Tavake Tau’a’alo. The powerful front rower attended Keebra Park State High School in 2022 as part of the Keebra Park SHS Hancock Cup School Boy Rugby League side.
Tavake Tau’a’alo started Round One against Ipswich SHS in the front row and also started in the front row in Round Two against Redcliffe SHS.
Tavake Tau’a’alo started Round Four of the Hancock Cup in the front row against Mabel Park State High School with Tavake Tau’a’alo playing a key role in Keebra Park SHS’s 20 – 18 victory by way of a last minute penalty goal with Tavake Tau’a’alo playing a kay role in winning the penalty for Keebra Park SHS.
The match saw Tavake Tau’a’alo score two of Keebra Park SHS’s three tries with the first coming in the 13th minute when after charging onto the ball to the left of the play the ball around twelve metres out, Tavake Tau’a’alo broke through two tackles before stepping off his left still around eight metres out and then carried four defenders towards the line before reaching out to get the ball down after reaching forward with the ball in his right hand.
Tavake Tau’a’alo scored his second try in the 34th minute when he ran an inside shoulder route from the right of the play to charge over to score under the posts from ten metres out.
Tavake Tau’a’alo almost scored another try in the 33rd minute when from ten metres out Tavake Tau’a’alo got within a metres of the try line next to the left upright before four defenders finally brought him to the ground.
Tavake Tau’a’alo’s first strong run of the match came in the 8th minute when after receiving the ball to the left of the play the ball around thirty two metres out, Tavake Tau’a’alo looked held still twenty five metres out but he forced his way out of a three person tackle through sheer will, before carrying four more defenders to within eleven metres of the try line.
Then in the 36th minute after Mabel Park SHS were penalised for being offside from a kick-off Tavake Tau’a’alo who had taken the kick-off on the full back near his own try line raced to the halfway mark to take a tap and even against a set defensive line Tavake Tau’a’alo was able to make thirty metres, breaking numerous tackles along the way.
As noted above Tavake Tau’a’alo was heavily involved in winning a penalty in the dying minutes to give Keebra Park SHS the victory. With time running down Keebra Park SHS were awarded a penalty around twenty metres out, Tavake Tau’a’alo took a quick tap and got the ball to around four metres out from the try line and was awarded a penalty when he quick tap caught multiple Mabel Park SHS defenders offside.
In 2021 Tavake Tau’a’alo represented Tonga at the QPICC Carnival and was named the Tongan U14 Player of the Carnival.
Tavake Tau’a’alo is a big strong powerful aggressive young man and uses these attributes when he runs with the ball, Tavake Tau’a’alo will take the line on and look to drop his shoulder into the defender who is looking initiate contact.
Tavake Tau’a’alo 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.
Tavake Tau’a’alo is always the player standing back deep from kick ups to take the first hit up and will charge straight at the line. Tavake Tau’a’alo also is quite quick for a big young man, both in terms of explosive speed off the mark and agile from a footwork perspective but also with speed over an extended distance.
In defence, Tavake Tau’a’alo can certainly hit very hard and for a solidly built player has quite decent endurance thus allowing him to get back quickly into the defensive line play after play. Where Tavake Tau’a’alo is also very good, due to his good athletic skills is for a front rower is effectively tackling smaller attackers in the centre of the ruck. Tavake Tau’a’alo 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.
In 2023 Tavake Tau’a’alo will move up to the Keebra Park State High School Walters Cup School Boy Rugby League side.
Tavake Tau’a’alo, for his size and strength is exceptionally quick and mobile, whilst maintaining his strength and power and even though he is outstanding on the fringes of the ruck, Tavake Tau’a’alo will without a doubt develop into a powerhouse front rower with exceptional speed, mobility and power for the position.
From a player comparison perspective for Tavake Tau’a’alo, think of someone along the lines of a young version of Sydney Roosters and New Zealand International Jarred Warea-Hargreaves and a big strong powerful front rower who is as skilful as he is intimidating.
Tavake Tau’a’alo has a huge amount of potential and hopefully for him everything comes together and he can develop into the best player he can be there is certainly a lot of raw ability and untapped potential for him to work with.