trial against the Easts Tigers. Damon Somerville was probably Burleigh’s best in the trial where he played in the centres, primarily left centre.

Damon Somerville started Round One of the 2020 MM Cup competition for the Burleigh Bears at left centre against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls with the Bears going down 28 – 16 to Wynnum Manly in what ended up being the one and only MM Cup Round of the 2020 season.

Also in 2020 Damon Somerville was part of the PBC Langer Cup Open A school boy rugby league squad, where he operated primarily at right centre. Damon Somerville was in fact the PBC rugby league captain.

In late 2019 Damon Somerville was named in the 2020 U18 Queensland Emerging Origin Squad highlighting his ability and standing in the game.

Damon Somerville started the 2019 season with Burleigh in the MM Cup competition, playing in all six of their matches, spending time at both centre and second row. Damon Somerville started in the centres in Rounds One and Five against Norths and Souths Logan respectively, starting in the second row in his remaining four fixtures.

Damon Somerville ended the 2019 MM Cup campaign with two tries with those tries coming in Round Two against Ipswich and Round Four against the Townsville Blackhawks.

Damon Somerville also was part of the South Coast U18 QSSRL side but unfortunately was injured in the QSSRL U18 Championships.

Damon Somerville was also part of the Burleigh U18 Division One side this season but only played a limited number of matches as a result of the arm injury suffered playing for South Coast.

Damon Somerville started in the centres in his first U18 Division One match of the 2019 season in Round Ten and scoring against Currumbin. Damon Somerville moved to fullback for Round Eleven against Runaway Bay, scoring as well in that match and made it three from three when he scored in Round Twelves whilst playing in the centres against Helensvale.

Damon Somerville moved to the second row for Round Thirteen against Bilambil but that did not scoring his scoring run scoring for the 4th match in a row.

In Week Two of the U18 Division One Finals series Damon Somerville started in the centres for Burleigh in their victory 34 – 8 against Southport to progress directly to the Grand Final contributing a try to the dominating victory.

Damon Somerville was outstanding from the right second row position in the Grand Final for Burleigh scoring an outstanding solo try that showcased power running and a strong fend as he beat at least four Southport defenders to score. Burleigh went on to win the Grand Final 28 – 12.

Thirty metres out from the Southport line Damon Somerville received the ball from Titan Ryan Rivett and immediately straightened up his running line and then stepped off his left foot to create space to his right and on the outside of the immediate Tigers defender, breaking the attempted jersey tackle by the Southport left centre and then immediately stepping to beat a second defender and then beating a third with strength before dragging two defenders over the line with him to score an outstanding solo try ten metres in from the left touch line.

With his finals tries and those in his three U18 Division One regular season rounds, Damon Somerville scored a try in each of his six 2019 matches.

The 2018 Queensland U16 Emerging Origin Squad member was part of the PBC Rugby League Excellence Program and has been a Burleigh Heads Junior his entire career. Damon Somerville’s younger brother Kaden is contracted to the Titans.

Damon Somerville was an ever present for the PBC side in 2018 playing a key role for the PBC Open side that won the National GIO Cup competition. Damon Somerville primarily came off the bench for PBC playing left second row when he came on.

Damon Somerville in 2018 played four matches in the GCRL U16 Division One competition for Burleigh and certainly made an impact on his way to scoring five tries, including a hat trick against Mudgeeraba and tries against Nerang and Currumbin.

Damon Somerville also played one match at the U17 Division One level which was against Mudgeeraba in May 2018. In that match Damon Somerville was one of the Burleigh try scorers.

Damon Somerville first wore a Titans jersey in 2014 when he started at five eight for the Titans U13 Development Squad in a match against a Toowoomba U14 selection and that morning at Pizzey park he cut Toowoomba apart including scoring a try under the posts with a great show and go splitting the Toowoomba defence from about 40 metres out.

Earlier in the 2018 season Damon Somerville was part of the Gold Coast Vikings side that played in the South East Queensland U16 pre-season competition. In 2017 Damon Somerville was part of the South Coast U15 side that competed in the U15 QSSRL competition, playing four matches in the centres and from there was selected in the U15 Queensland Maroon side for the U15 ASSRL Championships.

For the Queensland Maroon U15 ASSRL side, Damon Somerville played in four matches and scored against Queensland White and ACT.

In 2014 Damon Somerville was part of the Queensland Rugby League U12 side which was the first of many representative sides that Damon Somerville has made. A team mate in that side was Titans contracted and fellow PBC student Ediq Ambrosyev. Damon Somerville has also represented Gold Coast Viking at the U13 and U14 levels to round out an extensive representative junior rugby league resume.

For a centre, Damon Somerville is a big strong young man who does not rely just on his size and speed and using his natural running balance to either engage the opposing defenders and off load, run either an inside or outside shoulder route or an in and away to slow the forward momentum of the defender and accelerate on the outside.

For a player of his size, Damon Somerville also has a very good passing game especially to his right side. When the ball is passed out to the back line, Damon Somerville is very good at straitening up the attacking vector of his team and pass to his outside supports if they have room to move further out wide.

From a speed perspective Damon Somerville has above average speed for both his size and position and when he breaks into open space, he will not be caught from behind other than from only the fastest of opponents and he is also very good at positioning his support players when he gets to the fullback.

The only possible question about Damon Somerville’s speed is whether it will stay at or near the above average to plus category as he matures and inevitably continues to fill out.

Defensively Damon Somerville 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 Damon Sommerville’s opposing centre gets on his outside.

For me when I saw him play for either PBC or Burleigh Damon Somerville was the defensive leader of the 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.

Damon Somerville 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.

Damon Somerville will line-up once again in 2022 as part of the Burleigh Bears Hastings Deering’s Colts squad and there is also a fair chance that Damon Somerville will play a number of matches for Burleigh in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition.

Damon Somerville has played primarily in the centres and five eight throughout his junior rugby league career but has spent a lot of time in the second row in the last season or two of his school boy career at for PBC and the 2020 Burleigh MM Cup squad.

For me though it is far too early to write Damon Somerville off in terms of not being able to stay in the centres long term, although to be fair if Damon Somerville moves permanently into the second row, he is going to be a very good one.

A player with a similar playing style for me for Damon Somerville would be former Cronulla Sharks centre Ricky Leutele, they are both around the same size and look to use their size and speed to their advantage to dominate the opponent directly in front of them.

[mdrew]

Bailey Martin. (Revised) He is a local young backrower from the Burleigh Bears junior rugby league club on the Gold Coast who is a Titans contracted player originally signing as a 15 year old in 2018. Prior to that Bailey Martin had been part of both the Titans and Brisbane Broncos junior development squads. Bailey Martin is currently contracted to the Titans until the end of the 2021 season.

Bailey Martin’s first 2021 hit-out was for the Titans U19 squad that in late January played against a Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts squad with the Titans winning 32 – 20 in a match where no conversions were attempted.

Bailey Martin started the match from the bench for the Titans playing two stints in the second half, both in the middle of the field and in both stints Bailey Martin packed into scrums at hooker for the Titans.

As usual for any team that he plays for, Bailey Martin tackled everything that moved in his time on the field, including a couple of key tackles when defending on the Titans try line early in the second half. But for Bailey Martin, Burleigh may well have scored another try or two.

In the 11th minute of the second half, Bailey Martin confronted a giant Burleigh front rower who had charged directly at him. Bailey Martin held his ground and even though he was a lot smaller, Bailey Martin held on to bring the giant front rower down a metre short of the line. Bailey Martin produced another strong tackle, stopping another giant Burleigh forward once again just short of the line with a well right shoulder tackle to stop the attacker in his tracks just minutes later.

To round out an impressive defensive match, Bailey Martin, in the 79th minute, confronted head on the giant Burleigh No. 10 who had received an inside pass, with Bailey Martin bringing his larger opponent down quickly right in front of the uprights. If Bailey Martin had not continued to track the ball across field once the ball had moved past him from the play the ball, Burleigh would definitely have scored in the dying minutes to close the gap on the scoreboard.

Bailey Martin’s first hit-up of the match against Burleigh was an impressive one, charging onto the ball to the left of the play the ball and he made another strong hit-up in the 72nd minute of the match. Bailey Martin did not just put the ball under his arm and run with his head down, as was evidenced early in the second half when he popped a good short ball prior to the defensive line to his right to Isaac Matalavea-Booth.

In November 2020 Bailey Martin was named in the powerful Tweed Heads Seagulls 2021 MM Cup squad.

Bailey Martin was named to start from the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in their first 2021 trial which was against the Easts Tigers at Langland’s Park in Brisbane however he was a late scratching from the match due to injury.

In Tweed Heads second 2021 MM Cup trial against Burleigh that Tweed Heads comprehensively won 40 – 0 with no conversions taken, Bailey Martin started from the bench in both halves to play at lock when he came onto the field.

Bailey Martin’s first minute or so when he came off the bench against Burleigh was certainly a busy one. Bailey Martin came on after Tweed Heads received a penalty and he took the hit-up off the tap restart. Two tackles later Bailey Martin took another hit-up when he came underneath half Connor Te Kani and then after playing the ball, Bailey martin stayed alert and after Blake Mozer ran out of dummy half, he was able to off-load to Bailey Martin who made more metres through the centre of the ruck.

Bailey Martin had two further impressive carries in the first half, the first being a fifteen metre run. Bailey Martin took a hit-up on around the halfway mark to the left of the play the ball and immediately cut back towards the area behind the play the ball, throwing a subtle dummy back inside to his left on his way to a fifteen metre run. Later in the first half, Bailey Martin this time took a hit-up to the left of the play the ball making another thirteen metres.

Unfortunately Bailey Martin took a head knock towards the end of the first half, necessitating his having to come from the field, but impressively Bailey Martin was back on the field early in the second half working as hard as he always does in both attack and defence after passing his concussion test on the sideline.

Bailey Martin also started from the bench in Tweed Heads final 2021 MM Cup final against the Souths Logan Magpies at Logan, playing lock in the second and fourth quarters of the match even though he was wearing jersey No. 4.

Bailey Martin was immediately in the action upon his injection into the match at quarter time, taking a hit-up to the right of the play the ball. Bailey Martin made around ten metres or so before he was taken down but as he was trying to get to his feet for his usual quick play the ball, the Souths Logan defence held on too long with Bailey Martin being awarded the resultant penalty.

Bailey Martin’s third run just minutes later garnered the same result as his first run of the match. Once again Bailey Martin’s ability to get to his feet quickly was too much for the Souths Logan Magpies defence to deal with and as a result they gave away another penalty.

To round out an outstanding quarter Bailey Martin’s fifth hit-up in just fifteen minutes, he gained thirteen more metres when he cut off his right foot to beat the first defender and then continue his surge through the centre of the ruck.

Bailey Martin made a final mark on an impressive second quarter when he produced a heavy defensive hit on the Souths Logan Magpies lock, stopping him in his tracks just five metres out from the line.

After being on the bench for the entire third quarter Bailey Martin was back on the field for the fourth quarter playing the entirety of that quarter at lock. Like in his second quarter stint, Bailey Martin was in the action immediately in the fourth quarter when the Souths Logan left winger took a hit-up centre field, beating two tackles and breaking into space, Bailey Martin cut him down from behind forcing the ball loose, with the ball being picked up and run back by Thomas Weaver.

Bailey Martin got to his feet and took the next hit-up to the right of the play the ball. Bailey Martin ran through two defenders, but was tripped up, going to ground after making ten metres, Bailey Martin bounced to his feet as he was not held and made another ten metres before being brought down a second time. After a lightning quick play the ball by Bailey Martin, Tweed Heads scored on the play in the left corner.

Even after that hectic start to the fourth quarter Bailey Martin did not rest on his laurels, producing a strong tackle minute later on the Souths Logan front rower (No. 10) who had charged at him from a penalty restart with Bailey Martin’s strong initial contact forcing the ball loose.

Two sets of six tackles later, Souths Logan had a twenty metres restart and in the resultant set of six, Bailey Martin was involved in three of the five tackles, with the third being on the Souths Logan No. 10 once again and once again Bailey Martin’s contact forced the ball loose.

In a fitting end to the match for him, due to his high work rate, Baley Martin ran the ball into the Souths Logan defence once again as the final siren sounded.

In an impressive forty minutes on the field, Bailey Martin made eleven hit-ups, with two resulting in penalties won when he was held down by the Magpies defenders. Bailey Martin also made multiple tackles in his two stints on the field and on three of those occasions, Bailey Martin’s contact forced the ball loose.

In Round One of the 2021 MM Cup competition, Bailey Martin started on the bench against the Ipswich Jets coming onto the play lock in the 25th minute and took the ball into the defensive line as soon as he had come onto the field. As usual, Bailey Martin was defensively strong defending in the centre of the field as Tweed Heads came from behind to win 22 – 20.

Bailey Martin also started from the bench in Round Two against the Souths Logan Magpies coming on to play lock towards the end of the first half. Bailey Martin made a key run out of his own twenty metre mark in the 34th minute and as a result of Bailey Martin’s quick play the ball, Kaleb Ngamanu made a further fifteen metres downfield from the next hit-up.

Bailey Martin was in the action at the start of the second half taking the hit-up off the kick-off and ‘bringing the out to the ten metre line, which was impressive considering the ball was dropped backwards off the kick-up and Bailey Martin literally got the pass after the ball bounced around and literally on the dead ball line. But for Bailey Martin’s speed, Tweed Heads may well have been trapped in the in-goal from the kick-off. Impressively Bailey Martin then backed up to take the 4th hit-up in the same set of six.

Bailey Martin showed some outstanding hands in the 49th minute when he received a pass from his right and got hit from his blindside as soon as he took the ball, but Bailey Martin was able to hold onto the ball and in fact maintain his balance and body control and even make a couple of metres with a giant Souths Logan forward trying to wrestle him to the ground.

A desperate tackle by Bailey Martin in the 53rd minute on Souths Logan front rower Sione Fotuaika was an impressive hit as it took all of the momentum out of the Souths Logan attack just metres out from the try line.

Bailey Martin once again started from the bench in the Round Three Gold Coast derby against the Burleigh Bears coming on to play lock in the 19th minute and immediately was working defensively with a strong tackle on Bears left winger Jeremaiah Tamepo. Bailey Martin then followed that tackle up two tackles later with a heavy hit on Bears replacement front rower C****n Patu.

Bailey Martin continued his strong defensive match with two strong tackles in a row in the 40th minute, the first when he took on Titan Vaikai from a kick-off then then came over the top to put Delahia Wigmore on the ground on the next hit-up.

Bailey Martin took his first hit-up of the match in the 23rd minute and what a hit-up it was. Bailey Martin received the ball thirty eight metres out from his own line to the right of the play the ball and immediately stepped off his left foot, breaking through two Burleigh defenders in the area behind the play the ball. Once into space Bailey Martin used a left foot step to beat the Bears fullback and then position Keano Kini perfectly, passing to the winger with a long spiral right sided pass to put the winger over.

Bailey Martin was also named to start at from the bench for Round Four match against the Ipswich Jets coming on in the 26th minute of the match with his first hit-upcoming in the first six of six after his introduction with the run making ten metres.

Bailey Martin’s fearless approach was showcased in the 34th minute of the match when he flew onto the ball from the Ipswich Jets kick-off after Kruz Remine’s third try of the first half.

Bailey Martin continued to take the ball up with speed in the second half, including in the 54th minute when he received the ball three passes off the ruck to the right of the field ten metres out from the line. Immediately upon receiving the ball, Bailey Martin cut back towards the left, beating two tackles, only to be dragged down less than a metre out from the line. Bailey Martin fought to get to his feet, playing the ball quickly to allow Oskar Bryant to pass to Riley Gladsby who crashed over from close range.

Bailey Martin also started from the bench in Round Five against the Souths Logan Magpies.

After being rested in Round Six, Bailey Martin was named on the bench for the Seagulls Semi-final against Wynnum Manly and had an impressive match including an outstanding first half line break.

Bailey Martin’s line break came in the 30th minute and came when Bailey Martin was returning the ball from the kick-off after Brock Priestley’s try. When he received the ball on the goal line, Bailey Martin ran to his left. As he approached the Wynnum Manly defensive line, Bailey Martin stepped off his right foot to beat two defenders and break through the initial defensive line. Just after he went over the halfway mark, Bailey Martin was able to get the ball away to his right to JT Manefotoa.

