Page 107 of 158 FirstFirst ... 7 57 97 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 117 157 ... LastLast
Results 1,591 to 1,605 of 2361
  1. #1591
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor. The local young utility back signed a muli-year contract with the Titans in 2019 after multiple solid seasons with the Helensvale Hornets and for Coombabah State High School from a school boy rugby league perspective.

    In October 2021 Kobie Mackay-Taylor was named in the 2021 Queensland Maori U18 representative side for the 2021 QPICC Cultural Carnival.

    Also in October 2021 Kobie Mackay-Taylor was named in the 2022 Easts Tigers U18 MM Cup squad for the second season in a row.
    In early November 2020 Kobie Mackay-Taylor trialled for a position in the 2021 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad, starting the trial on the left wing.

    In 2021 Kobie Macakay-Taylor was part of the Easts Tigers U18 Mal Meninga squad and started on the bench in their 26 – 12 trial victory over the Ipswich Jets. Kobie Mackey-Taylor was also involved in the Tigers Round Six MM Cup match.

    In February 2021 Kobie Mackey-Taylor took part in the South Coast Open school boy trials and was named in the centres in the South Coast Maroon Open school boy side as a result of his trial performances.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor started South Coast Maroon’s Day One match at left centre and contibued at left centre on Day Three against Darling Downs producing a good effort in the opening minutes to chase back and tackle a run away Darling Downs outside back who had intercepoted a South Coast Maroons pass from right on his own goal line.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor also produced another outstanding tackle midway through the first half when he came across towards the left corner to force an errant pass from the opposing right centre.

    The Day Four fifth place play-off match against Met East saw Kobie Mackay-Taylor also start at left centre and he recorded an early match line break and try assistssist when he was able to run forty five metres down the left winger before throwing a long pass to his inside which, after bouncing was picked up bu Jarde Johnson to dive over under the posts.

    In Round One of the Gold Coast Rugby League U18 Division One competition Kobie Mackay-Taylor started at left centre for Runaway Bay as they took on the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor literally could not have gotten into the match any earlier making the first tackle of the match after Runaway Bay had kicked off and then when Runaway Bay received the ball for the first time, Kobie Mackay-Taylor took the first hit-up after the Seagulls fullback had fallen on the ball from a Mudgeeraba kick and then took the 4th hit-up in the same set of six.

    In the 31st minute Kobie Mackay-Talyor set up a try for his left winger when after he had made a thirty metre break down the left touchline, Kobie Mackay-Taylor threw a great one armed pass (left arm) back inside to his winger who raced fifty metres to score.

    The 53rd minute of the match showed that Kobie Mackay-Taylor will also do the hard work in the centre of the field when he took the tap restart after Runaway Bay were awarded a penalty. Kobie Mackay-Taylor was able to progress the ball seventeen metres downfield.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor also started at left centre in Round Two against the Southport Tigers making a line break in just the 4th minute of the match when from a scrum on the halfway mark he made eighteen metres down the left side of the field.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor made a further line break in the 44th minute when he raced off his own line to take an intercept just five metres out with Kobie Mackay-Taylor racing seventy five metres before he was dragged down from behind.

    After missing Round Three due to his school boy representative commitments with South Coast, Kobie Mackay-Taylor was named on the bench for Round Four against the Helensvale Hornets.

    Round Five saw Kobie Mackay-Taylor start at left centre against Burleigh producing a strong performance in the Seagulls tough loss including scoring two tries and a try assist in the 53rd minute that locked the scores up at 18 all.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor scored his first try in the 47th minute when he dived over in the left corner after receiving a pass from the dummy half down a very skinny left blind side.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor added his second try in the final minute of the match when he followed through a two kicks with the ball bouncing up perfectly for Kobie Mackay-Taylor five metres from the try line for him to dive over adjacent to the left uprights.

    In addition to his double, Kobie Mackay-Taylor set up a try in the 53rd minute when after receiving the ball on the left, he got outside of his direct opponent and as the Burleigh right winger came in, Kobie Mackay-Taylor produced an outstanding left arm flick pass to put Jack McKenzie over in the left corner.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor’s afternoon got off to a positive start in the 6th minute when he made a sixteen metre run to just over the halfway mark and did well to stay in the field of play after being tackled close to the left touchline. Then in the 19th minute Kobie Mackay-Taylor made a line break when after receiving the ball in centre field he ran to his left getting outside the Burleigh right sided defence and was able to make twenty two metres before being reeled in by the cover defence.

    The 27th minute saw Kobie Mackay-Taylor once again take a strong hit-up making eleven metres to get the ball out of his own twenty metre area and then in the 51st minute when he made thirteen metres from right on his own try line.

    Whilst he scored a double and set up another, Kobie Mackay-Taylor’s defence was even more impressive than his efforts in attack with the left centre making two try saving tackles. Kobie Mackay-Taylor’s first try saving tackle coming in the 21st minute when he brought down Burleigh right second rower Aston Bai when he looked certain to score.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor was at it again in the 55th minute when he brought down Aston Bai once again with a great tackle with the try line beckoning the Burleigh second rower.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor also produced a strong tackle in the 7th minute when defending from a scrum he raced up to hit the Burleigh right centre just after he had received the ball with Kobie Mackay-Taylor’s initial contact forcing the ball loose.

    2021 also saw Kobie Mackay-Taylor line up once again for Coombabah State High School in the South East Queensland School Boy Langer Cup competition starting Round One at left centre against Mabel Park State High School.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor had a solid match against the Langer Cup newcomers including recording a try assist in the 8th minute when after making space for himself, Kobie Mackay-Taylor was able to draw in the Mable Park right side defence to give Filisi Frost the space to fly down the left touchline to score in the corner.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor also started at left centre in Coombabah SHS’s touch Round Two loss against Wavell State High School.
    In January 2020 Kobie Mackey-Taylor was part of the Titans U16 side that played the Newcastle Knights U16 Harold Matthews side in Coffs Harbour in their annual match.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor started the match against Newcastle on the left wing and scored the Titans first try of the match in the first half when he was on the back of a Titans backline movement and a cut out pass from Titans fullback Blake Forder and Kobie Mackay-Taylor was able to dive over from close range in the left corner under pressure from the Newcastle defence.

    Prior to crossing the try line Kobie Mackay-Taylor was able to fend off a would be Knights defender being the Knights right winger in that instance on the way to the line. The Knights defender had come in to try to tackle Kobie Mackay-Taylor just as he was to receive the ball but Kobie Mackay-Taylor was too strong and was able to break the attempted tackle.

    In February 2020 Kobie Mackey-Taylor was named in the Gold Coast Vikings U16 Training Squad for the 2020 U16 South East Queensland Challenge but unfortunately the Championships fell victim to the Covid 19 pandemic just days before that Challenge was due to kick off in Ipswich.

    Also in 2020 Kobie Mackay-Taylor was part of the Coombabah State High School Langer Cup Open A school boy rugby league squad for the Term Three school boy rugby league competition including their 2020 Langer Cup main draw qualifying match in Toowoomba against St Mary’s when he started the match at left centre.

    After being knocked out of the Langer Cup, Kobie Mackay-Taylor and his Coombabah State High School team mates took part of the Gee Cup school boy competition, going through the competition as the undefeated Southern Division Champions and taking on Mabel Park State High School in the 2020 Gee Cup Grand Final that was held at Langlands Park.

    In the 2020 Gee Cup Grand Final that Coombabah won 50 – 8 Kobie Mackay-Taylor started at left centre and had an impressive match especially in the first half and was unlucky not to have scored early in the match but the referee ruled that he lost the ball over the line in the left corner.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor also made a long break down the left touch line early in the match showcasing his ability to get on the outside of his opponent and also highlighting his deceptive speed.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor was however named in the South East Queensland Sharks U18 touch side for the National Youth Championships that were held in October 2020, with the Sharks losing their semi-final 8 – 6.

    The young Helensvale Hornets fullback, winger or centre signed a multi-year contract with the Titans early in 2019 after a stellar campaign with the Hornets in 2018 in the GCRL U14 Division One competition as well as for the Gold Coast Vikings U14 representative side at the 2019 Hill Stumer Championships.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor played the 2019 season with Helensvale in the GCRL U15 Division One competition playing in six regular season matches for the Hornets scoring three tries including a double against Ormeau in May and also scoring in a match against Runaway Bay mid-season to finish with a 50% strike rate.

    In Week One of the 2019 GCRL U15 Division One Finals series Kobie Mackay-Taylor started in the centres and scored as the Hornets defeated the Ormeau Shearers 20 – 14 to progress to the Preliminary Final against the Nerang Roosters.

    Week Three of the 2019 U15 Division One Finals saw Kobie Mackay-Taylor start in the centres but unfortunately his Helensvale Hornets side were defeated in the Preliminary Final 22 – 18 by Nerang to end their season one win short of a Grand Final berth.

    2019 also saw Kobie Mackay-Taylor represent the South Coast U15 QSSRL side that went through the Championships undefeated and as a result was selected in the Queensland White side for the ASSRL U15 Championships.

    At the ASSRL U15 Championships Kobie Mackay-Taylor played primarily on the left wing for the Queensland White side including scoring on Day One in a good win against ACT 20 – 4. Kobie Mackay-Taylor’s try was as a result of him backing up a long break from the Queensland White left centre.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor stayed out on his left wing and correctly positioned himself to take the pass four metres out from the try line when his centre was caught by the ACT cover defence. Kobie Mackay-Taylor was then able to bring the ball around a touch once he had gotten into the in-goal area.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor also played for Coombabah State High School in their various school boy rugby league competitions in 2019.

    In late 2019 Kobie Mackay-Taylor started on the left wing for the Titans U15 side defeated a touring Balmain Tigers side 34 – 16 with Kobie Mackay-Taylor scoring an impressive long range try. Kobie Mackay-Taylor received the ball from the Titans fullback fifty five metres out from the line, beating the Balmain right winger down the touch line before producing an outstanding right arm fend to beat the initial cover defence before producing an outstanding in and away to beat the Balmain fullback and score in the left corner.

    In 2018 Kobie Mackay-Taylor represented South East Queensland White U14’s in the Queensland Age Championships finishing as the competitions leading point scorer with thirty points from his four matches including three tries and nine goals playing on the wing.

    In Round One Kobie Mackay-Taylor kicked a goal against SEQ Green, Round Two saw him score a try and kick three goals against Central and in Round Three Kobie Mackay-Taylor scored a double and kicked three goals against Northern. Kobie Mackay-Taylor then started on the wing in the final kicking two conversions in a 16 all draw against SEQ Green.

    For the Helensvale Hornets U14 Division One side in 2018, Kobie Mackay-Taylor played primarily at fullback including in their 29 – 12 Grand Final victory over Coomera, playing in ten matches overall. Team mates in the Grand Final winning side were fellow Titans contracted players, second rower Zac Johnson and centre Te Haeta Takamore.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor was also part of the Helensvale U14 side that won the Tassell Trophy in 2018 scoring in the Hornets 40 – 6 Tournament final victory over the Western Lions.

    Even though he does not have great top end speed Kobie Mackay-Taylor is quick enough to take advantage of any space that he is given down the touchline by opposing outside backs. Kobie Mackay-Taylor’s bread and butter play in the centres is a good in an away to hold the defender and beat him on the outside, Kobie Mackay-Taylor then has the ability to draw and pass to his support if the opposing winger looks to come in, thus creating an overlap either on the outside or the inside to his team mates to exploit.

    When playing on the wing Kobie Mackay-Taylor always seems to stick to the sideline which means his inside attackers will know where he is at all times, thus allowing them to confidently off load the ball if an overlap is created. I have not seen him score any highlight reel tries that seem to be the norm for modern day wingers but Kobie Mackay-Taylor will score the tries that he needs to and the team needs him to.

    In terms of defence, Kobie Mackay-Taylor is solid from a technique and initial contact perspective and seemingly understands the attributes of his opposite number to the extent that he alters his defensive positioning if he is against speedy, elusive wingers or against larger wingers who look to try to run straight over him.

    His time at fullback has clearly helped Kobie Mackay-Taylor in situations where positioning in defence is critical in terms of when to tackle low compared to looking to when to wrap up the attacking player with a ball and all tackle. Kobie Mackay-Taylor has the size to handle both tackling low as well as defending in a ball and all fashion depending on the circumstances that confronts him at a particular time.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor is already an outstanding goal kicker and there is little doubt that he has the ability to be any team’s first choice goal kicker regardless of the level of the competition that he is playing in. Kobie Mackay-Taylor has an effortless clean kicking action which is simple and repeatable and generates distance as well as accuracy. Kobie Mackay-Taylor will regularly kick conversions from right on the sidelines.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor will play the 2022 Gold Coast Rugby League season in the U18 Division One GCRL competition for Runaway Bay after the competion of the 2022 MM Cup competition with Kobie Mackay-Taylor playing for the Easts Tigers in that competition.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor will also be a key member of the Coombabah State High School Rugby League side in their school boy rugby league competitions in 2022, likely including their Langer Cup Open A and GIO Cup school boy rugby league teams.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor has played on the wing or in the centres almost exclusively in club and representative sides and whilst he has played a couple of matches at fullback in recent seasons in representative rugby league sides I believe that Kobie Mackay-Taylors future likely lies on the wing, specifically the left wing.

    When playing on the wing Kobie Mackay-Taylor can use his size to maintain his running line and balance under pressure and also use it to come in off his wing and take hit-ups either running from dummy half or taking the ball off the dummy half when his side is bringing the ball out from their own territory.

    Kobie Mackay-Taylor is also very safe under the high ball utilising a controlled jumping technique not dis-similar to that of Titan Anthony Don in terms of the timing and height that Kobie Mackay-Taylor gets on his leap. Like Don, Kobie Mackay-Taylor is very safe under the high ball.

    From a player comparison perspective in relation to Kobie Mackay-Taylor of someone along the lines of North Queensland Cowboy, Australian Nine’s representative s and former Queensland State of Origin right winger Kyle Feldt as a solid winger who will score his fair share of tries by being in the right place at the right time rather than individual heroics or spectacular plays per say and not make simple unforced errors to place his side under undue pressure.

    Like Feldt, Kobie Mackay-Taylor also has the size to run the ball effectively out of dummy half and make ground especially when his team is bringing the ball out of their own territory. Similiarly Kobie Mackay-Taylor like Feldt will get across the line on a regular basis.

  2. #1592
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Reshawn Anderson. The young man from Northern New South Wales is not your typical head down and just run straight ahead type of front rower, he is a multi-talented goal kicking front rower with an incredibly diverse skill set.

    Reshawn Anderson is a throw back type of front rower and would have thrived in the era that was populated by the likes of Balmain Tigers legend Steve Roach where front rowers had the latitude to off-load the ball one handed and operate wider of the ruck if they saw an opportunity. This is exactly the type of freedom that Reshawn Anderson would thrive having.

    In June 2021, Reshawn Anderson 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.

    Reshawn Anderson was named on the interchange bench for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side for their 2021 Round One match against the Wests Tigers. Reshawn Anderson moved into the starting side in the front row in Round Two against local rivals the North Coast Bulldogs in Nambucca Heads and also started in the front row in Round Three against the Greater Northern Tigers.

    Reshawn Anderson had a good match against the Tigers getting involved early in the match with a powerful run from the fourth hit-up of the match making fifteen metres from a run to the right of the play the ball.

    Reshawn Anderson’s involvement continued minutes later when he expertly took a hard low Tigers attacking kick on the full low down and gained ten metres upfield. Minutes later, Reshawn Anderson who was packing into scrums in the front row was able to break from the scrum and chase down the Greater Northern Tigers half who had broken through the line from the scrum.

    Reshawn Anderson’s involvement continued in the 10th minute when he along with Kye Cooper smashed a Greater Northern Tigers front rower forcing him to lose the ball just ten metres out from the line. Minutes later Reshawn Anderson looked as if he had scored on the left side of the field but the referee adjudged that he had been held up.

    Reshawn Anderson put an exclamation point on his impressive match in the 52nd minute when he smashed the Greater Northern Tigers fullback with a huge hit when he flew in from the fullback blind side.

    After missing Round Four Reshawn Anderson was back in the starting side in the front row in Round Five against the Newcastle Knights taking the first hit-up of the match from the Newcastle kick off, impressive Reshawn Anderson then also took the 4th hit-up on the same set, being the first set of the match.

    Reshawn Anderson finished his 2021 U16 Andrew Johns Cup season on a high when he scored in the 55th minute of the match. Reshawn Anderson received the ball twelve metres out from the line and to the right of the play the ball. Reshawn Anderson shaped to pass to his right before straightening to charge his way over to get the ball down adjacent to the right upright.

    In Round One of the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition, Reshawn Anderson started in the front row and scored for the Bilambil Jets as they defeated the Murwillumbah Mustangs 24 – 18. Starting in the U18 NRRRL competition is an impressive feat for the young front rower who was still U16 eligible with Reshawn Anderson announcing himself in the opening minute with a heavy tackle on one of his opposing front rowers.

    Reshawn Anderson did not have to wait long to score in the match when in the 15th minute he charged onto the ball from just four metres out and to the left of the play the ball. Reshawn Anderson smashed into the Murwillumbah defence who were coming off the line. After bouncing off the first defender, Reshawn Anderson got down low to dive over five metres to the left of the uprights.

    Reshawn Anderson was named to start in the front row in Round Two against the Tweed Coast Raiders but ended up coming off the bench but scored for the second week in a row.

    Reshawn Anderson’s try came in the 35th minute when he charged onto the from sixteen metres out, stepping off his left to beat the initial defender before a Reshawn Anderson right foot step easily defeated the fullback to dive over adjacent to the left upright.

    In addition to his try, Reshawn Anderson pulled up some other skilful plays that you would not except from a front rower including in the 24th minute. The Tweed Coast halfback had put in a chip kick and looked certain to regain possession but Reshawn Anderson willed himself to race back to get to the ball just in front of the Raiders halfback.

    Then in the 58th minute Reshawn Anderson put in a great grubber kick from twenty metres out on the 5th tackle. Reshawn Anderson chased the kick through, regaining possession with only a desperate tackle by the Raiders fullback brought Reshawn Anderson down two metres short of the try line.

    Reshawn Anderson started from the bench once again in Round Three against Northern United coming on two thirds of the way through the first half and as usual Reshawn Anderson displayed all sorts of freakish skills in his time on the field, including a line break.

    Within minutes of coming on, Reshawn Anderson had already take two hit-ups, breaking at least one tackle on each occasion.

    Reshawn Anderson recorded his line break in the 34th minute when he lined up on the right side of the field, receiving the ball three passes off the ruck. Reshawn Anderson burst through the Northern United line, making forty metres before his attempted off-load went to ground.

    Reshawn Anderson also produced one of the best defensive hits in the match when in the 37th minute he drove the giant Northern United front rower (No. 8) backwards with a text book front on tackle.

    For a big young man Reshawn Anderson is exceptionally mobile and that presented itself in the 43rd minute when Northern United put in a high attacking chip kick to their left side of the field. Reshawn Anderson however anticipated the kick the kick on the full running at full speed running back towards his own goal line five metres out from his own line.

    Reshawn Anderson moved to lock in Round Four as the Jets took on the Cudgen Hornets in the local derby, taking the second hit-up of the match. The match saw Reshawn Anderson score once again the 35th minute when he barged over after receiving the ball sixteen metres out and slamming the ball down one metre from the left upright.

    Reshawn Anderson started Round Six against Casino RSM from the bench coming into the match in just the 10th minute and scored once again in the Jets 40 – 16 victory with his try coming in the 57th minute when after receiving the ball from a standing start he was able to break through four tackles to get the ball down.

    Reshawn Anderson also went close to scoring in the 21st minute when from twenty metres out he rumbled forward seventeen metres before being brought down, breaking four tackles along the way.

    Reshawn Anderson is an outstanding ball runner but he is also a good defender and the Casino RSM fullback found that out the hard way when in the 24th minute he was monstered by Reshawn Anderson ten metres from the try line.

