My take on our top juniors

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Jack Sullivan. (Updated) The big strong young front rower from the Highfields Club in the Toowoomba Junior Rugby League Competition had a solid 2017 season in the U16 competition as well as being culminating in his selection in the 2017 Toowoomba 15/16 Academy Squad.

Jack Sullivan was also part of the Titans camp at Lennox Heads for the 2017 Western Mustangs Development Squad members including playing a match at the camp for the Mustangs against the Titans were he started in the front row and has subsequently signed a Titans scholarship deal. In previous seasons Jack Sullivan was part of the Brisbane Bronco’s Elite Development Squad.

Jack Sullivan finished the season with twelve tries from his twelve matches including scoring a hat trick early in the season against Pittsworth and doubles against Valleys, Pittsworth and Brothers. Jack Sullivan started in the front row for Highfields in the TJRL U16 Grand Final however his U16 side was defeated by the talented Toowoomba Souths U16 squad.

The young front rower is an all effort type of forward who runs with determination, he 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 forwards who are slow to move up. When the opposition are on the back foot he 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. It is the intensity and speed that he plays the game at that holds him in good stead as he starts to be selected in representative sides and plays against a higher quality of opposition.

Jack Sullivan is also very effective close to the opposition try line with his ability to burst through tackles. If the defenders do not come off the try he will just drag them across the try line, 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 he will become even more effective and will be an asset to the entire team as defences compress to combat his running thus leaving more room our wide.

One area of development for Jack Sullivan moving forward is his off-loading, his off-loading skill attributes in my eyes could be considered untapped. He shows flashes of ability to off load when in contact with the defensive line, but on occasion can try to off load the miracle pass with multiple defenders handing off him, I am sure however that he will become more selective as he progresses.

The defensive side of his game is similarly impressive, He does not just charge wildly up looking for a huge hit, but is calculating in where and when to hit. Jack Sullivan drives hard with his legs and always uses his shoulder and core body strength to drive into his opponent. He sets a strong lower base by setting his legs and generating force by driving through the tackle with his lower body, gaining leverage and momentum, culminating with the power projecting through his shoulders with the kinetic effects projecting into his opponent.

Jack Sullivan’s defensive dominance will not continue at its current rate as he starts to play against higher quality opposition but the timing and defensive technique that he has will mean that he will always likely be a plus defender. He really does have a very good tackling technique.

Jack Sullivan will play the 2018 season at the U18 level in the Toowoomba Rugby League competition with Highfields and will also push for a spot in the Western Mustangs MM Cup squad.

Jack Sullivan is a bog strong young man who has played essentially his entire junior rugby league career in the front row and I believe with his ascension to the senior rugby league ranks in 2018 will also stay in the same position that being in the front row.

From a player comparison perspective think of new Titans recruit Jarrod Wallace as a big strong powerful hard running and hardworking forward and someone who his team mates will follow as he leads by example.

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Callum Boomer. The young Burleigh Bears MM winger had a great start to the MM season on Sunday when he scored two tries, one in each half and kicked three goals in Burleigh’s tough two point loss to Redcliffe at Dolphin Oval whilst playing on the right wing. Post the MM Cup competition, Callum Boomer also played a number of matches for Burleigh in the U20 Colts Challenge side playing primarily on the wing. Callum Boomer is currently training with the Titans U20 High Performance Squad.

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

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

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

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

Whilst in does not have a great deal of speed off the mark, Callum Boomer does have decent top end speed once he gets moving and can break tackles by using a very good fend, when he gets to the outside, this prevents defenders from getting he under his ribs and thus he can maintain his running line under defensive pressure. When engaged with the defensive line he also has a reasonable offload and when he breaks through the main defensive line he is also very effective at setting up his outside support, by drawing the fullback.

Callum Boomer also has a decent right foot step which led directly to his first or two tries in Round One of the MM Cup competition against Redcliffe when he received the ball near the try line and stepped immediately to beat his direct opponent and score in the corner.

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

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

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

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

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

Callum Boomer will play for the Burleigh Bears U20 Colts side in 2018 and if he is not in the game day seventeen for any given match he will play for Runaway Bay in the local U19 competition and likely also get some Gold Coast First Grade opportunities with Runaway Bay as well. Callum Boomer is eligible for the U20 Colts competition again in 2019.

For me with his above average speed and elusiveness in the confined space near the touch line, Callum Boomer is the ideal modern day winger probably bar a little height but he is very effective none the less. I appreciate that he started four matches for Burleigh Colts at fullback but I think that his future is more likely than not on the wing.

From a player comparison perspective think of someone along the lines of St George Dragons winger Jason Nightingale as a winger with the speed and elusiveness to regularly find the try line especially in situations where it looked highly likely that he had no chance of getting the ball over the line.

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Zane Prophet. The young second rower is my nomination for most improved junior player in the Gold Coast Rugby League Competitions in 2017. The Ormeau Shearers youngster had an exceptional year in the U17 Division One and U19 competitions. In 2016 Zane Prophet played a number of matches off the interchange bench for Gold Coast Green in the Cyril Connell Cup competition.

For Ormeau across the 2017 season Zane Prophet played in thirteen U17 Division One matches including starting in the second row in their 34 – 20 Grand Final defeat to Helensvale and three matches in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition.

In the U17 Division One competition Zane Prophet finished as the second leading try scorer with twelve tries including a late May double against Runaway Bay and doubles in consecutive weeks in August against Mudgeeraba and Burleigh. The two matches prior to these two doubles which were against Runaway Bay and Burleigh also saw Zane Prophet cross the try line. Zane Prophet’s three U19 matches were against Bilambil, Burleigh and Currumbin.

The pace and power in terms of how Zane prophet runs the ball is the outstanding feature of his game, he 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 forwards who are slow to move up. When the opposition are on the back foot he will target the smaller defenders on the edge of the ruck and burst through and for a young bloke he has very good speed over the medium term and has the strength to drag defenders with him.

I would consider that Zane Prophet’s speed would be considered above average for a backrower 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.

Zane Prophet’s offloading ability is also improving as he refines his game. Earlier in his junior career, he was almost too good at offloading compared to his team mates as he would pop some passes that they were not expecting but as he has matured and the quality of the opposition and his own team has increased so has the selective nature of his offloading.

The defensive side of Zane Prophet’s game is similarly impressive, He does not just charge wildly up looking for a huge hit, but is calculating in where and when to hit. Zane Prophet drives hard with his legs and always uses his shoulder and core body strength to drive into his opponent. He sets a strong lower base by setting his legs and generating force by driving through the tackle with his lower body, gaining leverage and momentum to complete the tackle.

Zane Prophet has been named in the Burleigh Bears squad for the upcoming MM Cup competition and post that competition, Zane Prophet will play in the U19 GCRL competition with the Shearers and late in het 2018 season Zane Prophet may also get an opportunity in the Burleigh U20 Colts squad.