Bailey Martin then took the third hit-up of the same set and then also returned the kick-off from the next Tweed Heads try, making twenty more metres.

In the 2021 MM Cup Queensland Grand Final against the Townsville Blackhawks, Bailey Martin once again started from the bench however he came into the match in just the 9th minute after a HIA in the Seagulls 30 – 24 victory.

Bailey Martin’s first run came in the 21st minute when he got within five metres of the try line directly in front of the posts and starting his run twenty metres out. As usual Bailey Martin was able to get a quick play the ball even though he had multiple defenders on him with Brock Priestley scoring from the next play.

Defensively Bailey Martin has his usual strong self in the Grand Final and was involved in two try saving tackles early in the second half, on the first occasion in the 42nd holding up the Townsville replacement dummy half over the line and just a minute later Bailey Martin produced a great low tackle with his left shoulder to stop another.

In mid-February 2021 Bailey Martin was named at lock in the school boy Oceanic Opens side for the South Coast school boy QSSRL U18 trial against Broadwater and was initially named in the South Coast Open B school boy side also at lock as a result of his solid trial performances but deservedly elevated to the South Coast Open A side in early May. Unfortunately just prior to the commencement of the Championships Bailey Martin had to withdraw from the South Coast squad due to a knee injury.

2021 also saw Bailey Martin line up once again for PBC State High School in the South East Queensland School Boy Langer Cup competition, being Bailey Martin’s second season in that competition in the PBC top squad, with Bailey Martin starting from the bench in Round One against Ipswich State High School. Impressively in his return from injury Bailey Martin was PBC’s acting captain in the second half.

Bailey Martin came off the bench in the 17th minute of the match and almost immediately took his first hit-up with a sixteen effort that got the ball to the halfway mark. Bailey Martin fairly or not is probably best known for his defence and based on his exceptional tackle in the 33rd minute when he crunched the giant Ipswich right winger Tupou Fe’ao after breaking quickly from a scrum where he had packed in at left second row.

Even though he was wearing jersey No. 13, Bailey Martin also started from the bench in Round Two against St Mary’s Toowoomba, coming onto the field in the 19th minute and operated at lock in his time on the field.

It was both the quantity and quality of Bailey Martin’s attack and defence that stood out over the course of the match, with a stand-out moment coming in the 38th minute when the giant St Mary’s front rower (No. 10) charged at the line from close range. He was tackled around the legs and it appeared that he would fall over the line, but Bailey Martin got low and was able to get underneath the front rower, initially holding him up before twisting the front rower and forcing him back into the field of play.

Bailey Martin moved into the starting side at lock in Round Three against Coombabah State High School and also was named to start at lock in the Round Four blockbuster against Marsden State High School however he was a late scratching.

Bailey Martin then started from the bench in the much anticipated Round Five local derby against Keebra Park State High School with Bailey Martin finishing the match with the second highest number of tackles by a PBC player.

Bailey Martin also started from the bench in Round Six against Mabel Park State High School coming on in the 15th minute of the first half and as usual tackled everything that moved in the centre of the ruck for PBC.

After the competition was suspended for a number of weeks due to a Covid 19 lock down, Bailey Martin was named on the bench for PBC State High School in their semi-final against Keebra Park State High School.

Bailey Martin recorded a line break in the match when in the 19th minute he ran off a great off-load from Keano Kini to make fifteen metres down the left channel.

Also in the 25th minute, Bailey Martin along with Keano Kini, Michael Roberts and Brock Prielstley held up Aram Hau over the line directly under the posts.

In the 2021 Langer Cup Grand Final against Marsden State High School, Bailey Martin was named to start from the bench for PBC, coming into the match in the 15th minute but unfortunately Bailey Martin suffered an ankle injury towards the end of the first half and was not able to return to the field.

Bailey Martin was then named to start from the bench for PBC in the Queensland Open School Boys Final (Phil Hall Cup) against St Brendans College Yeppoon with Bailey Martin coming onto the field in the 18th minute.

Bailey Martin wasted no time getting involved, taking his first hit-up in just his second minute on the field when he made ten metres from a hit-up to the left of the dummy half to get the ball to thirty metres away from his own line.

Then in the 24th minute Bailey Martin took a great hit-up off the kick-off from one of Jett Forbes try and then Bailey Martin was at it again from another kick-off in the 27th minute.

Bailey Martin has played in a number of other matches in Titans colours, the first being when he started at lock for the Titans U15 side in their late 2018 match against the Balmain Tigers at Cudgen. Bailey Martin was awarded the Titans best forward award that night.

In early 2019, Bailey Martin played his second match in Titans colours starting once again at lock for the Titans U16’s against Newcastle. Bailey Martin was the Titans vice-captain for the match.

In addition to once again confirming that he is an outstanding worker in both attack and defence, Bailey Martin also highlighted his developing ball playing skills. In the second half when the Titans were coming out of their own half, Bailey Martin took the ball for a hit-up but instead of just running into the Newcastle defensive line, he popped a great short ball to his right to Joseph Shannon who charged down the field on a fifty metre run.

In the lead up to the play you could see Bailey Martin pointing to the gap that he wanted Joseph Shannon to run into and then threw the great ball exactly as he had indicated.

Bailey Martin also displayed his toughness during the match. Bailey Martin got hit with a high tackle in the second half, but shook it off to take the first hit-up from the penalty restart.

Speaking of restarts Bailey Martin had an incredible start to the second half, taking two hit-ups in the Titans first set of six and then made two or three tackles in a row the first time Newcastle had the ball.

In short Bailey Martin had an outstanding match and must have been at or near the top in terms of the most tackles and hit-ups for the Titans in the match.

Unfortunately Bailey Martin suffered a shoulder injury playing in the 2019 City verses Country U16 match but was named in the 2020 South Coast Oceania U18 trial side as a result of a medical dispensation due the shoulder injury he suffered in 2019.

Bailey Martin started training with the Cudgen Hornets U18 NRRRL side in June 2020 and team mates in the side included fellow Titans Thomas Weaver, Oskar Bryant, Jack Cullen and Reef Sommerville amongst others.

Bailey Martin unfortunately missed Round One of the 2020 NRRRL U18 competition due to injury but made his first NRRRL U18 appearance when he started from the bench in Round Three against the Bilambil Jets. Bailey Martin moved into the starting side in the front row in Round Four against Murwillumbah and in Round Five against the Bilambil Jets.

After missing a number of rounds, Bailey Martin started Round Eight against the Tweed Coast Raiders in the front row.

In Cudgen’s 2020 NRRRL U18 Major semi-final loss against Murwillumbah Bailey Martin started in the front row. Bailey moved to the bench as was at his hard working best as Cudgen qualified for the 2020 NRRRL U18 Grand Final on the back of a 24 – 16 Preliminary Final victory over the Bilambil Jets.

Bailey Martin also came off the bench in the Grand Final as Cudgen became the 2020 NRRRL U18 Green Premiers on the back of a 28 – 16 win over Murwillumbah with Bailey Martin tackling everything that moved in the decider.

Also in 2020 Bailey Martin was part of the PBC Langer Cup Open A school boy rugby league squad, where he operated primarily at lock. In PBC’s first trial after the Covid 19 pandemic, Bailey Martin started at lock for the PBC A side that played against the PBC B side. Unfortunately due to injury Bailey Martin missed PBC’s Langer Cup Round One match against Ipswich State High School.

Bailey Martin came back into the PBC Open Langer Cup side, coming off the bench in Round Two against Wavell State High School and operating as a running forward when he came on in the first half. Bailey Martin was unlucky not to score late in the second half after making a break but a desperate tackle by the Wavell fullback meant he could not ground the ball when he was over the line.

Bailey Martin also started from the bench in Round Three of the Langer Cup against St Mary’s Toowoomba coming onto the field mid-way through the first half playing at lock for PBC as they maintained their unbeaten start to the 2020 Langer Cup competition on the back of a hard fought 16 – 6 victory.

Bailey Martin moved in the PBC starting line at lock for the Round Four Langer Cup local derby against Keebra Park State High School but moved back to the bench for Round Five against Marsden State High School.

Bailey Martin also started on the bench for PBC as they qualified for the 2020 Langer Cup Grand Final against Keebra Park on the back of an impressive 34 – 6 victory over Ipswich State High School. Bailey Martin was impressive in the match after coming on towards the end of the first half, especially defensively.

Bailey Martin however also produced an outstanding hit-up early in the second half breaking multiple tackles when he took the ball up just inside the Ipswich end on the left side of the field. As usual Bailey Martin smartly cut back behind the play the ball when he took possession of the ball catching defenders not moving up and made them pay with a twenty metre run.

Bailey Martin started the 2020 Langer Cup Grand Final from the bench for PBC as they defeated Keebra Park 16 – 8 in a high quality match, playing at lock when he came on and literally tackled everything that moved in his stint on the field.

In the Queensland School Boys Final against Kirwan State High School Bailey Martin started on the bench as PBC travelled to take on their North Queensland based opponents and as usual tackled everything that moved when he came on to play in the middle of the field as PBC went down 24 – 20 in tough circumstances.

Early in the 2019 season Bailey Martin represented the Gold Coast Vikings Yellow U16’s scoring on Match Day Four against Brisbane Green in a big 44 – 4 victory for the Gold Coast side. Post that competition Bailey Martin was named in the South East Queensland U16 train on squad.

Subsequently Bailey Martin was named in the 2019 South East Queensland Green U16 side for the Queensland Age Championships starting for them at lock. Post those Championships Bailey Martin was selected at lock in the Queensland City U16 Origin side to play Queensland Country U16 Origin side.

Unfortunately Bailey Martin only lasted twenty five minutes before a shoulder injury forced him off the field, but he made the most of his time on the field including a great second effort with the ball which almost led to him scoring under the posts in the opening minutes.

In his twenty five minutes on the field however in the U16 interstate match, Bailey Martin ran for thirty two minutes (six post contact), had a line break assist, broke a tackle and made fifteen very solid tackles at a tackling efficiency of 88.24%.

Bailey Martin was named to start Round One of the 2109 GCRL U16 Division One competition in the front row for Burleigh in their match against Coomera but due to injuries started in the second row as he did in Round Two.

In total in the 2019 GCRL U16 Division One regular season competition, Bailey Martin played in six regular season matches alternating between the front row and the second row scoring against Helensvale in late May.

In Week One of the 2019 Finals series, Bailey Martin came off the bench around the twenty minute mark (he had come off the bench for PBC in their GIO Cup Queensland quarter final win three days prior) and scored a double as the Bears defeated Helensvale 42 – 20.

Bailey Martin made his GCRL U18 Division One debut in Round Six against Runaway Bay starting from the bench as the Bears won 28 – 6. Bailey Martin came on around the 15 minute mark, playing the remainder of the match at lock for the Bears on that occasion.

Impressively for Bailey Martin he was selected on the bench for the PBC Open A side for their first 2019 Langer Cup match against Wavell State High School, not bad at all for a 16 year old. Bailey Martin came on in the first half in the dummy half role and played exceptionally well in his approximately 45 minutes on the field, including setting up a try when he darted out of dummy half before giving a good short ball to his front rower.

Bailey Martin also made a good twenty break through the centre of the ruck when he took advantage of a back peddling Marsden defensive line to break into the clear.

Round Two of the Langer Cup saw Bailey Martin start the afternoon playing lock for the PBC Reserve Grade side but after playing impressively and scoring Bailey Martin was removed from the game in preparation for the Open A match.

In the Open A match Bailey Martin came on at half time in PBC’s 18-12 and was his typical self, tackling everything that moved with his outstanding tackling technique.

Defensively Bailey Martin stood up to every challenge that the big Marsden forwards threw at him, he really did defend well and for the Bailey martin has the best defensive technique in the Titans development system.

Bailey Martin was also involved off the bench for the PBC Opens Round Three and Four Langer Cup matches against Ipswich State High School and Wavell State High School.

Bailey Martin also deservedly started from the bench in the Langer Cup derby against Keebra Park in June scoring PBC’s final try as they prevailed 34 – 26, coming on late in the first half. Bailey Martin also scored PBC’s final try of the match to seal the result for PBC.

Bailey Martin took a hit up from around ten metres out from the line to the left of the play the ball, running with the ball in two hands out in front of his body, this essentially froze the Keebra Park defenders on their try line which Bailey Martin exploited to dive over near the left upright with just six minutes left in the match.

Bailey Martin also started from the bench for PBC in their Queensland GIO Cup quarter final win over St Mary’s High School Toowoomba 50 – 6 coming into the match late in the first half initially playing in the backrow.

Bailey Martin started from the bench for PBC in their GIO Cup Queensland Cup semi-final against Marsden State High School and scored a first half try but unfortunately PBC went down in golden point 23 – 22. In a sign of how highly he is thought up, Bailey Martin was brought back onto the field in the dying minutes and extra time.

Getting back to his try, Bailey Martin showed outstanding speed to score over forty metres, receiving an inside pass from Toby Sexton and producing a great left arm fend on the initial Marsden defender before showing the Marsden fullback a clean pair of heels to score adjacent to the right upright.

Bailey Martin after a stellar 2018 QSSRL U15 Championships where he starred for South Coast at lock picking up a number of Player of the Match awards and was subsequently selected in the Queensland Maroon side for the ASSRL U15 Championships in July.

Bailey Martin was named at lock for Queensland Green who went through the competition undefeated with Bailey Martin involved in each of Queensland Green’s four matches including the Championship final against NSW CCC.

Bailey Martin also started at lock for PBC in their 2018 Walters Cup match against rivals Keebra Park at Pizzey Park with PBC winning 22 – 16 in a tough match where the last ten minutes or so was particularly willing to say the least. I could not see what happened to set it off from where I watched the game but it got very willing especially between both sets of forwards with the game in the balance.

Bailey Martin was also involved in PBC’s 22 – 18 win over Ipswich State High School and their 18 – 16 loss against Marsden at Waterford where the PBC just could not finish Marsden off in the final ten minutes or so of the match.

In the final ten minutes against Marsden Bailey Martin pulled off some outstanding front on tackles against the Marsden forwards and was the PBC forward urging his side on.

Bailey Martin was part of the 2018 U15 Queensland Emerging Origin squad and attended a couple of the camps including one on the Sunshine Coast in February where the U15 squad played a simulated match against the U16 Emerging Origin squad.

Bailey Martin was also part of the 2019 Queensland U16 Emerging Origin squad, with the squad completing their first camp of the year on the Sunshine Coast. At that camp in the opposed session was on the same side as Kaleb Ngamanu and Orlando Swain.

In previous seasons Bailey Martin has been part of Brisbane Broncos junior development squads but has now signed a contract with his home town NRL club in what can only be considered a coup for the Titans.

For the 2018 GCRL season Bailey Martin is once again played for the Burleigh Bears in the Gold Coast Junior Rugby League competition this season at the U15 Division One level and is also represented PBC in their various school boy competitions including against St Mary’s High School on the Gold Coast when he started at lock in a tough loss for the Gold Coast school against a well drilled opponent.

In total in the 2018 U15 Division One competition Bailey Martin played in ten matches including the Finals series, scoring three tries in the process. Bailey Martin scored in his first U15 Division One match of the season being Round One against Helensvale and also scored in the regular season against Southport.

In Week One of the 2018 U15 Division One Finals series, Bailey Martin started at lock and scored his third try of the season as Burleigh dismantled Southport 72 – 2.

On Week Two of the Finals Bailey Martin and his Burleigh team mates bowed out on the back of a 34 – 24 loss to Runaway Bay.

In 2018 Bailey Martin also played one match up in the U16 Division One competition with that match being against Currumbin in August.

In 2017 Bailey Martin played for the Burleigh Bears at the U14 Division One level. Bailey Martin was also a member of the dominant U14 Gold Coast Vikings representative who went through the Hill Stumer Championships undefeated after victories against Stingers Red and White and Ipswich.

As a result of his play for the 2017 U14 Vikings Bailey Martin was selected in the South East Queensland White side where he was selected in the second row. Bailey Martin also played for PBC in terms of his schoolboy rugby league where they had some good battles against Keebra Park in the U14 age group.