    Reshawn Anderson continued coming off the bench in Round Ten against the Marist Brothers Rams.

    2021 saw Reshawn Anderson play for PBC in the Walters Cup School Boy competition, including starting the Grand Final against Keebra Park State High School from the bench.

    Reshawn Anderson came off the bench towards the end of the first half to operate in the front row and made a great first up run making twenty metres, breaking two tackles along the way to get the ball into Keebra Park SHS territory.

    Reshawn Anderson recorded a great try assist in the Grand Final in the 42nd minute when after charging at the defensive line down a short left blindside ten metres from the line, Reshawn Anderson engaged the Keebra Park SHS defensive line before throwing a great arm arm off-load to his left to Jaylen Tawea who was able to dive over in the left corner.

    In September 2021 Reshawn Anderson played for the Gold Coast Kookaburra’s in the 2021 Queensland Murri U16 Carnival.

    Reshawn Anderson’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. Reshawn Anderson’s team won both of their matches to finish the day undefeated, producing two impressive displays in front of Titans JTS staff.

    When the Group One rugby league competition recommenced in July 2020, Reshawn Anderson started Round One of the competition in the front row and scored for Ballina as they went down 16 – 14 to Casino RSM.

    Reshawn Anderson also started in the front row in Round Two kicking two conversions as Ballina defeated South Grafton 28 – 0 and was once again in the front row in Round Three as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 18 - 12. Reshawn Anderson added a further try and goal in Round Four in a 28 – 6 win against the Kyogle Turkeys.

    Reshawn Anderson had a huge match in Round Five against Ballina scored a staggering four tries as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 44 – 10, once again starting in the front row. Starting in the front row once again in Round Six, Reshawn Anderson had yet another big match, scoring a double and kicking three gaols as the Seagulls defeated Grafton 32 – 22.

    Reshawn Anderson continued his try scoring feats adding a double in Round Seven for Ballina as they defeated Casino RSM 32 – 0 and scored a further double in Round Nine as Ballina defeated South Grafton 38 - 14.

    Reshawn Anderson also started in the front row and was one of the Seagulls try scorers as they defeated Clarence Coast 32 – 10 in Round Ten.

    In total in the 2020 Group One U15 regular season competition Reshawn Anderson scored sixty six points from nine matches, made up of thirteen tries (144% strike rate) and seven conversions.

    Reshawn Anderson started in the front row in the 2020 Group One U15 Grand Final against Casino RSM and was named Player of the Match in Ballina’s 28 - 10 victory with Reshawn Anderson one of the Seagulls try scorers.

    In Round Ten of the Group One competition, being the final regular season round, Reshawn Anderson made his U16.5 debut off the bench as Ballina went down 28 – 17 to the Clarence Coast Magpies. Reshawn Anderson the following week was on the bench for Ballina in the 2020 Group One U16.5 Grand Final against the Clarence Coast Magpies.

    In 2020 Reshawn Anderson also spent some time playing club rugby in the U15 Far North Coast Junior Rugby competition for Wollongbar Alstonville with his first match being in Round Four when he came off the bench against the Lennox Head Trojans.

    In Round Five against Grafton Reshawn Anderson came off the bench once again and scored a hat trick as Wollongbar Alstonville defeated the Grafton Redmen 69 – 10. Reshawn Anderson added a further try after coming from the bench in a Monday night Round Six fixture against Casuarina Beach.

    Round Seven of the Far North Coast junior rugby 2020 competition saw Reshawn Anderson make his first start when he started in the front row for Wollongbar Alstonville as they recorded a 101 – 0 win against the Brunswick Billygoats. Reshawn Anderson also started in the front row in Round Eight against Lismore.

    After initially being named to start on the bench in Round Nine, Reshawn Anderson started at No. 8 and scored one of his team’s two tries as Wollongbar Alstonville went down 15 – 12 to the Lennox Head Trojans.

    Reshawn Anderson also started at No. 8 in Round Ten and scored a double as Wollongbar Alstonville defeated the Grafton Redmen 47 – 0.

    The Goal kicking front rower Reshawn Anderson started his 2019 campaign in impressive fashion scoring two tries and kicking a conversion for Ballina as they defeated Casino RSM 54 – 4 in Round Two in the Group One U14 competition, Ballina had a Round One bye.

    In Round Three Reshawn Anderson continued his impressive form scoring a try and kicking two conversions as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 44 – 8. Reshawn Anderson also scored a Round Six double against Lismore Marist Brothers. In Round Twelve against Grafton Reshawn Anderson added a try and a goal to his season’s points tally.

    Reshawn Anderson had a huge Round Thirteen match against Lismore Marist Brothers scoring three tries and kicking three goals to finish the match with eighteen points.

    In total in the 2019 Group One U14 regular season competition Reshawn Anderson played in eight matches for Ballina scoring sixty two points from nine tries (113% strike rate) and thirteen goals to average just under eight points per game.

    In Week One of the Finals series, Reshawn Anderson scored as Ballina progressed on the back of a 34 – 6 win over South Grafton and was also a member of the Grand Final winning side and fact was named the Player of the Match in the Grand Final and deservedly so after scoring two tries in the Premiership victory.

    Reshawn Anderson’s first Grand Final try came when he received a long cut out pass whilst he was operating on the left side of the field. When he received the ball Reshawn Anderson immediately stepped off his right foot to gain separation from the South Grafton defender looking to come out of the line and he beat that defender Reshawn Anderson was able to run the remaining five metres to score.

    Reshawn Anderson’s second try of the Grand Final was as a result of his strength and power. After getting the ball ten metres out from the line, Reshawn Anderson shrugged off the first defender looking to take him high and then he rumbled through three defenders adjacent to the right upright.

    Reshawn Anderson also recorded a try assist in the Grand Final when after a great run in the first half, Reshawn Anderson produced an outstanding right arm offload to his left to put Key Cooper away to score next to the goal posts on the left side of the field.

    Post the Grand Final Reshawn Anderson’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 Reshawn Anderson was also named 2019 Group One U14 Representative Player of the Year.

    Reshawn Anderson in 2019 also played two matches in the Group One U15 competition, making his debut against Casino RSM and scored his first try in that competition in Round Thirteen against Lismore Marist Brothers.

    Reshawn Anderson was named in the front row for the Group One U14 Taipans for the New South Wales Country Age Championships that were held in Port Macquarie in late September. In Group One’s first qualifying match Reshawn Anderson kicked two conversions as Group One drew 14 all with Newcastle and added a try and a conversion in Group One’s Northern Cup semi-final.

    In early in October Reshawn Anderson was part of a Titans U14/15 NRRRL side that went down 32 – 10 to the Titans U14 Gold Coast/Brisbane Academy side in a development match at Tweed Heads a match for me at least Reshawn Anderson was one of the NRRRL sides best.

    Reshawn Anderson also represented Ballina Coast High School in multiple school boy competitions in 2019 including being part of the Ballina Coast High School side that won the 2019 U15 Titans Cup when they won all four of their matches on the day.

    Ballina Coast’s wins were against Alstonville High School 11 – 10 in Round One, St Joseph’s Banora Point 20 – 4 in Round Two, Woodlawn College 12 – 6 in the semi-final and Alstonville 18 – 6 in the Grand Final.

    The powerful Ballina Seagulls junior had a great season in the 2018 Group One U13 competition where he scored seven tries and kicked seven goals to finish with 42 points from his eleven matches.

    In 2018 Reshawn Anderson scored doubles against South Grafton and Casino RSM and also scored in other matches against South Grafton, Kyogle and Lismore Marist Brothers over the course of the season.

    With the boot Reshawn Anderson kicked two conversions in a late season match against Clarence Coast in 2018 with the remainder of his seven goals coming from individual matches over the course of the season as well.

    Reshawn Anderson is a big strong powerful 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.

    Reshawn Anderson 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.

    Whilst this can lead to some mistakes, more often than not, Reshawn Anderson is very selective about when to pass and when to hold onto the ball. With his offloading skills, one aspect that Reshawn Anderson should develop as he progresses is in relation to short passes to supporting forwards.

    Reshawn Anderson 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. Once he gets into space, it is only going to be backs that will catch him.

    In defence, Reshawn Anderson can certainly hit very hard and for a big boy he has quite decent endurance thus allowing him to get back quickly into the defensive line. Where he is also very good, due to his good athletic skills is for a front rower is effectively tackling smaller attackers on the edge of the ruck.

    Reshawn Anderson 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.

    Reshawn Anderson is also quite a good goal kicker who gets a lot of distance with his kicking to go with good accuracy. You do not see many goal kicking front rowers but Reshawn Anderson is legitimately a very solid goal kicker, although it is unlikely that he will be a first choice goal kicker for a side, but it is quite rare to see a front rower kick for goal.

    The 2022 season will see Reshawn Anderson line up once again in Bilambil Jets colours in the NRRRL U18 competition for the second season in a row and Reshawn Anderson will also be U18 eligible in 2023. Reshawn Anderson will also continue at PBC in 2022 and will push for playing time in their Langer Cup Open A side and also is a likely member of the Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup squad.

    Reshawn Anderson is a big strong powerful young man with outstanding attributes such as size, strength, speed, mobility and power and as such seems destined to stay in the front row for the duration of what should be a long and prosperous rugby league career.

    In saying that however, I believe that Reshawn Anderson definitely has the mobility and speed to spend time in the second row over the next couple of seasons before he moves to the front row on a permanent basis as he is nearing the senior rugby league ranks.

    For me Reshawn Anderson’s game has some similarities to Cronulla and former New South Wales State of Origin front row Andrew Fifita. Both have running styles that are difficult for defences to address due to the constant movement, momentum and directional changes as well as knees and elbows moving in unique and unexpected directions and both are tough, hard and aggressive in all aspects of their game and are more than happy to let their opponents know it.

  3. #1593
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Damon Coldwell. The region just south of the New South Wales border has been an outstanding rugby league nursery for many years and over recent seasons has really been a hot bed from a junior development perspective.

    In June 2021 Damon Coldwell 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.

    In 2021 Damon Coldwell moved up to Brisbane and was part of the Norths Devils MM Cup side starting Round One at right centre against Wynnum Manly. Damon Coldwell also started at right centre in Round Two against the Easts Tigers and scored a first half double (7th and 29th minutes) as the Devils defeated the Tigers 42 – 20.

    Damon Coldwell continued his run of starts at right centre in Round Three against the Redcliffe Dolphins putting in a more than solid performance including making 133 metres running with the ball.

    Damon Coldwell also started at right centre in Round Four against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

    After the 2021 MM Cup competition wound up, Damon Coldwell was back in Northern New South Wales, starting Round One of the NRRRL U18 competition at left centre for Ballina as they defeated Kyogle 54 – 4 with Damon Coldwell scoring a long range try as well as recording a try assist in the Seagulls big win.

    Damon Coldwell had to wait until the 40th minute to score his try, but it was certainly worth the wait. Damon Coldwell came from his left centre position to help bring the ball out of his own line, receiving the ball from the dummy half just five metres from his own line, as he approached the line, running diagonally running to his left, Damon Coldwell dummied in the same direction to slice through the line and once he was in open space non-one was going to catch him as he ran ninety five metres to score under the posts.

    Damon Coldwell’s recorded his try assist in the 19th minute when he had to cut back off the left touchline about five metres from the try line, after being engaged by three defenders Damon Coldwell was spun around and in fact was facing his own try line when he was able to get the ball away for his left winger to dive over in the corner.

    Damon Coldwell also started at left centre in Round Two against the Byron Bay Devils and scored in each half of Ballina’s 24 – 18 loss.

    Damon Coldwell’s first half try came in the 20th minute when he scored easily in the left corner after some good work in his inside. Damon Coldwell completed his double in the 46th minute when he barged his way over from dummy half from three metres out down a short left blindside to get the ball down three metres in from the corner post.

    Damon Coldwell also produced a smart piece of play in the 15th minute when he executed a one on one strip on the twenty metre mark as Byron Bay were returning the ball from a kick-off. Initially Damon Coldwell was involved in the tackle with another Seagulls player but called them off the tackle before executing the strip.

    Damon Coldwell continued at left centre in Round Three against the Tweed Coast Raiders making a strong tackle from the kick off put put the Raiders on the back foot immediately and then in the 5th minute Damon Coldwell produced a bullocking run that accounted for ten metres to get him within a minute of the try line and Damon Coldwell was subsequently awarded a penalty when he was not afforded an opportunity for a quick play the ball.

    Damon Coldwell continued at left centre in Round Four against the Marist Brothers Rams scoring once again in a tight Seagulls two point victory. Damon Coldwell scored in the 50th minute when he barged over from dummy half. With the play the ball two metres from the try line and two metres in from the left touchline, Damon Coldwell picked the ball up from dummy half and force his way over to score in the left corner.

    Earlier in the match Damon Coldwell produced a strong effort in the 8th minute when he was able to make sixteen metres and then off-load near the halfway mark.

    Round Five against Casino RSM saw Damon Coldwell start the match on the bench, playing at left centre when he came on late in the first half. Even coming off the bench could not stop Damon Coldwell from continuing his try scoring streak when in the 43rd minute Damon Coldwell backed up a break by the Ballina halfback, receiving the ball six metres form the line with Damon Coldwell then stepping off his left foot to beat the cover defence to score wide out on the right.

    Damon Coldwell did well in the 25th minute when he chased through a Ballina kick to force the Casino RSM fullback back int the in-goal to force a goal line drop out.

    Damon Coldwell returned to the starting side at left centre in Round Eight against Northern United, scoring a double in the Seagulls big win. Damon Coldwell’s opening try came in the 18th minute when he burst through a gap twenty five metres from the line, as he approached the fullback, Damon Coldwell shaped to pass to his left but after the Northern United fullback moved off his line towards Damon Coldwell’s support, he brought the ball back in a then was able to bring the ball around to put it down under the posts.

    Damon Coldwell’s second try came in the 28th minute and it was certainly worth the wait. Damon Coldwell took a tap restart after Ballina had been awarded a penalty and had kicked the ball into touch thirty seven metres from the line. After taking the tap Damon Coldwell jogged slowly towards centre field before accelerating and stepping off his left. In his exceptional run to the line, Damon Coldwell broke four tackles before putting the ball down under the posts.

    Damon Coldwell continued at left centre in Round Eleven against the Bilambil Jets and in Round Twelve against the Byron Bay Devils with Damon Coldwell scoring in the 60th minute when he received a long cut out pass from his inside from Jesse Beauchamp and then had an easy passage to score wide out on the left.

    Damon Coldwell almost had another try in the match by in the 22nd minute he was held up under the posts and a strong charge of fourteen metres after running an underneath route.

    Damon Coldwell also recorded a 25th minute try assist when after he had made a long line break down the left touchline, he passed to Jesse Beauchamp who had backed up on his inside around thirty metres out. Jesse Beauchamp was then able to bring the ball around to score under the posts.

    Damon Coldwell also started at left centre in Round Thirteen against the Murwillumbah Mustangs, scoring one try and also making a strong line break.

    Damon Coldwell scored in the 44th minute when he was able to twist his way over from dummy half to get the ball down in the right corner.

    Damon Coldwell made a strong 36th minute line break of twenty five metres down the left touchline after receiving a good ball from his inside by Rowan Mansfield.

    Damon Coldwell was also named to continue at left centre in Round Fourteen against the Cudgen Hornets however the match was postponed due to a snap Covid 19 lockdown.

    Damon Coldwell finished the abridged 2021 NRRRL U18 regular season as the competitions equal leading try scorer with eight tries alongside Cooper Camby and Michael Roberts.

    After playing at left centre for Ballina in Round One of the 2021 U18 NRRRL competition, earlier the same day, Damon Coldwell came off the bench for the Seagulls, to spend time at fullback for the Seagulls in the Reserve Grade match against Kyogle and for the second time that day was on the winning side.

    Damon Coldwell also came on in Round Two of the NRRRL Reserve Grade competition against Byron Bay after scoring a double in the earlier U18 match against the same opponent.

    Damon Coldwell made his first 2021 NRRRL Reserve Grade start in Round Ten against the Lower Clarence Magpies when he started at fullback and made the most of the starting opportunity by scoring twice in Ballina’s 60 – 0 victory.

    Damon Coldwell’s initial try came in the 29th minute. Damon Coldwell after hovering behind the play the ball, was in position on the inside of a break by the Seagulls dummy half to receive the pass and run twenty metres to score under the posts.

    Damon Coldwell then added his second try in the 43rd minute after receiving the ball on the left side of the field after the Seagulls spun the ball to that side of the field. Once he received the ball twelve metres out, Damon Coldwell beat one defender to score ten metres in from the left corner.

    2021 also saw Damon Coldwell play school boy rugby league for Wavell State High School in the Langer Cup Reserve Grade competition and he had a particularly good match in Round Three against Marsden State High School.

    The outstanding young flyer kicked off his 2020 season being named in the centres for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side in their Round One match at Cudgen against the Parramatta Eels however the match was cancelled due to the wet conditions prevailing that weekend in northern New South Wales.

    Damon Coldwell started in Round Two of the U16 Andrew Johns Cup at left centre against the Newcastle Knights in Ballina scoring in the second half of the Titans 28 – 22 victory. Damon Coldwell showed admirable patience to score. Five eight Travis May put in a short grubber which was bouncing around near the try line with multiple players trying to get their hands on the ball. Instead of just trying to grab it Damon Coldwell held his nerve to wait until the right moment to grab the ball and crash over five metres from the left corner post.

    Damon Coldwell also started at left centre in Round Three against the Central Coast Roosters and in Round Four against the Greater Northern Tigers scoring his second try of the season late in the Round Four match. Damon Coldwell had stayed on the left side of the field and received a long cut out pass from Northern Rivers Titans hooker Tanu Nona to score in the left corner.

    Damon Coldwell also started at left centre in the Round Five local derby against the North Coast Bulldogs scoring once again after breaking into space around forty metres out to score in the left corner. As he was heading towards the left corner, the North Coast fullback was coming across Damon Coldwell straightened up slightly to hold the fullback in place before veering back to his left to score in the left corner with the North Coast fullback clutching at thin air.

    For the 2020 Group One U16.5 competition Damon Coldwell moved to the Ballina Seagulls and started at five eight in Round One as the Seagulls defeated Casino RSM. Damon Coldwell moved to left centre for Round Three and made the most of the move, scoring a double as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 18 – 12.

    Damon Coldwell added a further double in Round Four when he started at left centre as Ballina defeated Kyogle 38 – 10. Starting at left centre in Round Five, Damon Coldwell added a further try as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast.

    Starting at right centre in Round Six saw Coldwell add a hat trick to his impressive 2020 season as Ballina defeated the Kyogle Turkeys 38 – 22. In Round Seven Damon Coldwell made the most of coming off the bench, scoring a double in a big 58 – 24 win over Casino RSM.

    In Round Eight of the Group One U16.5 competition Damon Coldwell was back in the Ballina starting side at fullback and contributed a double to the Seagulls 38 – 0 victory over Casino RSM. Damon Coldwell moved to five eight for Round Nine as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 36 – 10. In Round Ten Damon Coldwell was back in the centres as Ballina went down 28 – 17 to the Clarence Coast Magpies.

    In total in the 2020 Group One U16.5 regular season competition Damon Coldwell scored twelve tries from eight matches to finish with a 150% strike rate.

    Damon Coldwell started in the centres in the 2020 Group One U16.5 Grand Final against the Clarence Coast Magpies scoring a hat trick as Ballina went down by two points in a tight encounter 28 - 26.

    A number of Damon Coldwell’s 2020 Group One U16.5 tries are described below to give people a sense of the strength, speed, power and tactical sense that Damon Coldwell possesses.

    Against the Kyogle Turkeys whilst playing left centre, Damon Coldwell came back underneath his five eight around ten metres out from the line. Stepping off his left foot to beat the first Turkey’s defender who had stopped when the ball came back inside. Damon Coldwell then stepped off his right foot to straighten his run and then powered over to put the ball down under the goal posts.