Zane Prophet has primarily been a second rower his entire junior rugby league career and there is no reason for the to change as he progresses to the senior rugby league ranks especially in relation to his standard of play this season.

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

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Daniel Brownbill – (Updated) He is a centre who has had an outstanding season for the Titans in the NYC competition in 2017 and is certainly destined for higher honours in rugby league. Daniel Brownbill started in the centres for the Queensland U20 side in side and was one of five Titans who represented Queensland in that match.

For all intents and purposes Daniel Brownbill played 80 minutes per match in 2017. Only on two occasions out of his twenty four matches did he not, those came in Round Three against the Newcastle Knights when he played 66 minutes and in Round Twenty against the Penrith Panthers when he played 55 minutes.

In total in the 2017 NYC season for the Titans, Daniel Brownbill was on the field for 1 881 metres, ran the ball on 263 occasions making 2 708 metres, made sixteen line breaks, had five try assists, off loaded the ball on thirteen occasions and made 237 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 77%. Daniel Brownbill’s per game 2017 NYC season averages were an incredible 112 running metres on eleven carries and just less than one line break and ten tackles.

On fifteen occasions Daniel Brownbill has run for more than 100 metres with his “best” effort coming in Round Sixteen against the Wests Tigers when he ran for 185 metres on sixteen carries. Defensively Daniel Brownbill made nineteen tackles against South Sydney in Round Fifteen and on fifteen occasions has made more than ten tackles in a match. Daniel Brownbill also averages less than half an error per match.

Daniel Brownbill also crossed for seventeen tries including four doubles which have come against the Knights in Round Three, the Raiders in Round Four, the Storm in Round Ten and the Penrith panthers in Round Twenty.

Daniel Brownbill played the 2016 season at the MM level for the Gold Coast White side before progressing to the Tweed Heads Seagulls QCup Colts side towards the end of the 2016 season. For Gold Coast White in the MM competition, Daniel Brownbill played in all eight of GC Whites matches including their two semi-finals, scoring four tries in the process, including a first half double against Gold Coast Green in Round Five and also against South’s Logan and the Easts Tigers in Rounds Six and Seven respectively. Daniel Brownbill started all of the matches at centre.

Daniel Brownbill made his 2016 QCup Colts debut in Round Ten for the Tweed Heads Seagulls going onto to play nine Colts matches in total, scoring five tries, including scoring after two minutes in his debut against the Sunshine Coast Falcons. His other tries came in Round 12 against North’s, Round 13 again against North’s, Round 16 against East’s and in Round 17 against the Sunshine Coast Falcons. From a position perspective, Daniel Brownbill debuted in the centres, also playing in the centres on three other occasions. He also started in the second row in three matches and in Rounds 15 and 16 actually started at fullback.

In 2014 Daniel Brownbill played in the CC Cup competition with the Easts Tigers and also represented the Tigers in the MM Cup competition in 2015 before signing with the Titans.

Daniel Brownbill was originally part of the Titans junior developments squads, before signing with the North Queensland Cowboys junior development system, before coming back to the Titans at the start of the 2016 season. Previously he has represented Queensland at the U16 level and prior to that made multiple South Coast junior representative sides, including schoolboy football, playing both in the centres and second row out of Coombabah State High School.

Prior to the 2016 season, Daniel Brownbill played the majority of his football in the centres, but during the 2016 season he spent a lot more time in the second row and in either position is a strong runner of the ball. Whilst in does not have blinding speed off the mark, he does have decent top end speed and can break tackles by running over his direct opposite defender as well as using a very good fend, when he gets to the outside, this prevents defenders from getting he under his ribs and thus he can maintain his running line under defensive pressure.

One skill that he does possess when playing in the centre position is a decent in and away especially from the right hand side of the field. He will wait until the last possible minute to step to commit the defender before getting on his outside.

When he breaks through the main defensive line Daniel Brownbill is also very effective at setting up his outside support, by drawing the fullback. This is a skill that is more difficult that it may seem, as the attacker needs to ensure that he draws the fullback before passing, but the fullback moves too early he has the pace to score himself as he can sustain his top speed over a reasonable distance.

When Daniel Brownbill has played second row previously, he has got very good feet, in terms of not just charging straight at the set defensive line. He uses foot work before and after the defensive line to assist in breaking tackles. In terms of his attacking skills, he has the skills at this point in time to play either centre or second row.

In terms of his defence, Daniel Brownbill obviously during the course of this year, defended almost exclusively in the centres but past experience indicates that defending on the edge of the ruck does not cause him too many issues either. One area that game him some slight issues was defending against smaller quicker centres but in saying that he is still quite effective as a defender there.

Daniel Brownbill’s initial contact is more than solid and is more than enough to stop the momentum of the ball carrier. He is also effective at wrapping the ball up and preventing offloads. Due to his current attributes he is more effective when his team is using an up and in style of defensive strategy rather than a slide methodology.

Daniel Brownbill will start the 2018 season off with the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Colts squad and look to push for a spot in their Queensland Cup side and a possible Titans Development contract in 2019.

I think that ultimately Daniel Brownbill ends up in the back row, but not necessarily immediately, I certainly think that for the next couple of years, he will still be able to handle playing in the centres exclusively, but I think that by the time he gets to 1st grade level, whether that be NRL or QCup etc., he will likely transition to the back row full time where he will be a rangy, mobile, wide running backrower who is capable of playing the entire eighty minutes. At 191cm and 98kg, Daniel Brownbill certainly has the size to make the transition to the second row.

From a rugby league player comparison, I would think that a good comparison would be boom Brisbane Bronco youngster Jayden Sua, as a powerful player who also followed a similar career path, that being a centre in junior rugby league before transitioning permanently to the second row.

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Angus Campbell. To say the young Robina Raptors custodian had an outstanding 2017 campaign would be an understatement. Angus Campbell played primarily in the U13 Division Three competition in 2017 including starting at fullback in the Grand Final against Ormeau contributing a double to Robina’s score. The result of the Grand Final was a 36 – 28 for Robina over Ormeau.

Angus Campbell finished the 2017 as the U13 Division Three leading try scorer with an incredible thirty three tries from just nine matches to average just less than four tries a match. No team was able to keep Angus Campbell from scoring in 2017 with the young man at least two tries in every match. Below is a rundown of his 2017 try scoring feats per game:

Burleigh 3
Mudgeeraba 7
Parkwood 6
Jimboomba 3
Ormeau 2
Helensvale 4
Nerang 3
Burleigh 3
Ormeau 2 (Grand Final)

In 2017 Angus Campbell also played four matches in the U14 Division Two competition and also four matches in the U13 Division Two competition where once again he scored in every match including doubles against Beaudesert, Nerang and Southport as well as a try against Mudgeeraba to finish with seven more tries meaning that in the U13 age group Angus Campbell scored 40 tries from just thirteen matches in 2017.