For Burleigh in the U14 Division One Side in 2017 Bailey Martin played in ten matches including starting in the front row and scoring for Burleigh in their 31 – 16 Grand Final loss to the Ormeau Shearers. In mid-July Bailey Martin scored a double against Runaway Bay and earlier in the year scored against Runaway Bay again and his first try of the season came in Round Three against Nerang. Bailey Martin also kicked a conversion against grand final opponents Ormeau mid-season. Bailey Martin was also on the bench for one of Burleigh’s U15 Division One semi-final campaign.

Bailey Martin is a hard running backrower who is impressive at running the right line including both and inside shoulder and outside shoulder line and consistently hits the pass off either the dummy half or play maker flat thus generating his best possible speed and momentum to hit the defensive line.

Where he really excels though is his footwork, Bailey Martin has very good late and quick foot work which enables him to change direction quickly allowing him to readjust where he is running to take advantage of either a late developing hole in the defensive line or where the defensive line is repositioning late.

A try against Ipswich in the U13 Hill Stumer Championships in 2016 was a perfect example of this. Receiving the ball off the dummy half around 10 metres out, Bailey Martin cut back in towards the ruck and was easily able to break through the set Ipswich defensive line to score a well thought out try by the young man. The try may have looked easy but Bailey Martin identified that the Ipswich defensive line was not moving up in a uniform manner and Bailey Martin was able to quickly identify this and exploit it to his advantage all in a split second.

Even when he is taking a hit up in the centre of the ruck, Bailey Martin’s feet are always moving and he is constantly making slight adjustments to his running angle and he is also able to maintain his speed regardless of the multiple directional changes. He seems just to run at a faster pace than other forwards on the field. These attributes lead to a number of line breaks and he has the speed to convert them into tries himself in the main.

Bailey Martin’s speed is probably a touch above average for a forward but it is the speed that he is able to generate from only a few paces which makes it play faster from a defenders perspective as he gets to the defensive line quicker than the defenders anticipate and thus they are unable to set themselves properly for the initial contact meaning Bailey Martin can bend the line back regularly even though he is not the biggest forward running around.

Defensively Bailey Martin hits very hard and had the best pure defensive technique of the U14 players at the U14 Hill Stumer Championships bar none. Bailey Martin’s technique revolves around timing and execution. Bailey Martin’s head is always correctly positioned and he always drives with his shoulder and never just jersey grabs.

Bailey Martin also tackles with both shoulders equally effectively as well. The impressive thing for me also is that Bailey Martin never seems to bounce off the ball when he makes a front on tackle meaning his target area and the ability to hit the area on a regular basis is exceptional. This is no fluke in relation to Bailey Martin, this is clearly as a result of an outstanding technique as well as determination and dedication to his craft.

Another defensive aspect that I first noted during the 2017 season and in subsequent seasons including for the South Coast U15 side a couple of seasons ago is that Bailey Martin does not just make one tackle at a time, he makes a series of tackles one after another all as clinical and effective as the one immediately prior.

Bailey Martin’s lateral speed and mobility is quite good due to his quick twitch feet and thus he is effective at defending against smaller dynamic runners out of dummy half as well as half backs and five eights running of the fringes looking to isolate forwards.

For me Bailey Martin is the best defender in his age group in Queensland bar none and has been so for a number of seasons especially in defending on the fringes of the ruck whether he is operating as the A or B defender.

It will be interesting to see what Bailey Martin chooses to do in 2022, he is certainly more than good enough to make (and make an impact) either the Burleigh Bears or Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad in 2022 and will also be Colts eligible in 2023, but he also may choose to start the 2022 season in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition potentially in the U20 competition, but if that is the case, no doubt Bailey Martin will more up to the GCRL Doug Lipp Cup and First Grade competitions very quickly.

From a long term position perspective, I believe that he will continue to play in the back row when all is said and done. I appreciate that Bailey Martin played a number of matches in the front row in 2017 but he has too much skill and foot work to be considered as a bash and barge type of player in that position.

I will admit however that his play at hooker for the PBC Open side in 2019 has me very intrigued. With his speed off the mark and already decent ball skills (additional repetitions at hooker would only enhance them) and the ability to tackle all day that may well be just where Bailey Martin’s future lies.

Thinking further with the new rules since the NRL recommenced after the Covid 19 shut down, Bailey Martin with his footwork, ball playing skills and speed of the mark, is ideally suited to exploit them. Bailey Martin’s ability to slot into the dummy half role is once again perfectly suited to the exploitation to the new rules.

From an NRL player comparison perspective, with his touch above average speed and quick late footwork that Bailey Martin has displayed over recent seasons I think that an appropriate player comparison is Sydney Roosters lock Victor Radley with the potential to be a lot more on top of that as well. You could also throw in Cameron Murray of the Souths Sydney Rabbitohs when you are looking for an NRL player to compare Bailey Martin to.

Like Radley, Bailey Martin is also developing the ability to fill in at dummy half if and when the need arises and play that position at a very high level as well.

Bailey Martin is not the flashiest player running around in his age group by a long shot but there is no junior rugby league player on the Gold Coast or in Queensland for that matter that has improved as much as Bailey Martin has over the last couple of seasons and rewards for his hard work and dedication and now deservedly starting to shine through for the Gold Coast local with his contract with the Titans.

Bailey Martin has always been an outstanding defender, I believe that he is currently the best defender for his age in Queensland (and has been for a couple of seasons) if not all of all junior age groups in Queensland but it his attack has really come on over the last two seasons or so, especially in relation to his late footwork and the outstanding lines that he runs especially in relation to the inside shoulder line that he executes flawlessly.

No one is more deserving of success both on and off the field than this talented young man who continues to shine.

[mdrew]

Darius Farmer. (Revised) He is a young second rower originally from Ipswich who signed with the Titans initially as a 15 year old and has previously represented Queensland at the U16 level in 2015 starting in the second row in the annual interstate match. Darius Farmer originally signed with the Titans in 2015 after being part of the Sydney Roosters Junior Summer Training squad in 2014.

Darius Farmer’s first 2021 hit-out came in mid-February when he started in the front row for the Titans in their first trial against the Burleigh Bears. Darius Farmer actually crossed the line in the early going in the match but his try was called back for an obstruction as he was adjudged to have run behind a team mate in the lead up.

Over the course of the match Darius Farmer highlighted his strength including when in the 11th minute he held and then forced back Burleigh front rower Luke Page when it looked likely Page would score from close range. Darius Farmer was also heavily involved defensively including flattening Burleigh half Guy Hamilton with a rib rattling hit early in the match.

Round Eight of the 2021 NRL competition saw Darius Farmer named on the Titans extended bench for their match against the Brisbane Bronco’s and Darius Farmer was also named on the Titans NRL extended bench for Round Thirteen against the Melbourne Storm.

After multiple seasons with the Burleigh Bears, Darius Farmer moved to the Tweed Heads Seagulls when the Titans allocated their players to their Gold Coast based feeder clubs with Darius Farmer part of the Seagulls Seconds squad for their final Queensland Cup trial against local rivals, being the Burleigh Bears with Darius Farmer starting in the front row and producing some huge hits in defence in his time on the field.

Darius Farmer made his Queensland Cup debut for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Round One of the 2021 season when he started on the bench for the Seagulls against the Central Queensland Capra’s.

Even though he was only in the field for thirty minutes of the match, Darius Farmer certainly made his presence felt running for seventy four metres (twenty seven post contact), broke one tackle, played the ball at an average speed for 3.45 seconds and had a 100% tackling efficiency whilst making eight tackles.

Darius Farmer also was set to come off the bench in Round Two against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls however Covid protocols were initiated and Darius Farmer had to withdraw from the side.

Darius Farmer was back coming off the bench for Tweed Heads in Round Three against the Souths Logan Magpies and recorded his first career Queensland Cup try in the 70th minute when he ran a straight crash line from three metres out. After contacting the defence, Darius Farmer spun counter clockwise to twist his way over next to the right upright.

Whilst Darius Farmer only played the final twenty nine minutes of the match, he certainly made the most of each minute, running for ninety eight metres (thirty nine post contact), made a line break, broke a team leading six tackles and made ten tackles of his own.

Darius Farmer continued operating from the bench in Round Four against the Burleigh Bears in this match playing seventeen minutes. In that time Darius Farmer ran for thirty nine metres (ten post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 4.07 seconds and made eight tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

Darius Farmer started once again from the bench in Round Five against the Redcliffe Dolphins, playing thirty nine minutes, running for eighty two metres (forty two post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.85 seconds and made twenty three tackles at a tackling efficiency of 88.46%.

Darius Farmer also was named to start from the bench in Round Six against the Ipswich Jets however he in fact started the match at lock, playing twenty two minutes. In that time Darius Farmer ran for thirty seven metres (eleven post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 4.43 seconds and made eleven tackles at a tackling efficiency of 91.67%.

Darius Farmer was also named to start from the bench in Round Seven against the Northern Pride, however once again he started the match at lock, playing thirty three minutes, running for ninety five metres (forty two post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.67 seconds and made fourteen tackles.

Darius Farmer moved into the Tweed Heads starting side in Round Eight against the Easts Tigers, starting the match in the front row and playing forty minutes as well as scoring one of the Seagulls tries in their big win.

Darius Farmer scored in the 41st minute when he charged onto the ball to the right of the play the ball just two metres from the line, bursting through two tackles to get the ball down next to the left upright.

Darius Farmer was heavily involved in Tremain Spry’s second try of the match which came in the second half. With Easts running the ball, Darius Farmer smashed the Tigers halfback front on with the ball immediately coming loose, Joseph Vuna swooped on the ball, running around forty metres before getting away on overhead pass to his right to an unmarked Tremain Spry who easily scored under the posts.

In addition to his try, Darius Farmer ran for ninety one metres (thirty post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.54 seconds and made nine tackles at a 90% tackling efficiency.

Round Nine against the Norths Devils once again saw Darius Farmer line up in the front row. Playing thirty four minutes, Darius Farmer ran for eighty six metres (thirty eight post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 2.75 seconds and made twenty six tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92.86%.

Darius Farmer also came off the bench in Round Ten against the Mackay Cutters playing twenty five minutes. In that time Darius Farmer ran for sixty nine metres (twenty four post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.07 seconds and made twelve tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92.31%.

After being released from the NRL bubble, Darius Farmer came off the bench in Round Fourteen against the Sunshine Coast Falcons. In his thirty one minutes on the field, Darius Farmer ran for eighty one metres (twenty post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 4.34 seconds and made fifteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 93.75%.

Darius Farmer continued off the bench in the previously postponed Round Twelve against the Souths Logan Magpies to paly twenty three minutes. In those minutes, Darius Farmer ran for thirty four metres (seven post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 4.57 seconds and made eleven tackles.

Darius Farmer also started from the bench in Round Fifteen against the Central Queensland Capra’s.

After a Covid 19 hiatus, Darius Farmer was named to start from the bench for Round Nineteen against the Northern Pride and playing twenty four minutes in the Seagulls 34 – 12 victory.

In his time on the field, Darius Farmer ran for fifty metres (eleven post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.31 seconds and made thirteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92.86%.

Darius Farmer also started from the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Round Twenty against the Townsville Blackhawks coming on to play twenty two minutes. In that time, Darius Farmer ran for eighty metres (twenty seven post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.81 seconds and made five tackles.

Darius Farmer continued off the bench in Round Seventeen against the PNG Hunters playing twenty five minutes, running for sixty nine metres (thirty one post contact), breaking four tackles, playing the ball at an average speed of 3.38 seconds and made thirteen tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

Darius Farmer then continued on the bench in the Seagulls Week One Final against the Norths Devils, playing twenty five minutes, running for thirty three metres (nine post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 2.36 seconds and made sixteen tackles.

In Round Sixteen of the 2020 NRL season against the St George Dragons Darius Farmer was deservedly named on the Titans extended bench, however did not make the Titans final seventeen for the match. Darius Farmer was also named on the Titans NRL extended bench for Round Eighteen against the Brisbane Bronco’s, Round Nineteen against Manly and Round Twenty against the Newcastle Knights.

Darius Farmer’s first 2020 appearance was for the Titans in the 2020 NRL 9’s 18 man tournament in Perth in February. In the Titans opening match against the Canberra Raiders, Darius Farmer ran for twenty four metres on two carries and made four tackles.

Darius Farmer made a further twenty four metres from three runs and a tackle in Game Two against the Wests Tigers. In the Titans semi-final loss to North Queensland Darius Farmer ran for thirty eight metres on three carries, broke a tackle and made two tackles of his own.

In total in the 2020 NRL Nine’s tournament, Darius Farmer played in three matches, ran for eighty six metres from eight runs, broke a tackle and made seven tackles at a high tackling efficiency.

Darius Farmer started at lock for the Titans first NRL trial of 2020 against Burleigh at Pizzey Park and performed well in the new position for him running for an impressive 135 metres (twenty seven post contact), broke a tackle and made twenty six of his own.

Darius Farmer started from the interchange bench for Burleigh in their final Queensland Cup trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

Darius Farmer started Round One of the 2020 Queensland Cup competition for the Burleigh Bears from the bench against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls but had an impressive match after coming on in the 30th minute of the first half. Some of his charges into the teeth of the Seagulls defensive line were very impressive indeed and on each occasion fought to produce a quick play the ball to keep the Bears on the front foot.

In total in the match Darius Farmer was on the field for thirty six minutes, ran for an impressive ninety nine metres (thirty six post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 4.01 seconds and made seven tackles.

In late June 2020 Darius Farmer was part of the Titans side that played an eleven on eleven match against the Bronco’s at Suncorp Stadium prior to the same sides NRL match, with the match ending in a 16 all draw.

Darius Farmer started from the interchange bench in the Titans first NRL trial of 2019 against the Norther Queensland Cowboys on the Sunshine Coast.

In Round One of the 2019 Queensland Cup competition, Darius Farmer came off the bench for Burleigh against PNG playing 26 minutes, took two hit-ups for 26 metres, 11 post contact, broke two tackles, had a play the ball average of 3.48 seconds and made nine tackles missing only one.

Darius Farmer made his second Queensland Cup appearance of the season in Round Ten for Burleigh as they thrashed the Northern Pride 43 – 0. Starting from the bench Darius Farmer played 23 minutes, ran for forty four metres (an impressive 50% of those post contact) on five hit-ups, broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 4.19 seconds and made ten tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

Darius Farmer also started from the bench in Round Eleven of the Queensland Cup for Burleigh as they defeated Central Queensland. Darius Farmer played 29 minutes, running for 35 metres (16 post contact), played the ball at an average of 4.25 seconds and made four tackles.

After Round One Darius Farmer moved back to the Burleigh Colts Hastings Deering’s Colts U20 side for Rounds Two and Three starting in the second row on both occasions.

Darius Farmer came back into the Burleigh Hasting’s Deering Colts side in Week Two of the 2019 Finals starting at right second row in Burleigh’s 42 – 12 win against Norths.

In the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Year Award tally Darius Farmer finished with three votes from a very limited number of matches, being four in total.

Darius Farmer was promoted to the Burleigh Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade side starting in the second row in Round Three of that competition for the Bears in their 28 – 8 win over the Currumbin Eagles.

Darius Farmer also started in the second row in Round Four against Bilambil and in fact scored his first career GCRL First Grade try. With Burleigh attacking close to the Bilambil line, Darius Farmer flew onto the ball from around two metres out to crash over the top of three defenders to get the ball down.

After missing an extended period of time during the 2019 season, it was great to see Darius Farmer back in the Burleigh Bears Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade side when he came off the bench in Round Nineteen against Southport, narrowly missing out on scoring in the second half when he chased through a Burleigh short attacking kick but could not quite ground the ball in the in goal. When he came on Darius Farmer operated on the right side of the field.

Darius Farmer also started from the bench in Round Twenty being the final 2019 regular season round against Ormeau in a big 64 – 12 Burleigh win.

In total in the Gold Coast Rugby League season in 2019 Darius Farmer played in seven Gold Coast Rugby League regular season First Grade matches for the Bears.

In the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Finals series Darius Farmer started at right second row for Burleigh in their Grand Final qualifying final against Currumbin scoring in an outstanding second half display.

Darius Farmer ran a crash line from around eight metres from the line and spun 360 degrees counter clock wise to crash over mid-way between the uprights and corner post on the right side of the field.

Darius Farmer also started at right second row as Burleigh won the GCRL First Grade Grand Final by defeating Southport 30 -12 scoring a try in each half in the deserved Bears victory.

