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  1. #1276
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    Darius Farmer. (Revised) He is a young second rower originally from Ipswich who signed with the Titans initially as a 15 year old and has previously represented Queensland at the U16 level in 2015 starting in the second row in the annual interstate match. Darius Farmer originally signed with the Titans in 2015 after being part of the Sydney Roosters Junior Summer Training squad in 2014.

    Darius Farmer has recently signed a two year NRL deal with the Titans which will surely encompass his NRL debut, likely sooner rather than later and his training in the 2020 offseason was outstanding highlighting his return to full fitness after his great recovery from his 2019 serious health concerns.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    In defence Darius Farmer regularly is the first player up to target the ball carriers, even though he is not one of the bigger forwards in his team and will make solid initial contact as well as having the ability of defending one on one.

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

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

    Unfortunately the 2020 season were very difficult for players like Darius Farmer as they did not have the Queensland Cup to push their case. I note however that Darius Farmer played for the Titans in the Nine’s and was named on the extended bench for the last few rounds of the 2020 NRL season and in fact travelled with the tema on a number of occasions.

    I truly believe however if Darius Farmer gets an opportunity he would excel in the NRL in 2021.

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

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

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

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

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

    The Titans are building a core group of young forwards such as Moeaki Fotuaika, Keegan Hipgrave, Sam Stone, Jai Whitbread and the 2021 signings of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita.

    Darius Farmer may just be the next player, and potentially the best to join that “core” group of young forwards in Titans colours for the foreseeable future.

  2. #1277
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    Greg Marzhew (formally Marzhew). It is almost a case of the cult hero returned home in relation to Greg Marzhew who was a star for the Titans NYC side in 2015 and 2016 before he headed down Parramatta where he won an NYC title in 2017 and was also named on the wing in the National Youth Competitions 2017 Team of the Year before being elevated to the Eels NRL Top 30 squad for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

    Greg Marzhew did not make his NRL debut with the Parramatta Eels but it seems an almost certainity that he will for the Titans in either of the 2020 or 2021 NRL seasons.

    Greg Marzhew made an immediate impression on the Titans coaching staff post his arrival being named in the Titans 2020 NRL 9’s 18 man squad. In the Titans opening match against the Canberra Raiders, Greg Marzhew ran for fifty seven metres on five carries, scoring a try, made a line break, broke four tackles and also made a tackle.

    In the Titans quarter final victory over Manly Greg Marzhew ran for forty seven metres from four hit-ups and made three tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency. In the Titans semi-final loss to North Queensland Greg Marzhew ran for a team leading ninety three metres on five runs, made a line break, broke two tackles and made two tackles.

    In total in the 2020 NRL Nine’s tournament in Perth, Greg Marzhew played in three matches, ran for 197 metres from fourteen carries, scored a try, broke six tackles, made two line breaks and made six tackles.

    Greg Marzhew started on the right wing for the Titans first NRL trial of 2020 against Burleigh at Pizzey Park. In his time on the field Greg Lelesiuao ran for 112 metres (thirty four post contact), broke three tackles and had a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Greg Marzhew also started from the bench in the Titans second and final NRL trial against the Brisbane Broncos in Redcliffe running for forty eight metres (eleven post contact), broke four tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.93 seconds and made a tackle.

    Greg Marzhew started Round One of the 2020 Queensland Cup competition for the Burleigh Bears on the right wing against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls breaking a ridiculous fourteen tackle breaks in his eighty minutes on the field.

    In the match Greg Marzhew ran for 152 metres (thirty seven post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 4.3 seconds and had a 100% tackling efficiency whilst making five tackles, one of which was a try saving effort in the first half in the right corner when he held up the Wynnum Manly played who had looked certain to score by initially hitting the attacker with solid contact and rolling the Wynnum Manly player onto his back to prevent the ball being grounded in the Seagulls left corner.

    In late June 2020 Greg Marzhew was part of the Titans side that played an eleven on eleven match against the Bronco’s at Suncopr Stadium prior to the same sides NRL match, with the match ending in a 16 all draw. Over the course of the match Greg Marzhew proved very difficult for the Bronco’s side to handle on the right side of the field, breaking numerous tackles over the course of the eleven a side match.

    Greg Marzhew was named on the Titans extended bench for Round Nine against the New Zealand Warriors being the first occasion that he has been selected in an NRL twenty one man squad. Unfortunately for Greg Lelesiuao he missed the final seventeen players selected for the Friday night match. Greg Marzhew was also named on the Titans NRL extended bench for Round Ten against the Melbourne Storm.

    Whilst he did not make an NRL appearance for Parramatta Greg Marzhew starred for the Wentworthville Magpies Canterbury Cup side especially in 2019 when he led the competition in multiple attacking categories, and led them by a big margin to be honest in each case.

    Greg Marzhew has signed a two year NRL deal with the Titans that encompasses the 2020 and 2021 NRL seasons. If he is not in the Titans game day squad Greg Marzhew will play for the Burleigh Queensland Cup side in 2020.

    In 2019 for the Magpies in the New South Wales Canterbury Cup competition, Greg Marzhew played in all twenty six of the Magpies matches starting all on the right wing, playing 80 minutes in all bar two meaning that in the Canterbury Cup, including finals matches in 2019 Greg Marzhew played 2 063 minutes out of a possible 2 080, seventy seven of which were in the Grand Final that the Magpies lost 20 – 15 to the Newtown Jets who went on to narrowly defeated Burleigh in the National Final a week later.

    In 2019 Greg Marzhew led the Canterbury Cup in four categories being most runs (433), most run metres (4 513), most post contact metres (1 535) and most tackle breaks (196). Greg Marzhew also scored twelve tries, eleven in the regular season and he also scored in Week One of the Finals Series against the Penrith Panthers.

    In addition to a Round Two double against the Bulldogs, Greg Marzhew scored in matches against the Mounties (Rounds Five and Fifteen), Wests Magpies (Round Six), North Sydney (Round Ten), Penrith (Round Eleven), Souths Sydney (Round Twelve), the Warriors (Round Fourteen)and Blacktown (Rounds Sixteen and Twenty Two).

    In addition to his Canterbury Cup league leading stats in 2019 that are mentioned above, Greg Marzhew also made fifteen line breaks, had two line break assists and a try assist which was in Round Eight against the St George Dragons.

    Defensively Greg Marzhew made seventy six tackles at a tackling efficiency of 79.17%. Greg Marzhew in fact did not miss his first tackle of the 2019 season until Round Six against the Wests Magpies and in thirteen of his twenty six matches (50%) had a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Incredibly in all twenty six of his 2019 Canterbury Cup matches Greg Marzhew ran for in excess of 100 metres, with his “lowest” run total being 115 metres in Round Seven against Newcastle, he made up for that later in the season. In thirteen of his 2019 Canterbury Cup matches, Greg Marzhew was his team’s leader from a metres gained perspective and led his side in tackle breaks far more frequently than that.

    Even more impressive was the fact that Greg Marzhew ran for in excess of 200 metres on five occasions being Round Eight against St George (246 metres), Round Sixteen against Blacktown (210 metres), Round twenty against St George (201 metres), Round Twenty Two against Blacktown (211 metres) and in Round Twenty One against the Newcastle Knights Greg Marzhew ran for a staggering 283 metres. In the Round Twenty One match against Newcastle 108 of his 283 metres were post contact (38.16%).

    On eight occasions in the Canterbury Cup in 2019 Greg Marzhew broke at least ten tackles in a match including breaking twelve tackles in a “career” match in Round Twenty One against the Newcastle Knights.

    On a per match basis in 2019 in the Canterbury Cup Greg Marzhew played just over 79 minutes, ran for 173 metres (59 post contact), broke 7.54 tackles on 16.65 runs and made three tackles.

    A number of Greg Leleisuao’s 2019 Canterbury Cup tries are detailed below to assist in getting an understanding of the type of player that Greg Leleisuao is.