    Against the Clarence Coast Magpies, Damon Coldwell’s effort to chase through a Ballina bomb was rewarded when he was on hand to retrieve the ball when it was dropped by the fullback. Damon Coldwell was in fact dragged down two metres short of the line but was able to break free of the defender before he hit the ground, thus Damon Coldwell was able to legitimately get to his feet and bring the ball around to score under the posts.

    Damon Coldwell got into dummy half against Clarence Coast around a metre out from the try line and even though the Magpies defence know that he was going to got for the line, when Damon Coldwell charged out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball, the two defenders had no chance to stop him.

    Also against Clarence Coast, Damon Coldwell chased through a grubber kick and beat the defenders to the ball, diving on the ball fifteen metres in from the left corner post.

    Against Casino RSM, whilst playing left centre Damon Coldwell was on the end of a Ballina backline movement when he scored possibly the easiest try of his career when he received the ball a metre out in a lot of space to score in the left corner.

    Showcasing his ability to play on both sides of the field, Damon Coldwell was playing right centre against Casino RSM when he chased through a short attacking kick to get to the ball first to score five metres in from the right corner post.

    In a match against Clarence Coast whilst playing left centre, Damon Coldwell cut inside to receive the ball behind his five eight running directly through the centre of the Magpies ruck before using his speed to veer to his left around the fullback to score untouched from forty metres out.

    Once again playing left centre, Damon Coldwell received a long cut out pass five metres out from the line and engaged the Kyogle Turkeys right winger who tries to tackle him front one. After shrugging off the defender, Damon Coldwell pushed to the outside to score with centremetres to spare in the left corner.

    Damon Coldwell once again against Casino RSM when he backed out a break down the left, receiving the ball around ten metres out from the line and he did well to hold his balance as he was hit by the Casino RSM fullback just as he was putting the ball down in the left corner.

    Whilst playing fullback in Round Eight against Casino RSM, Damon Coldwell moved into dummy half with the play the ball two metres out from the line. Damon Coldwell ran down a left side blind side, dummying to his outside to draw the defenders to his support runners and then Damon Coldwell had an easy run to score.

    Also in Round Eight, Damon Coldwell was all over the field and was on the right touch line when he followed through a winding run by the Ballina left second rower to take the off load to jog eight metres to score ten metres in from the right corner post.

    Damon Coldwell showed his spatial awareness when he scored in the left corner against Clarence Coast. As Ballina were throwing the ball in his direction, Damon Coldwell positioned himself outside the Magpies last defender and once he got the ball Damon Coldwell accelerated away to score in the left corner.

    Once again against Clarence Coast, Damon Coldwell showcased his good hands, when he held onto a difficult off load he got from his right and very close to him (he was playing left centre) to dive over from close range.

    As he did on a number of occasions in 2020 Damon Coldwell once again was on hand to easily score from the left centre position when he followed thorugh a grubber kick from William James against the Kyogle Turkeys.

    Damon Coldwell scored an outstanding power based try against Clarence Coast. Damon Coldwell mis-timed his cut back run, eventually receiving the ball when he was stationary around ten metres out from the Magpies line. Damon Coldwell engaged the defensive line around five metrs out and even when he appeared to be held close to the line, just kept fighting the tackle until he was able to push over close to the left upright.

    In a Round Seven match against Casino RSM Damon Coldwell’s quick hands were once again on display when he plucked a hard long pass out of the air when it looked like it was going to sail a long way over his head to then run six metres to score out wide on the right.

    A hard straight crash line from Damon Coldwell whilst palying left centre resulted in another Damon Coldwell try when he ran through the outstretched arms of a Kyogle Turkey’s defender from about eight metres out.

    Also against Kyogle, as he did on more than one occasion in the 2020 Group One U16.5 competition, Damon Coldwell was on hand to beat the Turkeys defenders to the ball when he followed through a William James grubber kick that was directed to the Ballina left side attack.

    From the above descriptions it would seem that Damon Coldwell is purely a try scorer but that is not the case, with the best example of that being in Round One against Casino RSM when Damon Coldwell played the entire match at five eight. From five eight, where he operated on the left side of the field, Damon Coldwell recorded two try assists when he took the ball to the line before sending flat passes to his left to support runners.

    That same match saw Damon Coldwell also forced two goal line frop outs, when precise kicks of his could not be brought out of their own ingoal by the Casino RSM fullback. Impressively one kick was a short chip kick and the other a longer kick from thirty odd metres out that pulled up perfectly in the ingoal.

    Damon Coldwell made his deserved NRRRL U18 debut for Ballina on the left wing in Round Six of the 2020 season as the Seagulls went down 26 – 12 to Casino RSM. Damon Coldwell moved in the centres in Round Seven against Casino RSM, having a huge match, scoring a hat trick as the Seagulls recorded a 32 – 16 victory. Damon Coldwell also started in the centres in Round Nine in a 24 – 12 wing over Byron Bay.

    Damon Coldwell was a key contributor, scoring a double from the left centre position, as Ballina progressed to the 2020 NRRRL Gold Grand Final on the back of a 52 – 18 Preliminary Final victory over Casino RSM.

    In the 2020 NRRRL U18 Gold Grand Final Damon Coldwell started at left centre for Ballina as they took on the Marist Brothers Rams involving himself in just the third minute of the match when he made a long break down the left touchline before throwing a right arm flick pass inside. It was a sign of things to come for Marist Brothers as Damon Coldwell went on to score a hat trick in Ballina’s 30 – 18 victory.

    In fact Damon Coldwell could have been credited with a fourth try after he was adjudged to be held up after being put away by Rowan Mansfield. Replays seemed to suggest that Damon Coldwell had in fact gotten the ball down, but the referee and touch judge saw it differently.

    Whilst he was deemed held up after being put into space by Rowan Mansfield, the two combined for an almost identical play not much later in the match. Rowan Mansfield took 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.

    Damon Coldwell scored his second Grand Final try when he ran into a gap on the left jogging fifteen matres to score. Damon Coldwell completed his hat trick in the second half when moved into dummy half a metres out from the Marist Brothers line. The play the ball was literally centremetres from the left touchline, and it appeared that there was no room there. Damon Coldwell had other idea’s however and was able to force his way over down the incredibly short blind side.

    Damon Coldwell played an incredible amount of football in 2018 both rugby league and rugby and 2019 it was a similar for the Ballina Coast High School student with his selection in the Titans 2018/19 Group 18 U15 Development Squad kicking off a busy but productive 2019 rugby league season.

    Late in 2019 Damon Coldwell played for a Titans combined U14/U15 NRRRL Invitational side against a Titans U14 Gold Coast/Brisbane based side with the Titans U14 side prevailing 32 – 10 in a high quality encounter.

    Damon Coldwell was also a solid contributor to the Titans U15 side that played a fellow Titans side and Western Mustangs side at Mudgeeraba in February 2019 in a round robin series of matches in shockingly hot conditions.

    2019 also saw Damon Coldwell named in the Australian Secondary School U15 side for the ASSRL U15 Championships, starting Day One from the bench coming on to score a second half double as the Invitational side defeated Northern Territory 36 – 6.

    Both tries came with Damon Coldwell playing right centre, his first when Damon Coldwell got outside his direct opponent near the try line and was able to stretch out his right arm out to score in the right corner.

    In relation to his second try of the match, Damon Coldwell ran a great straight crash line to split the defence from around twelve metres out and easily round the Northern Territory fullback to score midway between the uprights and the right corner post.

    Damon Coldwell’s 2019 Group One U15 rugby league campaign got off to an impressive start in Round One when he scored a double for Lismore Marist Brothers as they defeated Clarence Coast 20 - 14.

    In total for Lismore Marist Brothers in the 2019 Group One U15 competition Damon Coldwell played in seven matches scoring nine tries for a season total point’s tally of 36 and an impressive try scoring strike rate of 129%.

    In addition to his Round One double, Damon Coldwell also scored doubles against Casino RSM on two separate occasions and also scored in matches against the Kyogle Turkeys and Ballina in the 2019 regular season.

    Damon Coldwell also scored in Week One of the Finals series as Lismore Marist Brothers went down 42 – 10 to Clarence Coast, a match which saw his 2019 season end in that age group.

    Damon Coldwell also played four regular season matches in the Group One U16.5 competition in 2019, scoring his first try in that competition in Round Eleven against Clarence Coast.

    Damon Coldwell added a further U16.5 try in Week One of the Finals in a 32 – 0 Lismore Marist Brothers victory over the South Grafton Rebels but unfortunately Damon Coldwell was on the losing side as Marist Blue went down 12 – 4 to Ballina in the Grand Final.

    Some of Damon Coldwell’s tries in both the Group One U15 and U16.5 competitions over the course of the 2019 season are highlighted below to provide context for the subsequent discussion about Damon Coldwell’s playing attributes, specifically in relation to Damon Coldwell’s attacking outstanding attributes:

    Playing at right centre against Clarence Coast, Damon Coldwell received the ball from the dummy half on the right side of the field about forty metres out from the line and broke two tackles with right arm fends on the way to the line to score.

    Playing five eight against Casino RSM, Damon Coldwell received the ball on the left side of the field two passes off the ruck twenty metres out from the line. Damon Coldwell ran at the defence on a 45 degree angle with the ball held out in front of his body in two hands. As he came to the defensive line Damon Coldwell dummied to his left and sliced through the resultant gap to score untouched. After crossing the try line Damon Coldwell cheekily brought the ball around to put it down under the posts evading multiple Casino RSM defenders on the way.

    Playing right centre against the Clarence Coast Magpies, Damon Coldwell received the ball off the dummy half a few metres out from the line in the real corner of the field. Immediately upon receiving the ball Damon Coldwell cut back to his left by way of a left foot step, close to the play the ball to crash over from close range.

    Playing five eight against Clarence Coast Damon Coldwell received the ball from the dummy half around fifteen metres from the line to the left of the play the ball accelerating immediately to drag three defenders over the line with him.

    A rampaging run from the left centre position against Casino RSM of thirty metres down the left touch line which included breaking three tackles led to an outstanding try long range try for Damon Coldwell.

    After coming off the bench against Casino RSM into the left centre position Damon Coldwell stayed out wide near the left touch line receiving a great pass from his five eight to run ten metres to score untouched in the left corner.

    Against Ballina in the Group One U15 competition Damon Coldwell was defending at left centre. As Ballina threw the ball to their right, Damon Coldwell positioned himself to take an intercept and showcased his speed to run sixty metres to score untouched.

    Against Central Coast Damon Coldwell went into dummy half when a team mate was brought down a metre out from the try line. Damon Coldwell threw a big dummy to his right before diving over close to the play the ball with two defenders hanging off him.

    Playing right centre against Casino RSM, Damon Coldwell scored a simple try from around five metres out scoring after an impressive Lismore Marist Brothers back line movement.

    Against the Kyogle Turkeys in the 2019 Group One U15 competition Damon Coldwell produced an outstanding fifteen metre run from the left centre position including stepping back inside near the line and dragging three Turkey’s defenders over the line with him to score in the left corner.

    Damon Coldwell was loitering behind the play the ball against Ballina and was on hand to receive an inside pass just behind where the ball was played. Even though he was stationary when he received the ball Damon Coldwell highlighted his explosive acceleration to take off and crash through a number of tackles to score adjacent to the left up-right from four metres out.

    Damon Coldwell scored an outstanding individual try against Casino RSM in the Group One U15 competition when he ran from dummy half to the left around thirty five metres out. Damon Coldwell broke through the initial Casino RSM defensive line with a subtle dummy to his left before stepping off his right foot to beat a second defender. Damon Coldwell then accelerated between two defenders leaving them clutching at thin air before beating a fifth defender by dummying past the fullback to score a scintillating try in the left corner.

    With the Casino RSM defence scrambling after a long Lismore Marist Brothers break, Damon Coldwell, playing left centre received the ball from the dummy half down a shortish left blindside and took advantage of the confusion in the defensive line to easily cross after a ten metre run (read jog) to score near the left corner.

    Damon Coldwell scored an outstanding individual try against the South Grafton Rebels. Damon Coldwell took the ball off the dummy half down a short blind side on the right of the field and produced an outstanding chip with his right foot from ten metres out and with the subsequent regather was able to barge his way over from close range to score in the right corner with two South Grafton defenders hanging off him.

    Damon Coldwell was named on the interchange bench for the Group One U15 Taipans representative side for the New South Wales Country Age Championships that were held in Port Macquarie in late September2019.

    Damon Coldwell scored in Group One’s Northern Plate 40 – 10 win over Group 19 and scored again in Group One’s Northern Plate semi-final loss 38 – 12 to Central Coast.

    In May 2019 Damon Coldwell was named in the NSW Country U15 Gold side for the NSW Rugby Age Championships after representing the Far North Coast Dolphins in the 2019 NSW Country Championships held in Lismore.

    Damon Coldwell also represented Ballina Coast High School in multiple school boy rugby league competitions in 2019 including being part of the Ballina Coast High School side that won the 2019 U15 Titans Cup when they won all four of their matches on the same day and in fact Damon Coldwell was named player of the day such was his dominance.

    Ballina Coast’s wing were against Alstonville High School 11 – 10 in Round One, St Joseph’s Banora Point 20 – 4 in Round Two, Woodlawn College 12 – 6 in the semi-final and Alstonville once again 18 – 6 in the Grand Final.

    2018 saw Damon Coldwell represent Group One in the 2018 U14 New South Wales Country Age Championships.

    From a club rugby league perspective, Damon Coldwell played the 2018 season with Lismore in the U14 Group One competition, finishing as the competitions fourth highest try scorer with 17 tries from just fourteen matches finishing with a 121% strike rate.

    Damon Coldwell scored a late season hat trick against Grafton and doubles against Casino RSM, Kyogle, Grafton and Ballina two matches in consecutive matches in July 2018. Damon Coldwell also scored in matches against Ballina, Kyogle and Clarence Coast.

    In addition Damon Coldwell played in three Group One U16.5 matches in 2018, making his debut against Kyogle in May and also playing in matches against South Grafton and Casino RSM over the course of the season.

    In the U14 New South Wales Country Age Championships for Group One Damon Coldwell played in all four of Group One’s matches including the Northern Plate Final against Group 19 which Group One won 38 – 12. In the Final Damon Coldwell scored an outstanding hat trick and also scored earlier in the Championships against Newcastle, a try which he scored with five minutes to go to seal the victory for Group One.

    Damon Coldwell also played club rugby in 2018 in two separate competitions being the U14 Far North Coast competition for Wollongbar/Alstonville where a team mate was fellow Titans Development Squad member and Ballina Coast High School student Desmond Ferguson and the Gold Coast U15 rugby competition also for Wollongbar/Alstonville with Desmond Ferguson once again being a team mate.

    In the 2018 U14 Far Norther Coast competition, Damon Coldwell played in eight matches, including starting the Grand Final in the centres in their 15 – 0 loss against Casuarina/Tweed and scored sixteen tries.

    Damon Coldwell scored four tries in Round Ten against Lismore, hat tricks against Lennox Head in Rounds Five and Nine and also scored doubles in matches against Lismore in Rounds Four and Seven and against Lennox Head in the first week of the Finals.

    Damon Coldwell came into the U14 Wollongbar/Alstonville side in Round Four against Lismore starting on the bench. He started on the right wing in Round Five against Lennox Head for his first start before starting on the bench again in Round Seven against Lismore.

    Damon Coldwell broke into the starting side for good in Round Eight against Casuarina/Tweed when he started in the centres where he stayed for the remainder of the season.

    In 2018, Damon Coldwell also played eight matches for Wollongbar/Alstonville in the Gold Coast Rugby U15 competition playing his first match in Round Two against the Helensvale Hogs celebrating with a try after starting the match on the right wing.

    Damon Coldwell also scored a double in Round Nine against Casino and also scored in Rounds Three and Eight against the Gold Coast Eagles and PBC Alleygators respectively.

    Damon Coldwell played four matches on the right wing, one on the left wing (Round Three against the Gold Coast Eagles) and three at outside centre in Rounds Eight to Ten against PBC Alleygators, Casino and Surfers Dolphins respectively.

    2018 also saw Damon Coldwell represent Far North Coast region in touch alongside Titans contracted Rowan Mansfield.

    From a running perspective, Damon Coldwell just seems to glide across the field and it appears effortless, no matter who is chasing him, they will not catch Damon Coldwell, I am talking James Roberts type of pace but he has a much more effortless running style to that of the current Brisbane Bronco.

    Damon Coldwell does not necessarily have a side step per say, it is more of a swerve and he has a number of variations, with the scary part being that there is absolutely no loss of speed at all, making him incredibly difficult to stop when he is in open space and is moving towards a fullback who is near stationary.

    Damon Coldwell’s passing skills are also developing into those of the highest quality, he can pass equally well from either side of his body and can throw every type of pass imaginable, Damon Coldwell can chime into a back line at full pace and then decelerate quickly to maintain his balance a pop a good short ball to his supports, Damon Coldwell can throw a great spiral pass to his backline or Damon Coldwell can quickly anticipate the defensive numbers a throw a great cut out pass to exploit over laps.

    Defensively Damon Coldwell also stands out, with his closing speed and recovery speed he makes an impact on that side of the ball as well. With his speed, Damon Coldwell has the luxury of being able to stand a touch deeper than some fullbacks yet still be able to close quickly to negate breaks by reducing the decision making time of the attacking player.

    Similar to the attributes that make Damon Coldwell such an effective defender, Damon Coldwell is as you would expect a great returner of the ball. His sense of timing, speed and anticipation means that he gets to a lot of kicks on the full and then accelerates looking to exploit any gaps on the kick chase.

    Damon Coldwell exceptional lateral movement and sure hands means that he is a danger to make a large amount of ground from short attacking kicks by the opposition as he comes forward at full speed and retrieves with absolutely no loss of momentum and then will surprise the attacking team well before they can reorganise the defensive line.

    Damon Coldwell in 2022 has a couple of options, he may chose to move up the coast and push for a spot in the 2022 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition with Tweed Heads, Burleigh or a side in Brisbane or he may chose to stay in Ballina where Damon Coldwell would be a sure fire selection in the Ballina Seagulls NRRRL First Grade side come Round One of the 2022 competition.

    The 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 season’s saw Damon Coldwell play in the centres, at fullback and on the wing in both rugby and rugby league but with his size and power, outstanding speed, body control and balance, I would think that Damon Coldwell will be given every opportunity to stay in the centres long term, specifically left centre where he spent the majority of the 2021 season.

    I note for completeness that Damon Coldwell also spent some time at five eight for Lismore Marist Brothers in 2019 and Ballina in 2020, although I believe that this was more as a result of the coaches wanting the ball in his hands (which is more than fair enough) as much as possible rather than an indicator of where Jamal Laurie’s positional future may lie.

    If for whatever reason a move away from centre is considered, Damon Coldwell projects as an outstanding try scoring winger who if he gets the ball early will tear opposing defences apart, you just have to consider what he did in the New South Wales Country U14 Plate Final as an indicator of Damon Coldwell’s immense potential.

    It was interesting to see Damon Coldwell spend time at fullback in 2020 and looking at his skill attributes and his speed and power I can see why coaches are looking to see how Damon Coldwell goes there. Whilst I ultimately think that Damon Coldwell will settle in the centres in coming seasons, moving him to see how Damon Coldwell goes at fullback could well prove to be a master stroke.

    For me, when he is fit and firing Souths Sydney Rabbitohs and former Sydney Roosters and New South Wales State of Origin and Australian International Latrell Mitchell is the best centre (let’s forget his time at fullback in early 2020 for Souths Sydney) in the game at present and therefore is a more than apt comparison for the exciting Damon Coldwell.

    Both Mitchell and Damon Coldwell play at left centre (although Damon Coldwell did also spend time at right centre this season and fullback and five eight) and the skill set, power and sheer potential are eerily equilivant. Like Mitchell, Damon Coldwell presents intriguing possibilities as a powerful ball running fullback and there is no doubt he will be given opportunities to refine his game there in coming seasons.