Darius Farmer’s try in the first half resulted from him following through a short grubber kick on the right side of the field. Darius Farmer ran a crash line from around eighteen metres from the line on the right side of the field to crash over mid-way between the uprights and corner post on the right side of the field for his second try in the second half.

In 2019 Darius Farmer was also selected in the Gold Coast Vikings First Grade side for the South East Queensland U20 Challenge but in the end was not part of the side that won the competition due to his elevation to the Burleigh Queensland Cup side prior to that competition starting.

Darius Farmer has had an outstanding 2018 season including making his Queensland Cup debut in Round 18 off the bench for the Burleigh Bears in their 40 – 28 loss to Redcliffe coming on in around the 24th minute of the second half making a couple of solid tackles including one try saving tackle late as Redcliffe looked certain to score. Prior to his introduction into the match, Darius Farmer was deservedly acknowledged by commentator Scott Sattler for his outstanding talent and associated potential.

In his debut Queensland Cup match in Round Eighteen against Redcliffe Darius Farmer played 19 minutes, running for 14 metres, six post contact from two hit-ups and made eleven tackles at a tackling efficiency of 84.62%.

Prior to his Queensland Cup call up Darius Farmer has spent the majority of the 2018 season playing for Burleigh in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition but has also played a number of matches for the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side the last of which was in Round 17 against the Norths Devils.

Due to injury Darius Farmer missed the start of the 2017 season but played the majority of the season with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side but also made his NYC debut with the Titans as well as representing New Zealand U18’s with former Titans team mate Jaxson Paulo.

Darius Farmer started in the second row for New Zealand in their match against the Australian School Boys in September in New Zealand playing on the left side of the field with Jaxon Paulo who played on the left wing. Even though New Zealand lost the International Darius Farmer matched up well with Australian School Boy star David Fifita who lined up on the right hand side of the field for the Australian Schoolboys.

Prior to the International match against the Australian School Boys Darius Farmer represented the New Zealand U18 Taurahere side (NZ eligible players playing in Australia) against the New Zealand Residents U18 side. Darius Farmer was one of a number Titans players named in the Taurahere side with the others being former Titans Jaxson Paulo, Reihana Marsh and 2019 Titans NRL Player of the Year Moeaki Fotuaika, although only Darius Farmer and Jaxon Paulo played in the match with both then progressing to the New Zealand U18 side.

In 2017 Darius Farmer made his NYC debut with the Titans in Round Twenty against Penrith, almost scoring with his first touch of the ball after coming off the interchange bench and in Round Twenty-Two Darius Farmer started at lock against the Broncos. In 2017 Darius Farmer went on to play in Rounds Twenty Five and Twenty Six against the Bulldogs and Roosters respectively, on both of those occasions starting off the interchange bench.

In total in the NYC competition Darius Farmer was on the field for 150 minutes, ran for 170 metres from twenty hit-ups and made forty four at a tackling efficiency of 72%. Darius Farmer’s 2017 NYC per game averages included playing 37.5 minutes, running for 43 metres and making eleven tackles.

Darius Farmer’s best match from a running perspective was against the Panthers on his NYC debut when he ran for 78 metres and in Round Twenty Six against the Roosters he made thirteen tackles in limited minutes.

Darius Farmer missed the MM Cup competition but after spending the 2016 off season training with the Titans NYC squad including playing a couple of NYC trials for example against the Melbourne Storm at Langland’s Park, Darius Farmer was back for the start of the U20 Colts Challenge competition and played in twelve matches for Tweed Heads in that competition starting in the second row in every match that he played except for Round Four when he started at lock. Darius Farmer scored twice in the Colts competition including scoring in just the third minute of the Round One clash against South’s Logan. His other try came in Round Five against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

During the 2016 season Darius Famer played for the Gold Coast White MM side scoring a try in Round Three against the Easts Tigers. He started all of the matches he played for Gold Coast White in the second row. In addition he also made his Queensland Cup Colts debut for the Ipswich Jets in Round 15 scoring a hat trick against Toowoomba and starting in the centres. Darius Farmer started in the centres as well for the other three games that he played for the Ipswich Jets in the Colts competition, being from Rounds 23 to 25 and in Round 24 against the Tweed Heads Seagulls scored a double.

Darius Farmer is a tall, rangy exceptional athlete and this can be seen when he is running with the football. In his carries he rarely takes a hit up without movement, he uses foot work prior to the line to look to break through as well as cutting either cutting back in behind the play the ball or cutting out towards the smaller defenders on the fringes of the ruck.

Darius Farmer runs ‘fast’ into the defensive and his foot work prior to the line enables him to get partly through the line quite often, certainly more so than you would expect for a backrower taking the ball through the centre of the ruck. One reason for this is that he is a smart footballer, he does not try to run over defenders, but he runs at the gaps between defenders and uses his running speed to break through if defenders only use their arms on the tackle.

Darius Farmer does not necessarily have a great top end speed, but he is certainly fast enough to get through to the full back prior to the arrival of the cover defence. Darius Farmer would be one of the faster back rowers running around in Queensland as can be evidenced by the fact that he handled the centre position well at the Queensland Cup Colts level.

Playing on the right hand side of the field seemingly more often, means that his right foot step and his fending using his left hand are the effective attributes, but based on his physical attributes, his skill set and his understanding of how to play the game means that I have no doubt that these attributes are transferrable to playing on the left hand side of the field.

In defence Darius Farmer regularly is the first player up to target the ball carriers, even though he is not 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.

As could be seen in the U16 development squad game a couple of season ago now, when the opportunity presents Darius Farmer has the ability to hit very hard, by setting a good base and driving through his lower body and core into his opponent.

Ultimately though Darius Farmer is a strong defender with a good front on technique and good lateral movement to track and defend against smaller opponents either on the fringes or centre of the ruck.

If Darius Farmer does not get another opportunity with another NRL club in 2022 he will be one of the best players in the Queensland Cup competition whether that is with the Tweed Heads Seagulls, Burleigh Bears or another lucky club. Darius Farmer is still only young and I have no doubt that with his considerable talent and physical attributes, he will definitely get another NRL opportunity sooner rather than later.

I would expect that due to his size, speed and skill attributes that Darius Farmer will continue to play in the back row for the foreseeable future and even though he seems to play more on the right side of the field at present, there is nothing to suggest he will not transition into a player who can play on both sides of the ruck equally effectively.

It was interesting however to see Darius Farmer play at lock for the Titans first 2020 NRL trial against the Burleigh Bears at Pizzey Park.

I appreciate that Darius Farmer played some Queensland Cup Colts matches for the Ipswich Jets as a 17 year old previously in the centres and was very effective there but I do not envisage that was in any way a sign of things to come especially the way that Darius Farmer has developed in the second row over the last two seasons.

In fact Darius Farmer has gotten bigger and stronger over the last couple of seasons training with the Titans NRL squad, but impressively has not lost any of his outstanding speed and mobility.

From a player comparison perspective, the young Canterbury Bulldogs version of Sonny Bill Williams (or early All Black version) springs to mind as an appropriate playing style comparison, when you see the combination of the skill set Darius Farmer possesses and the rare athletic ability, add in a touch of aggression and you have a young player of immense potential who plays the game seemingly at a different pace to most of the players around him.

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Jaylan To’o. The local junior signed a contract with the Titans a number of seasons ago and has continued to impress ever since.

In 2021 Jaylan To’O was part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad and started at five eight in their final 2021 trial against the Burleigh Bears. Jaylan To’O was in everything good for the Seagulls and for me was their best player in the match, including a desperate tackle in the 43rd minute to prevent Burleigh dummy half Cole Geyer from scoring.

Round One of the 2021 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition saw Jaylan To’O start at five eight for the Tweed Heads Seagulls when they took on the Souths Logan Magpies scoring two first half tries.

Jaylan To’O’s first try came in just the 6th minute of the match. Jaylan To’O was lining up to the left of a Seagulls scrum that was packed ten metres out from the line in centre field. After receiving the ball Jaylan To’O ran to his left and then stepped off his left to breach the defensive line and score twelve metres in from the left corner post.

Jaylan To’O completed his double in the 27th minute when he moved into dummy half a metre out from the try line. When he picked the ball up, Jaylan To’O dummied to his left and pushed towards the line. Initially Jaylan To’O was held up but he spun counter clockwise to twist over midway between the corner post and goal post on the left side of the field.

Jaylan To’O also recorded a try assist in the match when he threw a long cut-out pass to his left to find his winger Brenton Daley-Holten in space to dive over in the left corner.

Jaylan To’O’s first contribution in the match came in the opening minutes when he stepped off his left foot to beat two defenders, making ten metres before he was brought down twenty metres out from the line.

Jaylan To’O also started at five eight in Round Two in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears and threw a great pass to his right through traffic in the 52nd minute to put Glenn McGradey over near the right corner post.

Jaylan To’O was also involved ed in Glenn McGradey’s second try in the 71st minute, a try that started on the left side of the field and finished on the right. After receiving the ball on the left touchline Jojo Fifita who cut back towards centre field, breaking the line there before offloading to Ediq Ambrosyev who then got the ball away to his right to Jaylan To’O who then found Glenn McGradey to score on the right.

Jaylan To’O also was named to start at five eight in Round Three against the Redcliffe Dolphins and in Round Four against the Ipswich Jets however started that match at left centre, scoring in just the 3rd minute of the match.

Jaylan To’O continued at left centre in Round Five against the Northern Pride as well as in Round Six against the Easts Tigers with Jaylan To’O scoring in the Seagulls 30 – 18 victory. Jaylan To’O also started at left centre in Round Seven against the Norths Devils, once again scoring in the Seagulls big victory.

Jaylan To’O continued on the left wing in Round Eight against the Mackay Cutters before moving to the centres for Round Nine against Wynnum Manly before dropping back to the bench in the previously postponed Round Eleven match against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

After a Covid 19 enforced hiatus, Jaylan To’O was named to start at right centre in Round Sixteen against the Northern Pride with Jaylan To’O scoring in the 39th minute of the match and he also converted one of the Seagulls tries in their 48 – 16 victory.

Jaylan To’O then continued at right centre in the rescheduled Round Thirteen match against the Townsville Blackhawks and led Tweed Heads in metres gained with 210 metres.

Jaylan To’O continued at right centre in Round Fourteen against the Western Mustangs with Jaylan To’O scoring in the 32nd and 45th minutes of the Seagulls big 48 – 6 victory.

Jaylan To’O then continued at right centre in the Seagulls Week One Final against the Souths Logan Magpies.

At the 2021 Queensland Rugby League Awards Night Jaylan To’O finished with four votes for the Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Season Award.

Jaylan To’o’s first official hit out of the 2020 season came when he started from the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in their Queensland Cup trial win over the Souths Logan Magpies at Tugun in mid-February in wet conditions just south of the New South Wales border.

Jaylan To’O also started from the bench for the Tweed Heads A Grade side in their late February 2020 trial against the Burleigh Bears.

Jaylan To’O started Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls at fullback against the Northern Pride with the Seagulls recording a big 50 – 20 win in what ended up being the only Round of the competition before its cancellation.

When rugby league restarted on the Gold Coast Jaylan To’O started Round One of the Gold Coast Rugby League competition at five eight for Runaway Bay against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks before moving to left centre in Round Two against the Ormeau Shearers, a match that saw him score his first try since the resumption of play as Runaway Bay and Ormeau played out a hard fought twenty all draw.

Jaylan To’O maintained his starting spot at right centre in Round Four against the Southport Tigers as well as in Round Five against the Tugun Seahawks before moving to the left wing in Round Six against the Currumbin Eagles, scoring the opening try of the match when Jaylan To’O was on the end of a back line movement which saw him dive over in the left corner from close range being around two metres or so out from the line.

Jaylan To’O, after being originally named in the centres for Runaway Bay in their Round Eight GCRL First Grade match against the Ormeau Shearers actually started on the left wing scoring four tries as the Seagulls recorded a 22 – 12 victory with all four of his tries coming in the second half of the match and all four were scored in (or near) the left corner.

Jaylan To’O’s first try of the match came when he received a long cut out pass around fifteen metres out from the Shearers line, Jaylan To’O charged towards the line but pulled up a metre or so short when it was clear that the cover defence would take him into touch. Jaylan To’O waited until the last possible second then stepped off his left foot that sent the first cover defender flying past and then a second left foot step sent the second defender flying past as well for Jaylan To’O to be able to bring the ball around a few metres from the corner post.

Jaylan To’O scored again not long later when once again he received a long cut out pass and produced a left foot step to beat his opposite winger before diving over in the tackle of an Ormeau cover defender. In what was clearly the theme of his four tries, for his third try Jaylan To’O once again received a long cut out pass around ten metres out. Jaylan To’O flew onto the pass and beat the despairing dive of his opposing down the left touchline to score in the left corner.

In relation to his third and final try of the match, Runaway threw the ball out to Jaylan To’O’s side of the wing and the Seagulls left centre dragged in the Ormeau winger giving Jaylan To’O space down the touchline, just prior to the corner post, Jaylan To’O stepped off his left foot sending two defenders flying past him and then Jaylan To’O to put the ball down five metres in from the left corner post.

After his Round Eight four try haul Jaylan To’0 also started on the left wing in Round Nine against Tugun and scored once again when he was on the end of a Seagulls back line to score from close range in the left corner.

In Runaway Bay’s 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Semi-Final against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks, Jaylan To’O started on the left wing.

In the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Grand Final Jaylan To’O started on the left wing for Runaway Bay against Burleigh as the Seagulls came away from Cbus stadium as 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Premiers.

Jaylan To’O missed the opening two rounds of the 2019 U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition but started Round Three for Tweed Heads against the Burleigh Bears at fullback and maintained his place in the starting line-up at fullback for Round Four against the Central Queensland Capra’s.

Jaylan To’O had a particularly impressive match in Round Eleven from fullback against the Northern Pride recording two try assists. Mid-way through the first half, Jaylan To’O got to dummy half around a metre out from the Northern Pride line, he took two quick steps to his right a popped a great short ball to fellow Titan Blake Campbell to crash over.

Jaylan To’O’s second try assist of the match came right on full time when he threw a great long cut out ball this time to his left right onto the chest of Callum Boomer who burst through the gap to score in the last minute of the match.

Jaylan To’O also scored in Round Nineteen against the Mackay Cutters from the fullback position. After a strong run from fellow Titans Blake Campbell, Jaylan To’O got into dummy half around nine metres out in from of the goal posts.

Taking advantage of a quick play the ball, Jaylan To’O took off out of dummy half to his left running at an approximate 45 degree running with the ball in two hands (I know that carry on about that but it really does put the defence in two minds) he took advantage of a disorganised and back peddling defensive lien to charge over to score mid-way between the left goal post and the touch line.

Jaylan To’O added a further try in Round Twenty Two against Souths Logan from the fullback position and also scored from fullback in Round Twenty Three against the Northern Pride in a big Tweed Heads win.

In relation to his try against the Northern Pride Jaylan To’O received the ball and ran to the right of the play the ball dummying to his right around seven metres out from the line. After contact with the defence, Jaylan To’O spun around 360 degrees clockwise maintaining his balance whilst doing so putting the ball down about seven metres from the left corner post.

Jaylan To’O also had a try assist in the same match, once again on the left side of the field Jaylan To’O drew in the defence before putting a pass to his left on the chest of debutant Caleb Hodges who crashed over around five metres from the left corner post.

Jaylan To’O moved to right centre for Tweed Heads 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Week One Elimination Final loss to the Mackay Cutters 23 – 10 but was one of two Tweed Heads try scorers in the match. Five eight Toby Sexton took the ball down a short blind side and popped a short ball to Jaylan To’O who cruised through a gap and scored from forty metres out untouched.

In total in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition Jaylan To’O played in nineteen matches, including Tweed Heads Elimination Final scoring six tries. Jaylan To’O started all bar one of his 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts matches at fullback bar Round Ten against the Easts Tigers when he started at five eight.

In the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Year Award tally Jaylan To’O finished with a solid nine votes.

Jaylan To’O made his Gold Coast rugby League first grade debut in Round Thirteen of the 2019 season when he started at half for Runaway Bay against Bilambil and also started at half in Round Fifteen against the Ormeau Shearers.

Jaylan To’O moved to the wing for his second GCRL First Grade match in Round Sixteen against the Burleigh Bears where he was up against fellow Titan Will Evans who started on the opposite wing for Burleigh.