    Against the Mounties Greg Leleisuao, whilst operating on the right wing stayed on his side line, outside his direct opponent and received a cut out pass to score in the right corner untouched.

    Greg Leleisuao, against the Blacktown Workers whilst playing on the right wing came back underneath his play maker, receiving the ball around ten metres out from the line. By the time that Greg Leleisuao had come back underneath and received the ball he was back near where the play the ball had occurred and took on the first defender front on forcing him back and also took that defender and two others all of the way back to the try line to score an incredible try through Greg Leleisuao’s sheer strength and power.

    Taking the ball about ten metres out from the try line against the Penrith Panthers to the right of the play the ball Greg Leleisuao broke one tackle and dragged two other Panthers defenders with im over the try line to score twelve metres from the right goal post.

    A sweeping back line movement to the right against Souths Sydney saw Greg Leleisuao cut back inside initially receiving the ball forty metres pushing off one Rabbitohs defender to run away to score.

    The Norths Sydney Bears were another side that Greg Leleisuao scored against when the ball was spun to his right wing from where he was able to dive over to score in the corner.

    Another try that highlighted Greg Leleisuao’s speed and power was scored against the New Zealand Warriors. Playing on the right, Greg Leleisuao received the ball two players in from the right wing and immediately cut back inside engaging and bumping off the first Warriors defender, breaking a second tackle to get into space behind the Warriors defensive line. Greg Leleisuao then rounded the fullback to score next to the left up right with three New Zealand defenders trying to drag him back and prevent the try.

    Against the Canterbury Bulldogs Greg Leleisuao was playing on the left wing when a back line movement saw the ball coming his way. The ball in fact went behind him, Greg Leleisuao back tracked to retrieve the ball twenty metres out from the try line. Greg Leleisuao immediately brought the ball back towards the centre of the field, charging through the centre of the field to put the ball down one handed next to the right up right.

    In the same match as the try in the previous paragraph Greg Leleisuao received a pass thirteen metres out in space with three Bulldogs defenders coming across. Greg Leleisuao stepped off his left foot between the first two cover defendrs before taking on the fullback head on to crash over and score six metres from the left corner post.

    The Penrith Panthers also coppe a dose of Greg Leleisuao’s try scoring ability when from the right wing he cut back towards near mid field ducking between two Penrith forwards before brushing off the fullback to put the ball down one handed under the posts.

    A hit up off the the dummy half to the right of the play the ball saw Greg Leleisuao score from six metres out after he broke through the defensive line through a strong left arm fend to score five metres from the right upright.

    Greg Leleisuao did not just score tries in 2019 he also set a few up including recording a try assist agaisnt the St George Dragons when he cut away from the right touch line and threw a flat ten metre pass back towards the play the ball to put his fullback into a gap ten metres out from the Dragons try line.

    Greg Marzhew also played in the Canterbury Cup for the Wentworthville Magpies in 2018. After missing the opening rounds with injury Greg Marzhew’s first match of the season was in Round Three when he started on the wing against the Newcastle Knights.

    In total in the 2018 Canterbury Cup competition started all twelve of his matches on the right wing, playing the entire 80 minutes in each and scored six tries to finish with a 50% strike rate. In addition to a Round Twenty Four double against the Bulldogs, Greg Marzhew scored in four straight matches from Rounds Fifteen to Eighteen against Wyong, Newtown, the Warriors and St George.

    In his 960 minutes on the field in the Canterbury Cup competition Greg Marzhew ran for 1 495 metres (478 post contact), broke eighty three tackles and made thirty six tackles at a tackling efficiency of 73.47%.

    Greg Marzhew’s 2018 Canterbury Cup per game averages included running for 124.58 metres and making three tackles.

    In eleven of his twelve matches Greg Marzhew ran for in excess of 100 metres (in the other game he ran for 99 metres) including running for 174 metres in Round Seven against Penrith. Greg Marzhew broke ten or more tackles in three matches including thirteen tackle breaks in Round Seven against Penrith.

    Defensively in Round Three against the Knights Greg Marzhew made eight tackle at a 88.89% tackling efficiency and in Round Twenty Two against North Sydney he had a 100% tackling efficiency whilst making seven tackles.

    In 2017 for Parramatta in the NYC competition Greg Marzhew made his first appearance in Round Four against the Cronulla Sharks starting that match on the wing and scoring in his Eels debut. Greg Marzhew went on to start on the wing in twenty one NYC matches for the Eels in 2017 including their Grand Final loss to Manly.

    The try that Greg Marzhew scored in the Grand Final was one of the easiest that he will scored in his career. Playing on the right wing Greg Marzhew was on the end of a Parramatta back line movement early in the second half and received the ball unmarked twelve metres out from the line and strolled over untouched.

    Greg Marzhew finished the 2017 NYC season with an impressive try scoring strike rate of 95.23%. Included in his twenty tries were a Round Nine hat trick against North Queensland and doubles in Round Ten and Round Eighteen and the first week of the finals against the Roosters, Storm and Sharks respectively.

    In addition to Round One in 2017 Greg Marzhew also scored in matches against the Warriors (Round Six), Wests Tigers (Rounds Seven and Twenty), Penrith (Round Eight and the Preliminary Final), the Canberra Raiders (Round Eleven), Bulldogs (Rounds Seventeen and Twenty Two) and the Brisbane Broncos in Round Twenty One.

    One of the tries that Greg Marzhew scored in the 2017 NYC regular season was just spectacular, after breaking multiple tackles in the centre of the ruck Greg Marzhew broke through the Wests Tiger Defence from forty metres out with just now Melbourne Storm NRL fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen to beat. Greg Marzhew ran straight at Papenhuyzen but when he was around six metres from the fullback produced a stutter step before a superb right foot step saw Greg Marzhew beat Papenhuyzen all ends up.

    In many respects the try that Greg Marzhew scored that is described above was very similar to Phillip Sami’s iconic try when he “broke the ankles” of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck at Skilled Stadium a couple of seasons ago.

    Such was the high esteem that Greg Marzhew was held in by the Titans prior to his departure that he represented the Titans at the 2016 Auckland Nines where he scored in a Titans 24 – 12 win against St George in the regular rounds of the Nine’s.

    Greg Marzhew was a star for the Titans NYC side in 2016 in the first half of the season, starting at centres in the opening eleven rounds of the competition scoring a double in Round Four against the Raiders and adding a further try in Round Seven against the St George Dragons.

    Greg Marzhew burst onto the NYC scene with the Titans in Round Thirteen of 2015 starting from the bench against the Wests Tigers and scoring on debut. Greg Marzhew made his first starting appearance in Round Fourteen against the Bulldogs when he started at fullback and also started at fullback and scored in Round Fifteen against the New Zealand Warriors.

    Greg Marzhew then moved to the wing for the remainder of his 2015 NYC matches for the Titans (other than Round Twenty Two when he started from the bench). In addition to the tries noted above Greg Marzhew also a Round Sixteen double against the Roosters as well as a double in Round Twenty Four against the Raiders and also scored in Round Twenty Five against the St George Dragons.

    Greg Marzhew is a powerfully built young man at 177cm and 104kg who runs with pace and power supplemented with a low centre of gravity. It would be unfair to categorise that his game is only built on pace and power though as Greg Marzhew has a very good right foot step and left hand fend, he can also draw defenders in to give players outside him room.

    If he gets on the outside of his opposing winger Greg Marzhew is definitely quick enough to break into open space although I would not say that he has plus speed, he is quick enough to gain separate from the cover defence.

    When you look at his build Greg Marzhew may not look like he has a lot of speed, but he definitely does. Greg Marzhew is not necessarily the quickest off the mark but he has very good acceleration once he is moving and Greg Marzhew can sustain his top pace over an extended period.

    Impressively a lot of Greg Marzhew’s metres in 2019 came through the centre of the ruck with Parramatta regularly running down the blind side on his side of the field. If the opposing winger is drawn in Greg Marzhew broke down the touch line, if not he would come back inside and bash and barge his way through the centre of the ruck.