    Damon Coldwell has as much raw talent and potential as any young centre that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing play.

  4. #1594
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Kai Smallwood. In early October 2020 Kai Smallwood was part of the 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 Round One of the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition, Kai Smallwood started at halfback for the Bilambil Jets as they took on the Murwillumbah Mustangs operating on the left side of the field in the Jets 24 – 18 first up victory.

    Kai Smallwood recorded a try assist in the 32nd minute of the match when from twenty five metres out he dummied to his right and got halfway through the line before offloading to a flying support runner to score wide out.

    Kai Smallwood also started at halfback in Round Two against the Tweed Coast Raiders recording another try assist in the Jets 22 – 16 victory.

    In the 32nd minute, Kai Smallwood took the ball down a wide right blindside dummying to both sides of his body before looking once again to his outside and held the ball up nicely before putting his right centre into a gaping hole and from there the centre raced thirty metres to score in the right corner.

    Kai Smallwood added a darting run down a left blindside in the 25th minute to his match highlight reel, making eighteen metres in the process.

    Kai Smallwood continued his run of starts at halfback in Round Three against Northern United having an exceptional match in the Jets big 44 – 4 win. For me, Kai Smallwood was easily the best player on the field, scoring two tries and recording three try assists as well as kicking six conversions to finish with an individual points haul of twenty points, being 45% of Bilambil’s total points in the match.

    Kai Smallwood scored his first try in the 20th minute of the match with Kai Smallwood passing the ball to his right and then backing up on the inside to receive the ball back and then Kai Smallwood was able to run thirty metres untouched to put the ball down under the posts.

    Kai Smallwood added his second try in the 32nd minute when once again he was operating on the right,. Kai Smallwood ran the ball down a short right blind side, running at the lien from ten metres out. Kai Smallwood dummied to his right before slicing through the line to score five metres in from the right corner post.

    Kai Smallwood’s initial try assist came in just the 11th minute when he received the ball on the left side of the field, dummying to his inside before popping a good short pass to his left to put Connor Jenner into a gap five metres out with the second rower diving over.

    Kai Smallwood added his second try assist in the in the 17th minute. After receiving the ball on the right, Kai Smallwood double pumped his pass to put Jye Brady into a gap with the lock running twenty metres to score.

    The 47th minute say Kai Smallwood record his third try assist when he threw a long cut out pass to his right that was taken by Jye Brady who comfortably scored.

    Kai Smallwood could have had a fourth try assist when he drifted to his left to put Cooper Jenner into a gap five metres out but his final pass was called forward.

    Kai Smallwood continued at halfback in Round Four as the Jets took on the Cudgen Hornets in their local derby with Kai Smallwood involved in the opening minute of the match when he put up a towering bomb on the 5th tackle that forced the Cudgen fullback to bring the ball out of his own in-goal.

    Kai Smallwood also started at halfback in Round Five against the Kyogle Turkeys and was everywhere recording a try assist and three line break assists.

    Kai Smallwood’s try assist came in the 17th minute when he through a cut-out pass to his right to put his right second rower over wide out.

    The first of Kai Smallwood’s three line break assist came in the 35th minute when he ran the ball to the left side of the field to put William James into a gap and then just three minutes later in the 38th minute, this time on the right side of the field, Kai Smallwood ran the ball and whilst holding off one defender through a right arm flick pass for his right second rower to charge twenty metres downfield.
    Kai Smallwood’s third line break assist came in the 55th minute when a good cut-out pass to his right put his right centre into a yawning gap.

    It was not all about just setting of others in the match for Kai Smallwood as in the 14th minute he took the line on himself when he ran the ball on the right, dummying to the same direction to slice through the defensive line before a left foot step enabled Kai Smallwood to beat another defender before he was eventually brought to ground after making eighteen metres.

    Kai Smallwood also produced an enthusiastic piece of play in the 20th minute when he chased hard a Michael Roberts kick that bounced in the Kyogle in-goal to, along with Michael Roberts, tackle the Kyogle fullback three metres out from his own line.

    Continuing at halfback in Round Six against Kai Smallwood added another try assist and line break to his exceptional 2021 season.

    In the 27th minute, after receiving the ball on the right, Kai Smallwood drafted across field in the same direction, drawing in the defence and throwing a good ball to put his right centre into a gap and over from twenty metres.

    Kai Smallwood took it upon himself to break the Casino RSM line in the 29th minute when he produced a show and go to split the line but his pass inside once he was through the line went to ground.

    Interestingly Kai Smallwood was named at lock in Round Nine against the Byron Bay Devils with the jersey number change paying dividends with Kai Smallwood scoring a double.

    Kai Smallwood scored his opening try in the 16th minute of the match through a great solo effort. Kai Smallwood received the ball when he was operating as first receiver twenty metres from the line and to the right of the play the ball. After dummying to his right, Kai Smallwood put in a short grubber through the line, regathering ten metres out before stepping off his left foot near the try line to beat a cover defender before getting across the line ten metres in from the right corner post.

    Kai Smallwood’s second try came in the 36th minute when he backed up on the inside of a long break down the left channel by William James. As the cover defence converged on him, William James kicked inside and Kai Smallwood was on the spot to retrieve the ball to run fifteen metres to score.

    Kai Smallwood continued at lock in Round Ten against the Marist Brothers Rams as well as in Round Eleven against the Ballina Seagulls before moving back to halfback for Round Twelve against the Tweed Coast Raiders when he scored one try and set up another.

    Kai Smallwood himself in the 45th minute when whilst operating on right side of the field, twenty five metres out from the line, Kai Smallwood put in a short grubber for himself with Kai Smallwood retrieving the ball in front of the fullback and then was able to bring the ball around to put it down under the posts.

    Kai Smallwood also recorded a 60th minute try assist when after receiving the ball on the right put Caleb Case into a gap with the centre crossing on the right side of the field.

    For the late starting 2020 Group 18 club season, Kai Smallwood moved to South Tweed where he was named as U16 captain and was a stand out in Round One as the Bears defeated the Cudgen Hornets 36 – 26.

    After an outstanding 2020 Group 18 U16 regular season Kia Smallwood also starred in South Tweed’s Grand Final victory 20 – 16 over Murwillumbah, with Kia Smallwood being named Player of the Grand Final after starting the match in the halves.

    In the regular season in the 2020 Group 18 U16 season, South Tweed won seven games and lost three, along the way scoring 210 points and conceding 160 to finish with a +50 points differential.

    In late 2020 Kai Smallwood was named in the 2021 Tweed Coast Giants U16/17 Boys Oztag squad.

    In early in October 2019 the quick stepping young half or five eight was part of a Titans U14/15 NRRRL Invitational side that played the Titans U14 Gold Coast/Brisbane Academy side in a development match at Tweed Heads Seagulls Piggabeen ground with Kai Smallwood’s side going down 32 – 10 in an exciting and entertaining match.

    It was great to see Kia Smallwood named on the extended bench for the Round Five local derby against the North Coast Bulldogs even though he did not make the final seventeen for the match. His selection showed that he was there or there abouts and his rugby league projection continues to be on track.

    Kai Smallwood was part of the Group 18 representative U15 side that played at the 2019 New South Wales Country Age Championships held in Port Macquarie in September. In those Championships Kai Smallwood started in the halves in all three of Group 18’s matches and scoring eighteen points in the process to finish as Group 18’s leading point’s scorer at the Championships.

    Kai Smallwood scored on Day Two against Newcastle, kicking three goals in that match as well to finish with ten points in an 18 all draw. On Day One Kai Smallwood kicked three goals against Central Coast and then backed that up by kicking a conversion later in the day against Group Three.

    Late in the 2019 season Kai Smallwood was named the 2019 Group 18 U15 representative teams best back.

    Kai Smallwood played the 2019 club rugby league season with Bilambil in the Group 18 U15 competition and in fact was named player of the Grand Final as Bilambil defeated Byron Bay/Lennox Head in a high quality encounter.

    In late 2019 Kai Smallwood headed to Sydney to trial for the 2020 New South Wales Koori U16 side with fellow Titan Michael Roberts.

    Kai Smallwood also represented Group 18 in 2018 at the U14 level at the New South Wales Age Championships. In 2018 Kai Smallwood scored a double in Group 18’s first match against Group 21.

    From an attacking perspective at this stage of his career Kia Smallwood is more of a runner of the ball rather than necessarily being an organiser but certainly there are flashes that show Kia Smallwood is more than capable of being an organiser and leading his side around the field taking into account the game plan and state of the game.

    Kia Smallwood’s regularly looks to take the line on himself with above average to near plus speed off the mark as well as exceptional evasive skills to complement his speed off the mark, Kia Smallwood is especially effective later in halves when the big forwards start to visibly fatigue.

    In the second half of last year, Kia Smallwood started to balance his game more and started to become more of a distributor and play maker. Kia Smallwood has always had this ability but as he has progressed up in age groups you can see that his understanding the game and his role in it with a more balanced approach to strategy and the game plan.

    Defensively Kia Smallwood is a feisty young man whose attitude and effectiveness in defence defies his size. He will take on any size opponent and even against the biggest of opponents will get in front of them and aim to fit them as hard as possible. Against opponents closer to his size Kia Smallwood will aggressively make the tackle and let his opponent know about it.

    From a position perspective, Kia Smallwood is only small in stature but with his organisational skills developing and speed off the mark nearing the plus category I believe that his best position as he transitions to senior rugby league is in the half back position. It would be interesting to see how Kia Smallwood would go at fullback with his elusive running style however.

    The 2022 season will see Kai Smallwood line up once again in Bilambil Jets colours in the NRRRL U18 competition for the second season in a row. Kai Smallwood is also is a likely member of the 2022 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup squad.

    For me Kai Smallwood has a similar playing style to that of former Titan and current Brisbane Bronco Albert Kelly. Like Kelly Kai Smallwood has the speed off the mark to be able to exploit gaps and also has a bit of unpredictability about him which keeps defensive lines honest especially when he runs with the ball in two hands.

    With continued development of his play making and passing skills Kai Smallwood has intriguing potential for the coming seasons. Kia Smallwood is a solid goal kicker as well and a developing tactical kicker who has the potential to be his side’s first choice kicker in both disciplines in future seasons.

  5. #1595
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Andreas Mariner. The giant, powerful young man moved over from Auckland, New Zealand and the start of 2021 to the Gold Coast to attend Titans partnered Keebra Park State High School as part of their Rugby League program.

    Round One of the 2021 Langer Cup School Boy Rugby League competition saw Andreas Mariner named on the bench for Keebra Park against Marsden State High School.

    Andreas Mariner moved into the Keebra Park starting side in the front row for Round Two against Mabel Park State High School.

    Inr Round Three of the Langer Cup Reserve competition against Ipswich State High School, Andreas Mariner started in the fron row and scored Keebra Park’s only try of the match when he charged over from close range with defenders everywhere.

    Andreas Mariner played his first rugby league trial for Keebra Park in February 2021 and in late April started in the front row for Keebra Park in their Titans Cup Year 11/12 Division One Round One 14 – 12 victory over Marymount College.

    In 2021 Andreas Mariner played for the Springfield Panthers in the Ipswich Rugby League U17 Division One competition with his first appearance for the Panthers coming in Round Four when he started in the front row against Goonda Black and also started in the front row in Round Six against Brothers Ipswich.

    Andreas Mariner continued in the front row in Round Seven against Brother Blue and scored his first try of the season in the Panthers victory.

    Andreas Mariner also started in the front row in Round Eight against Ipswich Brothers White and continued in the front row in Round Ten against Norths Blue. Andreas Mariner then continued in the front row in Round Eleven against Goodna Black and Round Twelve against Redbank Plains Red.

    In the opening round of the 2021 Ipswich Rugby League U17 Division One Finals series, Andreas Mariner started in the from row for the Springfield Panthers against North’s Blue.

    In late 2020, Andreas Mariner started from the bench for the Auckland U16 side that played a South Island U16 squad with Andreas Mariner performing well in his stints in the front row in each half in Auckland’s big victory.

    Andreas Mariner played his club rugby league in Auckland in 2020 with the Marist Saints after playing for the Glenora Bears previously. Also in 2020 Andreas Mariner played rugby league for Kelston Boys High in their various rugby league competitions.

    Also in 2020, Andreas Mariner captained the Hakula Rugby League side when they travelled to Sydney to play a Sydney based Tongan heritage side with Andreas Mariner captaining one of the U16 sides that came over from New Zealand.

    Playing for the Auckland U16 side in 2020 was not the first time that Andreas Mariner has made a representative side, with the powerhouse being named in the Akarana Falcons U15 side Auckland representative for the 2019 New Zealand U15 National Youth Tournament and in 2018 Andreas Mariner was a member of the U14 Auckland representative side.

    Andreas Mariner has also previously played rugby and in 2017 at the U13 level, he started at No. 8 for the Auckland Schools representative side from Wesley Intermediate School.

    Andreas Mariner is a big, strong, solidly built young front rower with size and a low centre of gravity, which makes him quite difficult to tackle, especially in a one on one situation when he is running directly at an opponent.

    There is little subtlety to his game, Andreas Mariner runs straight and hard, with the only concession to this being a slight step off either foot on occasion prior to the initial contact with the defensive line. Put simply Andreas Mariner runs straight and hard.

    One thing that Andreas Mariner does do will however is continuing to pump his legs once his initial momentum is temporarily halted by the defensive line, Andreas Mariner makes more metres than he should as a result and also forces defending teams to commit multiple defensive assets to stopping his progress. In those circumstances Andreas Mariner is adept at getting to his feet quickly and playing the ball quickly.

    When opponents try to go higher and tackle him around the chest, Andreas Mariner is able to shrug them off and maintain his momentum forward and as a consequence teams have to commit multiple resources to stop him.

    The best way to look to combat Andreas Mariner is to tackle him around the legs but even then Andreas Mariner is adept at dropping his shoulder at the opportune moment to make even that type of tackle difficult to execute on the big strong young man.

    Andreas Mariner does not necessarily have a real off load to his attacking game, but that is not his role, his role is to take the ball into the heart of the opposition’s defensive line and make as many metres as possible.

    Like his attacking game, Andreas Mariner’s defensive attributes and execution are relatively simple, he moves up and hits the ball carrier as hard as he can, as often as he can, full stop. Andreas Mariner is obviously best suited to defending in the centre of the ruck and that is where you will almost always find him and for a solidly built young player, Andreas Mariner moves well in terms of moving up and back in defence including his lateral mobility.

    In 2022 Andreas Mariner will continue push for playing time in the Keebra Park Langer Cup Open A and GIO Cup school boy sides as well as play club rugby league at the U19 level in the Ipswich Rugby League competition.

    Andreas Mariner is a solidly built powerful young man with a low centre of gravity and whilst he has surprising mobility it seems that Andreas Mariner has been and will also be a front rower.

    With the a fore mentioned powerful, solid frame and low centre of gravity a player comparison to Penrith Panthers front rower Moses Leota is not at all unreasonable in relation to Andreas Mariner. Andreas Mariner is not as tall as Leota but has the same fearless hard charging, take no prisoners running style and attitude as the Penrith Panthers front rower.

  6. #1596
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Tahrell Feaveai. The strong powerfully built front rower or lock with a low centre of gravity and currently attends Wavell State High School in Brisbane’s northern suburbs and recently signed a multi-year contract with the Titans in a big coup for the club who beat more than a couple of other NRL suitors to land the exceptional talent.

    In 2021 Tahrell Feaveai was part of the Norths Devils MM Cup squad and started Round One of the competition against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls off the bench, coming on in the 21st minute of the match to play in the middle of the field.

    Some of Tahrell Feaveai’s charges in the Round One match were simply outstanding (and fearsome) including one burst in the first half where Tahrell Feaveai charged onto the ball, knocking the initial Seagulls defender backwards, then bouncing to his left and making a further ten metres, certainly more than 50% of Tahrell Feaveai’s metres in that run alone were definitely post contact.

    Tahrell Feaveai almost found himself on the Devils try scoring list when in the 32nd minute, he ran a straight crash line to the right of the play the ball from just three metres out. Tahrell Feaveai actually got over the line but could not get the ball down before being forced back into the field of play by the Wynnum Manly defence.

    Tahrell Feaveai continued his strong match with a strong first hit-up off Wynnum Manly’s kick-off to get the second half underway. Even against a straight defensive line coming towards him, Tahrell Feaveai was still able to get the ball out over the twenty metre mark to get Norths onto the front foot to start the second half in decent field position.

    Tahrell Feaveai moved into the Devils starting side at lock in Round Two against the Easts Tigers, scoring early in the first half of Norths big win. Tahrell Feaveai scored when he charged onto a pass (offload) from his left around three metres out and caught the defenders totally unaware due to the speed that he ran onto the ball. Tahrell Feaveai got the ball down mid-way between the corner posts and uprights on the left side of the field, with three Tigers defenders trying in vain to stop Tahrell Feaveai from scoring.

    Tahrell Feaveai scored once again in Round Three against the Redcliffe Dolphins after starting the match in the front row with his try coming in the second half, in the 56th minute of the match to be precise.

    Once again Tahrell Feaveai charged onto the ball taking the ball twenty metres out and flew through a gap before easily rounding the Dolphins fullback by veering to his right and score under the posts. As was the case against the Tigers, it was the speed of his run that meant Tahrell Feaveai was able to break the back of the defence that was arrayed against him.

    In addition to his try, Tahrell Feaveai proved to be devastating running with the ball especially in terms of restarts whether the restarts related to Redcliffe kick-offs or goal line drop outs, of which there was a few of both.

    Tahrell Feaveai also started in the front row in Round Four against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls and in Round Five against the Easts Tigers.

    Round Six being the final regular season round of the 2021 MM Cup competition saw Tahrell Feaveai line up in the front row against Redcliffe.

    In the Queensland Rugby League 2021 MM Cup Player of the Year Award Tahrell Feaveai was awarded two votes.

    In May 2021 Tahrell Feaveai was part of the Met North QSSRL school boy representative side and started their Day One match in the front row against South Coast.

    Tahrell Feaveai had a solid opening match of the Championships starting with a strong run in the 7th minute when he cut back underneath his five eight making twenty metres to get the ball to near the halfway mark. Tahrell Feaveai also produced another strong run in the 9th minute, getting the ball into South Coast territory with an eleven metre effort.

    Tahrell Feaveai also started in the front row on Day Two as Met North took on South Coast Maroon and had strong runs including in the 33rd minute when a sixteen metres charge from Tahrell Feaveai was only shut down by the South Coast Maroon defence less than ten metres from the try line.

    Tahrell Feaveai also started in the front row in the Championship Final against South Coast with one of his best charges coming in the 35th minute when he burst through the South Coast defence to get to thirty metres out from the line after an eighteen metre charge.

    In 2021 Tahrell Feaveai was part of the Wavell State High School Langer Cup squad once again starting Round One in the front row agaisnt St Mary’s College Toowoomba.

    Tahrell Feaveai dropped back to the bench for Round Two against Coombabah State High School and was one of Wavell’s try scorers in their big win. In the 32nd minute Tahrell Feaveai was hit by the Coombabah SHS defence as soon as he received the ball thirteen metres out from the line, but kept fighting including a period when Tahrell Feaveai was spun around with his back to the try line and kept dragging three defenders towards the line before breaking free and crashing over between two more defenders mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

    Tahrell Feaveai also started from the bench in Round Three against Marsden State High School but was back in the starting side in the front row for Round Four against Mabel Park State High School and Round Five against Ipswich State High School. Tahrell Feaveai then moved to lock for the Round Six match against Keebra Park State High School.

    In 2020 Tahrell Feaveai, at just 16 years old, broke into the Wavell State High School’s Langer Cup Open A side starting Round One of the elite South East Queensland School Boy competition at lock against Keebra Park, with the young man having a huge Open A school boy debut for Wavell State High School, scoring a double in Wavell’s impressive first up 38 – 24 victory.