Jaylan To’O also spent some time in the GCRL U20 competition for Runaway Bay in 2019 including starting at left centre and scoring in Round Seventeen against Helensvale. Jaylan To’O had backed up a break down the left touchline line and was on hand to receive the ball inside to run thirty five metres to score untouched.

Jaylan To’O was one of three Titans U18 try scorers as they overcame a determined New South Wales Country U18 side 14 – 12 in Cudgen in wet conditions in early October 2018. In the match Jaylan To’O also converted one of the Titans tries to account for six of the Titans fourteen points.

Starting in the centres (left centre) for the Titans U18 side Jaylan To’O had a solid match with his try coming in the second half from a powerful run out of dummy half. With the Titans attacking the line, Jaylan To’O moved into dummy half with the Titans on the attack about two metres from the New South Wales Country line, picking up the ball up and ran to his left barging over taking two NSW Country defenders with him.

Jaylan To’O started the 2018 season as part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad playing in all seven of Tweed Heads matches including their Week One Final loss against the South’s Logan Magpies.

Jaylan To’O started all seven matches from the interchange bench including Round Seven when he was interestingly named to start at hooker against Easts but reverted to the bench for the start of the match.

Post the 2018 MM Cup competition, Jaylan To’O played for Runaway Bay in the Gold Coast Rugby League U19 competition playing a variety of positions once again including fullback, five eight and in the centres.

In the U19 GCRL competition in 2018 Jaylan To’O played in twelve matches finishing with a 50% strike rate. Jaylan To’O scored an early season double against Ormeau and scored a double later in the season against Currumbin. Jaylan To’O’s other 2018 U19 tries came in matches against Ormeau and Burleigh.

In 2018 Jaylan To’O also played in four GCRL Doug Lipp Cup matches, making his debut in June against Tugun. In just his second Doug Lipp Cup match Jaylan To’O scored against Ormeau (he clearly enjoyed playing against Ormeau).

For Runaway Bay in the 2017 U17 Division One competition Jaylan To’O scored a total of 74 points from six tries and twenty-five goals. Jaylan To’O scored a double in Round One against Ormeau and finished the season scoring in each of the last three rounds which were against Ormeau, Mudgeeraba and Helensvale.

With the boot on four occasions did Jaylan To’O kick four goals in a match which were against Bilambil, Ormeau twice and Mudgeeraba. Jaylan To’O made his U19 debut in July against Mudgeeraba and went on to play five matches in total in the Gold Coast U19 competition.

Jaylan To’O also played five matches in the U19 GCRL competition in 2017 an impressive feat for a seventeen year old.

For a centre, Jaylan To’O is a strong young man who does not rely just on his size and speed and using his natural running balance to either engage the opposing defenders and off load, run either an inside or outside shoulder route or an in and away to slow the forward momentum of the defender and accelerate on the outside.

For a player of his size, Jaylan To’O also has a very good passing game especially to his right side. When the ball is passed out to the back line, Jaylan To’O is very good at straitening up the attack and pass to his outside supports if they have room to move further out wide.

From a speed perspective Jaylan To’O has above average speed for both his size and position and when he breaks into open space, he will rarely be caught from behind other than from only the fastest of opponents and he is also very good at positioning his support players when he gets to the fullback. The only possible question about Jaylan To’O’s speed is whether it will stay at or near the above average category as he matures and inevitably fills out.

Defensively Jaylan To’O uses his physical characteristics 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.

For me when I saw him play for either school boy rugby league or Burleigh Jaylan To’O was the defensive leader of the 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.

Jaylan To’O 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.

His timing and anticipation in defence are one of the reasons that I think that he could also handle playing in the centres as he progresses to the upper echelons of junior rugby league and into senior football.

Jaylan To’O was set to continue to play the 2020 season with the Tweed Heads Seagulls in their U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad for the second season in a row but instead was a stand out performer for the Premiership winning Runaway Bay Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade side, finishing as their leading try scorer.

In 2022 Jaylan To’O will likely push to look to break into either the Tweed Heads Seagulls or Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup set-ups but if not Jaylan To’O will likely play for the Runaway Bay Seagulls in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition. Jaylan To’O certainly has the ability to be a solid Queensland Cup player, or higher, in the near future.

Over the last few seasons Jaylan To’O played a variety of positions including fullback, centre and five eight and even spent some time in the dummy half role in 2019 but bar a handful of games has featured primarily at fullback. In 2020 however in the GCRL First Grade competition Jaylan To’O played primarily on the left wing, making a great fist of that position.

Ultimately I think that potentially Jaylan To’O’s best position is on the wing although I am definitely not 100% certain of that as centre is still a more than viable option.

Jaylan To’O’s match for the Titans U18’s last in 2018 against New South Wales Country in the centres helped solidify my belief that that centre is certainly a viable option and potentially the best option for Jaylan To’O going forward.

What I am certain of however is that regardless of position Jaylan To’O is a very good rugby league player with a bright future.

Jaylan To’O has a similar playing style to former Bronco and Queensland Reds and New South Wales Waratah’s player Karmichael Hunt, as a strong fullback with all of the running and ball playing skills to play the game at a high level who is fearless both in terms of charging into the defensive line and defensively as well as using his skills to the benefit of his team’s ultimate success.

[mdrew]

Sione Fotuaika. The younger brother of Titans NRL star front rower Moeaki Fotuaika is a Titans contracted junior who currently attends Brisbane’s Marsden State High School.

In January 2021 Sione Fotuaika started from the bench for the Titans U19 side in their annual match at Coffs Harbour against the Newcastle Knights and worked hard both in attack and defence in his stints on the field in the Titans 40 – 6 victory.

It appears that Sione Fotuaika was spent a lot of the offseason in the gym as he looks bigger and stronger than he did in 2021 and he used that additional size and strength well throughout the match including late in the match when from around twelve metres out, the Knights defence was barely able to prevent him from scoring, finally holding him up just a metre away from the line.

Another aspect of the Sione Fotuaika’s game that was impressive was the speed of his play the ball, with that speed translating into momentum for the Titans. Impressively in the 30th minute of the first half, Sione Fotuaika won a penalty for the Titans when he was just too quick for the Knights defenders who had no choice but to give away a penalty for holding Sione Fotuaika down with their defensive line still back peddling.

A week after the match against the Newcastle Knights Sione Fotuaika once again lined up for the Titans U19’s as they took on a Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts squad with the Titans winning 32 – 20 with no conversions attempted with Sione Fotuaika starting the match on the bench, coming on at half time and playing the entire second half in the front row.

In 2021 Sione Fotuaika was also part of the Souths Logan Magpies MM Cup squad and started the Magpies final MM Cup trial in the front row against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

Sione Fotuaika had the privilege of taking the hit-up off the kick off producing a strong charge before being brought down Tweed Heads Seagulls and fellow Titans contracted forwards Ryan Foran and Jack Cullen.

Sione Fotuaika continued to make his presence felt just minutes later when he smashed Seagulls half Thomas Weaver who had looked to run the ball down a short blindside. Sione Fotuaika’s hit had his fellow Titans contracted player on his haunches for a few minutes.

Sione Fotuaika also produced another strong charge from the kick-off after Souths Logan’s one and only try of the match in the opening minutes and then produced another strong first quarter charge making twelve metres before being rested until coming back on in the final quarter.

In Round One of the 2021 MM Cup competition, Sione Fotuaika started in the front row against the Burleigh Bears making his presence felt in the match on just the second hit after Burleigh had kicked off with Sione Fotuaika charging ten metres downfield. Sione Fotuaika made a further ten metres in the 9th metre with another straight charge into the heart of the Burleigh forward pack.

In the 52nd minute, Sione Fotuaika once again gained an impressive amount of ground before off-loading to his left to fellow Titan EJ Finau to gain an additional twenty metres from inside their own territory.

Round Two against the Tweed Heads Seagulls saw Sione Fotuaika move to the bench and he also started from the bench in Round Three against the Ipswich Jets.

Round Four against the Burleigh Bears saw Sione Fotuaika move back to the Magpies extended bench for their match against the Burleigh Bears and for Round Five against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

In late May 2021 Sione Fotuaika was part of the Met East QSSRL Open School Boy representative side and started in the front row in their Day One match against Sunshine Coast with the strong front rower scoring an easy try in the 38th minute when he put the ball down under the posts after a great pass from his hooker to stroll over from close range.

Sione Fotuaika was part of the Marsden State High School Rugby League Excellence Program in 2021 and came into the Marsden SHS side for Round Three against Wavell State High School, coming off the bench and working hard, including in the 43rd minute with a strong run over the halfway mark and then Sione Fotauika was able to off-load with his right arm to Braden Teilua.

Sione Fotuaika started Round One of the Langer Cup Reserve Grade Competition in the front row against Keebra Park and scored an outstanding solo try in the 42nd minute. Sione Fotuaika received the ball to the left of the play the ball, twelve metres out from the line initially skipping to his left, before engaging the defensive line. Sione Fotuaika shrugged off the first defender who engaged him before cutting back to his right, breaking five tackles to force his way over under the posts.

Sione Fotuaika also started in the front row in Round Two against Ipswich State High School and then started from the bench in the Round Four blockbuster against PBC State High School coming into the match at around the twenty minute mark to operate in the front row.

Sione Fotuaika once again started from the bench in Round Five against Mabel Park State High School before weight of performances led to his elevation to the starting line-up in the front row against Coombabah State High School.

After the competition was suspended for a number of weeks due to a Covid 19 lock down, Sione Fotuaika was named as an emergency for Marsden SHS in their semi-final against Ipswich State High School.

In the 2021 Langer Cup Grand Final against PBC State High School, Sione Fotuaika was named on the bench for Marsden SHS.

Sione Fotuaika played the 2020 season starting primarily in the front row for the Marsden State High School Langer Cup Open A school boy side after moving over from New Zealand for the start of the 2020 school year and rugby league season.

Sione Fotuaika had the opportunity to go to Keebra Park but decided to go to Mardsen to forge his own legacy away from the school where his three older brothers all attended and excelled in rugby league.

Sione Fotuaika started Round One of the 2020 Langer Cup competition in the front row against PBC and also started Round Two against his brothers former school, being Keebra Park. Sione Fotuaika moved to the bench for Round Three against Wavell State High School.

Whilst Sione Fotuaika was named to start from the bench in Round Four against Ipswich State High School he ended up starting the match in the front row. Round Five saw Sione Fotuaika move to start at lock for the match against PBC.

Early in 2020 Sione Fotuaika was part of the Souths Logan U18 MM Cup squad, starting Round One which was the only round of the competition that was played from the bench as the Magpies went down 26 – 20 against the Western Mustangs.

Prior to his arrival in Australia Sione Fotuaika made numerous junior age representative sides in New Zealand as well as being part of the New Zealand Warriors junior development set up for a number of seasons prior to hime signing with the Titans JTS program.

In early 2019 Sione Fotuaika was part of the New Zealand U16 National Talent Development Program (TDP) and at the end of the camp was part of the Fisher-Harris U16 team that played a trial. 2019 also saw Sione Fotuaika named in the New Zealand Residents U16 wider squad.

In New Zealand Sione Fotuaika attended Papatoetoe High School representing them in various school boy competitions and also played for the Waitemata Seagulls in the Auckland rugby league competition.

In 2018 Sione Fotuaika started in the front row in his five matches for the Auckland Vulcans representative side in the New Zealand U15 National Youth Tournament.

Sione Fotuaika is a big powerful young man who whilst using his size to his advantage by running hard and straight, 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.

An area where Sione Fotuaika has really improved over the last two season is in relation to his off-loads in previous seasons he did not off load too much but this season he really has been able to get his arms free and get away some telling off-loads. Sione Fotuaika continually put his hand up all day to take the ball up and has a very quick play the ball so that his team can maintain momentum.

One area that he did not seem to use too often this year but does seem to have the capacity to develop based on his size, skills and footwork is the ability to off load before the line, an example of what I am meaning is how the Canterbury Bulldogs forward pack uses those small offloads prior to the line. Sione Fotuaika has shown glimpses of having the skills to utilise the same skills if the opportunities arise, developing this skill with only enhance his effectiveness.

In defence Sione Fotuaika uses his size and strength to make very solid initial contact and certainly can take on all opposing forwards one on one. He is not averse 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, Sione Fotuaika’s raw natural strength means that he is also dominant when looking to slow the play the ball down by winning the wrestling battle on the ground.

2022 will see Sione Fotuaika move up to the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition, Likely with the Souths Logan Magpies but it is not out of the realms of possibility that Sione Fotuaika will line up for either the Tweed Heads Seagulls or the Burleigh Bears in 2022.

With his build and skill set Soine Fotuaika is a certainty to stay in the front row for the duration of his career (or lock the way rugby league is currently played) and with his work ethic and determination, it only seems a matter of time for Sione Fotuaika to play with his older brother Moeaki in the NRL with the Titans and that is likely to be sooner rather than later.

In many respects Sione Fotuaika has a similar playing style to that of his older brother Moeaki. Both brothers are solidly built young men with deceptive speed, late subtle deceptive footwork and vastly under rated ball skills as well as defensively they are both very good as well.

Also both Fotuaika brothers are extremely hard workers, unassuming and dedicated to being the best that they can be, both on and off the field. The Titans have two members of a great family on the books with the Fotuaika brothers.

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Levi Dangerfield. Levi Dangerfield was named on the interchange bench for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side for their Round One match against the Wests Tigers and worked hard in the centre of the ruck in their first up loss.

Levi Dangerfield moved into the starting side in the left second row position in Round Two against local rivals the North Coast Bulldogs in Nambucca Heads. Round Three saw Levi Dangerfield move from right second row to left centre as the Northern Rivers Titans took on the Greater Northern Tigers, scoring the final try of the match in the Northern Rivers Titans 30 – 16 victory.

Levi Dangerfield scored in the dying seconds of the match when he was able to dive on the ball in the in-goal to score just prior to the final siren sounding. The towering spiral kick that was put up by Kye Cooper could not be taken on the full by the defence and Levi Dangerfield was able to dive on the ball in the in-goal to score just prior to the final siren sounding.

Levi Dangerfield showed that he enjoyed the extra space at left centre in the first half when he broke three tackles and was then able to offload in heavy traffic.

Levi Dangerfield continued at left centre in Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters, a match that was played as a curtain raiser to the Titans against Warriors NRL trial in Lismore. In the final round of the 2021 U16 Andrew Johns Cup being Round Five Levi Dangerfield was named as the 18th man for the Northern Rivers Titans.

In Round Seven of the NRRRL U18 competition, Levi Dangerfield started from the bench for the Cudgen Hornets in Round Seven against the Marist Brothers Rams, playing on the right side of the field when he came on.

Levi Dangerfield also came off the bench in Round Eight against the Kyogle Turkeys, playing in the right second row position when he came on and also came off the bench in Round Ten against the Murwillumbah Mustangs to play on the left wing.

In early October 2020 Levi Dangerfield was part of the Titans Group 18 U14/15 Invitational side that played a trial match against a Titans Gold Coast U14 squad with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience with an added bonus that the players wore Titans jerseys.

In the 2020 Group 18 U15 competition Levi Dangerfield played for the combined Cudgen/Murwillumbah Mustangs side that two games and lost eight, scoring 122 points and conceding 298 to finish the season with a -176 points differential. Post the season Levi Dangerfield was named the Cudgen Hornets Group 18 U15 Best and Fairest.

In 2019 Levi Dangerfield played for the Group 18 U14 representative side at the New South Wales Country Age Championships, playing primarily at lock.

Levi Dangerfield is a tall 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 Levi Dangerfield’s game has really developed over the last couple of seasons his ability to play wider of the ruck. With his size and strength wider of the ruck Levi Dangerfield 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 Levi Dangerfield 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 Levi Dangerfield uses his size and strength to make very solid initial contact and certainly can take on all opposing forwards one on one. Levi Dangerfield 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.

Levi Dangerfield will play the 2022 season with the Cudgen Hornets in the NRRRL U18 competition and will also likely be a member of the 2022 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad.

Levi Dangerfield is a big strong powerful young man but has exceptional speed and mobility and is ideally suited to play on the fringes of the ruck in rugby league although there is no doubt Levi Dangerfield is also very effective through the centre of the ruck.