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

Angus Campbell can and will beat defenders in the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies. He also backs up any line breaks that are made by his forwards. Yes I know that he is still very young but Angus Campbell has absolutely blazing speed already, which would have to be considered in the plus-plus category.

At present due to his age and quality of competition, he does not play as a fullback who receives the ball “out the back” from the half/five eight, but he is usually one of the better players in all of the teams that he has played on to date, thus I have no doubt that his passing and decision making skills will improve in these situations as he matures as a player. Angus Campbell also has very good hands for such a young player and when he retrieves the ball from an opponent’s kick he simply just takes off and is difficult for the opposition to get his hands on.

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

Angus Campbell will play once again for Robina in 2018 in the U14 age group and may also get an opportunity with the Gold Coast Vikings U14 squad.

From a position perspective, I would suggest that he will continue to play fullback for the foreseeable future, although it will be interesting to see if he spends some time at halfback early in his junior rugby league career in an effort to accelerate the development of his ball playing and game management skills.

I can see similar aspects in Angus Campbell’s Tempest’s game to that of North Queensland Cowboy, Queensland State of Origin and Australian International Michael Morgan. I appreciate that they play different positions but both run with the ball out in front of their bodies in two hands putting doubt into the defence and have a knack of taking the right option at the right time to the immense benefit of their team.

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Apiata Noema-Matenga (Noema) – (Updated) He is a local young second rower who has had a solid 2017 NYC campaign with the Titans and was been rewarded with being selected on an extended bench for the Titans final NRL match of that season against the Sydney Roosters. He did not however make his NRL debut. Apiata Noema-Matenga has also had the honour of captaining the Titans NYC side in 2017.

Over the course of the 2017 NYC season Apiata Noema-Matenga played in 23 of the Titans 26 matches scoring five tries which came against the Parramatta Eels in Round Three, the Cowboys in Rounds Four, against the Raiders in Round Six, and in Rounds Sixteen and Seventeen against the Wests Tigers and St George respectively. Of the 23 matches that he featured in Apiata Noema-Matenga started every match in the second row except for two matches where he started at lock being Rounds Four and Ten.

In total Apiata Noema-Matenga spent 1,657 minutes on the field for the Titans NYC side in 2018 which equates to a per game average of approximately 72 minutes per game with Apiata Noema-Matenga playing the entire 80 minutes on 18 occasions. Apiata Noema-Matenga was on the field for every minute from Rounds Seventeen to Twenty-five inclusive.

Apiata Noema-Matenga’s 2017 season per game averages included 74 run metres on eight carries and 21 tackles at a tackling efficiency of just over 80%. On six occasions in 2018 Apiata Noema-Matenga ran for in excess of 100 metres in a match with his “best” effort coming against the Wests Tigers in Round Twenty-One when he ran for 151 metres on just nine carries. From a defensive perspective in Round Seventeen against the Dragons Apiata Noema-Matenga made 35 tackles.

The table below compares Apiata Noema-Matenga’s 2016 and 2017 NYC per game averages:

2016 2017

Minutes per game 40 72

Runs per game 5.5 8.1

Metres made per game 62.5 74.1

Tackles per game 17.5 20.8

Apiata Noema-Matenga made his NYC debut in Round 17 of the 2016 season against the New Zealand Warriors from the inter change bench, playing 33 minutes in his debut and taking a heavy knock to the head. Apiata Noema-Matenga then kept his position in the 17 for the remainder of the season, playing five matches off the inter change bench and the other four matches starting at lock. Apiata Noema-Matenga scored his first and only NYC try for the year in Round 19 against Parramatta. Apiata Noema-Matenga in his nine NYC matches averaged just on 40 minutes per game with the most minutes being against the Penrith Panthers in Round 25 when he played the remainder of the match after coming off the inter change bench in the 19th minute of the first half.

In his nine matches in 2016 Apiata Noema-Matenga averaged 62.5 run metres per match on 5.5 hit ups and 17.5 tackles. His best match purely from a total run metre perspective came on his debut when he ran for 117 metres and tackling wise in his starting debut in Round 19 against St George, he made 28 tackles. Apiata Noema-Matenga however did miss 31 tackles but I would agree that had more to do with his over enthusiasm rather than a defensive positioning or technique deficiency.

For Gold Coast White in the 2016 MM competition, Apiata Noema-Matenga played in all of Gold Coast White’s matches including their quarter and semi-finals scoring one try which came against the Ipswich Jets in the big quarter final win. Apiata Noema-Matenga started his first five matches at lock before moving to the second row in Round Seven and then staying in the second row for the two finals matches.

Over the course of his junior football the former PBC student made numerous representative sides including the Vikings, Kookaburras, South East Queensland, Queensland Maroon and South Coast at the U15 and U18 level. He attended PBC and was part of their GIO Cup side that lost the Queensland Grand Final, however they did defeat Keebra Park in the Queensland quarter finals in a high quality contest in front of a crowd of around 5,000. Other Titans linked PBC team mates in that game included former NYC team mate Ethan Roberts. In the Keebra side that day was AJ Brimson. Previously he was part of the Broncos Elite Player Development Squad and was so for a number of years before signing with his local NRL club.

Apiata Noema-Matenga is a hard running backrower who really does look to run straight over people, especially when he played in the centres, towards the end of the year, in the back row, he did use more footwork prior to the line and was best running on the fringes of the ruck, rather than straight up the centre. Apiata Noema-Matenga still has decent to above average top end speed but he does take a little bit of time to get up to his top speed. I would suggest his speed is above average for a back rower. Apiata Noema-Matenga also has a very good left hand fend to add to his stocky frame and good strength. His low centre of gravity and power make him a difficult proposition to defend against, regardless of where he lines up in attack.

Defensively Apiata Noema-Matenga hits very hard and usually aims for just under the ribs and is adept at making sure the opposition do not get quick play the balls. He also has a touch of aggression in his play and definitely finishes off each tackle that he is involved in. He is equally adept at defending in the centre of the ruck as he is defending on the fringes and his initial contact is more than sufficient to make an impact on the ball carrier.

Towards the end of the year, Apiata Noema-Matenga’s defensive technique in the forwards had improved immensely, especially as he transitioned to the NYC ranks and he set a good stable base with his lower body, which he them used to explode into the attacker. Apiata Noema-Matenga’s aggression can on occasion get the best of him but he certainly does make an impact defensively.

It is clear from his selection on the extended First Grade bench that Apiata Noema-Matenga is highly thought of by the Titans and is currently trialling for a Development contract with the NRL side.