    Tahrell Feaveai’s first try came around ten metres into the match and was a result of strength and perseverance. After taking a hit-up which got Tahrell Feaveai to with-in ten metres of the Keebra Park line just to the left of the uprights, he got to his feet and after the next hit-up, Tahrell Feaveai backed up to take another hit-up, once again to the left of the play the ball. Tahrell Feaveai took the ball off the dummy half around eight metres out engaging the Keebra Park line still four metres out from the line, Tahrell Feaveai kept fighting and near the line spun around clockwise to get the ball down under the posts with three Keebra Park defenders trying to hold him up.

    Tahrell Feaveai’s second try of the match once again came through strong, hard, straight running. Wavell SHS received a penalty directly in front of the posts, Tahrell Feaveai took the ball from the tap restart ten metres out and twice stepped to his left to beat multiple defenders and also produced a strong fend to hold another Keebra park off to crash over thirteen metres to the left of the uprights.

    Tahrell Feaveai maintained his place in Wavell SHS’s Langer Cup Round Two starting side at lock against PBC in a great match that finished in an 18 all draw as well as in Round Three against Marsden State High School, a match that turned into a defensive battle with Wavell SHS prevailing 12 – 6.

    Tahrell Feaveai continued his run of starts at lock in Round Four against St Mary’s College and scored his third try of the 2021 Langer Cup competition as Wavell accounted for their Toowoomba based opponents 36 – 4.

    Tahrell Feaveai was heavily involved in the lead up to his try early in the second half with a strong run that got the ball to ten metres out and directly in front of the posts, being awarded a penalty in the process after not being allowed to get to his feet to play the ball by the St Mary’s defence. From the penalty restart, Wavell got to within three metres of the line to the right of the goal posts. Tahrell Feaveai took the second hit-up of the set of six after the penalty being awarded, charging onto a short ball from the dummy half to the left of the ruck to barge over with the three defenders having no chance to stop him.

    Tahrell Feaveai started at lock in Round Five as Wavell SHS qualified for the semi-finals even though they went down 6 – 4 against Ipswich State High School and also started at lock in Wavell’s semi-final loss to Keebra Park SHS.

    Also in 2020 Tahrell Feaveai played for the Norths Devils in the GBJRL U16 Division One competition and started at lock in the Devils 24 – 10 Grand Final victory over the Redcliffe Dolphins after initially being named on the bench earlier in the week of the Grand Final.

    Tahrell Feaveai ran the ball strongly in the Grand Final with the first of his many strong charges coming in the 14th minute when he ran the ball back from a Redcliffe drop out, taking the ball on the forty metre mark, to get the ball back in the twenty metre mark.

    Just two minutes later in the 16th minute, Tahrell Feaveai charged onto the ball from ten metres out to the right of the play the ball to get within centremetres of the try line directly under the posts on the fifth and last tackle.

    Tahrell Feaveai continued his strong first half in the 28th minute when a strong run to the left of the play the ball starting fifteen metres out, breaking three tackles to get the ball within five metres of the line. Tahrell Feaveai was not allowed to get to his feet quickly with Norths kicking a penalty goal from the related penalty.

    Tahrell Feaveai was in the action early in the second half taking the hit-up after Redcliffe restarted the second half from the kick-off, initially receiving the ball in his own in-goal and getting the ball out to his own twenty metre mark.

    Tahrell Feaveai also had a strong match for Norths in their 54 – 8 Preliminary Final victory against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, scoring a devastating second half hat trick after coming off the bench midway through the first half.

    Tahrell Feaveai’s first of his three tries came in just the second minute of the second half when he received the ball four passes from the play the ball, with the ball being spun by Norths from the right of the field towards the left. Initially when he received the ball eighteen metres out from the line, Tahrell Feaveai looked to continue to promote the ball further left but instead brought the ball back into his body and charged towards the line, dragging three defenders over the line with him to get the ball down fifteen metres to the left of the uprights.

    Tahrell Feaveai’s second try came in the 20th minute of the second half when he ran onto a pass from his left which put him into a big gap twenty five metres out. Tahrell Feaveai dummied to his left to beat the Seagulls fullback and over under the posts.

    Tahrell Feaveai completed his hat trick in the 32nd minute of the second half when once again he backed up a break, this time by the Devils five eight, receiving the offload from his left and then Tahrell Feaveai was able to cross the try line five metres to the left of the uprights.

    Tahrell Feaveai in fact could well have scored four tries but after a bustling effort from close range late in the first half, but ultimately, he was dragged down just centremetres short.

    As noted above Tahrell Feaveai had an outstanding 2020 GBJRL U16 Division One finals series, but he was also outstanding in the Covid shortened regular season.

    In Round Five against Aspley, Tahrell Feaveai may have started on the bench but he made a big impact after coming on, including scoring a hat trick.

    Tahrell Feaveai’s first try came just after he came on, when in the 20th minute when from twenty metres out from the seond play after a Norths penalty restart, Tahrell Feaveai received the ball two passes off the ruck, running into a gap before stepping off his left to beat the Aspley fullback to score under the posts.

    The 2nd minute of the second half saw Tahrell Feaveai cross for his second try. Tahrell Feaveai received the ball two passes to the left of the dummy half fifteen metres out. Tahrell Feaveai broke two tackles getting through the initial Aspley defensive line beofer he ran directly over the fullback to score under the posts.

    Tahrell Feaveai completed his hat trick in the 29th minute of the second half when he backed up a long range, received the ball from his right. After palming off the first defender he encountered with a left arm fend, Tahrell Feaveai broke a further tackle before dragging another Aspley defender over the try line ten metres in from the left corner post.

    Tahrell Feaveai’s first involvement of the match after coming on in the first half was a fifteen metre run that took Norths over the halfway mark. Tahrell Feaveai was able to draw a penalty at the conclusion of his run as a result of the Aspley defence not allowing him to his feet quickly enough.

    Tahrell Feaveai was awarded another penalty, once again for not ebing allowed to his feet quickly after making ten metres from the second hit-up of the second half.

    In the 11th minute of the second half Tahrell Feaveai once again proved to be a handful for the Aspley defence on the way to making eighteen metres after receiving the ball to the left of the dummy half and using his elite footwork to navigatge his way through the centre of the ruck.

    Tahrell Feaveai then broke through the Aspley defensive line in the 25th minute of the second half, making twenty five metres, beaking two tackles before a right arm offlaod saw the Norths attack continue.

    Starting at left second row in Round Eight against Logan Brothers, Tahrell Feaveai scored once again, this time in the 18th minute of the first half. After receiving the ball two passes to the left of the play the ball, Tahrell Feaveai ran straight over the Logan Brothers five eight to score from fifteen metres and ten metres to the left of the uprights.

    A few minutes earlier in the 13th minute, Tahrell Feaveai was heavily involved in North’s opening try of their 44 – 22 win when he showed quick hands to first receive the ball and then pass to his left down a short left blind side play in plenty of traffic.

    Probably Tahrell Feaveai’s best run of the match came in the 41st minute when after Logan Brothers were finished for being offside at a kick-off, Tahrell Feaveai rumbled forty metres downfield to get the ball to within ten metres of the try line, breaking at least seven tackles along the way.

    Whilst Tahrell Feaveai may not have scored in Round Ten against Redcliffe he still had a big influence on the match, coming on towards the end of the first half to play in the left second row position.

    Tahrell Feaveai got within three metres of scoring late in the first half when he bustling run of ten metres saw him get close to the line.

    Tahrell Feaveai was in the action early in the second half, taking just the second hit-up of the half bullocking ten metres and then in the 8th minute, Tahrell Feaveai did the same again from the kick-off to another Norths try from the Devils five eight.

    In the 20th minute, Tahrell Feaveai flew out of the defensive line and smashed the Logan Brothers five eight, forcing the ball loose as a result of his initial contact.

    2019 saw Tahrell Feaveai represent Met East at the QSSRL U15 Championships, starting in the front row for the school boy representative side. As a result of his performances in Ipswich for Met East, Tahrell Feaveai was selected in the Queensland White school boy side for the 2019 U15 ASSRL Championships starting in the front row for Queensland White at the Championships.

    The pace and power in terms of how he runs the ball is the outstanding feature of Tahrell Feaveai’s game, he takes the ball to the line with speed, but Tahrell Feaveai does not just put his head down and rush forward, Tahrell Feaveai uses quick and subtle footwork prior to the line and seems to targets the gaps between defenders and will actively seek out opposing forwards who are slow to move up.

    When the opposition are on the back foot Tahrell Feaveai will target the smaller defenders on the edge of the ruck and burst through and for a big young bloke he has very good speed over the medium term and has the strength to drag defenders with him.

    I would consider that Tahrell Feaveai’s speed would be considered about average for a backrower/lock (and plus when Tahrell Feaveai is playing in the front row) but plays faster as a result of him timing his runs so well that the dummy half can present a flat pass to him and also as a result of the power that Tahrell Feaveai runs at.

    Even though Tahrell Feaveai gets back a long way and charges onto the ball to generate speed, he actually has good speed off the mark and utilises that trait when he runs out of dummy half or when he takes an off load with limited momentum.

    Regularly Tahrell Feaveai gets a quick play the ball as in a lot of his charges he gets partially through the defensive line but it is also due to his functional strength and powerful leg drive. On occasion players who fight for every metre, such as Tahrell Feaveai that impacts on the play the ball, but that is not the case with Tahrell Feaveai as a result of his core strength as he can move defenders off him by using the power in his legs and twisting appropriately to get to his feet quickly.

    Tahrell Feaveai is also very effective close to the opposition try line with his ability to burst through tackles. If the defenders do not rush off their line Tahrell Feaveai will just drag them across the try line with brute force and power.

    With his continued development of which running lines he can utilise, such as running an inside shoulder line when close to the opposition try line Tahrell Feaveai will become even more effective and will be an asset to the entire team as defences compress their line to combat his running thus leaving more room our wide for his play makers to exploit.

    Simply put Tahrell Feaveai is a brute of a ball runner. With his stocky powerful frame, low centre of gravity and bullocking front on running side Tahrell Feaveai is an intimidating runner who excels in terms of returning the ball from kick off and drop outs when he is able to build up momentum and the fact that he never slows his speed when he hits the line.

    The defensive side of his game is similarly impressive, Tahrell Feaveai does not just charge wildly up looking for a huge hit but is calculating in where and when to hit. Quite a few of his tackles resulted in a knock on by the opposition as the ball came loose as a result of the impact of the tackle, he just hits so hard.

    Tahrell Feaveai drives hard with his legs and always uses his shoulder and core body strength to drive into his opponent. With his strength and technique Tahrell Feaveai should likely always be considered a plus defender regardless of the quality of opponent that he is up against.

    Impressive Tahrell Feaveai is one of a rare breed of bigger forwards that can defend equally as well in the centre of the ruck and on the fringes. With his lateral mobility Tahrell Feaveai can mirror the movement of attackers and is able to change direction quickly whilst maintaining balance and body control.

    Having a sound repeatable defensive technique also aids Tahrell Feaveai in being able to effectively defend against a variety of different types of attackers in multiple game situations. Similarly Tahrell Feaveai is a start young man and he is not fooled or distracted by attempted feints by the attacking team and Tahrell Feaveai concentrates on his role in the defensive line and is also able to diagnose attacking plays directed at him and is able to quickly work through his options and make the correct defensive read.

    Terrifyingly for his on-filed opponents, Tahrell Feaveai is still MM Cup eligible in 2022 and he will also be back at Wavell State High School for his senior year, pushing for further school boy representative honours as well as continuing to paly for the Norths Devils in the Brisbane Rugby League competition.

    I know that people see the front row positions and lock as interchangeable these days but I still think that playing lock enables a player to move around the field in attack a bit more and pick and choose where and when to inject himself into the game, thus to that extent I would prefer to see Tahrell Feaveai in the No. 13 jersey although he is definitely no less effective when operating in the front row.

    Tahrell Feaveai is as near a carbon copy for new Canterbury Bulldogs and former Brisbane Broncos and Samoan International forward Tevita Pangai Jnr as I have ever seen. Both are unbelievably powerful players who can smash through a defensive line themselves with speed and subtle last quick foot work and then have the outstanding speed and mobility to convert their own breaks into points.

    In defence both Pangai Jnr and Tahrell Feaveai have strength, power and an outstanding front on tackling technique which means an opposition player will know that they have been hit and hit hard. Equally impressively both can make multiple hard tackles in a row and both have shown the ability to completely take over matches for stretches on their own in both attack and defence.

    I would argue however that Tahrell Feaveai is far less prone to penalties, brain explosions or errors overall that Tevita Pangai Jnr due to his relative calmness on the field which should not however be mistaken for anything but a cold calculating mind set and steely fire and determination on Tahrell Feaveai’s behalf.

    Tahrell Feaveai was impressive in 2020 with Norths in their Premiership winning GBJRL U16 Division One squad but he took another step up in 2021, running the ball even harder, even though I did not think that that was possible, but Tahrell Feaveai certainly proved me very very wrong.

    The Titans have a very special player on their hands with Tahrell Feaveai, of that there can be absolutely no doubt, definitely no doubt at all.

  7. #1597
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Kyhan Weir. The tall front rower had an outstanding start to the 2021 U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition with the Northern Rivers Titans and turned that great start into a contract with the Titans.

    In early May 2021 a Titans U19 side travelled to North Queensland to play an U19 Cowboys selection in a curtain raiser to a Cowboys v Broncos NRL match with Kyhan Weir starting the match on the bench in his first match in a Titans jersey.

    In June 2021 Kyhan Weir 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 with Kyhan Weir starting the match in the front row and drawing praise for his whole hearted performance from Titans Development Staff.

    Kyhan Weir’s selection in the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup squad was in fact surprisingly the first time in his junior rugby league career that Kyhan Weir was selected in any representative side.

    Round One of the 2021 U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition saw Kyhan Weir start in the front row against the Wests Tigers and Kyhan Weir also started in the front row in Round Two against the North Coast Bulldogs and once again was one of the Northern Rivers Titans best in the wet conditions against a far larger forward pack.

    Kyhan Weir also started in the front row in Round Three against the Greater Northern Tigers and produced another impressive display starting with his first run of the match which came in the 3rd minute when after making ground through the centre of the ruck, Kyhan Weir was able to offload to Tanu Nona. Kyhan Weir then backed up to take another hit-up from the next play the ball.

    Kyhan Weir continued his strong match in the 14th minute when he charged into a short pass from Rowan Mansfield surging forty metres downfield, showing some good speed from a front rower before he was brought down.

    Kyhan Weir continued his strong match in the second half with yet another strong run in the 59th minute and won a penalty for the Northern Rivers Titans when he was not allowed to get to his feet quickly to play the ball. Tanu Nona scored from the resultant set of six.

    Kyhan Weir made another strong charge in the 69th minute and once again was awarded a penalty when he was not allowed to get to his feet quickly to play the ball.

    Kyhan Weir also started in the front row in Round Four at Lismore against the Central Coast Roosters and as usual was heavily involved throughout, including taking the hit-up off the Central Coast kick-off and then also taking the fourth hit-up in the same set of six.

    Kyhan Weir was also strong defensively in the match including a strong front on tackle on one of the Central Coast Roosters front rowers in the 36th minute of the first half and then he followed that tackle up by bring down the Roosters half back to make back to back tackles.

    Kyhan Weir continued in the front row in Round Five being the final regular season round against the Newcastle Knights and made his presence felt from the kick off when in conjunction with Patrick Gray crunched the Newcastle front rower who took the ball from the kick-off.

    Kyhan Weir then took the first of his many hit-ups in just the 4th minute of the match and also charged onto the ball in the 17th minute making fifteen metres into the Knights twenty metre zone and then in the 23rd minute produced a good offload to Harvey Moase to keep the ball moving forward.

    Defensively Kyhan Weir also displayed his aggressiveness over the course of the match but also his intensity and effort including making three tackles in a row in the 22nd minute as Newcastle were trying to bring the ball out of their own twenty metre area.

    Kyhan Weir’s aggressiveness came to the fore in the 53rd minute of the match when a strong tackle forced the ball loose from his Newcastle opponent to put the Northern Rivers Titans back on the attack in the Knights territory.

    At the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans Awards Night, Kyhan Weir was presented with the 2021 U18 Laurie Daley Cup Coaches Award.

    For the 2021 NRRRL season, Kyhan Weir moved from Byron Bay to Ballina, starting in the front row for the Seagulls against the Kyogle Turkeys in Round One of the NRRRL U18 competition.

    Kyhan Weir also started in the front row in Round Two against the Byron Bay Devils and was his usual aggressive self in Ballina’s 24 – 18 loss.

    Kyhan Weir had some good moments in the ill tempered match including a great twenty five metre charge through the centre of the Byron Bay ruck before off-loading to his hooker in the 29th minute and Kyhan Weir was able to off-load once again in the 34th minute with another right arm off-load.

    Kyhan Weir also made a crunching tackle in the 54th minute to force the ball loose and regain possession for Ballina just twenty metres out from their try line.

    Kyhan Weir continued in the front row in Round Three against the Tweed Coast Raiders scoring his first try of the season all be it only playing the first half. Kyhan Weir was rested for the second half with Ballina leading 22 – 0.

    Kyhan Weir scored in the 6th minute of the match when he charged onto the ball from four metres out and to the left of the dummy half. Kyhan Weir was just too big and strong for the defence easily bursting through the line to put the ball down under the posts.

    Kyhan Weir’s first contribution in the match came in just the 2nd minute when he charged eighteen metres through the centre of the Tweed Coast forward pack. Then in the 9th minute Kyhan Weir, after a strong run produced a great right armed off-load then just a minute after that produced a left arm flick off-load highlighting his off-loading skill set to both sides of his body.

    Kyhan Weir continued in the front row in Round Four against the Marist Brothers Rams and scored his second try of the season in the 23rd minute. Kyhan Weir’s try was more of the type that you would see from a half or five eight as he received the ball sixteen metres out from the line and ran to his left, initially looking as if he was going to pass to his left but instead pulled the ball back in and crashed over three metres from the left upright.

    Earlier in the match in the 16th minute, Kyhan Weir made a strong sixteen metre charge through the centre of the field, getting the ball to within the opposition twenty metre area.

    Kyhan Weir also started in the front row in Round Five against Casino RSM scoring once again for the Seagulls when in the 40th minute he charged straight through the Casino RSM defence breaking three tackles from fifteen metres out to score a strong try.

    It was obvious that Kyhan Weir was “up” for the match with the tall front rower being involved in the first two tackles of the match after Ballina had kicked off. The in the 19th minute Kyhan Weir made a strong twelve metres run before he was able to get his right arm free and off-load the ball. Kyhan Weir added to his efforts in the 59th minute with a fifteen metre charge to halfway as Ballina tried to arrest a two point deficit.

    Kyhan Weir also started in the front row in Round Eight against Northern United, in Round Eleven against the Bilambil Jets and also in Round Twelve against the Byron Bay Devils.

    Kyhan Weir continued in the front row in Round Thirteen against Murwillumbah and had a big match, especially in the second half, including scoring a key try for the Seagulls in the tight four point victory. Kyhan Weir was in the match almost immediately when after a Murwillumbah error from the kick-off Kyhan Weir took the third hit-up after Ballina’s penalty restart.

    Kyhan Weir’s try came in the 34th minute when he crashed over under the posts from close range after running to his right out of dummy half.

    Kyhan Weir played the entire sixty minutes of the match in the front row and even in the closing minutes of the match with Ballina clinging to a four point lead, Kyhan Weir led the way for the Seagulls, including in the 56th minute with a big ten metre charge on the third tackle from the kick-off to Kye Cooper’s try that gave Ballina the lead. Kyhan Weir, at the end of his run, tried to get to his feet for a quick play the ball but was held down and deservedly won a penalty which allowed Ballina to get the ball deep into Murwillumbah territory.