With his size and speed Levi Dangerfield has a playing style similar to that of Canberra Raiders backrower Joseph Tapine as a player who is simply a hard player. What I mean by “hard” is that Levi Dangerfield runs very hard at the defensive line and tackles just as hard.

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Kovi Ngan-Woo. In Round One of the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition, Kovi Ngan-Woo was initially named to start from the interchange bench for the Bilambil Jets as they took on the Murwillumbah Mustangs but in fact started the match in the front row and was one of the Jets best in their 24 – 18 victory.

Kovi Ngan-Woo was named on the interchange bench in Round Two against the Tweed Coast Raiders.

Kovi Ngan-Woo was named in the starting line-up in the front row in Round Three against Northern United, making the most of his starting spot by scoring in just the second minute of the match when he charged straight through the Northern United defensive line from ten metres to crash over mid-way between the corner post and goal posts on the left side of the field.

Kovi Ngan-Woo had already started the match strongly by taking the second hit-up of the match, making a solid fourteen metres. Then from the kick-up after his second minute try, Kovi Ngan-Woo once again charged at the Northern United line, making ten more metres.

Kovi Ngan-Woo made further metres from another kick-off (Kai Smallwood try) in the 34th minute, making fifteen metres when he charged straight at the giant Northern United forward pack.

Kovi Ngan-Woo continued in the front row in Round Four as the Jets took on the Cudgen Hornets in their local derby and was immediately in the action making a strong run from the kick-off.

Kovi Ngan-Woo also started in the front row in Round Five against the Kyogle Turkeys producing a great run from a standing start in the 16th minute making twelve metres to get the ball twenty metres out from the try line.

Kovi Ngan-Wood also started in the front row in Round Six against Casino RSM making the first of numerous strong charges from the fourth hit-up of the match. Kovi Ngan-Woo’s best run of the match came in the 20th minute when he burst onto the ball to the right of the dummy half forty metres from his own line. As soon as he took possession Kovi Ngan-Woo cut down to his left towards the soft spot behind the play the ball and took advantage of the space to race thirty metres downfield with three defenders left in his wake.

Kovi Ngan-Woo dropped back to the bench for Round Nine against the Byron Bay Devils and also came off the bench in Round Ten against the Marist Brothers Rams, in Round Eleven against the Ballina Seagulls and Round Twelve against the Tweed Coast Raiders.

In early October 2020 Kovi Ngan-Woo was part of a Titans Group 18 U16 Invitational side that played a trial match against a Titans squad with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience with an added bonus that the players wore Titans jerseys.

In the 2020 Group 18 U16 competition Kovi Ngan-Woo played for the Bilambil Jets who finished the regular season winning five matches, scoring 152 points and conceding 118 to finish with a +34 points differential.

In addition to playing in the Group 18 U16 competition for Bilambil, Kovi Ngan- Woo played one match for the Jets in the 2020 NRRRL U18 competition with the match coming in early September 2020 against the Cudgen Hornets. Kovi Ngan-Woo had a dominating debut game being named Player of the Match against the Jets local rivals.

Kovi Ngan-Woo is a big strong powerful aggressive young man and uses these attributes when he runs with the ball, he will take the line on and look to drop his shoulder into the defender who is looking initiate contact.

Kovi Ngan-Woo can also off load the football both before the line and when he is being tackled, he seems to be one of those players with the innate ability to get his hands free, or more accurately his right hand free.

Kovi Ngan-Woo is always the player standing back deep from kick ups to take the first hit up and will charge straight at the line. Kovi Ngan-Woo also is quite quick for a big young bloke, both in terms of explosive speed off the mark and agile from a footwork perspective but also with speed over an extended distance.

In defence, Kovi Ngan-Woo can certainly hit very hard and for a solidly built player has quite decent endurance thus allowing him to get back quickly into the defensive line play after play. Where he is also very good, due to his good athletic skills is for a front rower is effectively tackling smaller attackers in the centre of the ruck. Kovi Ngan-Woo does not fall for dummies and is difficult to step as he mirrors the lateral movement of the attacker to effectively wrap up the opposing player.

Kovi Ngan-Woo will play the 2021 season with the Bilambil Jets in the NRRRL U18 competition for the second season in a row.

Kovi Ngan-Woo, for his size, is exceptionally quick and mobile, whilst maintaining his strength and power and even though he is outstanding on the fringes of the ruck, Kovi Ngan-Woo will without a doubt develop into a powerhouse front rower with exceptional speed. Mobility and power for the position.

From a player comparison perspective for Kovi Ngan-Woo, think of someone along the lines of Sydney Roosters and New Zealand test player Jarred Warea-Hargreaves and a big strong powerful front rower.

Kovi Ngan-Woo has a huge amount of potential and hopefully for him everything comes together and he can develop into the best player he can be there is certainly a lot of raw ability and untapped potential for him to work with.

[mdrew]

Jury Taewa. Jury Taewa was named in the left second row position for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side for their Round One match against the Wests Tigers. In a great situation for his family, Jury Taewa’s twin brother Jaylen was the other starting second rower on the right side for the Northern Rivers Titans.

Disappointingly Jury Taewa suffered a head knock in the first half of the match and was unable to take any further part in the match which was an unfortunate situation as Jury Taewa was having a very solid match to that point.

After missing Rounds Two and Three as a result of his Round One head knock, Jury Taewa was back in the Northern Rivers Titans squad for Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters in Lismore as a curtain raiser to the Titans against Warriors NRL trial. Jury Taewa came onto the field mid-way through the first half, playing in his usual left second row position.

Jury Taewa also started from the bench in Round Five against the Newcastle Knights coming on to play left second row mid-way through the first half.

Jury Taewa made his NRRRL U18 debut off the bench in Round Ten against the Marist Brothers Rams with Jury Taewa playing left second row when he came onto the field.

2021 saw Jury Taewa play for PBC in the Walters Cup competition, including starting the Grand Final against Keebra Park State High School from the bench with Jury Taewa coming into the match towards the end of the first half to operate in the second row.

In early October 2020 the young second rower was part of the Titans Group 18 U14/15 side that played a trial match against a Titans Gold Coast U14 squad with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience with an added bonus that the players wore Titans jerseys.

In the 2020 Group 18 U15 competition Jury Taewa played for the Bilambil Jets including being part of the Jets side that won the Grand Final 14 – 6 against Byron Bay/Lennox Head.

In the 2020 Group 18 U15 regular season the Bilambil Jets went through winning all ten of their matches, scoring 242 points and conceding 72 to finish the season with a +242 points differential.

In 2019 Jury Taewa played for the Group 18 U14 representative side at the New South Wales Country Age Championships, playing primarily coming off the bench, playing in the second row when he came on.

Jury Taewa’s determination is one aspect that enables him to be in the right place at the right time. He is a hard runner and does not give up on the run until the opposition puts him on the ground, as a consequence, he makes a lot more metres for his team than he has a right to and with his determination he will also on occasion break clear of the defenders totally. I would consider that he runs ‘tough’ with the ball in his hands.

For Bilambil, Jury Taewa has defended both in the edge of the ruck and well as through the middle. Jury Taewa was quietly effective in both situations from both a quality and quantity perspective. Jury Taewa’s initial contact is solid and is more than enough to stop the momentum of the ball carrier and effect tackles one on one. Jury Taewa is also effective at wrapping the ball up and preventing offloads.

When Jury Taewa hits he hits hard, but I would not call it aggressive per say, but he is just tough in his approach to his defence. I do not necessarily think that Jury Taewa’s defensive work will stand out because he is not going to come up with a huge hit which will get the crowd on its feet, but Jury Taewa will do a lot of work and will likely always finish at or near the top of the tackle count regardless of the level and standard of football he is playing.

Jury Taewa will play the 2022 season with the Bilambil Jets in the NRRRL 18 U18 competition and will also be U18 eligible in 2023. Jury Taewa will also likely be a member of the 2022 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad.

With his size, speed and strength combination, Jury Taewa is the ideal modern day rugby league second rower.

From a player comparison perspective for Jury Taewa, someone with a similar playing style that could be used for a comparison perspective would be former Brisbane Broncos and New Zealand International second rower Alex Glenn as a strong hard running, hard tackling aggressive and effective backrower.

[mdrew]

Stevie O’Connor. In early October 2020 the young centre was part of the Titans Group 18 Invitational U14/15 side that played a trial match against a Titans Gold Coast U14 squad with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience with an added bonus that both sides wore Titans jerseys.

Stevie O’Connor was named at fullback for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side for their Round One match against the Wests Tigers however he was a late scratching for the match. Stevie O’Connor was then named as the 18th man for the Northern Rivers Titans for their Round Four match against the Central Coast Roosters.

Stevie O’Connor started Round Five against the Newcastle Knights at fullback with his first touch coming in just the 3rd minute of the match when he took a Newcastle clearing kick on the full and returned it with vigour.

In the 7th minute of the match Stevie O’Connor chimed into the backline off a pass from Lachlan Offley to make ten metres after getting on the outside of his direct opponent and then a minute later he was in the backline once again and passed to his right to put Robert Simon over to score.

Stevie O’Connor produced a great grassing tackle in the 50th minute of the match on the Newcastle runaway front rower who had burst through the line.

When club rugby league commenced for the 2021 season in Northern New South Wales, even though he was still U16 eligible, Stevie O’Connor started on the bench for the Tweed Coast Raiders U18 NRRRL side in Round One against the Cudgen Hornets. When he came on in the second half Stevie O’Connor played at fullback for the Raiders.

Stevie O’Connor also started from the bench in Round Two against the Bilambil Jets coming on towards the end of the first half and scored his first try of the season when in the 39th minute he received the ball on the left ten metres out from the line. Stevie O’Connor ran at the line dummying to his left before getting low and forcing his way over ten metres in from the left corner.

Stevie O’Connor added to his strong match in the 46th minute when a pass from his inside went behind him. After turning back to retrieve the ball Stevie O’Connor was still able to make fifteen metres.

Stevie O’Connor also was named to come off the bench in Round Three against the Ballina Seagulls however he started that match at left centre before playing the second half at fullback.

Stevie O’Connor recorded a try assist in the 56th minute when he looped around behind a set play down a short left blind side receiving the ball thirty metres out and running straight through a gap. Stevie O’Connor drew the Ballina fullback sending a pass to his left to put Fletcher Purcell over in the left corner.

Stevie O’Connor almost had another try assist in the 17th minute when he threw a cut-out pass to his left but he support runner was tackled into touch just short of the line.

Stevie O’Connor showed all of his skills over the course of the match including in the 54th minute when he kicked to the left wing forcing the Ballina fullback to take the ball dead just in front of the Raiders chasers.

In the 23rd minute Stevie O’Connor showed his desperation when he raced back to dive on a Ballina short grubber kick just out from his own line when it looked like the Seagulls chasers would get to the ball first.

Stevie O’Connor continued starting from the bench in Round Five against Marist Brothers Lismore, before moving into the starting side at fullback in Round Seven against the Kyogle Turkeys.

Stevie O’Connor had a try assist in the match against the Turkeys, when in the 49th minute he put up a bomb that came down right on the try line with Ethan Hickey on the spot to scoop up the ball after it was dropped by the Kyogle fullback to score ten metres from the left upright.

In addition to the try assist, Stevie O’Connor had an outstanding match overall, including a line break assist in the 12th minute when he threw a good cut-out ball to his right to put his right centre into a gap fifteen metres out, only for the centre to be dragged down less than a metre from the try line.

In the 26th minute, Stevie O’Connor raced to his left to field an attacking kick towards the left corner and then he used his evasive skills to get the ball back into the field of play.

Stevie O’Connor’s defence was also exceptional in the match including in the 15th and 19th minutes when he was, with a couple of team mates, able to hold up Kyogle players over the try line. On the first occasion in the 15th minute Stevie O’Connor held up the Kyogle No. 9 and in the 19th the Kyogle lock.

After a Covid 19 interrupted Round Nine, Stevie O’Connor wore the No. 14 jersey once again in Round Ten against the Byron Bay Devils but once again started at fullback scoring in the 20th minute when he ran the ball down a short left blindside from twelve metres out. Stevie O’Connor shaped to pass to his left before taking the line on and he was subsequently able to get the ball down in the left corner.

Stevie O’Connor also kicked two conversions in the Raiders impressive victory over Byron Bay.

Stevie O’Connor was also named to start in the No. 14 jersey in Round Eleven against Casino RSM and continued at fullback in Round Twelve against the Bilambil Jets and kicked three conversions from as many attempts including an outstanding conversion from the left touchline in the second half.

In the 2020 Group 18 U15 competition Stevie O’Connor played for the Tweed Coast Raiders. In the 2020 Group 18 U15 regular season Tweed Coast finished with five wins and five losses, scoring 186 points and conceding 136 to finish with a +50 points differential.

In 2019 Stevie O’Connor played for the Group 18 U14 representative side at the New South Wales Country Age Championships, playing primarily in the centres.

Stevie O’Connor is just a silky smooth runner of the ball who seems to glide across the field effortlessly and certainly has an extra gear in relation to the speed he possesses as well as plus speed off the mark and plus lateral movement as well.

Stevie O’Connor also has the ability to stand up his direct opposite and then beat him with pace on the outside, something that is becoming increasingly rare in the modern game.

When he gets the ball early from his inside play makers, Stevie O’Connor is incredibly difficult to deal with one on one, as whilst his speed has already been noted, he is also a powerful runner who has the power to also break tackles through sheer power and not just rely on his speed to beat his opponent, in short Stevie O’Connor has a myriad of moves to break through the defensive line regardless of the defensive methodology that they are incorporating.

The one thing Stevie O’Connor also seems to be able to do well, is to step back inside without the loss of his speed or forward momentum, opposing defenders seem to push out quickly when he has the ball expecting him to look to beat them on their outside, if they come across to far, he has a very good step back side and if the inside defenders are not quick enough to cover across he has the speed to make a clean break in those circumstances.

Similarly when an opposing defender looks to come out of the line quickly to put pressure on him, Stevie O’Connor’s his quick twitch feet means that he can step off either foot quickly to negate the attempt to cut down his time. In short Stevie O’Connor is a very talented attacking player who looks to beat his opponent with speed and guile rather than purely by brute strength.

In defence Stevie O’Connor has good strength but will certainly look to come out of the line to stop the attack before it has time to fully develop. He will show his opposite centre the sideline and is confident that his speed will enable him to get across to make the tackle.

As Stevie O’Connor fills out and gains more experience he will become more effective defensively, not that there is all that much wrong with how he defends at present certainly in relation to the standard he is playing at.

Stevie O’Connor will play the 2022 season with the Tweed Coast Raiders in the NRRRL U18 competition for the second season in a row and will also be a member of the 2022 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad.

Stevie O’Connor has the speed and elusiveness to stay at fullback for the long term although a move to the wing is not necessarily out of the question.

If you are looking for a current NRL player with a similar skill set, I cannot go past Parramatta Eels fullback Clint Gutherson as a player with a similar playing style, they both just seem to innately understand where to best position themselves to impact the play whether that be in attack or defence.

[mdrew]

Cameron Bevan. Cameron Bevan was named at hooker for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side for their Round One match against the Wests Tigers. Even though the Northern Rivers Titans went down in the match, Cameron Bevan was an impressive performer for the Northern Rivers Titans, leading his forwards onto the ball well from dummy half and also defending exceptionally well in the centre of the ruck against a huge Wests Tigers forward pack.

Cameron Bevan also started at hooker in Round Two against local rivals the North Coast Bulldogs in Nambucca Heads and in Round Three against the Greater Northern Tigers producing some moments of class in the 30 – 16 victory including a second half try.

Early in the first half Cameron Bevan forced the Tigers to restart by way of a goal line drop when he grubber kicked out of dummy half into the in-goal.

Early in the second half Cameron Bevan was unlucky not to score when he darted out of dummy half to his left from close range but unfortunately he was held up. Cameron Bevan made up for that in the 48th minute when he darted out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball to score next to the left upright.

Cameron Bevan was very good defensively in the match including being on hand to hold up the Greater Northern Tigers front rower over the line with the assistance of front rower Brady Turner.

Cameron Bevan continued at hooker in Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters where once again he provided good service out of dummy half.