Apiata Noema-Matenga is still eligible for the Colts competition in 2018 and will be part of a powerful Burleigh Bears U20 Colts side as well as continuing to push for a Titans Development contract come 2019. Obviously Apiata Noema-Matenga will also be looking to break into the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side in 2018. Apiata Noema-Matenga has also been named in the 2018 Queensland U20 Emerging Origin Squad and thus is in a good position to represent Queensland at the U20 level for the second year in a row.

From an ultimate position perspective, his transition from centre to the back row has now been completed and Apiata Noema-Matenga has now firmly established himself as a powerful young backrower.

From a style perspective, a player that stands out with a similar playing style, especially in terms of attack is former Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panther Sika Manu as a tough nuggetty back rower with decent footwork prior to the line to add to sold speed for a backrower and someone who is aggressive in defence. With Apiata Noema-Matenga in a team, that team will definitely not lack aggression in both attack and defence.

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AJ (Alexander) Brimson. (Updated) He is a young fullback/half who was outstanding for the Titans NYC side in 2017 season and was rewarded with being selected on the extended bench for the Titans final NRL match against the Sydney Roosters. In 2017 AJ Brimson was named the Titans NYC player of the season sharing the award with giant young front rower Moeaki Fotuaika. AJ Brimson was also named in the 2017 NYC team of the year along with fellow Titans Top 30 player Phillip Sami.

AJ Brimson has signed a three year deal with the Titans at will keep him at the club until the end of the 2020 season and in 2018 is part of the Top 30 squad even though he is still eligible to play in the U20 Colts competition.

AJ Brimson’s 2017 season kicked off when he played for the Titans in the Auckland Nine’s where he would have gained invaluable experience playing against NRL calibre players. From a trivia perspective, AJ Brimson’s older brother is Will Brimson who progressed through the Broncos U20 ranks.

In the 2017 for the Titans NYC side AJ Brimson played in twenty one matches and averaged just under a try a match with twenty tries. AJ Brimson scored two hat tricks tin 2017 which came against the North Queensland Cowboys in Round Four and against the Manly Sea Eagles in Round Eleven and also doubles against the Newcastle Knights in Round Two and the St George Dragons in Round Seventeen. AJ Brimson has scored a try in every match from Rounds Twenty to the Round Twenty-five loss to Canterbury.

AJ Brimson’s per game 2017 averages were 100 run metres on ten carries and 17 tackles at a tackling efficiency of around 85%. On seven occasions AJ Brimson has run for more than 100 metres in a match including an exceptional match in Round Eleven against Manly when he ran for 215 metres from just thirteen carries. Defensively AJ Brimson has made more than 20 tackles on six occasions with his best tally coming in Round Three against the Newcastle Knights.

For all intents and purposes AJ Brimson has been an 80 minutes player with the Titans as on only one occasion did he not played the entire match that was against the Parramatta Eels in Round Four when he “only” played 71 minutes.

The table below compares AJ Brimson’s 2016 and 2017 NYC per game averages. It should be noted that in the 2016 season AJ Brimson played six matches at fullback.

2016 2017

Minutes per game 72 80

Runs per game 11 10

Metres made per game 97 100

Tackles per game 12 17

AJ Brimson made his NYC debut in 2016 starting half back against South Sydney in Round 13 then playing every game up to Round 25 when he was injured after 51 minutes. Over the course of the twelve matches that he played AJ Brimson scored three tries on top of running for a total of 1 162 metres on 114 carries. His tries came in Round 15 against Manly, Round 20 in his fullback debut against Parramatta and finally against the Warriors in Round 22. In total AJ Brimson played his first six NYC matches at half back before playing his final six at fullback. The move to fullback was a master stroke by the NYC hierarchy.

AJ Brimson’s 2016 season averages per game included 97 metres on 11 carries and 12 tackles. His best running game came in Round 20 in his fullback debut when he ran for 159 metres against the Wests Tigers and in his NYC debut AJ Brimson made 21 tackles against South Sydney. In addition to the exceptional statistics noted above AJ Brimson also made nine line breaks including three against the Wests Tigers in Round 23 on top of his 159 metres. It was only in Round 25 when he was injured that AJ Brimson did not play the entire 80 minutes in a match.

Surprisingly AJ Brimson only scored two tries in the MM competition in 2016 where he played all of the Gold Coast White’s matches at half back. Upon completion of the MM season, AJ Brimson played a handful of matches with the Tweed Heads Seagulls QCup Colts side before finishing the 2016 in the Titans NYC side where he primarily played fullback. 2016 also saw AJ Brimson made GC White MM Player of the Year and joint MM Player of the year.

In 2016 he also played his schoolboy football for Keebra and made the South Coast QSSRL U18 squad. He also made his QCup Colts debut Tweed Seagulls late in the 2016 season, and scored a try on debut. Understandably he was also a very good touch rugby player.

AJ Brimson started attending Keebra Park State High School in 2013 with absolutely no rugby league experience at all focussing on touch instead including representing the Queensland U15 side at the Australian Touch Championships.

In attack AJ Brimson’s speed off the mark is the first attribute that you will notice when you see him play live. Any video’s, including the video on the official site does not do his speed off the mark justice, watching him play live, it is great to see when he takes off. AJ Brimson does not seem to have an extra gear once he is through the defensive line, but has the ability to maintain his speed over a long distance, thus the apparent lack of an extra gear in speed has no discernible impact that I have identified.

Coupled with a very good right foot step, AJ Brimson’s speed enables him to make numerous line breaks. He can and will beat defenders in the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies. He also backs up any line breaks and loves to score tries.

The area that for me AJ Brimson has developed the most over the last couple of seasons is in relation to his play making skills, including putting his runners, whether they are backrowers or centres into holes. His enhanced plays making skills has made his speed with his show and go more effective as defensive lines start to focus in his runners and thus leave more space for him. As games progress AJ Brimson is very good at identifying tired forwards in the defensive line, and he will ruthlessly exploit that when he sees that. Multiple times this season he has left forwards clutching at air as they began to tire.

AJ Brimson has a good short kicking game but he does not have the strongest leg in terms of kicking deep but is accurate enough and regularly finds the ground to enable the chasers to get down field. He will chase hard and usually is one of the first down field to defend. In terms of his short kicking game, he will back himself and put in little kicks over the top or grubber through the defensive line for himself, which causes all sorts of issues for defences due to his speed and desire to get to the ball first.

In defence, due to his size AJ Brimson is obviously not going to come up with the big hit but reads the play well enough and can hold his own when defending much bigger players. AJ Brimson will also track across field well looking when the ball is turned back inside. When confronted with forwards running directly at him on the edge of the ruck, he will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives.

AJ Brimson has signed a three year deal with the Titans starting in 2018 and is a member of the Titans 30 man NRL squad. AJ Brimson is still eligible to play in the U20 Colts competition in 2018 but I believe that if not in the NRL squad come Round One will bypass the U20 Colts competition and be part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup side.