    Greg Marzhew is also very good at running out of dummy half. In relation to kick returns Greg Marzhew, on the majority of occasions would not be subtle, he would retrieve the ball and run straight and hard into the oncoming defensive line.

    Greg Marzhew is always going to be judged on his attacking ability, but he is a solid defender as was evidenced in the Canterbury Cup this season. Greg Marzhew has the size and strength for powerful initial contact especially when he come out of the line and also has the speed to turn and chase when required.

    Greg Marzhew may never be considered an outstanding defender but he has the skill set and physical attributes to be a solid NRL defender both from an individual and team perspective and in either a sliding or an up and in type defensive methodology.

    As noted above Greg Marzhew is currently training with the Titans NRL squad on a train and trial basis and if he does not pick up an NRL contract will play for Burleigh in the 2020 Queensland Cup competition.

    Greg Marzhew immediately brings power running from the wing position for the Titans NRL squad as well as the ability to break through tackles on a regular basis.

    I do not for a second believe that Greg Marzhew would recreate his 2019 Canterbury Cup statistics in the NRL should be make his debut for the Titans in 2020 but certainly running with the ball he has a real chance of being a difference maker as well as helping to get supporters excited about the season and thus helping get them to come to home matches.

    Earlier in his career Greg Marzhew spent time in the centres and at fullback including for the Titans NYC side (and on the wing for the Titans NYC side as well) and even spent time at five eight in the U16 Cyril Connell Cup for Souths Logan in 2013 but moved to the wing permanently when he left for Parramatta and to be fair has not looked back since and at around 104kg and 180cm is the perfect build for a wrecking ball type winger who is just as happy to run over opposing wingers as he is to run around them.

    For people who followed the Titans NYC side in 2015 and 2016, Greg Marzhew is a bit of a cult figure of sorts as that star youngster who displayed immense ability and potential before heading south, let’s hope that in his second coming Greg Marzhew can secure an NRL contract straight off the bat but if not he should be a dominant player for Burleigh come the 2020 Queensland Cup season.

    Greg Marzhew plays like well Greg Marzhew, he is a ball of muscle at 177cm and 104kg with speed and a low centre of gravity who is very difficult to tackle and has steadily improved defensively over the last couple of seasons.

    For the people that have not seen Greg Marzhew possibility a good NRL player comparison is former New Zealand Warrior and New Zealand International centre Solomon Kata that being of a hard running aggressive type of player with a solid build who relishes the contact, the harder the better both in attack and defence and also one that seems to be more than happy to run over his direct opponent rather than beating him with speed and/or guile even though he has both in his attacking ****nal.

    Greg Marzhew has all of the qualities to become a devastating ball runner of the ball who will break a lot of tackles at the NRL level and once again become a cult figure amongst Titans fans.

  3. #1278
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    Ioane Seuili. (Revised) The former South’s Logan Magpies centre is a Titans NRL Development contracted player who spent the 2019/20 off-season training with the Titans NRL squad after 2018 and 2019 seasons which by any measure were simply outstanding to say the least.

    Ioane Seuili started from the bench for the Titans in their first NRL trial of 2020 against Burleigh at Pizzey Park which was his first match back from the shoulder injury that he suffered late in the 2019 season. In the match Ioane Seuili ran for ninety one metres (twenty nine post contact) and made seventeen tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency playing in the second row when he came on in the first half.

    Ioane Seuili also started in the second row for Tweed Heads in their Queensland Cup trial against Burleigh.

    Ioane Seuili started Round One of the 2020 Queensland Cup competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls from the interchange bench against the Northern Pride coming on to play sixty five uninterrupted minutes in the second row after coming on just fifteen minutes into the match.

    In his sixty five minutes on the field Ioane Seuili ran for sixty five metres (twenty seven post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 4.05 seconds and made thirteen tackles at a solid 92.86% tackling efficiency.

    In late June 2020 Ioane Seuili was part of the Titans side that played an eleven on eleven match against the Bronocs at Suncorp Stadium prior to the same sides NRL match (with the Titans winning the NRL match 30 – 12), with the match ending in a 16 all draw. Ioane Seuili thrived in the match, signalling that he is definitely an NRL calibre player of the near future if not already.

    In early July 2020 Ioane Seuili was part of a Titans side that played a Cronulla Sharks side in a nine a side match as a curtain raiser to the same teams playing Round Eight of the NRL. In the match Ioane Seuili scored one of the Titans six tries when he ran onto a one handed Toby Sexton pass to score late in the first half.

    Ioane Seuili’s 2019 season was if I am being honest was even better than 2018 and that was not an easy feat to pull off considering how good he was in 2018. To cap off an outstanding 2019 season Ioane Seuili, in late December was named in the 2020 Queensland U20 Emerging Origin Squad.

    To add to his 2019 season Ioane Seuili was named in the New Zealand U19 side to play the Australian School boys on the Queensland Cup Grand Final day at Redcliffe Oval, but his shoulder injury forced his withdrawal prior to the match.

    Ioane Seuili started from the interchange bench in the Titans first NRL trial of 2019 against the North Queensland Cowboys on the Sunshine Coast after playing for the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side in their Queensland Cup trial the week prior against the Souths Logan Magpies.

    In the 2019 Queensland Cup season proper Ioane Seuili started the season with the Tweed Heads Seagulls, starting on the right wing in Round One against the PNG Hunters at Tweed Heads even though he had two years of Colts eligibility remaining.

    In his 80 minutes on the field in Round One Ioane Seuili for 105 metres from nine runs, 46 of those metres post contact (43.81%), had an offload, broke two tackles and had an impressive play the ball average of 3.26 seconds as well as one off-load. Defensively Ioane Seuili made two tackles as well.

    Ioane Seuili also started on the wing in Round two of the Queensland Cup against the Townsville Blackhawks playing all 80 minutes once again on the right wing. In those 80 minutes, he ran for 110 metres, 25 post contact, had two tackle breaks and played the ball at an average of 4.05 seconds.

    In the Round Two match Ioane Seuili made two long runs, both coming in the first half. On the first occasion he took a long high kick in wet conditions, split the defence and ran thirty metres down the left touchline before being dragged down.

    On the second occasion Ioane Seuili stayed outside of his man and after taking a cut out pass from Tweed five eight Lindon McGrady burst thirty metres down the left touch line once again before being caught by the cover defence. Highlighting his maturity was that Ioane Seuili came in field prior to being tackled to ensure that even in the wet conditions he would not be taken into touch, it was just a piece of smart play by a talented player.

    Ioane Seuili also produced a heads up play in the second half. Instead of trying to pick up a dropped ball in the wet conditions on the fly, Ioane Seuili instead stopped to ensure that he took possession of the ball rather than give Townsville field position if he made an error at a critical juncture in the match.

    In Round Three against Burleigh, Ioane Seuili started on the right wing again, playing the entire 80 minutes, running for 87 metres (30 post contact) with 31 of those metres in relation to kick returns. Ioane Seuili also broke a team leading five tackles, played the ball in an average time of 3.7 seconds and made three tackles at a 75% tackling efficiency.

    One of Ioane Seuili’s tackles was on Burleigh Troy Leo when he dragged him down from behind, if Ioane Seuili did not make the tackle Troy Leo would have had a straight and comfortable seventy metre run to the try line.

    In Round Four for the third time in four Queensland Cup appearances Ioane Seuili ran for in excess of 100 metres from his right wing position for Tweed Heads in their 26 – 12 win over the Capra’s. In his 80 minutes on the field Ioane Seuili ran for 105 metres (33 post contact), 50 metres of which were from kick returns. Ioane Seuili also had a line break assist, a try assist, a team leading four tackle breaks, played the ball in an average time of 4.16 seconds and made a tackle.

    In Round Five against Wynnum Manly Ioane Seuili once again played the entire 80 minutes, running for 94 metres (35 post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.79 seconds and made a career high (to date) fifteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 93.75%.