Cameron Bevan also started at hooker in Round Five against the Newcastle Knights. Against Newcastle Cameron Bevan showed his intelligence in the 23rd minute. Cameron Bevan was at dummy half less than a metre out from the Newcastle line with nowhere to go, Cameron Bevan deliberately grubber kicked the ball out of dummy half hard into the Knights defenders who were crouched low, forcing a penalty for offside and winning the ball back for the Northern Rivers Titans.

2021 also saw Cameron Bevan play for PBC in the Walters Cup competition, including starting the Grand Final against Keebra Park State High School from the bench. Cameron Bevan come off the bench midway through the first half to operate in the second row and was strong in both attack and especially defence including a great front on driving tackle in the 37th minute which forced the Keebra Park SHS right centre back a number of metres.

Cameron Bevan had made a similarly strong driving tackle in the 31st minute which also forced the Keebra Park SHS attacked back a number of metres.

In early October 2020 the young backrower was part of the Titans Group 18 U14/15 side that played a trial match against a Titans Gold Coast U14 squad with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience with an added bonus that the players wore Titans jerseys.

In the 2020 Group 18 U15 competition Cameron Bevan played for the Bilambil Jets and was named 2020 Group 18 U15 Player of the Year and well as playing in the Jets 14 – 6 Grand Final victory over Byron Bay/Lennox Head.

In the 2020 Group 18 U15 regular season the Bilambil Jets went through winning all ten of their matches, scoring 242 points and conceding 72 to finish the season with a +242 points differential.

For his age group Cameron Bevan is a tall athlete and this can be seen when he is running with the ball. In his hit ups Cameron Bevan carries the ball with pace and is very good at running on the fringes of the ruck.

Cameron Bevan uses foot work prior to the line to look to break through as well as cutting either cutting back in behind the play the ball or cutting out towards the smaller defenders on the fringes of the ruck.

One trait that stands out every time that you see him play is that Cameron Bevan runs with speed into the defensive line and his foot work prior to the line enables him to get partly through the line on a number of occasions. Cameron Bevan does not try to run over defenders, but he runs at the gaps between defenders and uses his running speed to break through if defenders only use their arms in the tackle.

In relation to the defensive aspects of his game Cameron Bevan is an exceptional cover defender. With his above average to plus speed for his position he is able to track the ball across the field and be in a position to make the cover defending tackle if breaks are made.

From a front on tackling perspective Cameron Bevan has a solid repeatable technique which he can use against attackers of any size. The keys to his technique are his timing and anticipation as well as correct head placement. So many defenders in either rugby or rugby league have no idea about head placement but Cameron Bevan is not one of them.

Another impressive aspect from a defensive stand point for Cameron Bevan is the fact that he came make multiple tackles one after another and then still be in position to track the ball across the field, Cameron Bevan has exceptional stamina from an aerobic capacity stand point including the ability to consistently sprint short distances time and again in a short time span whilst maintaining his positioning on the field.

Cameron Bevan will play the 2022 season with the Bilambil Jets in the NRRRL U18 competition. Cameron Bevan will also likely be a member of the 2022 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad.

With his size, speed, stamina and strength combination Cameron Bevan is the ideal modern day rugby league hooker playing well there in 2021 for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side.

Watching Cameron Bevan reminds me of the play of former Titans hooker Mitch Rein as a hooker who is a solid known quantity who distributes runs and kicks reasonably well out of dummy half.

[mdrew]

Reico Ratana. The local forward from the Nerang Roosters junior rugby league club was part of the Titans U16 side that defeated the Newcastle Knights U16 Harold Matthews side in Coffs Harbour in January 2020, 18 - 14 in wet and slippery conditions coming off the bench in what I believe was his second match in Titans colours.
In November 2020 Reico Ratana was named in the powerful 2021 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.
Reico Ratana started from the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in their first 2021 trial in early February which was against the Easts Tigers at Langland’s Park as Tweed Heads commenced their season with an impressive 28 – 12 first up victory against a full strength Tigers side.

In the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup sides second trial against Burleigh, Reico Ratana started the second half at right second row and scoring an impressive try in the dying seconds of the Seagulls big win.

After working solidly in both attack and defence for the duration of the second half, Reico Ratana was rewarded with a well-deserved try in the dying seconds when he ran a good outside shoulder route from around thirty metres out to go straight through the Burleigh line. When he was confronted by the Bears fullback, Reico Ratana threw a dummy to his right, that the fullback fell for and Reico Ratana was able to run the remainder of the way to the line and score next to the right upright.

Reico Ratana had some other good moments in the match, one being when he chased through a long Seagulls kick to the left corner, Reico Ratana charged downfield and along with Reef Sommerville and Elijah Lui got to the Burleigh fullback and dragged him back into the in-goal area, forcing Burleigh to drop the ball out from their own line.

In Round One of the 2021 MM Cup competition, Reico Ratana was named 18th man against the Ipswich Jets and was named on the Seagulls extended bench for Round Two against the Souths Logan Magpies before moving into the game day seventeen late in the match, starting from the bench.

Reico Ratana had some strong runs in the match, the first being from the kick-off to Jaylan De Groot’s try in the 47th minute when he was able to bring the ball out to the twenty metre mark. Reico Ratana made another strong run in the 52nd minute when he took a hit-up to the right of the play the ball, immediately cutting back to his left towards the undefended area behind the play the ball to make to make twelve valuable metres and then took another hit-up two tackles later.

Defensively Reico Ratana also had some good moments including a strong front on tackle in the 48th minute Souths Logan No. 16 and then a couple of tackles later in the same Souths Logan set, Reico Ratana crunched the five eight in a heavy tackle.

Reico Ratana showed his desperation in defence in the 52nd minute when he along with Jack Cullen both chased hard and made a last ditch tackle on the Souths Logan fullback who had burst through the centre of the field off an offload.

Round Three saw Reico Ratana initially named on the Seagulls extended bench for the derby against the Burleigh Bears however Reico Ratana ended up starting the match from the bench.

Reico Ratana was also named on the Seagulls extended bench for their Round Four match against the Ipswich Jets and for Round Five against the Souths Logan Magpies.

Reico Ratana came into the bench for the Seagulls for the final regular season round of the 2021 MM Cup competition in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears coming into the match late in the first half.

2021 also saw Reico Ratana line up once again for PBC State High School in the South East Queensland School Boy Langer Cup competition starting Round One from the bench against Ipswich State High School.

Reico Ratana came onto the field to play in the front row towards the end of the first half with his first hit-up coming in the 26th minute when he took the hit-up from the kick off after Ryan Foran’s try. Reico Ratana made another strong run from another kick-off, on that occasion in the 58th minute after Jett Forbes had scored his second try of the match.

Reico Ratana also started from the bench in Round Two against St Mary’s Toowoomba, coming onto the field in the 21st minute and throughout his time on the field made good ground running the ball against the giant St Mary’s forward pack.

Reico Ratana also started from the bench in Round Three against Coombabah State High School as well as in the Round Four blockbuster against Marsden State High School and the much anticipated Round Five local derby against Keebra Park State High School. Reico Ratana also started from the bench in Round Six away to Mabel Park State High School.

After the competition was suspended for a number of weeks due to a Covid 19 lock down, Reico Ratana was named on the bench for PBC State High School in their semi-final against Keebra Park State High School.

Reico Ratana came into the match towards the end of the first half and made an almost immediate impact in the 25th minute with a great run that included a cut back off his left foot to get within two metres of the line before he was brought down.

In the 2021 Langer Cup Grand Final against Marsden State High School, Reico Ratana was named to start from the bench for PBC.

Reico Ratana was then named to start from the bench for PBC in the Queensland Open School Boys Final (Phil Hall Cup) against St Brendans College Yeppoon coming on and making significant ground through the centre of the ruck on multiple occasions.

2021 also saw Reico Ratana play in the Gold Coast Rugby League U18 Division One competition in the Nerang Roosters including starting the 2021 Grand Final against the Helensvale Hornets from the bench and almost scoring in the 35th minute but Reico Ratana was held up ten metres in from the left corner post after a great hole run off a Josh Lynn pass from ten metres out.

Some of Reico Ratana’s best moments in the Grand Final came when he was returning kick-offs with his best kick-off return coming in the 47th minute after a Kyen Murphy try with Reico Ratana taking possession of the ball on his own try line and broke through the Helensvale defensive line by beating two tackles to get the ball out to the thirty metre mark.

The powerful solidly built front rower or second rower was also part of the Titans U15 side that defeated the Balmain Tigers 34 – 16 at Piggabeen in early October 2019 after being in camp for the couple of days preceding to the annual match in Northern New South Wales.

In February 2020 Reico Ratana was named in the Gold Coast Vikings U16 Training Squad for the 2020 South East Queensland pre-season challenge but unfortunately the competition had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Also in 2020 Reico Ratana was part of the PBC in their Walters Cup side starting PBC’s opening three matches of the South East Queensland school boy rugby league competition at right second row and scoring in Rounds Two and Three against Wavell SHS and St Mary's Toowoomba.

Against Wavell State High School in Round Two Reico Ratana received the ball down a short blind side and charged through four Wavell defenders to score wide on the right side of the field.

Reico Ratana's try in Round Three against St Mary’s College Toowoomba highlighted some good footwork from the young man, Reico Ratana was operating on the right and received the ball after the ball was spun that way by PBC. Immediately upon receiving the ball Reico Ratana stepped off his right foot to get into space and then charged seven metres through the gap that his step created to score mid-way between the corner post and goal post on the right side of the field.

Reico Ratana shifted to the left second row position in Round Four against Forest Lake State High School and was simply too big and strong for Forest Lake to handle including a big run down the left touch line in the opening minutes and a one armed off load to his right for a try assist also early in the match after he broke through the initial defensive line.

Reico Ratana continued his run of starts at right second row in Round Five against Marsden State High School and in the 2020 Walters Cup semi-final against Wavell State High School.

In the 2020 Walters Cup Grand Final Reico Ratana captained the PBC side and started at right second row and was one of PBC’s best as they went down to a Titans contracted William Semu inspired Marsden SHS side.

Reico Ratana played the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League season with Nerang in the U16 Division One competition and in their One v Two playoff match against Runaway Bay was named the Roosters best forward in their 36 – 4 victory.

The PBC student played for the Nerang Roosters in the GCRL U15 Division One competition in 2019 playing in eleven regular season matches and scoring in late July against Runaway Bay for his sole try of the season but his impact on the competition and his Runaway Bay side was worth far more than just that one try.

In Week Two of the GCRL U15 Division One Finals Reico Ratana started in the front row for Nerang as they went down 20 – 0 to Runaway Bay. Reico Ratana also started in the front row for Nerang in their 22 – 18 Preliminary Final victory over Helensvale to progress to the Grand Final.

In the 2019 GCRL U15 Division One Grand Final Reico Ratana once again started in the front row as Nerang avenged their Week Two finals defeat by Runaway Bay to win a physical and fiery Grand Final 36 – 24.

2019 also saw Reico Ratana play for PBC in various Queensland based school boy competitions including producing a Player of the Match performance in the Year Nine Hancock Cup Grand Final win 24 – 18 against Coombabah State High School in Brisbane.

Reico Ratana started PBC’s fight back after they fell behind 18 – 6 early in the second half when he scored a barn storming try. Reico Ratana took the ball to the right of the play the ball from the dummy half around ten metres out from the line and cut back against the grain to score near where the ball was played skittling multiple Coombabah defenders along the way.

After the season Reico Ratana was awarded the Year Nine PBC Future Reds Award at the PBC Sports Award Night held in November 2019.

In 2019 Reico Ratana was also part of the all-conquering U15 South Coast that went through the QSSRL U15 school boy Championships undefeated.

Late in the 2019 season Reico Ratana was named in the Queensland Maori U16 QPICC side and was impressively named in the front row in the 2019 Nga Hau e Wha Māori Tournament U16 Boys Merit Team.

In 2018 for the Nerang Roosters in the GCRL U14 competition Reico Ratana played in fourteen matches, including finals, scoring three tries which all came against Coomera in three separate matches.

In late 2018 Reico Ratana was part of the Queensland Maori U14 side that competed in the QPICC carnival and was in fact named as Queensland Maori U14’s Most Valuable Player at the cultural carnival.

Reico Ratana has been a Gold Coast representative regular in recent seasons. In addition to representing South Coast U15’s this season, Reico Ratana represented the Gold Coast Vikings U14 side in 2018 playing three matches and scoring on Day One against the Ipswich Diggers. Reico Ratana also played three matches for the Gold Coast Viking sU13’s in 2017 starting those matches in the centres in fact.

The young Nerang Roosters lock has had a great start to the 2017 junior rugby league season, successfully trialling for a spot in the 25 player 2017 Gold Coast Vikings U13 squad after playing the 2016 GCJRL season at the U12 Division One level once again for Nerang.

Reico Ratana played ten matches in the U12 Division One competition in 2016, scoring three tries and kicking a single goal which came against Jimboomba in June. Reico Ratana scored his tries against Burleigh, Currumbin and Southport with all three tries coming in the second half of the season.

Reico Ratana very late in the season played one match in the U13 Division Three competition which was against Burleigh Heads 3 which was on the weekend after his U12 commitments for 2016 were completed.

Reico Ratana is a big powerful solidly built young man who whilst using his size to his advantage by running hard and straight, 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.

An area where Reico Ratana has really improved over the last two season is in relation to his off-loads in previous seasons he did not off load too much but this season he really has been able to get his arms free and get away some telling off-loads. Reico Ratana continually put his hand up all day to take the ball up and has a very quick play the ball so that his team can maintain momentum

One area that Reico Ratana is continuing to develop based on his size, skills and footwork is the ability to off load before the line, an example of what I am meaning is how the Canterbury Bulldogs forward pack uses those small offloads prior to the line. Reico Ratana has shown glimpses of having the skills to utilise the same skills if the opportunities arise, developing this skill with only enhance his effectiveness.

In defence Reico Ratana uses his size and strength to make very solid initial contact and certainly can take on all opposing forwards one on one. He is not averse 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.

Reico Ratana’s raw natural strength and power means that he is also dominant when looking to slow the play the ball down from a wrestling perspective and for that matter looking to beat the wrestling tactics of the opposition when trying to get to his feet for a quick play the ball.

Reico Ratana will play the 2022 season for the Nerang Roosters in the GCRL U18 Division One competition for the second season in a row and will also be a member of the 2022 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad.

Reico Ratana will also continue to be part of the PBC Rugby League Sports Specialisation Program and be included in their multiple school boy competition sides and will push for a starting spot in PBC’s GIO Cup and Langer Cup school boy squads.

Reico Ratana played primarily in the front row for Nerang in 2019 and 2020 but with his power and late quick footwork, I think that Reico Ratana is best suited to the second row, where he played for PBC in 2019 for the short term at least.

From a player comparison perspective I would consider a less bulky version of former Penrith Panther, Parramatta Eel, Canterbury Bulldog and New Zealand International Frank Pritchard as someone with a similar style to Reico Ratana, being that of a damaging running back rower with underappreciated offloading skills and a tough hard defensive mentality.

[mdrew]

Kye Cooper. The exciting young Lismore Marist Brothers fullback or five eight has been an outstanding addition to the Titans JTS Program in recent seasons and is another outstanding junior from from the talent rich Northern New South Wales region making his mark with his local NRL side being, of course, the Gold Coast Titans.

In June 2021, Kye Cooper was a member of the Titans U17 Northern Rivers Academy side that drew 28 all with a Titans JTS U16 side at Cbus Stadium in a curtain raiser to the Titans NRL fixture against Manly.

Kye Cooper started at fullback for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side for their Round One match against the Wests Tigers. Kye Cooper moved into the starting side at lock for Round Two against local rivals the North Coast Bulldogs in Nambucca Heads.

Round Three saw Kye Cooper move from lock to five eight as the Northern Rivers Titans took on the Greater Northern Tigers with the move suiting him perfectly as he scored one try and was heavily involved on others in an all-round impressive display in the Titans 30 – 16 victory.

Kye Cooper’s try came in the 25th minute when he dummied to his right then cut back to his left and whilst he was being held by three defenders, Kye Cooper was able to reach out to get the ball down.

Kye Cooper’s involvement started in the 10th minute when he along with Reshawn Anderson smashed a Greater Northern Tigers front rower forcing him to lose the ball just ten metres out from the line.

Just minutes later Kye Cooper threw the pass that put fullback Lachlan Offley into space on the left for the Titans to score their first try of the match.