    Even in the final minute of the match, Kyhan Weir continued his strong match, with two strong hit-ups in that final minute to ensure Ballina’s victory.

    Kyhan Weir was also named to continue in the front row in Round Fourteen against the Cudgen Hornets.

    In Round Three of the NRRRL First Grade competition, starring in the earlier U18 match, Kyhan Weir made his NRRRL First Grade debut for the Ballina Seagulls against the Tweed Coast Raiders. Kyhan Weir also came off the bench in Round Four against the Marist Brothers Rams.

    With the Ballina U18 side having a bye, Kyhan Weir was also on the bench in Round Six against the Mullumbimby Giants, coming on late in the first half. Kyhan Weir also came off the bench in Round Eleven against the Bilambil Jets and was also named to come off the bench in Round Fourteen against the Cudgen Hornets.

    2021 also saw Kyhan Weir play a number of matches in the NRRRL Reserve Grade competition, including coming off the bench in Round Eight against Northern United after playing in the U18 match against the same opponent earlier in the day.

    Kyhan Weir also came off the bench in Round Ten against the Lower Clarence Magpies and was one of the Seagulls try scorers in their 60 – 0 victory when in the 36th minute Kyhan Weir received the ball on the left side of the field as it was spun in that direction by Ballina. Kyhan Weir received the ball in space twelve metres out, dummying to his left before straightening up and crashing over in a tackle ten metres from the left corner post.

    In late March 2021 Kyhan Weir was part of Diocesan of Lismore Opens Squad that attended the Northern Country Catholic Colleges Rugby League Selection Trial that were held at Smithtown with Kyhan Weir starting in the front row in the trials.

    In 2020 Kyhan Weir played for the Byron Bay Devils in the NRRRL U18 competition, playing all of his matches in the front row including the Devils tough Preliminary Final loss to Marist Brothers Rams Lismore.

    Kyhan Weir is quite a tall front rower with plus speed for a front rower, in fact his speed would be above average for a forward of any position. Kyhan Weir uses this speed to impact the defensive at top speed. He does not necessarily get back deep, but his plus speed off the mark as well as plus top speed enables him to still fit the line hard.

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

    Once he impacts the defensive line Kyhan Weir also is adept at redirecting his momentum to address the next defender who is coming in the defend him. Kyhan Weir’s core body strength also enables him to make significant ground after contact dragging defenders with him.

    In defence Kyhan Weir regularly is the first player up to target the ball carriers, even though he is one of the bigger forwards in his team and will make solid initial contact as well as having the ability of defending one on one.

    Kyhan Weir is not averse to looking for the big hit but does have a good front on defensive technique and decent agility and lateral movement when looking to tackle smaller opponents, his technique is also quite decent for a taller player and Kyhan Weir gets low in defence to look to mitigate the possibility of his tackles slipping up around the hard and neck area of shorter opponents.

    Kyhan Weir’s calling card though is the functional strength and power to effectively engage the opposing forward early in their run and use his natural strength to win the forward battle in the centre of the ruck. Kyhan Weir can handle any one on one battle that presents itself from a defensive perspective.

    2021 was the final year that Kyhan Weir is U18 eligible, thus in 2022 I would anticipate that Kyhan Weir will be seen in a Tweed Heads Seagulls jersey in the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition. Kyhan Weir will also be Colts eligible in 2023.

    Kyhan Weir is a big strong tall young man who has outstanding (near elite level) athleticism for his size and thus I can see Kyhan Weir making the NRL as a front rower. Kyhan Weir at this stage is probably on the lighter side for a front rower but has the frame to add weight and additional muscle mass without compromising his athleticism.

    As a result when Kyhan Weir breaks into the senior rugby league ranks (being U20’s and above) it is potentially going to be initially in the second row but as time goes by and Kyhan Weir develops into his frame I would anticipate that Kyhan Weir will ultimately settle into the front row permanently.

    From a style perspective, think along the lines of the Regan Campbell-Gillard of the Parramatta Eels as a tall front rower with good footwork both in attack and defence and he is also a leader on the field who can set the direction and tempo for his team by leading from the front in the most physically demanding position on a football field.

    Kyhan Weir has a lot more aggressiveness in his game than Regan Campbell-Gillard, constantly looking out for his team mates and is the first one there if they are being roughed up in any way at all as was evidenced in the dying seconds of the Laurie Daley Cup match in Round Two against the North Coast Bulldogs when he stared down multiple Bulldogs and then again in Round Five when he stared down a few Central Coast Roosters players who were getting a touch fired up in the dying moments of that hard fought match.

  8. #1598
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Klese Haas. The younger brother of Brisbane Broncos, New South Wales State of Origin and Australian International front rower Payne Haas joined the Titans NRL 2020/21 pre-season training squad for a portion of the off season at least and at just 18 years old, Klese Haas certainly has the potential to be a very positive addition to the Titans Junior Development ranks over the coming seasons.

    Another of Klese Haas’s older brothers, Jonah Haas was previously a member of Titans junior development squads, including playing a number of matches in Titans colours and was also a very solid No. 8 for the TSS First XV GPS school boy rugby side a number of years ago.

    In early May 2021 a Titans U19 side travelled to North Queensland to play an U19 Cowboys selection in a curtain raiser to a Cowboys v Broncos NRL match with Klese Haas starting the match at right second row in his first match in a Titans jersey.

    In 2021 Klese Haas was part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad and started round One at right centre against the Souths Logan Magpies. Klese Hass’s initial involvement in the match came in the second minute, when he along with Vinncent Takatake brought down the the Souths Logan fullback who had brought the ball out of his own in-goal from a Seagulls attacking kick.

    Klese Haas in fact came close to scoring when in the 61st minute a strong run off a Seagulls scrum win accounted for twenty five metres with Klese Haas getting to within three metres of the line.

    Klese Haas almost got over the line again in the 66th minute when a strong ten metre effort got Klese Haas to within centremetres of the line.

    Klese Haas was due to start at right centre in Round Two in the local derby against the Burleigh Bears however he ended up starting the match at right second row with his first involvement preventing a Burleigh try when he intercepted a Burleigh pass literally right on his own line and was able to bring the ball back thirty metres. If Klese Hass had not intercepted the pass, Burleigh would have scored in the right corner.

    Klese Haas added to his contribution to the Seagulls 32 – 24 victory in the 20th minute when he was able to force his way into the Burleigh twenty metre area with a hard fought ten metres of ground.

    Klese Hass moved into dummy half in the 28th minute, making twelve metres after running the ball to the right and getting into the tweny metre attacking zone.

    Klese Haas got within a metre of scoring his first Colts try in the 44th minute when he received the ball to the right of the play the ball, running in that direction before cutting back to the left and getting to within a metre of the line after breaking three tackles.

    Klese Haas proved to be dangerous running with the ball once again in the 61st minute when he packed into a scrum at lock, after picking up the ball from the base of the scrum, Klese Hass ran to the right fending off two would be defenders with his left arm, making twelve metres to get to within two metres of the halfway mark.

    Klese Haas also started at right second row in Round Three against the Redcliffe Dolphins.

    After missing Round Four due to playing for the Titans U19 side, Klese Haas started Round Five against the Northern Pride at right second row and scored his first Hastings Deering’s Colts try in the Seagulls 40 – 18 victory.

    Klese Haas continued his run of starts at right second row in Round Six against the Easts Tigers and in Round Seven against the Norths Devils.

    Round Eight against the Mackay Cutters, saw Klese Haas move to right centre and scoring in the Seagulls tough loss.

    Klese Haas then moved back to right second row for Round Nine against Wynnum Manly and continued there in the Round Eleven local derby against the Burleigh Bears as well as in the previously postponed Round Ten match against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

    Klese Haas also started at right second row in the previously postponed Round Eleven match against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

    After a Covid 19 enforced hiatus, Klese Haas was named to start at right second row in Round Sixteen against the Northern Pride and was also named at right second row in the rescheduled Round Thirteen match against the Townsville Blackhawks.

    Klese Haas continued at right second row in Round Fourteen against the Western Mustangs.

    Klese Haas then was named to start at lock in the Seagulls Week One Final against the Souths Logan Magpies.

    Klese Haas started in the second row in the Seagulls final 2021 trial against the Burleigh Bears.

    In 2020 Klese Haas spent time at both right second row and right centre for Keebra Park State High School in the Langer Cup Open A school boy competition and played his club rugby league for the Bilambil Jets in the NRRRL competition, playing a number of NRRRL First Grade matches as well as matches in the NRRRL U18 competition for the Jets.

    Klese Haas started Round One of the 2020 Langer Cup Open A school boy competition in the right second row position for Keebra Park State High School against Wavell State High School scoring late in the match as Keebra Park suffered a surprise first up loss to the north Brisbane based school in the South East Queensland school boy Open A rugby league competition.

    Klese Haas’s try against Wavell SHS came when he took the ball from a Keebra Park penalty kick after a drop out infringement from Wavell. Klese Haas took the ball to the right of where the tap kick had taken place, breaking four tackles in his ten metre run to get the ball down a metre to the right of the goal post with an additional two Wavell defenders trying in vain to drag Klese Haas back from getting the ball down over the line.

    After being Keebra Park’s 18th man in Round Two of the Langer Cup competition against Marsden State High School and missing Round Three against Ipswich State High School, Klese Haas started at right second row in Rounds Four and Five of the Langer Cup competition against local rivals PBC and St Mary’s College Toowoomba respectively.

    In Keebra Park’s big 2020 Langer Cup semi-final victory over Wavell SHS, Klese Haas started at right centre and scored a late second half try, when after receiving the ball, Klese Haas immediately stepped inside his opposite defender before cutting back towards the outside before beating the Wavell SHS fullback who was coming across on the inside to get the ball down five metres in from the right corner post.

    Klese Haas also started the 2020 Langer Cup School Boy Grand Final at right centre as Keebra Park went down to local rivals PBC in a high quality match at Langlands Park in Brisbane.

    Post the 2020 Langer Cup Grand FInal, Klese Haas was named in the second row in the Courier Mail 2020 Langer Cup Team of the Year and was named the 15th best school boy rugby league/rugby player in South East Queensland in 2020 also by the Courier Mail. In fact the Courier Mail nominated Klese Haas the best Queensland school boy that had not been signed by an NRL club at the start of the Langer Cup competition in 2020.

    When Community Rugby League re-started in July 2020, Klese Haas lined up for the Bilambil Jets in the NRRRL competition, playing for the Jets in both the NRRRL First Grade and NRRRL U18 competitions.

    In the 2020 NRRRL U18 competition, Klese Hass played in two matches, both coming before the competition was split into the Green and Gold divisions due to Covid 19 and the related border restrictions, with Bilambil playing in the Green Division. Klese Haas started Round One of the initial competition at lock against Ballina and also started at lock in Round Six against the Tweed Coast Raiders.

    Klese Haas made his NRRRL First Grade debut off the bench in Round One of the 2020 competition against Ballina before making his first NRRRL First Grade start at centre against the Murwillumbah Mustangs in Round Two. Klese Haas also started in the centres in Round Four against Tweed Coast and Round Five against Cudgen before coming off the bench in Round Six against the Tweed Coast Raiders once again.

    Klese Haas has already played International Rugby League when he started from the bench for the Philipines National Rugby League side in a 46 – 16 loss to Italy in Sydney in 2019 at just 17 years of age.

    In 2019 Klese Haas played for the Robina Raptors in the Gold Coast Rugby League U18 Division Two competition and was probably the best player in the competition over the course of the 2019 season and had an outstanding match in the Preliminary Final scoring in the Raptors 18 – 16 win over the Currumbin Eagles to progress to the Grand Final.

    Klese Haas started the majority of his 2019 U18 Division Two matches for the Robina Raptors at lock including starting in that position in the 2019 U18 Division Two Grand Final against the Burleigh Bears. For me in the Grand Final Klese Haas was the clear stand out player of the match in the 2019 U18 Division Two Grand Final as he was for the vast majority of the 2019 season.

    In late 2019 Klese Haas was selected in the 2020 Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad, but was not part of their 2020 Round One game day seventeen, which unfortunately ended up being the only round of the MM Cup in 2020.

    The pace and power in terms of how Klese Haas runs the ball is the outstanding feature of his game, Klese Haas takes the ball to the line with speed, but he does not just put his head down and rush forward, he uses quick and subtle footwork prior to the line and seems to targets the gaps between defenders and will actively seek out opposing defenders who are slow to move up.

    When the opposition are on the back foot Klese Haas will target the smaller defenders on the edge of the ruck or wider out and burst through and for a big young bloke he has very good speed over the medium term and has the strength and power to drag defenders with him.

    I would consider that Klese Haas’s speed would be considered above average for a centre but plays faster as a result of him timing his runs so well that the dummy half can present a flat pass to him and also as a result of the power that he runs at. When playing in the second row Klese Haas’s speed can be considered in the plus category.

    Klese Haas also has a very powerful fend especially with his left hand as traditionally Klese Hass has lined up on the right side of the field whether he is playing in the centres or in the second row.

    The defensive side of his game is similarly effective, Klese Haas does not just charge wildly up looking for a huge hit (well maybe sometimes but not often) but is cold and calculating in where and when he hits. Quite a few of his tackles resulted in a knock on by the opposition as the ball came loose as a result of the impact of the tackle, Klese Haas just hits so hard so regularly and so effectively.

    Klese Haas drives hard with his legs and always uses his shoulder and core body strength to drive into his opponent and force them off balance or off their running line.

    With his strength, long limbs and defensive technique Klese Haas should likely always be considered a plus defender regardless of age group or quality of opponent. Klese Haas also has some aggression (more than some on occasion) in his game which he will need to ensure that he moderates it and channels it correctly which I am sure will come with additional experience. Working to the Titans NRL squad and JTS coaches in the offseason will not hurt with that process at all.

    After doing a portion of another NRL off-season program with the Titans, I anticipate that Klese Haas will start the 2022 season with the Tweed Heads Seagulls U21 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad for the second season in a row. At just 19 years old Klese Haas will have a couple of seasons of eligibility remaining in the Colts competition come the start of the 2022 rugby league season.

    I would anticipate however that the Titans will look to push Klese Haas through their JTS program reasonably quickly taking into account his NRRRL First Grade experience in the NRRRL competition with the Bilambil Jets in 2020 and for Tweed Heads Colts in 2021. A stint in the 2022 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition would not surprise at all in relation to Klese Haas to accelerate his development as the 2022 season progresses.

    At a height of 189cm and weighing in at a solid 100kg with a touch more growth to come in both categories, Klese Haas can understandably play both second row and centre (normally on the right), but ultimately I believe that Klese Haas will develop into a more than solid rugby league right second rower with the requisite size in relation to current rugby league trends. Klese Haas also has the body type to add additional muscle mass to his frame without compromising his overall mobility or speed whilst adding strength and power.

    I would suggest that Klese Haas at least for the next season or so however, whilst he is playing against players a couple of years older in the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition, will more than likely play in the centres more than in the second row but when all is said and done, there is no doubt in my mind that Klese Haas will end up in the second row, most likely on the right hand side of the field.

    Klese Haas certainly has a lot of potential and hopefully a pre-season with the Titans NRL squad will help get Klese Haas to a position where he can translate that potential to production on the field as early as the 2022 season regardless of what competition or competitions that Klese Haas is involved in.

    In relation to an NRL player comparison perspective for Klese Haas, the closest comparison I can determine based on his final year of school boy rugby league is a taller, slightly leaner version of Brisbane Bronco centre Katoni Staggs. Both Klese Haas and Staggs are very aggressive and look to physically dominate their opponents in both attack and defence even taking into account the physical differences and occasional position between the two players.

    Both Staggs and Klese Haas certainly have a bit of mongrel and a mean, nasty streak in their game and it is a matter of maintaining control of that and developing the maturity to channel that aggression in the correct fashion that will be the key to Kleese Haas reaching his potential.

  9. #1599
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Bo Peisley. In June 2021, Bo Peisley 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.

    Bo Peisley was named at halfback for the Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup side for their 2021 Round One match against the Wests Tigers operating on the right side of the field in the match.

    Unfortunately the Northern Rivers Titans went down in the match but Bo Peisley had some good moments including putting up a big mid-field bomb early in the second half towards the right touchline. The Wests Tigers left winger knocked the ball on and the Northern Rivers Titans, through jesse Soric scored from the next set of six.

    Bo Peisley also started at halfback in Round Two against local rivals the North Coast Bulldogs in Nambucca Heads and in Round Three against the Greater Northern Tigers kicking three conversions in the Titans 30 – 16 victory.

    Bo Peisley was also involved in a strong tackle in the 21st minute of the match when along with Kaden Rees and Creedence Donovan he initially held up the Tigers fullback and dragged him into touch five metres out from the line.

    Bo Peisley continued at half back in Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters, producing an outstanding short kicking game early including forcing Central Coast to ground the ball in their own in goal twice in the opening twenty four minutes of the match.

    Bo Peisley also started at half in Round Five against the Newcastle Knights scoring a double as the Northern Rivers Titans finished their season with an impressive 28 – 4 victory.

    Bo Peisley’s first try came in the 24th minute of the first half through a show and go as he ran to the left, once through the line Bo Peisley ran at a 45 degree angle to score under the posts. Just a minute earlier Bo Peisley produced a show and go to the left but was dragged down centremetres short but won a penalty when he was held down by the Newcastle defence.

    Bo Peisley scored his second try of the match in the 52nd minute when he moved into dummy half a metre out from the Newcastle line and just to the right of the uprights. Bo Peisley dummied to his right before darting over to score.

    Bo Peisley, like he had all competition kicked well in the match, including in the 43rd minute when he produced a stabbing right foot kick from forty metres out that found the touchline less than ten metres out from the Newcastle line in the right corner.

    Bo Peisley did it all in the match including defensively with probably his best moment of the match in relation to that attribute coming in the 48th minute with a great ball and all tackle on the Newcastle five eight who had tried to run over him from a Knights scrum win.

    In early October 2020 Bo Peisley 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 Bo Peisley played for the South Tweed Bears with the Bears finishing the regular season winning three and losing seven matches. Along the way, the Bears scored 158 points and conceded 222 to finish with a points differential of -64.

    In early November 2020 Bo Peisley was a member of the Banora Point High School side that went through the Titans 9‘s U16.5 northern New South Wales school boy competition that was held in Murwillumbah undefeated.

    The South Tweed youngster was part of the Titans U14 squad that played a Western Mustangs selection in February at Mudgeeraba and also in 2019 was part of the Group 18 U14 representative side being named at half back for the 2019 New South Wales Country Age Championships with Bo Peisley kicking two conversions in Group 18’s second match of Day One as they went down 26 – 20 to Group Four.

    Late in the 2019 season Bo Peisley was named the 2019 Group 18 U14 representative season’s best back at the Group 18 Presentation Night.

    In attack Bo Peisley’s calling card is his organisational and passing skills more so than his running game. His speed would probably be considered average to a tick above for a half/five eight but he will throw a dummy and run when opposing defences are focussed on his support runners and provide him with opportunities.

    Bo Peisley also does necessarily not have quick twitch feet, thus his step is more average but is effective as he is selective about when he uses it. Bo Peisley maintains his composure on the field at all times and does not yell or scream but obviously gets his message across to his team mates with a calm assured presence.

    Bo Peisley also has a good long passing game thus enabling the ball to get out to his back line quickly when they are set deep. Bo Peisley develops a good spiral on the ball and is able to lead his outside backs onto the ball through putting the ball out in front of them.

    Bo Peisley will also take the ball to the line and delay the pass as long as possible to his support runners when necessary. Bo Peisley looks to dictate what the defensive line needs to do to combat his sides attack rather than waiting to see how the opposition is looking to defend at a particular time in a game.

    Defensively whilst not being the biggest player running around, Bo Peisley is effective as a result of his sound low tackling technique where he can quickly bring down attackers due to the fact that he will go in low, he is also adept at tracking the ball across field to be in the right place if outside attackers cut back inside.