    In Round Six of the Queensland Cup for the Tweed Heads Seagulls against the Mackay Cutters Ioane Seuili moved from the right wing to play at left centre and had a very good match, playing the entire 80 minutes, running for 130 metres (47 post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.7 seconds, and made fourteen tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Ioane Seuili played Round Seven against Redcliffe at left centre for the second week in a row, playing the entire 80 minutes. Ioane Seuili led the Seagulls in both run metres (143) and post contact metres (57). He also broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed for 3.42 seconds and made twelve tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92.3%.

    In Round Eight of the Queensland Cup Ioane Seuili played left centre for the third match in a row for Tweed Heads against the Ipswich Jets and as usual played the entire 80 minutes. In that time he ran for 78 metres (35 post contact), made a line break, played the ball at an average of 3.42 seconds and made three tackles at a 75% tackling efficiency.

    In Round Nine of the Queensland Cup, Ioane Seuili started his third match in a row at left centre once again playing the entire 80 minutes against Norths. Ioane Seuili ran for 112 metres (an impressive 58 post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 4.3 seconds and made ten tackles.

    Round Ten also saw Ioane Seuili play all 80 minutes at left centre against the Easts Tigers, running for 103 metres (37 post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 4.29 seconds and made five tackles.

    Round Eleven also saw Ioane Seuili play all 80 minutes at left centre against the Northern Pride, running for 62 metres (22 post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.52 seconds and made six tackles.

    Ioane Seuili scored his career first Queensland Cup try in Round Twelve against Souths Logan from the left centre position. Playing the entire 80 minutes, Ioane Seuili ran for 130 metres (46 post contact), made a line break, had a line break assist, a try assist, broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 4.87 seconds, had two offloads and made nine tackles at a tackling efficiency of 81.82%.

    In relation to his try Ioane Seuili received the ball around five metres out from the Souths Logan line and got on his opposing defenders outside and was able to crash over in the left corner under pressure from two defenders.

    In relation to his try assist, Ioane Seuili used his quick hands to catch and pass to his winger as the Souths Logan right winger was coming up to him to look to shut down the movement.

    In a tough Round Thirteen loss against the Sunshine Coast Falcons, Ioane Seuili playing left centre in his 80 minutes, ran for 71 metres (sixteen post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.01 seconds and made ten tackles.

    Ioane Seuili played on the left wing in Round Fourteen against the PNG Hunters once again playing the entire 80 minutes. In that time Ioane Seuili ran for 144 metres (46 post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.63 seconds and had a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Ioane Seuili moved to the right wing for Round Fifteen against Ipswich, scoring his second career Queensland Cup try when he jumped high to take a bomb keeping his feet before spinning counter clock wise to put the ball down in the right corner mid-way through the first half.

    Playing all 80 minutes, Ioane Seuili ran for 77 metres (thirty post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.72 seconds and made five tackles.

    Ioane Seuili was back in the centres for Round Sixteen against Wynnum Manly playing all 80 minutes, running for seventy metres (twenty six post contact), playing the ball at an average speed of 3.69 seconds and making twelve tackles at a tackling efficiency of 85.71%.

    After missing Round Seventeen Ioane Seuili started from the bench in Round Eighteen of the Queensland Cup against Central Queensland and in his forty nine minutes on the field recorded his first career double with both tries coming in the second half.

    Ioane Seuili’s first try was a five metre effort when he crossed out wide on the right (he came on to play right wing), with the second try coming when he backed up through the centre of the field to run thirty five metres untouched in Tweed’s big win.

    In addition to his double, Ioane Seuili ran for 108 metres (31 post contact), had a team leading two line breaks, broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.07 seconds and made twelve tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92.31%.

    Round Nineteen against the Mackay Cutters saw Ioane Seuili start from the bench playing 59 minutes, running for 58 metres (11 post contact), broke four tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 4.44 seconds and made nineteen tackles at a 86.38% tackling efficiency.

    Round Twenty saw a positional switch with Ioane Seuili starting in the second row against Ipswich, his first match in that position for at least a number of seasons, if not longer. Ioane Sueili also scored his fifth try of the season in the match when he charged onto a short pass close to the lien from dummy half Brent Woolf to crash over try mid-way through the second half that put Tweed Heads ahead permanently.

    In his first Queensland Cup match starting in the second row Ioane Seuili played 60 minutes, ran for 60 metres (19 post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.27 seconds and made seventeen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 85%.

    Ioane Seuili maintained his starting place in the second row for the Tweed Heads Seagulls pivotal Round Twenty One match against the Easts Tigers having a huge game including scoring his 6th try of the 2019 season.

    In addition Ioane Seuili played the entire 80 minutes, ran for 129 metres (27 post contact) had a team leading five tackle breaks and a team leading three line breaks, played the ball at an average speed of 3.32 seconds and made nineteen tackles at a 91.48% tackling efficiency.

    Ioane Seuili’s try came as a result of him running a great line from his right second row position straight into a gap around forty metres out from the Easts line. Ioane Seuili then swerved around the fullback (I would not call it a step) to score an impressive try under the posts.

    Ioane Seuili started his third match in the second row in Round Twenty Two against Souths Logan scoring his 7th try of the season in a great display spanning the entire 80 minutes. Ioane Seuili ran for 110 metres (33 post contact), had a line break, broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.3 seconds, pulled off a one on one steal and made twenty three tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92% as he continued his impressive transition to the second row.

    Ioane Seuili’s try came in the second half of the match, he received the ball on the right of the play the ball from the dummy half and was immediately confronted with a defender rushing up, Ioane Seuili stepped off his left foot and then stepped off his left foot again back behind the play the ball before charging over after the defence moved across the field.

    Ioane Seuili started Round Twenty Three in the second row against the Northern Pride but due to an injury spent a significant portion of his 80 minutes on the field on the right wing.

    In his time on the field, Ioane Seuili ran for 164 metres (48 post contact), broke four tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 4.04 seconds and made eleven tackles.

    In his first Queensland Cup Final being the Week One Elimination Final against Redcliffe, Ioane Seuili was having a huge match before dislocating his shoulder in the 65th minute of the match.

    In addition to scoring Tweed Heads first two tries Ioane Seuili ran for 66 metres from the right second row position (27 post contact), made two line breaks and four tackles breaks, played the ball at an average speed of 3.46 seconds and made twelve tackles.

    Ioane Seuili’s first try of the Elimination Final came when he ran onto a pass from the first receiver rambling over from three metres out. In relation to his second try, Ioane Seuili ran to the right of the play the ball, receiving the ball from the dummy half, whilst running an inside shoulder line to score about ten metres from the right upright.

    In total in the Queensland Cup in 2019, Ioane Seuili played in twenty Three matches playing 1 753 minutes out of a possible 1 840 being 95.27%. Ioane Seuili played the entire eighty minutes on nineteen occasions including one second row start.

    In his twenty three matches, Ioane Seuili scored nine tries, ran for 2 329 metres, had five try assists, broke fifty four tackles, broke the line on twelve occasions, made 221 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 74.9% which impressively increased a couple of percentage points when he moved to the second row.

    Ioane Seuili’s 2019 Queensland Cup per game averages included playing 76.22 minutes, running for 101.3 metres and making 9.61 tackles. Thus per eighty minutes, Ioane Seuili, in 2019, ran for 106.32 metres and made 10.09 tackles.

    The former Keebra Park student started the 2018 season in the South’s Logan Magpies MM Cup side that won the Queensland Grand Final, started in the centres for the Queensland U18 side (They went down 16 – 10 to NSW), progressed to the South’s Logan Hastings Deering’s Colts side and then Ioane Seuili made a deserved Queensland Cup debut, and of course signing with the Titans through to spending the off season training with the Titans NRL squad and subsequently becoming a Titans Development player.

    In the 2018 MM Cup competition, Ioane Seuili started all ten of South’s Logan’s matches in the centres, including the Queensland Finals and the National final against Penrith. In total Ioane Seuili scored four tries with those tries coming in rounds Two, Three, Five and Six against the Northern Pride, Norths, Wynnum Manly and Central Queensland respectively.