Kye Cooper finished off his impressive match with a huge bomb in the last minute. The spiralling kick could not be taken on the full by the defence and Levi Dangerfield was able to dive on the ball in the in-goal to score just prior to the final siren sounding.

Kye Cooper continued at five eight in Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters and was for mine the Northern Rivers Titans best, including scoring a try and converting that same try in the 35th minute of the match.

In the 49th minute, Kye Cooper kicked a huge spirally mid-field bomb that could not be held by the Central Coast fullback, giving the Northern Rivers Titans good field position. Kye Cooper put up another huge kick in the dying moments of the match and then chased hard down field, with the Northern Rivers Titans forcing the Central Coast fullback to lose the ball to give themselves a final opportunity to attack.

Kye Cooper also produced a try saving tackle in the 54th minute of the match when he held one of the Central Coast second rowers back from the line, forcing the Roosters player to extend his arms forward to get the ball down but in the process was penalised for a double movement.

Kye Cooper also started at five eight in Round Five against the Newcastle Knights and kicked four conversions from five attempts as the Northern Rivers Titans ended their 2021 season with a resounding 28 – 4 win.

Kye Cooper also made a line break late in the second half when whilst operating on the left dummied to his outside before slicing through the defensive line and beating two defenders in his twenty metre run.

Impressively Kye Cooper started Round One of the 2021 NRRRL U18 season at right centre for the Ballina Seagulls as they defeated the Kyogle Turkeys 54 – 4 even though he was still U16 eligible.

The match saw Kye Cooper record a try assist when in the 22nd minute he took the ball down a short right blindside and held the ball up perfectly to put right winger Lachlan Offley away down the touchline to score in the corner.

Kye Cooper also started at right centre in Round Two against the Byron Bay Devils making the opening tackle of the match after Ballina had kicked off and the Byron Bay No. 10 was returning the ball. Kye Cooper then was involved in the next tackle on the Devils left second rower and then to round out a great defensive first set, Kye Cooper made the 4th tackle of the match on the No. 10 once again.

Kye Cooper’s tackle in the 9th minute was even better as it was a ty saving one when he rag dolled the Byron Bay left winger over the touchline when he looked a certainly to score in the corner. The in the 25th minute Kye Cooper made an aggressive ball and all tackle on from the marker position.

The match was not all defence for Kye Cooper as in just the 2nd minute of the match he made his first run when he ran out of dummy half making ten metres from inside his own territory. Kye Cooper also made a solid twelve metres in the 25th minute as he brought the ball out of his own twenty metre area.

Kye Cooper continued at right centre (he spent time at left centre in the second half) in Round Three against the Tweed Coast Raiders getting himself involved early by making the fourth tackle of the match produced a strong effort in the 23rd minute when from marker he rag dolled the Raiders left winger and dragged him back into the in-goal to force a goal line drop out.

Kye Cooper also recorded a try assist in the 29th minute when he worked an overlap on the right well to send Kade Garrett over in the right corner.

Kye Cooper continued at right centre in Round Four against the Marist Brothers Rams and in the 46th minute scored his first try of the season in the NRRRL U18 competition when after a Ballina cross field kick was taken on the full on his inside with Key Cooper receiving the ball and scoring wide out on the right.

Kye Cooper continued at right centre in Round Five against Casino RSM and almost scored in the 31st minute in the right corner from a chip kick to his wing but a terrible bounce of the ball meant the try just eluded him.

Round Eight against Northern United saw Kye Cooper initially named at halfback but on the day of the match, he moved back to his regular right centre position and Kye Cooper continued at right centre in Round Eleven against the Bilambil Jets and in Round Twelve against the Byron Bay Devils.

Kye Cooper continued at right centre in Round Thirteen against Murwillumbah scoring a key try in the 53rd minute when he was on hand to take possession of a kick into the in-goal that the Murwillumbah defence could not deal with by letting the ball bounce, with Kye Cooper getting the ball down in the right corner.

In addition to his try, Kye Cooper made a 14th minute line break down the right touchline of twenty five metres.

Kye Cooper was also named to continue at right centre in Round Fourteen against the Cudgen Hornets.

In late March 2021 Kye Cooper was part of Diocesan of Lismore Opens Squad that attended the Northern Country Catholic Colleges Rugby League Selection Trial that were held at Smithtown.

Kye Cooper’s first 2020 hit out came for one of the three Titans U15 sides that played round robin matches against each other in mid- February 2020 at Burleigh’s Pizzey Park spending the majority of his time on the field in his two matches at five eight. Kye Cooper’s team won both of their matches in the series of round robin matches.

When community rugby league restarted in July 2020 Kye Cooper played once again for the Ballina Seagulls in the Group One competition, this season in the U16.5 competition and in Round One in a 16 – 14 loss against Casino RSM Kye Cooper started in the left second row position.

Kye Cooper moved to five eight for Round Two and scored as Ballina defeated South Grafton 28 – 0. Kye Cooper continued at five eight in Round Three and scored once again as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 18 – 12. Kye Cooper also kicked three goals in the match to finish with a ten point haul.

Kye Cooper started at lock in Round Four against Kyogle scoring once again as Ballina defeated the Turkeys 28 – 6. In Round Six Kye Cooper was back at five eight and kicked a conversion as Ballina defeated Grafton 32 – 22. Kye Cooper also started at five eight in Round Seven as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 32 – 0.

Kye Cooper continued at five eight in Round Nine and scored one of Ballina’s tries as they defeated South Grafton 38 – 14. Kye Cooper also started at five eight and was one of the Seagulls try scorers as they defeated Clarence Coast 32 – 10.

In total in the 2020 Group One U15 regular season competition Kye Cooper scored twenty eight points from eight matches, made up of five tries and four conversions.

Kye Cooper started at five eight in the 2020 Group One U15 Grand Final against Casino RSM and was close to the best player on the field, scoring two tries and kicking two goals as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 28 – 10 to become 2020 Premiers..

In Round Ten of the Group One competition, being the final regular season round, Kye Cooper made his U16.5 debut off the bench as Ballina went down 28 – 17 to the Clarence Coast Magpies.

Kye Cooper also played rugby in 2020, playing the opening three matches of the Far North Coast U15 Junior Rugby competition at inside centre (No. 12) for the Lennox Head Trojans. In Round One against Casurina Beach Kye Cooper scored a double, also scored in Round Two against the Brunswick Billygoats and then added another double against the Grafton Redmen in Round Three.

In Round Five of the U15 Far North Coast Junior Rugby competition Kye Cooper started at inside centre (No. 12) and was amongst the Lennox Head try scorers in their match against Lismore. Kye Cooper once again started at inside centre in Round Six against Casuaina Beach scoring a double for the Trojans in their victory.

In Round Eight Kye Cooper also started at No. 12 (inside centre) for the Trojans as they defeated the Grafton Redmen with Kye Cooper scoring three tries in the big 64 – 0 win. Kye Cooper added a further try in Round Nine when he once again started at inside centre in a tight 15 – 12 win over Wollongbar Alstonville.

Late in 2019 Kye Cooper played for a Titans U14/U15 NRRRL Invitational side against a Titans U14 Gold Coast/Brisbane side at Piggabeen starting the match at five eight with the result being that the NRRRL side went down 32 - 10.

Kye Cooper started the 2019 Group One U14 competition off in outstanding fashion scoring two tries and kicking two goals for a game haul of twelve for Ballina in their 34 – 6 victory in Round One against the South Grafton Rebels.

Kye Cooper was on fire once again in Round Two scoring five tries and kicking two conversions as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 54 – 4.

Kye Cooper continued his try scoring feats in Round Three scoring a double as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 44 – 8.

In Round Five against Lismore Marist Brothers Kye Cooper finished with an individual point’s tally of twelve from two tries and two goals in a big win against Lismore Marist Brothers.

Round Seven saw Kye Cooper continue to add points to his season tally when he kicked two conversions in a 38 – 0 win over Kyogle.

In Round Ten against Casino RSM Kye Cooper continued his outstanding season by scoring a hat trick and kicking two goals.

Round Twelve against Grafton saw Kye Cooper add two tries and three goals to his already impressive 2019 points tally.

Kye Cooper added a hat trick and four goals in finish the Round Thirteen match against Lismore Marist Brothers with an individual point’s tally of twenty.

In total in the Group One U14 regular season Kye Cooper scored 112 points from nine regular season matches, from nineteen tries and eighteen goals. Kye Cooper’s 2019 try scoring strike rate was 211% and Kye Cooper averaged just under 12.5 points per game.

A try that Kye Cooper scored against Marist Brothers Lismore highlighted the exceptional skill set that Kye Cooper possesses. Kye Cooper received the ball on the half way mark on the left side of the field and stepped to his outside to get around the compressed Turkeys defensive line and then he used his speed to outpace the cover defence down the left touch line before beating the fullback with a right arm fend.

In Round One of the 2019 Group One U14 Finals series, Kye Cooper scored a try and kicked five goals as Ballina defeated South Grafton 40 – 6 and was also a member of the Ballina side that won the Grand Final with Kye Cooper once again prominent, starting the Grand Final at half back.

Kye Cooper was one of the best players on the field in the Grand Final scoring two tries and also setting up four others in a confident and assured display.

Kye Coopers first try of the 2019 Group One U14 Grand Final came when he backed up a strong run from Reshawn Anderson and after his received a great one armed off-load from Reshwn Anderson, Kye Cooper was able to score just to the left of the uprights.

Kye Cooper scored his second try of the Grand Final when he ran the ball down a short blind side on the right side of the field ten metres out, before stepping off his left foot and diving over with a Rebels defender hanging off him.

As noted above Kye Cooper also had four try assists in the Grand Final with the first coming when he put in a kick from a Ballina tap kick on the half way mark. IT must have been a set play as fullback Lachlan Offley flew downfield and got a perfect bounce to score in the left corner.

Kye Cooper recorded his second try assist of the Grand Final when he threw a long cut out pass to his left to find front rower Reshawn Anderson who stepped inside the first defender to score. Kye Cooper’s third try assist came when he put his left winger over after a supurb winding run by Kye Cooper left multiple defenders in his wake. Kye Cooper’s final Grand Final try assist occurred when Kye Cooper took the ball into the line before popping a short ball to his left for fullback Lachlan Offley to fly through a gap to score.

Post the Grand Final Kye Cooper’s Group One U14 Ballina side was named team of the Group One Junior Rugby League competition for their unbeaten season. On an individual level Kye Cooper was named Group One U14 Player of the Season to put an exclamation mark on an oustaanding 2019 rugby league season.

Kye Cooper made his Group One U15 debut in Round Thirteen against Lismore Marist (he had scored twenty points in the preceding U14 match) kicking a late conversion in a 32 – 18 Ballina victory.

The St Johns College Woodlawn student was selected in the 2019 New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC) Lismore Diocese U15 side for their for the NSW CCC selection trials that were held in Sydney commencing 25 May, very impressive for a 14 year old.

The result was that Kye Cooper was selected in the New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges U15 Country side.

Kye Cooper was named at five eight for the 2019 Group One U14 Taipans representative side for the New South Wales Country Age Championships that were held in Port Macquarie in late September and kicked a conversion in Group One’s 26 – 10 Northern Cup Final loss to Central Coast.

Kye Cooper had an outstanding 2018 season for Lismore Marist Brothers in the New South Wales Group One U13 competition, scoring in all thirteen of his matches to finish the season as the competitions, leading point’s scorer, leading goal kicker and second leading try scorer.

All told Kye Cooper scored 240 points from just thirteen matches (18.5 points per game average). He scored 40 tries (308% strike rate) and also kicked forty goals.

Kye Cooper scored five tries in a match on two occasions, being against Kyogle in May 2018 and Clarence Coast in August. He also scored four tries in four matches which came against Casino RSM, Clarence Coast, South Grafton and Kyogle.

Kye Cooper scored hat tricks against South Grafton and Ballina and doubles against Grafton in two matches and Ballina. Grafton and Ballina were the only teams able to keep Kye Cooper to one try in a game.

With the boot, Kye Cooper kicked nine in a July match against Kyogle and eight the following round against Clarence Coast. In those two matches Kye Cooper finished with impressive individual totals. In the match against Kyogle, along with his nine goals he scored four tries to points the match with 34 points and in addition to his eight goals scored five tries to finish the match against Clarence Coast with 36 points.

Let’s cut to the chase, when Kye Cooper runs the ball, he is exceptionally quick and explosive, with exceptional speed, both off the mark and when he gets into open space, teams in his age group in the Group One junior competition just could not handle him when he had the ball. Kye Coopere also can step off both feet exceptionally well and he also has a great swerve whilst maintaining top speed.

On many occasions when he made a break, Kye Cooper’s support could not keep up and thus Kye Cooper used his incredible footwork and speed to beat the opposing fullback by himself. There is nothing that he cannot do running the ball and it is only now about developing his ball playing skills to make his footwork and running ability even more lethal. In attack Kye Cooper also played up in the line quite often and has been his team’s primary attacking option.

In addition Kye Cooper also has the ball playing skills to set up his support runners and get them lines to run into when defenders came out of the line to negate his time with the ball in hand. Kye Cooper obviously was a key target for defences but he understands that he cannot do it all himself and thus became adept at drawing defenders out of the line and putting his support runners into the subsequent hole. As Kye Cooper’s play making skills continue to evolve, the attacking possibilities are endless.

In terms of running the ball back from kicks, Kye Cooper’s timing and anticipation means that he gets to a lot of balls on the full and makes a quick decision whether to run the ball flat out back into the oncoming defenders or look to create an opportunity by running across field. Regardless Kye Cooper is an absolute handful to tackle with his speed and evasion skills.

Defensively in the fullback position Kye Cooper understandably he does not make a huge amount of tackles but the ones he makes are the ones that need to be made. If an attacker runs directly at him, he will come forward to cut down the time the attacker has to make a decision and he will hit very hard and does not fall for a dummy in those situations.

Defending from the five eight position Kye Cooper gets a lot of traffic coming his way and he handles his defensive duties well with solid initial contact as well as having a solid, simple and repeatable low tackling technique.

An impressive attribute that Kye Cooper does have is ability to force attackers who are in open space to try to beat him down the side line. Kye Cooper will stay inside the attacker and force him in the required direction and then use his timing, closing speed and anticipation to make the tackle, usually forcing the attacker into touch.

The 2022 season will see Kye Cooper line up once again in Ballina Seagulls colours in the NRRRL U18 competition for the second season in a row and Kye Cooper is also U18 eligible in 2023, which will his third season playing in that competition. Kye Cooper is also a member of the 2022 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad.

In 2022 Kye Cooper will also be involved in St Johns College Woodlawn’s various school boy rugby league competitions in Northern New South Wales.

Regardless of the number on his back Kye Cooper is an exciting runner of the ball combining speed, elusiveness, evasion, balance and body control. To that extent I believe that ultimately his best position will be at fullback where he will get the ball with space to work with prior to the defensive line and look to exploit any gaps that he identifies.

In must admit that whilst I still think that he ends up at fullback, Kye Cooper spent a lot of time in 2019 at five eight, mainly playing on the left and handled the five eight position very well indeed, being heavily involved, especially in attack and as a consequence Kye Cooper’s play making skills have increased exponentially.

Taking into account the previous two paragraph’s I note that in the U16 Andrew Johns Cup for the Northern Rivers Titans, Kye Cooper spent time in 2021 at lock, having a roving commission and performed well in the role, which included a lot of running out of dummy half. With his footwork developed from his time at fullback in the centres and at five eight, Kye Cooper was able two make a lot of ground through the centre of the ruck, especially late in halves when he could exploit the fatigue of the opposition forwards.

When playing at lock in 2021, Kye Cooper, looked not dis-similar to the new age type of rugby league locks such as the Sydney Roosters Victor Radley and South Sydney’s Cam Murray. Similarly Key Cooper played well in the centres in the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition against players in the main two years old than him.

From my perspective, a talented, unselfish attacking player with similar attributes to Kye Cooper is North Queensland Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater. Like Drinkwater, Kye Cooper has great acceleration to go along with a wicked sidestep and the play making skills to make opposition teams pay if defences look to focus too much on him.
Similarly like, Drinkwater Kye Cooper can play in the halves as well as fullback like he did for the Titans U14/15 Invitational side in early October 2019 against the Titans U14 Gold Coast/Brisbane squad.