    Bo Peisley will play the 2022 season in the NRRRL U18 competition and will also likely be a member of the 2022 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad.

    From a position perspective, Bo Peisley has spent his entire career in the halves and will surely continue there for the foreseeable future although he could also potentially fill in at hooker if the need arises.

    For me a current NRL player with a similar playing style to that of Bo Peisley is former English Super League and former Penrith Panther, New South Wales State of Origin and Australian International five eight James Maloney, being that of a solid talented organising five eight or half who will surprise a defensive line with some very good short balls when it looks for all money like he is going to run himself.

    I would definitely argue however that Bo Peisley is a better defender and a less agitating version of James Maloney though.

  10. #1600
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Noah Waldock. 2018 New South Wales U12 rugby league representative Noah Waldock (from St Francis Xavier College Ballina) continued his rise in the junior rugby league ranks in 2021 with a great season for the Ballina Seagulls in the Group One U15 competition as well as playing a number of matches up an age group in the Group One U16.5 competition.

    In late March 2021 Noah Waldock was part of Diocesan of Lismore U15 Squad that attended the Northern Country Catholic Colleges Rugby League Selection Trial that were held at Smithtown with Noah Waldock playing at fullback in the trials.

    In Round One of the 2021 Group One U15 competition Noah Waldock started at fullback and was Ballina’s captain as the Seagulls took on the Clarence Coast Magpies.

    Noah Waldock also started at fullback in Round Two against Marist Brothers, scoring a double in the Seagulls 38 – 0 victory and also started at fullback in Round Five against Casino RSM.

    Noah Waldock continued at fullback in Round Six against the Clarence Coast Magpies, scoring a double in Ballina’s 34 – 0 victory and scored once again in Round Seven against the Grafton Ghosts after also starting the match at fullback. Noah Waldock also started at fullback in Round Eight against the Grafton Ghosts.

    Noah Waldock dropped back to the bench in Round Eleven against the South Grafton Rebels, but dominated when he came on, including scoring a hat trick.

    Round Twelve against Casino RSM saw Noah Waldock start at five eight and he also started at five eight in Round Thirteen against the Grafton Ghosts and was one of the Seagulls try scorers in their two point loss.

    Noah Waldock started Round One of the Group One U14 competition at fullback and was one of Ballina’s try scorers as they went down 14 – 12 to Casino RSM. Noah Waldock also started at fullback in Round Two as Ballina defeated South Grafton 14 – 12 and once again in Round Three in a 24 – 8 loss to the Clarence Coast Magpies.

    Noah Waldock added a try and a goal from fullback in Round Four against Kyogle as the Seagulls defeated the Turkeys 48 – 4. Noah Waldock also started at fullback in Round Five against the Clarence Coast Magpies.

    In Round Six Noah Waldock continued his run of starts at fullback and scored a try and kicked a conversion as Ballina defeated Grafton 20 – 14. Also starting at fullback, Noah Waldock scored a double and kicked a conversion in Round Seven as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 32 – 0.

    Noah Waldock’s try scoring form continued in Round Eight, when from the fullback position once again he scored a double as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 32 – 0. Noah Waldock also started at fullback in Round Nine as Ballina defeated South Grafton 20 – 10 and Round Ten against the Clarence Coast Magpies.

    In total in the Group One U14 regular season Noah Waldock scored six tries and kicked two conversions for a twenty eight point haul from his ten matches.

    As noted above, Noah Waldock also played a number of matches in the 2020 Group One U15 competition, backing up from the U14 match earlier in the day, including in Round One when he started on the right wing against Casino RSM and in Round Two when he also started on the right wing against South Grafton, a match that Ballina won 28 - 0. Noah Waldock then started from the bench in Round Three against the Clarence Coast Magpies.

    Noah Waldock also started from the bench in Round Five against the Clarence Coast Magpies scoring a double when he came on, with those tries being his first in the U15 competition as well as in Round Six against the Grafton Ghosts and Round Seven against Casino RSM.

    After playing in the U14 match earlier in the day, Noah Waldock then started in the centres in Ballina’s Round Eight 36 – 18 loss to Casino RSM. It was the same situation in Round Nine when after starting at fullback in Round Eight in the U14 match, Noah Waldock started in the centres as Ballina defeated South Grafton 38 – 14 in the U15 match. Round Ten also saw Noah Waldock came off the bench in the U15 match after starting at fullback in the earlier U14 fixture.

    Noah Waldock started from the bench for Ballina in the 2020 Group One U15 Grand Final against Casino RSM.

    Noah Waldock finished his impressive 2019 season in the Group One U13 competition third on the try scoring list with thirteen tries from just eleven matches (118% strike rate), second on the goal kicking tally (thirteen goals) and second overall from a points scoring perspective (seventy eight points) to average just on seven points per match.

    Noah Waldock is currently part of the Titans 2020 Group One Academy squad that was training on a weekly basis in Ballina on Tuesday’s in Northern New South Wales and hopefully this is just the start of a long and fruitful association with the Titans for Noah Waldock.

    Noah Waldock had a great 2019 Group One U13 Round One scoring a hat trick and kicking a conversion against South Grafton and followed that up with a Round two double against Casino RSM. Noah Waldock added further doubles against Clarence Coast and Casino RSM later in the season as well as scoring in matches against Lismore Marist Brothers (three separate matches including finals) and Kyogle.

    From a goal kicking perspective, Noah Waldock kicked three goals against Lismore Marist Brothers and kicked two conversions in matches against Casino RSM, Clarence Coast and Grafton over the course of the 2019 season.

    In 2019 Noah Waldock also played five matches in the Group One U14 competition making his debut in May against Clarence Coast. Noah Waldock played in the U13 match immediately prior to all five of his U14 appearances in 2019.

    In 2018 Noah Waldock Scored thirty six points from seven U12 Group One matches scoring eight tries (114% strike rate) and kicking two goals. Six of his tries came from doubles against Lismore Marist Brothers, Casino RSM and Grafton.

    Noah Waldock is an agile ball runner who relies on his outstanding speed and elusiveness to make it difficult for larger opponents to line him up rather than brute strength. When lining up at fullback he always makes himself available for offloads in the centre of the ruck where his quick twitch feet can cause some damage as opposing forwards start to tire.

    Noah Waldock has above average to plus speed but not absolute blazing speed, relying instead on his positioning to compensate. When he retrieves the ball, Noah Waldock makes a decision quickly about where to look to run around a staggered defensive line or to run straight in an effort to take the yards on offer.

    An aspect of his play that is very good is Noah Waldock’s ability to chime into the back line (like an old style fullback) and use his elusiveness to slip through the line, when he comes into the back line, it seems to be mainly when the attacking play is being directed towards the left hand side of the field. I note also that as soon as he breaks into space Noah Waldock starts working through his options in relation to whether he should run himself or look to set up his support players.

    Noah Waldock is also outsanding when he is loitering in the middle of the ruck waiting for an off-load. With his speed off the mark and short sharp steeping ability in limited space, when Noah Waldock is able to get an offload in the centre of the ruck, he is normally though the initial defensive line before the defense has any chance to regroup.

    If Noah Waldock breaks through the initial defensive line and is able to run directly at the fullback, it almost always results in a try. With the opposing fullback stuck on the spot with a total loss of lateral movement, Noah Waldock is able to exploit the fact that he can step, swerve etc with no loss of forward momentum to his absolute advantage.

    Also Noah Waldock is adept at disguising which way he is going to step thus creating more doubt and confusion in the mond of the fullback who is looking to stop him from scoring in the last line of defence.

    Also his hands at fullback are safe for a young player regardless of the type of kick put towards him. His other calling card is his positioning, he always seems to be the right place at the right time, to defuse bombs, attacking short kicks, potential 40/20 kicks etc. Noah Waldock can on occasion get caught a little shallow but relies on his timing and anticipation to compensate when tracking balls that have been kicked when the intention of going over his head.

    From a goal kicking perspective, Noah Waldock has outstanding leg strength and outstanding accuracy which suggests that he will likely to be his side’s primary goal kicking option regardless of level. I would equate his goal kicking to that of current Titans first choice goal kicker Michael Gordon.

    Noah Waldock will take a hit defensively when needing to make the tackle in the last line of defence and will focus exclusively on the ball carrier, forcing the attacking player to make the decision of what to do with the ball, rather than proving the attacker the avenue to make an easier decision.

    Noah Waldock is also adept at using the sideline to restrict the attacking options of any opponent who makes a break. To be more effective defensively Noah Waldock will need to add additional muscle to his frame as he only has a slight build at present, although he does have some height and seemingly has the body type to add muscle mass without compromising his speed and elusiveness.

    Noah Waldock does also have exceptional hands when short attacking kicks are put in and is elusive enough when he retrieves the ball to get out of the touch in goal when it appears that that task is unlikely in fact once or twice in 2019 Noah Waldock took the ball from his own in goal nearly the length of the field.

    Noah Waldock will play the 2022 season in the Group One U16 competition with the Ballina Seagulls and may also get an opportunitity with Ballina’s NRRRL U18 side. Noah Waldock will also be in line for representative selection in the 2022 U16 Andrew Johns Cup competition.

    With his outstanding timing and speed Noah Waldock is a lock to play in the back line in rugby league with the only question of whether that is in the centres, wing or at fullback. From a purely positional perspective, I believe that he is ultimately best suited to playing at fullback with his decisive running in relation to kick returns and his outstanding acceleration when Noah Waldock is hunting through the centre of the ruck.

    The player comparison is not perfect from a purely style perspective (especially running style) but Noah Waldock has the top end speed, acceleration, positioning and elusiveness of Sydney Roosters, New South Wales State of Origin and Australian International fullback James Tedesco.

    Like Tedesco when Noah Waldock gets the ball you stand up just that much straighter just waiting to see what he will do and you are rarely disappointed with what Noah Waldock produces at any given time. I do note again that their running styles are in essence fundamentally different however but the results are certainly not.

  11. #1601
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Thomas (Tom) Neale. The local junior has previously worn the Titans jersey on a number of occasions already in his fledgling career including for the Titans early in 2019 against the Newcastle Knights in Coffs Harbour.

    Thomas Neale was named to start at halfback for Burleigh in round One of the 2021 Gold Coast Rugby League U20 competition against the Currumbin Eagles however he started at halfback for the Bears Doug Lipp Cup side against the Tugun Seahawks and then started in the centres for the Burleigh GCRL First Grade side against the same opponents.

    After missing a significant portion of the 2021 season Thomas Neale was named on the bench in Round Twelve of the GCRL U20 competition on the bench for Burleigh against the Runaway Bay Seagulls before moving into the Burleigh starting side at five eight for Round Thirteen against the Helensvale Hornets with Thomas Neale recording two try assist on both occasions running to his left to put Noah Gafa through the line to score with those tries coming in the 40th and 56th minutes of Burleigh’s victory.

    Thomas Neale then continued at five eight in Round Fourteen against the Runaway Bay Seagulls, recording another two try assists, the first of which came in the 32nd minute when Thomas Neale backed up a Jake Kearton break to receive the off-load and as he approached the fullback, Thomas Neale kicked forward for his halfback to collect and score.

    Thomas Neale’s second try assist came in the 59th minute when he drifted to his left to put Noah Gafa into a gap and from the there the Burleigh second rower was just too big and strong to stop.

    Thomas Neale also started at five eight in Burleigh Week One Final’s victory against the Helensvale Hornets and scored in the 33rd minute as well as recording two try assists.

    Thomas Neale scored after running onto a good ball to the right of the dummy half breaking the line sixty metres out. Thomas Neale dummied on his inside to round the Helensvale fullback and had just enough speed to get to the line.

    Thomas Neale’s opening try assist came in just the 5th minute when from ten metres out he ran at the line on the left drawing in two defenders before putting Noah Gafa into a huge gap wide on the left.

    Thomas Neale’s second try assist came in the 34th minute when he put in a short grubber from ten metres out for his left centre to dive on the ball in the in-goal.

    Thomas Neale also started at five eight in the 2021 GCRL U20 Preliminary Final against the Currumbin Eagles, scoring in the 22nd minute and kicking a 70th conversion as Burleigh qualified for the 2021 GCRL U20 Grand Final on the back of a 24 – 12 victory.

    Thomas Neale scored when after receiving the ball on the left around ten metres from the line, he immediately stepped off his left foot to beat one defender before running back to his left, pushing off a second defender, spinning clockwise to break contact and then crashing over ten metres from the left upright under ppressure from another defender.

    Thomas Neale also threw the last pass in the other three tries that Burleigh scored in the Preliminary Final, the first occasion of which was in the 30th minute when Thomas Neale passed to his left from eight metres out to Noah Gafa who beat three defenders to score on the left. Thomas Neale combined once again with Noah Gafa, throwing the final pass once again to the powerful Burleigh left second rower for him score in the 57th minute.

    Then in the 60th minute after feeding a scrum ten metres out from the Currumbin line and ten metres in from the left touchline, Thomas Neale allowed the lock to pick up the ball as he moved down the blindside taking the ball to the line and putting his left winger over in the corner.

    Thomas Neale also started at five eight for Burleigh in the 2021 Gold Coast Rugby League U20 Grand Final against the Runaway Bay Seagulls with Thomas Neale scoring a double in Burleigh’s 32 – 16 Premiership victory.

    Thomas Neale’s opening Grand Final try came in the 16th minute when after receiving the ball around twenty five metres out on the left side of the field, Thomas Neale dummied to his left before slicing between two defenders. Thomas Neale was grabbed by the collar on the try line but he was able to force his way over to get the ball down seven metres in from the left corner post.

    Thomas Neale completed his Grand Final double in the 63rd minute when he stepped off his left after receiving the ball fifteen metres out before cutting back to his left and out-pacing the cover defence to slam the ball down with his right arm mid-way between the goal posts and corner post on the left side of the field.

    In addition to his two tries Thomas Neale also made a number of other darting runs in the Grand Final, the first of which came in the 12th minute when Thomas Neale stepped inside one defender and was able to make fifteen metres to get the ball to thirty metres out from his own try line.

    The 37th minute of the Grand Final saw Thomas Neale a line break assist to his Grand Final record when after receiving the ball twenty two metres from the line on the left, Thomas Neale stepped off his left foot to gain space and then passed back across his body to his left to put Naoh Gafa into a gap with the left second rower then off-loading to put Nelson Ewing in to score under the posts.

    Thomas Neale also had a good moment in the 23rd minute when he chased through a Burleigh chip kick with Thomas Neale putting the Runaway Bay fullback Carn Connell under severe pressure with the Seagulls fullback unable to take possession for Burleigh to go back on the attack deep inside Runaway Bay territory.

    Thomas Neale also showcased his short kicking game in the 69th minute of the Grand Final when he put in a short chip kick towards the left corner. Initially it appeared as if the ball would go over the touchline near the left corner but the ball took a wicked bounce and had to be taken dead in goal by the Runaway Bay right winger. Burleigh scored from the subsequent Runaway Bay goal line drop out.

    Thomas Neale played the 2020 season as part of the Burleigh Gold Coast Rugby League U20 side, spending time both at dummy half and half back and was particularly impressive in Round Seven scoring a try and making multiple other sniping runs as the Bears defeated the Seagulls 36 – 18.

    Thomas Neale also had an outstanding Round Nine match against Currumbin scoring an early first half try when he followed through a kick to score fifteen metres in from the left touch line. It was in fact Thomas Neale started the movement that led to the try when he threw a cut out pass to the Burleigh left centre who ultimately kicked back inside for Thomas Neale.

    Thomas Neale also played well for Burleigh in their last minute 26 – 24 U20 GCRL Preliminary Final loss to Helensvale. Thomas Neale was one of Burleigh’s try scorers in the match, when in the first half, he darted out of dummy half to score down a short blind side.

    Thomas Neale also had a try assist in the 2020 Preliminary Final when he put in a well weighted right foot kick to the left conrer for his left winger to take the ball on the full and get the ball down in the left corner.

    Tom Neale started the 2019 season as part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup squad, coming into the side in Round Four when he started from the bench against Central Queensland, Tom Neale also started from the bench in Rounds Five and Six against Wynnum Manly and the Mackay Cutters respectively.

    From a club perspective, Tom Neale played for Burleigh in the 2019 GCLR U18 Division One competition including starting the Grand Final at half and scoring as the Bears defeated Southport 28 – 12 in a tough encounter.

    Tom Neale’s try in the 2019 GCRL U18 Division One Grand Final was an impressive individual effort. From a Burleigh scrum win twenty five metres out from the Southport line, Tom Neale received the ball to the left of the scrum from the Burleigh lock and immediately ran across field perpendicular to the defensive line and dummied inside to the Burleigh fullback who had come back underneath. Tom Neale immediately after the dummy brought the ball back into his body before beating the Southport Tigers half back by slipping under his outstretched left arm to sprint the remaining twenty metres to score on the left side of the field mid-way between the corner post and goal post on the left side of the field.

    In total in the 2019 GCRL U18 Division One competition in 2019 Tom Neale played in eleven matches scoring eighteen points from four tries and a late season conversion against Mudgeeraba. In addition to his Grand Final try Tom Neale also scored against Ormeau, Runaway Bay and the Helensvale Hornets.

    In 2018 Tom Neale played in twelve matches for Burleigh in the GCRL U17 Division One competition scoring three tries across the journey with those tries coming against Helensvale, Bilambil and Ormeau.

    Tom Neale is a slightly built half/hooker who is more of an organising type of player rather than a running player at this stage of his career. He can be seen directing his forwards when and where to run and seemingly makes it clear that Tom Neale is in charge of directing the team around the field and adhering to the game plan.

    Tom Neale’s passing from both sides of his body is crisp and accurate and when passing to the left side generates good spin and distance whilst maintaining accuracy.

    Tom Neale does not take the line on that often but based on his play in the 2019 MM Cup competition and for Burleigh this season, he can and will take on forwards when he sees that they are isolated in the edges of the ruck, although his passing percentage would be much higher than his running percentage, at an estimate I would say 85% passing, 15% running.

    Tom Neale just seems to have a knack of knowing when to pass, what type of pass to throw and also be able to weight the pass very well from either dummy half or one off the ruck.

    Tom Neale seems to be quite quick off the mark and seems to have a good right foot step, when he gets into space he really does work progressively though his options as he does not seem to have the top end speed to finish off breaks himself.

    Where Tom Neale projects very well is in the defensive aspects of rugby league, in essence he is a very good defender for the half back position and by extrapolation hooker, this includes against opposing halves who will try to use footwork and evasion to beat him or against big wide running forwards. Against forwards running directly at him, Tom Neale has a good compact low tackling technique and rarely looks to tackle above the waist.

    Thomas Neale will line up for Burleigh once again in 2022 and will no doubt push for a spot in the Bears Gold Coast Rugby Leageu First Grade squad.

    Tom Neale is a rare player to the extent that going forward I believe that he will be able to play two positions equally as well as each other, being half and hooker and at this stage I cannot really make a call as to where he is best suited, but one thing that is certain, until he nails down a specific position Tom Neale may be the perfect interchange player.

    At just 176cm and 79kg Tom Neale definatey not have size on his side but to say that he leaves everything out on the field would be an understatement.

    From an NRL player comparison perspective for Tom Neale think maybe someone like the St George Dragons and Australian International hooker or half Ben Hunt, especially in terms of his passing game and his show and go when he has the ball.

  12. #1602
    Immortal Titanic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Next door to Alice
    Posts
    10,506

    Default

    mdrew if you can keep this up I’m going to sponsor you for an Oxford Award in Literature … great stuff.
    Four reasons to escape to Queensland: Sun, Surf, Sand & the Titans.

  13. #1603
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Brent Barnes. The former Gold Coast Titans Junior Development Squad member, including captaining the Titans U14 side in 2015 has moved around a bit in recent years including spending time in Sydney as part of the Parramatta Eels 2018 SG Ball side and previously was part of the Broncos Development establishment.