    In the 2018 National U18 Final against Penrith Ioane Seuili started at right centre for the Magpies as they went down in extra time 38 – 32 with a team mate in the side being Titans NRL player Tannah Boyd. The Magpies fought back from 22 – 0 down to lock the match up at 32 all late before Penrith scored in golden point.

    Ioane Seuili made his Queensland Cup debut in Round 15 of the 2018 season against Redcliffe, starting on the wing and playing the entire 80 minutes for the Souths Logan Magpies. In the match he made an impressive five tackle breaks to pace the Magpies in that category in the match, ran for 86.5 metres from fifteen runs, with 18 of those metres post contact (20.81%). Ioane Seuili also made seven tackles at a tackling efficiency of 70%.

    Post his Queensland Cup debut, Ioane Seuili moved to the Souths Logan Hasting’s Deering’s U20 Colts side coming into the side in Round Seventeen against Central Queensland. In total he played in seven U20 Colts matches including the Magpies Final’s loss to the Northern Pride, starting all in the centres and scoring in Round Twenty Four being the final regular season round against Ipswich.

    Ioane Seuili played for Souths Logan in the MM Cup competition in 2017 before turning out form the Ormeau Shearers in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition.

    For the Ormeau Shearers in 2017 Ioane Seuili has played in three first grade matches and elven at in the Doug Lipp competition including scoring a try against the Bilambil Jets in early July. Ioane Seuili made his first grade debut in June against Runaway Bay and has also turned out against Bilambil and Burleigh.

    For South’s Logan in the 2017 MM Cup competition Ioane Seuili played in three matches being Round two where he started in the centres, Round Three also starting in the centres and Round Four when Ioane Seuili started at fullback. Ioane Seuili scored in Round Two against the Sunshine Coast Falcons and also in Round Three the following week against the Central Crows.

    In 2017 Ioane Seuili was selected in the South Coast Open Rugby League squad and was also been a key member of Keebra Park’s push in the GIO Cup competition culminating in their Queensland GIO Cup final victory against Marsden.

    Ioane Seuili started at right centre for Keebra Park in the National GIO Cup Final against Westfield Sports High and scored as Keebra Park won 25 – 12 as well as starting at right centre as Keebra Park defeated Marsden State High School in the Queensland GIO Cup Final.

    In the National GIO Cup Final Ioane Seuili was one of Keebra Park’s try scorers scoring in the 27th minute when he crashed over mid-way between the corner post and uprights on the right side of the field. Ioane Seuili received the ball from now fellow Titan Tannah Boyd.

    Ioane Seuili also was heavily involved in one of Keebra Park’s second half tries. When taking a hit-up fifty five metres out from the Wesfield’s line, Ioane Seuili stepped off his right foot foot to beat the initial tackle before producing a second right foot step to run at the gap between defenders behind the play the ball. Ioane Seuili was able to get his right arm free and produced an outstanding pass around the body of one of the defenders to find Sebastian Winters-Chang. Keebra Park scored later in the movement.

    Ioane Seuili also had a great 2016 season which culminating in his selection in the Queensland U16 side where he started at right centre against New South Wales.

    In the 2016 CC Cup Ioane Seuili played the season for the Souths Logan Magpies and had an outstanding campaign including starting at fullback in the CC Grand Final held at Langland’s Park Stones Corner where he in addition to kicking the first two conversions for the Magpies, scored a good try when he barged through the Townsville Stingers defence.

    In addition to the 2016 CC Cup Grand Final Ioane Seuili had some outstanding matches in the CC competition including scoring a hat track against the Easts Tigers and also scoring in South Logan’s semi-final victory over the North’s Devils.

    During the 2016 season Ioane Seuili played six Gold Coast Senior Rugby League matches for Ormeau which is an outstanding achievement. In 2015 Ioane Seuili was part of the Queensland U15 side that performed so well in the ASSRL Championships including scoring a hat trick on Day One against New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges and also scored on Day Four against New South Wales Combined Independent Schools. Ioane Seuili has also represented Samoa at junior levels. In 2016 Ioane Seuili started at right centre for the Queensland U16 side.

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

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

    From a speed perspective Ioane Seuili has above average speed for both his size and position (second row) and when he breaks into open space, he will not be caught from behind other than from only the fastest of opponents and he is also very good at positioning his support players when he gets to the fullback. The only possible question about Ioane Seuili’s speed is whether it will stay at or near the plus category as he matures and inevitably fills out.

    Defensively Ioane Seuili uses his size to good effect, he drives with his shoulder into his opponent and has very good timing in terms of when to come out of the line and certainly has the speed to readjust and chase if his timing is slightly off and his opposing centre gets on his outside.

    For me when I have seen him play for Souths Logan Ioane Seuili was the defensive leader of the three quarter line and other defenders keyed off him in terms of whether to use an up and in methodology and slide to the outside.

    Ioane Seuili on an individual level has the body control, balance and anticipation to redirect quickly and mirror the movement of the opposing attackers and anticipate what vector the attack comes from and innately understands when to allow the attacking play to develop in from of him and when to come out of the line to disrupt the attacking play prior to its formation.

    Ioane Seuili spent the 2018 offseason training with the Titans NRL side and played in the first NRL trial against North Queensland and will also trained the 2019-20 off season with the Titans on an NRL Development contract.

    Unfortunately the 2020 season were very difficult for players like Ioane Seuili as they did not have the Queensland Cup to push their case. Ioane Seuili has youth on his side and hopefully continues to get opportunities with the Titans NRL set up as I have no doubt that Ioane Seuili has significant NRL potential ready to be shown.

    Ioane Seuili played primarily in the centres throughout his junior rugby league career but after spending time at both centre and wing for Tweed Heads in the Queensland Cup competition moved to the second row and made an immediate impact there.

    To be honest Ioane Seuili’s impact in the second row has revised my thoughts significantly that Ioane Seuili is a pure centre and acknowledge that Ioane Seuili’s likely future is in the second row and a very talented one at that.

    In short Ioane Seuili since last season has gained a fair bit of size but importantly that size gain has not impacted his speed or mobility at all but definitely has improved his strength and power which is translated nicely to his new role at right second row for Tweed Heads in the Queensland Cup.

    A player with a similar playing style for me for Ioane Seuili would be 2021 Titans NRL signing and former Brisbane Broncos and Queensland State of Origin star David Fifita, they are both around the same size now and look to use that size and speed to their advantage to dominate the opponent directly in front of them both in attack and defence.

    The Titans have a very very good player on their hands with Ioane Seuili, of that there is absolutely no doubt and one that has a very real chance of getting to the NRL level sooner rather than later (read – 2021) and staying there for an extended period when he arrives at that level.

  4. #1279
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    Kea Pere. The block busting centre/ winger and more recently second rower was part of the Melbourne Storm Development system for a number of seasons before signing an NRL Development contract with the Titans prior to the 2019 season immediately bringing youth and depth to the stocks of NRL or near NRL ready outside backs on the Gold Coast.

    Kea Pere started in the second row for the Titans first NRL trial of 2020 against Burleigh at Pizzey Park and certainly made a positive impression running for eighty nine metres (twenty four post contact), broke two tackles, had a line break assist and made thirty one tackles at a tackling efficiency of 93.94%.

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

    Kea Pere started Round One of the 2020 Queensland Cup competition for the Burleigh Bears at right centre after initially being named on the bench against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls. Kea Pere played all eighty minutes in the match, running for thirty eight metres (thirteen post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 5.56 seconds and made twelve tackles.

    In late June 2020 Kea Pere was part of the Titans side that played an eleven on eleven match against the Bronocs at Suncopr Stadium prior to the same sides NRL match, with the match ending in a 16 all draw.

    In early July 2020 Kea Pere was part of a Titans side that played a Cronulla Sharks side in a nine a side match as a curtain raiser to the same teams playing Round Eight of the NRL on the Gold Coast. Kea Pere was a stand out in the match scoring a hat trick in the 24 all draw. Playing on the left side of the field Kea Pere scored the Titans final three tries, all coming in the second half.