AJ Brimson has also been named in the 2018 Queensland U20 Emerging Origin squad and barring injury should represent Queensland at the U20 level for the second year in a row.

From a player comparison perspective, think of the Canterbury Bulldogs version of Ben Barba from a speed perspective but his rapidly developing play making skills warrant a Daly Cherry Evans comparison although AJ Brimson’s speed far exceeds that of the Manly half back. All in all with his blinding speed, especially off the mark and his play making skills as well as his ability to create for himself means that AJ Brimson is truly exciting player of the very near future.

AJ Brimson is a player who whilst known for his amazing speed off the mark, does have some other attributes to his game which can sometimes get be overlooked when people focus purely on his speed.

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Jacob Leach. The young centre has flown under the radar a bit in his rugby league career to date but with his form across the three levels of the Toowoomba Rugby League competition for Highfields and is selection in the Western Mustangs U20 Colts side for 2018 and is seemingly all about to change.

Over the course of the 2017 Toowoomba Rugby League season Jacob Leach played in seventeen U18 matches, four Reserve Grade matches and seven Hutchies A grade matches. In the U18 competition, Jacob Leach scored an impressive thirteen tries including scoring seven tries in just three matches in May 2017.

In that span Jacob Leach scored a hat trick against Oakey and then followed that match up with doubles against Toowoomba Valleys and Southern Suburbs. Jacob Leach also scored an early season double against Gatton and a late season double against South Burnett.

Jacob Leach made his A Grade debut in Round One against Brothers Toowoomba backing up from the U18 clash earlier in the day and played his final A Grade match of the season in July 2017 against Gatton. On six of the seven occasions hat Jacob Leach played for the Highfields A Grade side he was backing up after the U18 contest.

I would not say that Jacob Leach has blazing speed but he does have decent top end speed and is unlikely to get caught from behind by anyone but the absolute quickest of opponents. His best attribute from an outside back perspective is his ability to keep his width and be available for his team mates, when the opposing defender cheats inside. When the ball is moved out the back line, he stays on the touchline, and a lot of the tries that he scored in 2017 were when he was able to beat his opposite defender when they had come in just a fraction.

Jacob Leach probably could have scored a few more tries but made sure that his team would score when in open space as he would draw the fullback and pass to his support when he could have easily gone himself. Jacob Leach is also adept at making ground out of dummy half.

When playing in the centres Jacob Leach looks to draw in the winger to try to create space down the touch line for the attackers outside him, but he does have enough pace, when he is able to get outside his opposing defender and make line breaks when the defensive winger stays out. Thus from what I have seen he has very good situational awareness in attack from either the centre or wing position.

Jacob Leach can certainly hold his line defensively without necessarily being a dominant defender. When Jacob Leach he played on the wing, I did not often see him come in when he did not need to, preferring to stay on his opposing winger and trusting his teams inside defenders. From my perspective at least, his skill set in defence is more suited to a sliding defence structure rather than an up and in one.

Jacob Leach has been named in the 38 man Western Mustangs U20 Colts squad for the 2018 Queensland Rugby League season and is also eligible for that competition in 2019. If Jacob Leach is not in the Western Mustangs 17 for a particular round he will play in the Toowoomba Rugby League A Grade competition likely for the Highfields and Districts side.

Over the course of the 2017 season in the TRL U18 and A Grade competitions Jacob Leach spent team both in the centres and on wing and this was also the case in 2016 in the TRL U18 competition. Due to the fact that he is only reasonably slight of build and his ability to understand how to use limited space, I can see a future on the wing for the Darling Downs youngster.

From a player comparison perspective with his speed and smaller build for a winger, Jacob Leach has a playing style similar to that of current Brisbane Bronco’s fringe NRL player Jonas Pearson. If you want to go back a touch further Scott Minto formerly of the Bronco’s as well is another player who seems to have similar attributes to Jacob Leach.

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Daron Bligh (Saltner-Bligh). (Updated) The exciting young centre from the Cherbourg Junior Rugby League club who play in the South Burnett Junior Rugby League competition had a flying start in the U16 competition, his second in that age group, scoring 17 tries from just the first six matches of the season.

In total over the course of the 2017 season, Daron Bligh finished as the competitions leading try scorer with twenty eight tries from fourteen matches. In March of 2017 Daron Bligh was selected on the wing for the South Burnett U16 47th Battalion side representative side.

In that span of matches to start the season Daron Bligh scored five tries against the Central Burnett Brumbies and in Round One scored four against Wondai. He also scored a hat trick against Nanango and doubles against Chinchilla and Kingaroy. Daron Bligh scored two further hat tricks in the 2017 season which came against Chinchilla and Nanango and he also scored a mid-season double against Wondai Murgon.

In terms of his attacking play Daron Bligh is a smooth runner of the ball who has above average to plus top end speed and good evasiveness to get on the outside of his opposing defender with a decent fend that enables him to keep opposing defenders at a distance and away from his body. When playing at centre he just needs to be aware to straighten up the axis of attack on occasion to ensure his outside supports have room to move and exploit any advantages identified.

Daron Bligh has quite a good step, predominately off the left foot, so he certainly has the skills to adjust his running line as he gains more experience and develops a better rapport with his teams play makers. Daron Bligh does not have the size or strength to run over the top of opposing defenders thus he needs to use his speed and guile to make an impact and the earlier he gets the ball the better but as noted just needs to straighten up the attack on occasion. In the games that I have seen he lines up mainly on the left hand side of the field.

Defensively Daron Bligh has a very good low tackling technique, he is by no means a big player but his defensive low tackling technique is very good, he can defend opposing centres one on one, and is one of the better low tacklers I have seen in junior rugby league. Tackling around the legs seems to have become a lost art, but when done right it is in my opinion it is still the most effective way of defending.

He is not the biggest or strongest, thus when he looks to tackle his oppose number around the chest area, he can have difficulty. Due to the defensive attributes noted Daron Bligh is clearly more effective defending in a side with a sliding defensive methodology rather than an up and in approach.

It will be interesting to see where the Murgon State High School student plays in 2017 and may decide to play in the Toowoomba U18 with South Burnett who are renowned for their attacking style of play.

With his speed and elusiveness there is nothing to suggest that Daron Bligh cannot stay in the centres long term although he could also certainly be able to wing on the wing at a high standard and potentially at fullback as well.

From a player comparison perspective for Daron Bligh, think of someone along the lines of the Newcastle Knights and Queensland State of Origin centre Dane Gagai as a smooth moving centre who is elusive and difficult to defend against as a result.

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Jake Keating. (Updated) The young U16 backrower has had two outstanding seasons in a row in the South Burnett region and was a member of the 2017 South Burnett Academy squad.