    After starting the 2021 season in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition with the Helensvale Hornets, Brent Barnes was named in the Burleigh Bears Hastings Deering’s Colts side for their Round Sixteen match against the Ipswich Jets however he was a late scratching from the match.

    Brent Barnes was also named to start on the right wing in the rescheduled Round Thirteen match against the Sunshine Coast Falcons with Brent Barnes scoring in just the 4th minute of the match.

    Brent Barnes continued on the right wing in Round Fourteen against the Northern Pride scoring once again in the 60th minute when he chased through a Cameron Brown chip kick to his wing with Breant Barnes taking the ball on the full ten metres from the line and dived over in the right corner.

    Brent Barnes also made a line break in the 72nd minute when after receiving an inside pass from Daniel Shannon forty metres out, Brent Brarnes burst through the centre of the ruck before being brought down by the Northern Pride fullback just three metres from the try line.

    Brent Barnes could not have had a better start to the match when in just the 2nd minute he made twenry five metres out to his own forty metre mark after taking a hit-up to the left of the dummy half.

    When the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade season commenced in mid-April with the pre-season competition, Brent Barnes was part of the first ever Helensvale Hornets side in play in the GCRL First Grade competition.

    In Round One of the pre-season competition, Brent Barnes started at right centre for the Helensvale and whilst they had a touch loss to Tugun in their pre-season opener, there were some bright spots including Brent Barnes second half try. After Helensvale kicked off, Brent Barnes was the first player down field and looked set to make the tackle, but instead stole the ball one on one on the twenty metre mark and after holding off one Seahawks defender was able to score midway between the goal posts and corner post on the right side of the field. The try was one of the two that Brent Barnes scored in the match.

    Brent Barnes also started at right centre in Round Two of the pre-season competition agaisnt Mudgeeraba and in Round Three against Runaway Bay.

    With the Helensvale Hornets having a Round One bye, Brent Barnes started for the Hornets U20 side in their Round One match against the Ormeau Shearers.

    Brent Barnes also started at right centre in Round Two against the Burleigh Bears, scoring in the 65th minute when he backed up a break from Hornets fullback Josh Evans who put in a short kick that Brent Barnes retrieved and ran twenty metres to score untouched.

    Brent Barnes started once again at right centre in Round Four against Runaway Bay before moving to fullback in Round Six against the Tugun Seahawks.

    Round Eleven saw Brent Barnes start at right centre against the Runaway Bay Seagulls before moving to start at lock in Round Fourteen against the Currumbin Eagles.

    Brent Barnes then started on the right wing in Week One of the 2021 GCRL U20 Final’s series for the Hornets against the Burleigh Bears.

    Brent Barnes made his 2021 GCRL First Grade debut in round Five on the right wing against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.

    Brent Barnes moved to fullback in Round Six of the GCRL First Grade competition, relishing the extra space by scoring an outstanding solo try against the Tugun Seahawks.

    Brent Barnes produced his individual effort in the 10th minute when he received the ball twenty five metres out and to the right of the dummy half. After receiving the ball, Brent Barnes immediately stepped off his right foot back towards the play the ball. A second right foot step left two defendesr behind and then he stepped off his right foot, straitening his run to get between two defenders before veering to his left to easily round the Tugun fullback to dive over.

    Brent Barnes continued at fullback in Round Seven against Southport, scoring a double in the Hornets ten point loss with his first try coming in the 52nd minute when he received an inside ball on the right side of the field bursting through the line. Brent Barnes was tripped up just short of the line but was able to role over to get the ball down.

    Brent Barnes added his second try in the 55th minute when he chased through a short chip kick and even though four defenders were converging on the ball, Brent Barnes flashed thorough to take the ball on the bounce and then was able to run around to put the ball down under the posts.

    Brent Barnes scored another double from the fullback position in Round Ten against the Burleigh Bears with his first try coming in the 26th minute when he backed up a break from his left second rower to score easily on the right side of the field.

    Brent Barnes completed his double in the 69th minute from a set move that started from inside his own territory. From a Helensvale scrum win thirty metres out from his own line, Helensvale kicked long downfield, Brent Barnes easily won the race to the ball, retrieving it just metres from the line and subsequently getting the ball down under the posts.

    Understandably Brent Barnes continued at fullback in Round Ten against the Currumbin Eagles and like the majority of opponents in 2021, the Eagles were unable to stop Brent Barnes who scored a double in the match.

    Brent Barnes scored the first of his two tries in the 12th minute when he received the ball on the left side of the field as the Hornets spun the ball across field from near the right touchline. When he received the ball Brent Barnes was thirty metres from the line and immediately bumped off one defender before cutting towards the left touchline. With the defence back peddling, Brent Barnes dummied to his left and then sliced through two defenders before confronting the fullback. A right foot step later say the fullback walloping in Brent Barnes as he raced away to score in the left corner.

    Brent Barnes then completed his double in the 15th minute when he backed up a team mates break down the left touchline and was available on the inside to receive the offload and run away to score near the left goal post.

    Brent Barnes then came off the bench in Round Fourteen against the Southport Tigers with Brent Barnes scoring the Hornets only try of the match.

    In April 2021, Brent Brarnes was named in the U20 Gold Coast Vikings First Grade South East Queensland Chairman’s Challenge initial squad. Brent Barnes captained the Gold Coast U20 Represrentative Side as was as starting both matches in the centres.

    Early 2020 saw Brent Barnes move north to be part of the Redcliffe Dolphins U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad however ultimately the move hit a snag when the Covid 19 pandemic hit. Brent Barnes is also Colts eligible in 2021.

    After the Covid 19 pandemic Brent Barnes was back on the Gold Coast and played for the Helensvale Hornets in the Gold Coast Rugby League U20 competition, including starting at right centre in the 2020 GCRL U20 Grand Final against the Currumbin Eagles.

    Brent Barnes scored two tries for the Hornets in the 2020 Grand Final but it was not enough as Helensvale went down 22 – 20 to Currumbin in a thriller.

    One of Brent Barnes tries was as a result of him following through a grubber kick through the line by Josh Henare, with the ball sitting up perfectly for Brent Barnes to take the ball with no loss of momentum to score out wide on the right side of the field. Brent Barnes could have scored another try in the Grand Final but he was deemed held up over the line after he charged eight metres off a pass from the dummy half down a short blindside.

    Brent Barnes also had a try assist in the Grand Final when he leapt above the Currumbin defence to take a Cameron Brown chip kick on the full and whilst he was being pushed back, Brent Barnes was able to offload to Harrison Trathen to cross in the right corner.

    Brent Barnes was also heavily involved in Helensvale’s second try of the Grand Final when from a set move from a Helensvale scrum seventy metres out from the Currumbin line, Brenat Barnes chased through a kick from the five eight. Even though it looked as if the kick would be retrieved by Currumbin, Brent Barnes kept persisting and through competing for the ball ended up getting it back. Three tackles later, Cameron Brown dived over to score out of dummy half in the right corner.

    In the Preliminary Final Brent Barnes who started the match at right centre had a number of big moments, including a key second half try and a first half try assist as Helensvale scored on the last paly of the match to progress to the Grand Final on the back of a 26 – 24 victory.

    Brent Barne’s first half try assist came when he skipped to the outside of his direct opponent around twenty metres ouf from the Burleigh line and then drew the Burleigh winger and send his right winger away to score.

    As noted above, Brent Barnes Preliminary Final try came at a critical juncture of the second half. Brent Barnes charged on the ball coming back under Cameron Brown who was running to the right. When Brent Barnes received the ball cutting back to the left, there were Burleigh defenders every where but Brent Barnes smashed through the initial attempted tackle and then crashed through Burleigh defenders on the goal line to get the ball down adjacent to the right upright.

    Brent Barnes was a consistant try scorer in the 2020 GCRL U20 regular season, including scoring an impressive solo try in Round Eight against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks. Brent Barnes charged onto a pass off the dummy half whilst playing right centre, exploding through the defensive line. Brent Barnes then used a jump step to beat the Redbacks fullback comprehensively.

    It looked like Brent Barnes’s speed would take him to the try line, but he was dragged down just two metres short of the line. Brent Barnes had the foresight to realise that the defender had dropped off him, and he regained his feet to dive over under the posts.

    Brent Barnes also represented South Coast in the U15 QSSRL Championships in 2016 and from there went on to represent Queensland Maroon at the U15 ASSRL Championships where he was named in the Australian U15 Merit Side.

    In 2017 Brent Barnes represented Queensland Murri U16 in their annual match against New South Wales Kurri.

    Late last year however Brent Barnes returned to the Gold Coast and has made an impact with the Helensvale Hornets in the GCRL U20 and Doug Lipp Cup competitions this season.

    Earlier in 2019 Brent Barnes was selected in the South Coast U18 school bot side but did not play for South Coast in the QSSRL U18 Championships and also played a MM Cup trial with Norths in Brisbane but did not play in any regular season MM Cup matches for the Devils.

    After linking back with Helensvale Brent Barnes started the 2019 season at right centre for the Hornets U20 side before moving to five eight midway through the season.

    Brent Barnes had an outstanding Round Ten match in the U20 competition scoring four tries against Mudgeeraba.

    Brent Barnes first try was a long range effort when he received the ball early and get on the outside of his direct opponent and race 60 metres to score. His second try followed an outstanding chip and chase from Jayden Campbell who drew the fullback to send Brent Barnes on his way.

    His third try was a set play from a scrum, Jayden Campbell received the ball from the back of the scrum and immediately kicked behind the Mudgeeraba defensive line from twenty metres out for Brent Barnes to retrieve and put the ball down.

    His fourth try and his only one in the second half was one built from strength, from around ten metres out from the try line, he shrugged off the first defender before splitting two defenders and dragging them across the line to score near the right corner flag.

    Brent Barnes also scored in Round Twelve against Currumbin when he ran a hard straight line for Cameron Brown to find him with a good pass.

    Brent Barnes made it seven tries from as many U20 matches in Round Fourteen in Helensvale’s 30-22 loss to Burleigh. Playing five eight as he has in the last couple of weeks, Brent Barnes received the ball on the right side of the field about twelve metres out from the Burleigh line.

    Brent Barnes beat the initial defender with a powerful right arm fend before darting over as three Burleigh defenders closed in on him. Even though he has played primarily fullback, wing or centre in his career to date, Brent Barnes is making a good fist of the five eight position.

    In total for Helensvale in the 2019 GCRL U20 competition, Brent Barnes played in seven regular season matches scoring seven tries.

    Brent Barnes started at right centre even though he wore the No. 16 jersey in Week One of the GCRL U20 Finals Series and was one of Helensvale’s try scorers as they went down 27 – 20 to the Runaway Bay Seagulls.

    From a quick tap from a Helensvale penalty Brent Barnes received the ball from the Hornets fullback who took the quick tap and produced two powerful left arm fends to get clear and race forty five metres to score under the posts with a big celebratory dive at the end.

    Brent Barnes made his Doug Lipp Cup debut in Round Twelve against Currumbin scoring on debut with his try coming when he found space down the right touchline line and beat the fullback with a good in and away.

    Brent Barnes scored his second Doug Lipp Cup try from as many matches with an outstanding individual effort in Round Fifteen against the Bilambil Jets.

    Playing right centre Brent Barnes received the ball seventy metres out from the try line in space and then accelerated around the Bilambil left sided defence (James Roberts style) before cutting back inside off his left foot when it looked for all money like the Bilambil fullback and another cover defender was going to box him in before easily outpacing the remaining defenders to score an outstanding solo try.

    Brent Barnes has also played in a handful of GCRL U18 Division One regular season matches this season, including a double in Round Eight against Currumbin and also scoring in Round Nine against Ormeau and an outstanding Round Eleven match when he scored four tries and kicked two goals against Tugun for an individual points haul in the match of twenty being 40% of Helensvale’s total points in the match.

    Brent Barnes started at right centre for Helensvale in their 2019 Week Two U18 Division One Finals match against the Ormeau Shearers scoring a double as the Hornets went down 34 – 26 in a see sawing contest.

    Once you have seen Brent Barnes run with the ball on a football field, you probably will not see anyone move as well as he does. He has an effortless running style seemingly gliding over the field and has what can only be considered plus plus speed both from an acceleration and top speed perspective, I am talking James Roberts type speed.

    Brent Barnes is 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. In the centre position, he 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, Brent Barnes 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 direct opponent.

    The one thing Brent Barnes 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, Brent Barnes 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, his quick twitch feet means that he can step off either foot quickly to negate the attempt to cut down his time. In short he is a very talented attacking player who looks to beat his opponent with speed and guile rather than purely by brute strength even though he has the capacity to do so when necessary.

    Defensively Brent Barnes is solid rather than exceptional but will commit to the initial contact and also has the speed to use the sideline to his advantage and also turn and chase if the need arises.

    Brent Barnes will play the 2022 season with the Helensvale Hornets in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade side.

    It will also be interesting to see if Brent Barnes looks to continue with Burleigh in the 2022 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition over the course of the 2022 season.

    Brent Barnes played a lot of his early rugby league at fullback but in recent seasons has played wing, including for Parramatta in the U18 SG Ball competition and centre the last two seasons for Helensvale. Brent Barnes also played five eight in 2019 which I think will ultimately assist him to reach his full potential in though I do not think that he will ultimately end up there.

    At five eight Brent Barnes will get the opportunity to develop his play making skills as well as getting a lot of larger forwards running at him then he would if he was in the centres or at fullback.

    A couple of season’s ago I would have argued that Brent Barnes’s future lies at fullback, but I must admit his play over the course of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons for Helensvale at right centre has made me alter my opinion somewhat.

    With his lightning speed, balance and body control I can see Brent Barnes maintaining his position in the centres into the future although there is no doubt that he could also play at fullback or on the wing at a very high level as well.

    Watching Brent Barnes at full speed with his ability to change direction without losing an ounce of speed, it is impossible for me not to see a mirror image for former Titan James Roberts. Both are just exceptional to terms of running with the ball and the ease in which they maintain their top speed over an extended distance.

    A lot of things have to go right for Brent Barnes to achieve his potential and get an opportunity in the NRL or even the Queensland Cup but in 2021 he made strides that get him closer to getting a shot at reaching his potential and getting there.

  14. #1604
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Just on 100 more profiles of juniors either ready to go or I am rewriting because I am not happy with them mate.

    Hope people enjoy them.

    Quote Originally Posted by Titanic View Post
    mdrew if you can keep this up I’m going to sponsor you for an Oxford Award in Literature … great stuff.

  15. #1605
    Immortal
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    17,220

    Default

    Jovahn Te Aroiti. In Round One of the 2021 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition Jovahn Te Aroiti started from the bench for the Runaway Bay Seagulls as they took on the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti was one of the Seagulls try scorers in the match when the received the ball from the dummy half who had run down a short right blind side, with Jovahn Te Aroiti receiving the ball eight metres out and crashing over five metres in from the right corner post.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti also started from the bench in Round Two against the Southport Tigers and scored for the second week in a row when he was on hand to dive on a gruuber kick to the left with Jovahn Te Aroiti racing through to easily get to the ball and get it down ten metres to the left of the goal posts.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti continued from the bench in Round Four as the Seagulls took on the Helensvale Hornets as well as in Round Five against the Burleigh Bears and Round Six against the Currumbin Eagles.

    After a Covid 19 disruption, Jovahn Te Aroiti also came off the bench in Round Nine against the Southport Tigers in what was Isreal Folou’s debut match for Southport as well as in Round Ten against the Tugun Seahawks.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti also started on the bench after the GCRL First Grade season recommenced for Round Eleven against Henelsvale and also came off the bench in Round Thirteen against the Currumbin Eagles.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti then dropped back to start in the front row for Runaway Bay in Round Fourteen of the Gold Coast Rugby League U20 competition against the Currumbin Eagles.

    The Gold Coast local moved up to the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition in 2020 lining up for the Burleigh Bears U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad, starting from the bench, playing in the middle of the field when he came on in Round One against Wynnum Manly as Burleigh started their campaign with a first up victory in what ended up being the one and only Round of the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition in 2020.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti played three matches off the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in 2019 being Rounds Two, Four and Five against Townsville, Central Queensland and Wynnum Manly respectively.

    Post the 2019 MM Cup competition Jovahn Te Aroiti played for Runaway Bay in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition playing matches in four separate competitions being the U18 Division One, U20, Doug Lipp Cup and First Grade competitions.

    In the 2019 U18 Division One competition Jovahn Te Aroiti has played in eight matches for Runaway Bay. In the U20 competition Jovahn Te Aroiti played in one match and in the Doug Lipp Cup competition Jovahn Te Aroiti played in three matches.

    In the 2019 GCRL First Grade competition Jovahn Te Aroiti made his debut in late June 2019 against Southport and went on to play in additional three regular season matches.

    The young front rower or second rower had an outstanding season in 2018 including starting in the front row for the PBC Open schoolboy side as they beat all comers to win the National GIO Cup competition with a victory over Patrician Brothers College Blacktown in the National Final.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti was also a Premiership winner in the 2018 Brisbane U17 Rugby Premiership playing for the Nerang Bulls in that competition, interestingly spending time in the centres there.

    In 2017 Jovahn Te Aroiti played for Helensvale in the GCRL U16 Division One competition playing in thirteen matches and he also played in one U17 Division One match against Runaway Bay.

    In the 2015 season, Jovahn Te Aroiti alternated between playing for his proper age group being U14’s and playing up an age group in the U15’s. At the U14 Premier level he scored one try and at the U15 level he scored two tries across Division 1 and Division 2.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti also started on the bench for the Titans U14 development squad in their recent match against Samoa. When he came on, Jovahn Te Aroiti played in the second row, specifically right second row.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti also represented the Gold Coast Vikings, Kookaburra’s and South East Queensland U14’s during the 2015 season, starting in the second row for those representative sides in their various junior representative competitions.

    In attack, regardless of the position he is playing, Jovahn Te Aroiti is quick and strong and has good footwork to beat opposition defenders and then has very good speed, not necessarily speed off the mark, but definitely has good top end speed once he gets moving.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti can run from dummy half and his strength and speed does compensate if there are no gaps in the defensive line. Once tackled he immediately starts fighting to get a quick play the ball in an effort to maintain momentum.

    In terms of wider positions, such as in the back row or at centre, he can and will take on defenders and look to run over them, when he stays wide, like he did for PBC good things happen for his team.

    Defensively Jovahn Te Aroiti is more than strong enough to defend in the middle of the ruck and quick enough to defend on the fridges. In the centre of the ruck he sets a strong base to create the necessary leverage to defend against larger forwards.

    When defending out wide, he is better in an up and in type defensive scheme rather than a sliding defensive structure. Jovahn Te Aroiti is also extremely fit thus getting back into the defensive line is no issue for him over the course of the entire game.

    Jovahn Te Aroiti will in 2022 continue to play for the Runaway Bay Seagulls in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition and it would seem that as a result of his performances Jovahn Te Aroiti must be on the fringes of pushing for a Queensland Cup spot in 2022 and beyond with the Burleigh Bears.

    Even though Jovahn Te Aroiti spent 2018 season playing in the front row for PBC’s successful GIO Cup campaign and this season in the front row for Runaway Bay I believe that he has the speed, mobility and the understanding to run the appropriate lines to make a very creditable fist of the second row position long term. Also at 183cm and 92kg I do not believe that he has the size to play in the front row on a full time basis, even with the new rules.

    With his intriguing skill set the NRL player I can see from a playing comparison perspective is former Brisbane Bronco and North Queensland’s versatile John Asiata although Asiata is bigger from a physical stand point. Both Asiata and Jovahn Te Aroiti have intriguing skills and a hardness to their play that compels others to follow their lead because of their actions not words.


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

ABOUT US

    Established in 2005 as the Gold Coast Titans official Chat Forum, we are now known as the League of Titans Independent Website. A place for fans of the Gold Coast Titans to come and touch base with other diehard fans.

QUICK LINKS

FOLLOW US ON

League of Titans designed and cutomised by Matt Glew