    Kea Pere started from the interchange bench in the Titans first NRL trial in 2019 season against the Norther Queensland Cowboys on the Sunshine Coast after playing for the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side in their Queensland Cup trial the week prior against the Souths Logan Magpies.

    In 2019 Kea Pere played in six matches for the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side starting the season in the backline before moving to the second row for the first time in Round Ten against the Northern Pride.

    Kea Pere started Rounds One, Five and Six against Norths, Souths Logan and Wynnum Manly respectively on the wing and Rounds Eight and Nine against Redcliffe and the Western Mustangs in the centres.

    Amongst other try assists was one in Round Nine against Redcliffe, playing left centre Kea Pere came out the line with Redcliffe poised to score to take an intercept ten metres from his own line before offloading on the half way mark to his left for Reece Tapine to score.

    In his first match in the second row in Round Ten against the Northern Pride, Kea Pere scored probably the easiest try that he will ever score when late in the match when operating on the right he received a pass from Allan Lockwood in acres of space to stroll across untouched out wide. Kea Pere’s other 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts try came in Round Six against Wynnum Manly.

    Kea Pere also made three appearances for the Burleigh Bears GCRL First Grade side in 2019 starting all three matches being Rounds Nine, Ten and Eleven against Currumbin, Runaway Bay and Bilambil on the wing.

    In 2017 Kea Pere started for the Queensland U18 side on the wing and in 2018 played four Queensland Cup matches for the Easts Tigers.

    After starting the 2018 season in the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Easts Tigers, Kea Pere made his Queensland Cup debut in Round Five against the Redcliffe Dolphins and in fact scored on debut and scored his second Queensland Cup try the following weekend in Round Six against the Northern Pride.

    In his four Queensland Cup matches, Kea Pere started all four in the centres playing the entire 80 minutes on each occasion.

    In total this season in the Queensland Cup Kea Pere has been on the field for 320 minutes, running for 417 metres, 113 of those post contact (27.1%), made thirteen tackle breaks, two line breaks and in Round Eight against Norths had a try assist.

    Defensively Kea Pere has made 39 tackles at a tackling efficiency of a more than credible 92% through his four Queensland Cup matches.

    Kea Pere’s 2018 Queensland Cup per game averages include playing 80 minutes, running for 104.4 metres and making 9.75 tackles.

    On two occasions Kea Pere has run for in excess of 100 metres in a match, being his debut in Round Five against Redcliffe when he ran for 114 metres and then in Round Six against the Northern Pride he ran for 123 metres for his career high to date. Defensively Kea Pere made twelve tackles in Round Seven against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

    Noted below are details of some of the key moments of Kea Pere’s 2018 Queensland Cup season.

    As previously noted, Kea Pere scored in his Queensland Cup debut against Redcliffe. Playing left centre, Kea Pere received the ball five metres out from the Dolphins line. From a standing start Kea Pere beat a Redcliffe defender on his outside, dummied to his winger to his left and dived over to score under pressure from two Redcliffe defenders.

    The flowing week against the Northern Pride, once again from the left centre position, Kea Pere received the bell nine metres out from the Northern Pride line and immediately came back on the inside shoulder of the immediate Pride defender, then cut back towards the left corner, diving over with two Northern Pride defenders hanging off him.

    Kea Pere added a double against the Burleigh Bears as well in the 2018 Queensland Cup. Playing on the left wing, for his first try, Kea Pere stayed right on the sideline, receiving the ball three metres out from the line, breaking a last ditch effort to take him over the side line to score. For his second try, Kea Pere was on hand to retrieve an attacking kick to score wide out on the left side of the field once again.

    Kea Pere’s 2018 Queensland Cup statistics also included a try assist which came against Norths. From the left entre position, Kea Pere immediately cut back inside after receiving the ball before stepping off his right foot twice to create space back towards the left touchline and offloading to his left second rower who scored wide out.

    Kea Pere has only played five Colts games this season due to injury, scoring two tries which came in the opening two rounds against the Central Queensland Capra’s and the Mackay Cutters respectively.

    In 2017 whilst still eligible for the MM Cup competition, Kea Pere played in fifteen NYC matches for the Melbourne Storm coming into the side in Round Nine against St George, starting the match from the interchange bench. Kea Pere started six matches from the interchange bench one in the centres being Round Fourteen against Cronulla and the remainder on the wing, starting his first match on the wing in Round Eleven against South Sydney.

    In his fifteen NYC matches in 2017, Kea Pere scored four tries which came in Rounds Eleven, Thirteen, Eighteen and Twenty against South Sydney, Newcastle, Parramatta and Canberra respectively.

    The powerful young man is very difficult to stop once he is in motion, his speed, power and body height all contribute to this. In the centres when he can wind up and build momentum he looks to run over his direct opponent rather than try to run around them. In fact in the majority of occasions it is Kea Pere that actually initiates the contact and I do not recall seeing a player being able to run over his direct opponent with absolutely no loss of momentum.

    From a speed perspective I would argue that his speed is a tick above average for an NRL outside back but obviously the key attribute from an attacking perspective is how hard he hits the defensive line. Like his overall speed Kea Pere’s lateral mobility is probably just a tick above average. Kea Pere with his size and strength is also able to make a lot of ground after contact with his ability to absorb the defensive contact and maintain his balance and body control.

    When he is close to the line Kea Pere is able to absorb a significant amount of punishment and still hold his running line thus he is able to score close to the side line without being pushed over the sideline regardless of the number of defenders looking to do so. The ability to absorb contact is on display when he comes into the centre of the ruck to take the ball up into the teeth of the defensive line.

    Defensively for a big strong powerful young man, Kea Pere actually has good discipline for such a young player and in the main stays on his man rather than coming in and looking for the big hit. Do not get me wrong he will on occasion aim to smash the opposing outside if they do not see him coming but in the main he is quite disciplined and looks to ensure his opposing winger does not get on his outside looking to use their speed against him.

    Kea Pere suffered a number of injuries over the course of the 2019 season and of course the 2020 season was for all intents and purposes a write-off and thus was not able to showcase his undoubted potential.

    If he can get some clear air from an injury perspective as well as game time Kea Pere has a real opportunity to break into the NRL as soon as 2021. You do not give up on players with Kea Pere’s size, speed and skill attributes. Injury free kea Pere is certainly a player with NRL potential now.

    Kea Pere in 2021 will look to establish himself in the Burleigh Queensland Cup squad after the NRL trials are completed, if he gets an opportunity and from there get back on his previous trajectory towards the NRL with the Titans.

    In addition to playing in the centres Kea Pere can also play on the wing, but with his power running and elusive skill set he seems the ideal modern day rugby league centre. Even though I believe that Kea Pere has the potential to play in the centres in the NRL, if he is able to break into the NRL it is likely that will initially be on the wing before a later potential move into the centres.

    I note that kea Pere played one match in 2019 in the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition being Round Ten in the second row on the right side and in the Titans first 2020 NRL trial against Burleigh and whilst he has the size and speed to be very good on the fringes of the ruck, I certainly think that any permanent move to the second row at this point is too premature although I cannot discount that it may occur in the future.

    In many respects Kea Pere reminds me of Titans NRL winger Phillip Sami, both are big strong young men who can absorb a lot of punishment when they are running with the ball and both are former Ipswich State High School students to boot to add to the accuracy of the comparison.

  5. #1280
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    Sam Stone. The 21 year old former local junior (Burleigh Bears) and Junior Kangaroo was a 2019 mid-season signing from the Newcastle Knights and was originally contracted to the Titans until the end of the 2020 season after initially signing an eighteen month contract but such was his form over the final portion of the 2020 season resigned with the Titans for the 2021 NRL season.