In 2017 Jake Keating moved up from the U14 South Burnett Rugby League competition as there is no U15 competition in the region but the step up in age was no barrier to the young Nanango Stags second rower. In the U16 competition in 2017 Jake Keating finished as the competitions second leading try scorer one behind talented Cherbourg centre Daron Bligh with twenty seven tries from just thirteen matches.

Jake Keating had an outstanding start to the 2017 season scoring nineteen tries in the first six rounds, including in that span scoring five tries in a match against the Central Burnett Brumbies, four tries in matches against Kingaroy and Chinchilla, a double against Wondai Murgon and ‘only” one try in a another match against Chinchilla. Jake Keating also finished the 2017 season with a bang scoring hat tricks in consecutive matches against Chinchilla and Cherbourg.

While his Nanango side were defeated in their 2016 Preliminary Final, on an individual level Jake Keating had an unbelievable season topping the U14 try scoring and points scoring lists with 36 tries for 144 points in total from 14 matches at an average of 2.5 tries and just over ten points per game. Jake Keating scored in every match he played including Nanango’s matches in the finals series, including scoring five tries on one occasion against Wondai Proston. He scored four tries in four others matches against Kingaroy twice, Chinchilla and Central Burnett, he also scored a hat trick against Central Burnett and too many doubles to write about.

Tear a way would be an apt description of how Jake Keating runs the ball, he is by no means the biggest second rower running around but he really does throw himself into the defensive line with clearly no thought of self-preservation. He from the games that I have seen normally lines up on the left hand side of the field and the only small concession to running in a straight line is on occasion a slight step back towards the ruck.

Jake Keating’s normal running line seems to be on a slight angle away from the ruck and as noted on occasion he will veer back towards the ruck, I would not call it a step but more of a change to his running angle rather than a specific change of running direction.

To his credit I have seen him get absolutely smashed but he always seems to get back up and get ready to do it all again and considering the heavy hits he absorbs, his ball control is quite good. He can on occasion get fixated with initiating contact with the defensive line rather than looking to see if an overlap has developed on the outside and runs the ball when on occasion the prudent course of action would be to pass the ball.

Seriously for his size he just flat out charges into the defence regardless of the size of the opponent in front of him. He is a real motivating force for his team when he runs the ball. With his stamina and determination, this approach whilst it must wear him down it also wears down his opponents.

Where his greatest impact on a game is going to be is his defence. His has a great tackling technique and a hard hitting aggressive style to go with it. I think that in every game that I have seen him play, including representative games he has made a huge impact defensively. It is not a reckless style where he runs in trying to pull off the biggest hit possible, it is a cold, calculating style where he uses a great technique to hit opposing forwards just under the rib cage to devastating effect.

Jake Keating sets a strong lower base by setting his legs and generating force by driving through the tackle with his lower body, gaining leverage and momentum, culminating with the power projecting through his shoulders. As a result he has the ability to seal off one side of the ruck, enabling his team’s defensive strategy to be adjusted accordingly.

Jake Keating will play the 2017 season at the U16 level for Nanango in the South Burnett Rugby League competition and will be eligible for that age group again in 2018. Along with Daron Bligh Jake Keating was the stand out player in the U16 competition and come 2018 he should once again dominate.

In terms of his best position I would consider that where Jake Keating is currently playing which is in the second row is by far his best position moving forward, even though he could also probably handle playing in the centres as well due to his speed.

From a player comparison perspective if you watch the Brisbane Broncos Matt Gillett play he hopefully get an appreciation of how Jake Keating plays, that being of a hole running tough tackling second rower.

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Mitchell Malone. The talented young five eight from the Bilambil Jets junior rugby league club continues to develop his game in both club and school boy football as part of the PBC side that were defeated 22-20 by Marsden recently after the very young PBC played so well to lead until late in the match. In relation to club rugby league in 2017 Mitchell Malone has played eight matches for the Bilambil Jets in the U17 Division One GCJRL competition including starting at half back in the majority of them.

In 2016 Mitchell Malone was selected in the New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges Northern Coast side. In 2015 Mitchell Malone was part of the Combined Catholic College Northern side as well as representing Group 18 at the U15 level in the New South Country age championships over the weekend. He started at five eight in both of their matches being a 28-18 loss Group 21 and a heart breaking 18-16 loss to Group 3 when after coming back from 10 points down were beaten when Group 3 kicked a penalty goal to break a 16 all deadlock with two minutes to go. Over those two games he kicked five goals to finish Group 18’s top point’s scorer and kicked at approximately 80% over the course of the two matches. He kicked two conversions against Group 3 and three against Group 21.

Mitchell Malone’s calling card from an attacking perspective is his passing and game management abilities, these were on show in the Group One U15’s matches when along with half back Kade Hill he directed the Group One around the ground. In terms of his running game, he is not going to be known as someone that is going to beat a defender with speed, but he does very good foot work that he uses to good effect in tight spaces.

Mitchell Malone has a very good step off both feet and can put together combinations of steps over a short distance to break free of situations where he is seemingly surrounded by defenders. Also maybe it’s only me, but he seemed to rarely take a big hit when running through the centre of the ruck.

Going back to his speed briefly, as noted he is not very quick, but he does have some reasonable speed off the mark, which is complemented by the fact that he runs at the right moment, for example when he is drifting across field he will dummy and run when defenders anticipate the pass rather than focussing on him running the ball. His running skills compliment his ability to put runners into holes rather than the other way around.

His kicking game is very accurate, and even though he is not a big player he can generate very good distance on his kicks whilst at the same time not losing any accuracy, thus he finds the ground for a lot of his kicks. He can also kick pin point bombs, allowing plenty of time for his chasers to get to the ball as it is coming down close to the try line. He is also a decent goal kicker but I have not seen enough of him kicking to have an opinion as to whether he can be a front line kicker for his side moving forward.

Defensively Mitchell Malone tackles well low and that is seemingly his main tactic against wide running forwards rather than trying to tackle them ball and all and potentially being bumped off. Against Marsden State High School in the GIO Cup Mitchell Malone was constantly battered by huge forwards running at him but he held his own all day. His quick feet and sense of timing and anticipation enable him to see plays developing in front of him quickly and he is able to adjust and look to shut down the attacking play prior to it fully developing. In short he is quite a solid defender in the five eight position.

The Bilambil Jets will continue to benefit from having him at the club and Mitchell Malone will be a key component of their push for success at the U19 Level as will PBC with their very young side as they build towards the various schoolboy competitions in 2018.

Mitchell Malone has had a great deal of success at five eight with his ball playing and game management skills to go with his ability to take the line on himself and there is no reason for a coach to move him from the five eight position or half back from my perspective. In note however that Mitchell Malone has spent some time at hooker this year but I would really like to see him stay in the halves for the next couple of seasons at least.

Mitchell Malone reminds me of the Titans own Ashley Taylor in relation to how he plays and manages the game of rugby league.

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Isaiah Barker. (Updated) He is a big strong young front rower who moved up to the Gold Coast to attend PBC as part of their Rugby League Excellence program and play for Burleigh from Kempsey at the start of the 2016 season after being named in the New South Wales U16 Ingenuous squad in 2015 where a team mate was fellow Kempsey product and Titans contracted centre/five eight/fullback Will Lockwood.

2017 saw Isaiah Barker start in the front row for the South Coast U18 QSSRL side alongside fellow Titans players Kai O’Donnell, David Butler, Logan Cootes, Laz Sua and Blake Campbell.

In the MM Cup competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in 2017 Isaiah Barker played in all six of Tweed Heads matches starting five in the front row and one being Round Three against Wynnum Manly at lock. Across those six matches Isaiah Barker crossed for two tries which came in Round two against Victoria and also in Round Three against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

Isaiah Barker made his U20 Colts Challenge debut for the Tweed Heads Seagulls when he came off the bench in Round One against the South’s Logan Magpies. Isaiah Barker also came off the bench in Rounds Nine and Sixteen. Even though he had only played three matches in the regular season, Isaiah Barker also started from the interchange bench in all three of the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Colts matches in 2017 against Redcliffe, Easts and Norths.

Isaiah Barker has also played in one U19 Gold Coast Rugby League match in 2017 for the Bilambil Jets which came in late July against Currumbin when he started in the front row.

In relation to his club rugby league in 2016 Isaiah Barker played in the Burleigh Bears side in the U17 Division One competition and was part of the 18 – 12 Grand Final winning side where Isaiah Barker started at lock and scored a try. Over the course of the 2016 season, Isaiah Barker scored four tries from ten matches including a try against Currumbin in Round One, with tries following against Southport and Beaudesert and Runaway Bay in the Grand Final.

Isaiah Barker was also part of the Group 3 U15 representative side in 2014 and part of the Melville High side that won the North Coast U15 Rugby League Schools side in the same year. Isaiah Barker played the 2016 season for the Gold Coast MM Green side and this season started once again in the MM Cup competition prior to progressing to the U20 Colts Challenge competition with Tweed Heads.

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

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

Defensively Isaiah Barker can certainly hit very hard, usually aiming for just under the ribs and first intention is to lock up the ball to prevent offloads. He can however on occasion try to tackle too front on which can lead to situations where the opposing forward can bounce off him, but I have no doubt with the Colts coaching that he will be getting they will have this corrected in short order.

Isaiah Barker has quite reasonable lateral mobility for a larger forward and due to the fact that he bends his hips when looking to make a tackle he is usually is able to wrap up the smaller attackers without his tackles slipping up to around the head or neck, and thus giving away penalties. Isaiah Berker can however get fired up and really cause havoc defensively, he just needs to continue to channel his aggression on occasion. In the vast majority of occasions however the aggression is a true positive for his team.

2018 should see Isaiah Barker be a part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts squad where he will still have two years of eligibility.

From a position perspective, he has played the majority of his junior rugby league in the front row and I would envisage an ongoing future in the same position for the talented Kempsey youngster.

From a player comparison perspective, I would consider a player such as St George Dragons front rower Paul Vaughan as a current NRL player with a similar playing style, being that of a big strong front rower who may not be the quickest forward but will run and tackle hard.

Local print media from the Kempsey area noted on his departure from the region to the Gold Coast that he is considered a talented player of the future with the right attitude to succeed and Isaiah Barker has done nothing since to suggest that they were wrong.

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Damion Dumas. (Updated) The former Sawtell Panther has made a big impression for Keebra Park since he moved to the Gold Coast based school at the start of the 2016 season and in 2017 he started at fullback for Keebra Park including in their GIO Cup national Final victory.

In addition Damion Dumas made his Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade debut and was also selected in the 2017 South Coast Open Schoolboys Open side for the Queensland Secondary School Championships. Damion Dumas also kicked a conversion in that match. Damion Dumas was part of the Parramatta Eels development program in 2015.

Damion Dumas started off the Gold Coast Rugby League competition at the U19 level with the Southport Tigers playing in twelve matches finishing the season with ten tries and sixteen goals for a total points tally of 72. Damion Dumas scored his tries in single matches except for a double against Mudgeeraba and in his first U19 matches scored in every one.

Damion Dumas started the season as Southport’s first choice goal kicker and kicked thirteen goals in the first three matches including five against Mudgeeraba (the same match as his try scoring double) and four goals in matches against Tugun and Runaway Bay.

Damion Dumas made his GCRL First Grade debut in May 2017 and scored a kicked a goal on debut against Runaway Bay backing up after playing in the U19 match earlier in the day. In fact in each of the three GCRL First Grade matches that Damion Dumas played in 2017 he backed up after playing in the U19 fixture.

Damion Dumas runs with the ball in both hands which enables him to put doubt into the defensive line in terms of whether he is going to run or pass on any given attacking play and has above average speed off the mark which he uses if he identifies even the smallest gap in the defensive line.

In relation to his play making ability, Damion Dumas has both a very good long and short passing game and generates very good spin on the ball which aids accuracy in relation to his passing. Another aspect that is very good is that there is no discernible difference in relation to his passing to either his left or right, in both instances he rotates his body well.

In relation to his short passing Damion Dumas will run right to the line and present his outside runners with good pop passes which enables them to run right into gaps in the defensive line.

Defensively Damion Dumas is also a strong presence on the field and more than held his own over the course of the 2016 season even against the largest of opposing forwards looking to target him on the fringes of the ruck. He gets low and generates significant leverage with his lower body and drives into his opponent with a strong effect. Against opposing halves Damion Dumas uses his lateral mobility to mirror their movement to ensure that they do not get on his outside and Damion Dumas is disciplined enough not to come out of the line and maintain the proper defensive spacing.

Damion Dumas is in the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Colts squad for the upcoming 2018 season and has two years of U20 Colts eligibility remaining.

From a position perspective, Damion Dumas has spent his entire career in the halves up until the last year or so and whilst I still think that he is more likely than not to play primarily in the halves into the future his play at fullback for Keebra Park would indicate that he is more than capable playing at the back as well. Damion Dumas also played some of his club football at hooker last season.

For me a current NRL player with a similar playing style to that in Damion Dumas is Cronulla Sharks five eight James Maloney, being that of a solid talented all round 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.

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Charlie Gee. (Updated) He is a local young Titans contracted half/five eight/hooker from the Beaudesert Kingfishers club who started off the 2017 season playing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the MM Cup competition before moving back to the Kingfishers in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition.