    Sam Stone’s first 2020 appearance was for the Titans in the 2020 NRL 9’s 18 man tournament team in Perth in February. In the Titans opening match against the Canberra Raiders, Sam Stone ran for thirty two metres on three carries and made six tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency. Sam Stone made a further twenty seven metres from three runs, broke a tackle and made three tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency in Game Two against the Wests Tigers.

    In the Titans quarter final victory over Manly Sam Stone ran for twenty eight metres from three hit-ups and made two tackles. In the Titans semi-final loss to North Queensland Sam Stone ran for thirty two metres on three and made two tackles.

    In total in the 2020 NRL Nine’s tournament, Sam Stone played in all four of the Titans matches, ran for 119 metres from twelve runs, broke a tackle and made thirteen tackles.

    Sam Stone started in the second row for the Titans first NRL trial of 2020 against Burleigh at Pizzey Park. In the match Sam Stone ran for eighty six metres (twenty seven post contact) and had a 100% tackling efficiency when making his nineteen tackles.

    Sam Stone started from the bench in the Titans second and final NRL trial against the Brisbane Broncos in Redcliffe. In that match Sam Stone ran for fifty six metres (twenty post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.45 seconds and made eleven tackles at a tackling efficiency of 91.67%.

    Sam Stone was named on the extended bench for Rounds One and Two of the 2020 NRL season but was not in the final game day seventeen on either occasion.

    In late June 2020 Sam Stone was part of the Titans side that played an eleven on eleven match against the Bronocs at Suncopr Stadium prior to the same sides NRL match, with the match ending in a 16 all draw scoring one of the Titans four tries in the match.

    Sam Stone had an impressive outing in the match, scoring the first try of the match in the 10th minute and was heavily involved in Tremain Spry’s early second hald try when he broke through the initial defensive line of the Bronco’s before offloading to Toby Sexton who then found a flying Tremain Spry who crossed.

    In early July 2020 Sam Stone was part of a Titans side that played a Cronulla Sharks side in a nine a side match as a curtain raiser to the same teams playing Round Eight of the NRL. Sam Stone had a solid match on the right of the field including being involved in one of Kea Pere’s three tries when he split the Sharks defense and found Nathan Peats who then off loaded to Kea Pere to score.

    Sam Stone played his first NRL match of the 2020 season when he started at left second row in Round Nine against the New Zealand Warriors playing the entire eighty minutes and scoring a critical second half try when he was on hand to dive on the ball after a piece of Tyronne Peachey brilliance.

    In the match Sam Stone ran for sixty nine metres (thirty post contact), offloaded the ball on one occasion, played the ball at an average speed of 3.35 seconds and made thirty seevn tackles of his own at an extremely impressive tackling efficiency of 97.37%.

    After a solid performance for the Titans in Round Nine of the NRL competition, Sam Stone was named on the Titans extended bench for Round Ten against the Melbourne Storm.

    Sam Stone was initially in the same position for Round Eleven against the Penrith Panthers but in the end started the match at right second row. Sam Stone ended up playing the opening seventy one minutes of the match, running for thirty seven metres (nineteen post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.18 seconds and made an incredible forty eight tackles at a tackling efficiency of 97.96%.

    Sam Stone was named to drop back to the Titans extended bench for Round Twelve against the Sydney Roosters but was a game day addition to the Titans side starting the match on the interchange bench. Playing thirty one minutes, Sam Stone ran for fifty five metres (twenty nine post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.56 seconds and made twenty five tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Round Fifteen against the Canberra Raiders saw Sam Stone named on the bench but he came into the starting side on the day of the match, playing the entire eighty minutes in the left second row position.

    In those minutes Sam Stone ran for sixty eight minutes (thirty two post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.93 seconds and made thirty nine tackles at a tackling efficiency of 84.78%.

    Sam Stone maintained his starting right second row position for the Titans Round Sixteen NRL match against the St George Dragons and what I would say would be his best career NRL match ot date.

    Playing sixty eight minutes Sam Stone ran for sixty metres (thirty two post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 2.86 seconds and made an impressive forty two tackles at a tackling efficiency of 97.67%.

    Sam Stone was also named to start at right second row in Round Seventeen against the Canterbury Bulldogs impreesing whilst playing all eighty minutes in the Titans victory. Sam Stone ran for 110 metres (thirty five post contact), had a line break down the right side of the field early in the match, played the ball at an average speed of 3.06 seconds and made forty eight tackles at a tackling efficiency of 94.12%.

    In Round Eigheen against the Brisbane Bronco’s Sam Stone started at right second row, scoring the Titans second try of the match when he was on hand to put the ball down in the ingoal after Corey Oates had dropped a cross field Jamal Fogerty bomb.

    In his eighty minutes in the field against Brisbane, Sam Stone ran for fifty eight metres (twenty five post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.53 seconds and made an impressive thirty three tackles at a tackling efficiency of 94.29%.

    Round Nineteen against Manly saw Sam Stone start at right second row playing the entire eighty minutes of the match and scoring wide on the right when he was able to get the ball down five metres in from the corner post after a ten metres run.

    In the match, Sam Stone ran for seventy metres (seventeen post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.09 seconds and made ateam leading thirty three tackle at an 86.84% tackling efficiency.

    The final 2020 NRL regular season round, being Round Twenty saw Sam Stone start at right second row against the Newcastle Knights, playing seventy four minutes. Sam Stone ran for ninety seven metres (forty six post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.97 seconds and made a team leading thirty seven tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    In total in the NRL in 2020 Sam Stone played in nine NRL matches, being on the field for 654 minutes and scoring three tries. In addition, Sam Stone made three line breaks, off loaded the ball once, ran for 632 metres and an average of seventy metres per match and made 342 tackles and a tackling efficiency of 91.4% whilst making an average of thirty eight tackles per match.

    Sam Stone made his NRL debut with the Newcastle Knights in 2017, playing in sixteen matches, he added two more NRL matches in 2018 to take his total to date to eighteen.

    In his sixteen NRL matches in 2017, Sam Stone ran for 585 metres (36.6 metres per game), scored two tries, had two line breaks and made 353 tackles (22 per match) at a tackling efficiency of 92.89%.

    In his two NRL matches in 2018, Sam Stone ran for 101 metres (50.5 metres per game) and made forty tackles (twenty per game) at a tackling efficiency of 95.24%.

    Prior to signing with the Titans, Sam Stone played for Newcastle in the New South Wales Canterbury Cup side alternating between starting in the second row or from the bench.

    After signing with the Titans in late June 2019 Sam Stone began his time back on the Gold Coast starting in the second row for Burleigh in Round Fifteen of the Queensland Cup against Townsville.

    In the match, Sam Stone played all 80 minutes, running for 91 metres (36 post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 4.85 seconds and made twenty seven tackles at an impressive tackling efficiency of 96.49%.

    In Round Sixteen of the Queensland Cup Sam Stone started from the bench for Burleigh against Souths Logan scoring his first career Queensland Cup try and his first since signing with the Titans when he was on hand to dive on a loose ball after the Souths Logan defence could not mop up a kick into their in goal.

    Sam Stone played thirty minutes in the match, at right second row, running for forty five metres (fourteen post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.5 seconds and made nine tackles at a 90% tackling efficiency.

    Sam Stone also came off the bench in Round Seventeen against Tweed Heads. In the derby Sam Stone played forty six minutes at right second row, running for ninety one metres, an impressive forty six of which (50.55%) were post contact, played the ball at an average speed of 3.87 seconds, broke a tackle and made twenty tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Sam Stone was promoted to the Titans NRL side, coming off the bench in Round Eighteen against the Melbourne Storm for his first Titans appearance coming on in the 21st minute and playing the remaining 59 minutes at right second row.

    In that time Sam Stone ran for 88 metres (25 post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.65 seconds and made thirty tackles at an 85.71% tackling efficiency.

    Sam Stone made his first NRL start for the Titans when he started at right second row in Round Nineteen against the Brisbane Broncos, playing seventy minutes.

    In that time, Sam Stone, ran for twenty eight metres (eight post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.79 seconds and made 33 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 89.19%.