Charlie Gee played every match in the MM Cup competition for Tweed Heads this season starting five matches at hooker and coming off the interchange bench in Round Six when he alternated with Josh Frier. In those six matches Charlie Gee scored two tries the first coming in Round Two on an away trip to Victoria and in Round Eight against Souths Logan. In Round Three against the Western Mustangs Charlie Gee had the honour of captaining the side.

Charlie Gee has had a stellar season for the Beaudesert Kingfishers in both the U19 Gold Coast Rugby League competition and in the Doug Lipp Cup. In the U19 competition, Charlie Gee is averaging better than a try a match scoring eleven tries from just ten matches, including four against Runaway Bay in Round One and also a mid-season double against Southport. At one stage during the season from 10 June through to 8 July Charlie Gee scored at least one try in each of the four matches that he played in.

Charlie Gee made his Doug Lipp Cup debut in May 2017 scoring a double in his debut against Ormeau. Since that debut match Charlie Gee has played in an additional eight Doug Lipp Cup matches scoring additional tries against Southport and Bilambil.

Charlie Gee played the 2016 season at the U17 Division One level on the Gold Coast, scoring three tries in ten matches with the tries coming against Currumbin in two separate matches and also against Runaway Bay. Charlie Gee also started every match at hooker of the Gold Coast Green MM side in 2016, including their tough semi-final loss to the North’s Devils 13 - 10. He also started at half for the Titans U16 Development squad in their game against Samoa in late 2015 which was played in difficult conditions.

In attack his calling card is Charlie Gee’s organisational and passing skills more so than his running game. His speed would probably considered average 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. He also does not necessarily have quick twitch feet, thus his step is more a touch above average than say a plus side step like AJ Brimson. Charlie Gee also seems like he maintains his composure on the field and does not yell or scream but obviously gets his message across to his team mates with a calm attitude.

Charlie Gee also has a good long passing game thus enabling the ball to get out to his back line quickly when they are set deep. He 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. He will also take the ball to the line and delay the pass as long as possible to his support runners when necessary.

Assisting his play is the fact that Charlie Gee makes the decision what to do with the ball quickly thus enabling the ball to get out wide or when the ball needs to be turned back inside. In short he 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.

Charlie Gee has a solid all round kicking game but like most young general play kickers he just needs to ensure that he does not try to kick the ball too hard with a loss of accuracy resulting. Certainly his short kicking game close to the try line is good and he weights his attacking kicks quite well. He probably will not be a team’s first choice general play kicker but will be a solid alternative when required.

Defensively Charlie Gee has decent size and this is a facet which assists in him being an effective defender for his position. Getting stronger over the off season though will make him more effective in the defensive aspects of the game especially as the forwards who will be running at him will continue to get bigger, stronger and faster.

Charlie Gee will be in line for a spot in the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side in 2018 as well as playing for the Beaudesert Kingfishers in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition where even though he will be eligible for the U19 age group he will likely play the season in the first grade side.

Whilst he has played a fair bit of football at five eight or half previously Charlie Gee spent a significant portion of the 2017 season at hooker in the MM Cup competition. Based on the amount of time that he spent at hooker in 2016 and 2017 logic would suggest that he will likely stay at hooker in the short term to medium term at least.

From a player comparison perspective think maybe someone like former Canberra Raiders and St George Dragons half Sam Williams, as a solid player who will play a steady game and look to exploit the skills of the players around him rather than trying to win the game himself.

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Matthew Wilton-Waldron. (Updated) He is a local young front rower/second rower who attends Coombabah State High School as part of their Rugby League Excellence program and was also involved in the Titans U13 development squad at the end of the 2015 as an invited player. Matthew Wilton-Waldron will line up for Helensvale in the second row on Friday night in the GCJRL U15 Division One Grand Final against Runaway Bay. Matthew Wilton-Waldron was also part of the Titans U15 side that played a Balmain U15 side at Cudgen late last year.

From club rugby league perspective Matthew Wilton-Waldron played the 2017 season for Helensvale in the GCJRL competition in the U15 Division One competition. Matthew Wilton-Waldron played in sixteen matches for the Hornets including starting in the second row in their 34 – 10 Grand Final loss to Nerang. Over the course of his sixteen matches Matthew Wilton-Waldron scored three tries including an early season double against Currumbin and he also scored in Helensvale’s finals victory over Burleigh.

Matthew Wilton-Waldron has player in a further twelve matches and early in the year scored a double against Currumbin. Matthew Wilton-Waldron has also played one match up at the U16 Division Level for Helensvale.

In 2016 Matthew Wilton-Waldron was part of the U14 Gold Coast Vikings side that went through the 2016 Hill Stumer Championships undefeated and from there was selected in the U14 South East Queensland Training squad.

Matthew Wilton-Waldron is a hard running player who never seems to just put his head down and runs straight, he always uses a slight step prior to contacting the defensive line, coupled with the fact that he drops his shoulder into defenders, means that he is a bit of a handful to tackle and he is not often knocked back onto his heals. Matthew Wilton-Waldron is also good at maintaining his momentum after impacting the defensive line. Matthew Wilton-Waldron seems to have a high work rate and I would suggest that he would normally be at or near the top of his team’s statistics in terms of the number of hit ups he makes and on occasion runs a very good inside shoulder route to supplement his other attacking attributes.

Matthew Wilton-Waldron has also shown flashes of the ability to off-load when he impacts the defensive line and I am sure that this will be focus going forward in terms of understanding when to off-load and when to maintain possession, and this will only come from playing more matches.

Defensively Matthew Wilton-Waldron aims hits very hard and usually hits around the top of the ball region and is certainly someone opposing forwards look for when running the ball up and is adept at making sure the opposition do not get quick play the balls by using wrestling techniques well. Last year his speed and mobility seemed to have increased and as a consequence he was better able to mirror the opposition attackers more effectively. Matthew Wilton-Waldron will probably not make a large amount of hits that are going to knock opposing forwards backwards, but opposing forwards are going to feel everyone and start to look out for where he is in the defensive line.

Matthew Wilton-Waldron will don the Green and Yellow of the Helensvale Hornets in 2018 in the U16 Division One Gold Coast Junior Rugby League Competition and also line up for the Titans linked Coombabah State High School in their various School boy competitions. Matthew Wilton-Waldron has also been selected in the U16 Gold Coast Vikings Training Squad that will contest the 2018 South East Queensland U16 pre-season competition which kicks off next month.

In terms of position, I am aware that over the last couple of seasons he has alternated between front row and second row but I think that in the long term he will end up in the second row and one that has reasonable mobility and speed for his size.

Matthew Wilton-Waldron has a variety of skills at his disposal when he plays and the next couple of years are simply about gaining experience and allowing his skills to develop at the appropriate pace. A current NRL player with similar qualities from my perspective is rookie Newcastle Knights second rower Sam Stone.