    Sam Stone moved to left second row in Round Twenty away to the Sydney Roosters playing 63 minutes including to right second row in the second half.

    In that time Sam Stone ran for 65 metres (24 post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 4.11 seconds and made forty three tackles at a 94.56% tackling efficiency.

    Sam Stone moved back to start at right second row in Round Twenty One against St George, playing 60 minutes. In that time he ran for 101 metres (45 post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.63 seconds and made twenty three tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92%.

    Sam Stone moved back to left second row in Round Twenty Two against the Parramatta Eels playing 51 minutes on that side of the field. In that time he ran for 47 metres (22 post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.5 seconds and made thirty three tackles at a tackling efficiency of 89.19%.

    In Round Twenty three away to the Melbourne Storm Sam Stone played all 80 minutes at left second row running for 84 metres (37 post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.78 seconds and made thirty five tackles at a 92.1% tackling efficiency.

    The Titans were away to Newcastle in Round Twenty Four with Sam Stone starting and playing all 80 minutes at left second row. Sam Stone ran for 38 metres (twelve post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.72 seconds and made 32 tackles at a 86.5% tackling efficiency.

    Sam Stone also started at left second row in the Titans last NRL match of the season being Round Twenty Five against the St George Dragons once again playing the entire match.

    In his 80 minutes on the field, Sam Stone ran for 105 metres (an impressive 48 of which were post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.48 seconds and made forty three tackles at a 95.56% tackling efficiency.

    In total in his eight NRL games in 2019 Sam Stone played 543 minutes, offloaded the ball four times, ran for 560 metres and made 272 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 88.2%.

    Sam Stone’s per game averages included playing 67 minutes, running for seventy metres and making thirty four tackles. Thus per eighty minutes, Sam Stone, in 2019, ran for 83.58 metres and made 40.6 tackles.

    The table below compares Sam Stone’s 2017, 2018 and 2019 per game averages:

    2017 NRL* 2018 NRL* 2019 Q Cup 2019 NRL 2020 NRL

    Games played 16 2 1 8 9

    Minutes per game 32.42 37.5 30 67 73

    Runs per game 5 6 6 7.3 5.6

    Metres made per game 36.6 50.5 45.4 70 70

    Tackles per game 22 20 9 34 38

    * Playing for the Newcastle Knights

    The pace and power in terms of how Sam Stone 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 Sam Stone 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 Sam Stone’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.

    Sam Stone’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 Sam Stone’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. Sam Stone drives hard with his legs and always uses his shoulder and core body strength to drive into his opponent.

    Sam Stone 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.

    Sam Stone proved that he can play in the NRL in 2020 and even though the Titans are bringing in some dynamic forwards for the 2021 season, all NRL forward packs need plays like Sam Stone who just tackle everything that moves at a very high tacking efficiency. The Titans clearly understand this as Sam Stone recently resigned with the Titans for the 2021 NRL season.

    Sam Stone’s 194 cm, 102 kg frame is ideal for him to continue playing in the second row where he has played his entire career, including his twenty six career NRL matches to date. An off season under new coach Justin Holbrook may just be what Sam Stone needs to add some additional weight to his frame without compromising his speed and mobility.

    A current NRL player with a similar playing style for me is Sam Stone’s former team mate being Newcastle Knights second rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon. Like Fitzgibbon Sam Stone shapes as a talented young second rower who just needs the right opportunity to highlight his burgeoning skill set.

    Sam Stone showed flashes of the ability to be an NRL regular for a number of years in 2019 and 2020 and should continue to progress in coming seasons starting in 2021.

  6. #1281
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    Jai Whitbread. (Revised) The former Gold Coast Titans and Northern Rivers junior was signed late in 2017 by the Titans on a Top 30 two year contract and recently signed a new two year NRL deal deservedly so after standout performances for the Brisbane Broncos NYC side in 2016 and 2017 as well as a storied school boy rugby career with the Southport School (TSS) in the GPS First XV School boy rugby competition where he played primarily at outside centre.

    Jai Whitbread started Round One of the 2020 NRL Premiership from the bench for the Titans against the Canberra Raiders playing thirty two minutes. In his time on the field Jai Whitbread ran for 105 metres (twenty two post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.75 seconds and made twenty five tackles at a95.16% tackling efficiency.

    Jai Whitbread was also named on the bench for Round Two against the Parramatta Eels playing forty six minutes. In addition Jai Whitbread ran for thirty one metres (ten post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.77 seconds and made forty two tackles at a tackling efficiency of 93.33%.

    After the Covid 19 halt to the competition Jai Whitbread was named to start Round Three off the bench against the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville. In the match Jai Whitbread was on the field for thirty eight minutes, running for fifty five metres (twenty one post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.15 seconds and made twenty six tackles at a tackling efficiency of 96.3%.

    After not being selected for Round Three Jai Whitbread was named on the Titans extended bench for Round Five of the 2020 NRL competition against the Souths Sydney Rabbitohs and was also named on the Titans extended bench for Round Six against the St George Dragons.

    In late June 2020 Jai Whitbread was part of the Titans side that played an eleven on eleven match against the Bronocs at Suncopr Stadium prior to the same sides NRL match, with the match ending in a 16 all draw. Jai Whitbread had an impressive outing in the eleven aside match and it would be fair to saw that Jai Whitbread was the only true middle forward in the Titans side in the match.

    Round Eight saw Jai Whitbread once again named on the extended bench against the Cronulla Sharks as well as in Round Nine against the New Zealand Warriors, in Round Ten against the Melbourne Storm.

    Jai Whitbread was initially named on the Titans extended bench for Round Eleven against the Penrith Panthers but ended up coming onto the bench on the day of the match. In the match, Jai Whitbread was on the field for twenty two minutes, ran for thirty metres (nine post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.27 seconds and made twenty three tackles at a perfect 100% tackling efficiency.

    Jai Whitbread dropped back to the Titans extended bench for Round Twelve against the Sydney Roosters and was also named on the Titans extended bench for Round Thirteen against the North Queensland Cowboys and in Round Fourteen against the Cronulla Sharks.

    Jai Whitbread was also named on the Titans extended bench for Round Fifteen against the Canberra Raiders but ended up starting from the bench for the Titans playing twenty four minutes, running for fifty eight minutes (twenty nine post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.13 seconds and made twenty three tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92%.

    After his Round Fifteen cameo off the bench Jai Whitbread was also named on the bench for Round Sixteen against the St George Dragons coming on to play twenty nine minutes in the front row. In his time on the field Jai Whitbread ran for fifty four metres (twenty nine post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.22 seconds and made seventeen tackles at a perfect 100% tackling efficiency.

    Jia Whitbread moved back to the Titans extended bench for Round Seventeen against the Canterbury Bulldogs.

    In Round Eigheen against the Brisbane Bronco’s Jai Whitbread also started from the interchange bench playing twenty one solid minutes, running for twenty seven metres (nine post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.08 seconds and made fourteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 93.33%.

    Round Nineteen against Manly saw Jai Whitbread start from the bench once again playing thirty four minutes in the middle when he came on. In his time on the Jai Whitbread ran for eight four metres (thirty six post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.92 seconds and made twenty tackles at a tackling efficiency of 90.91%.

    The final 2020 NRL regular season round, being Round Twenty saw Jai Whitbread start from the bench against the Newcastle Knights playing twenty three minutes in the middle of the field. Jai Whitbread ran for fifty two metres (twenty four post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.6 seconds and made sixteen tackles.

    In total in the NRL in 2020 Jai Whitbread played in nine NRL matches, being on the field for a total of 269 minutes. In those minutes, Jai Whitbread broke three tackles, off loaded on three occasions, ran for 499 metres, 194 of which were post contact (38.88%) and made 207 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92%.

    Jai Whitbread’s 2020 NRL per game averages included playing 29.89 minutes, running for 55.44 metres and making 23 tackles. Per eighty minutes in the NRL in 2020 Jai Whitbread ran for 148.38 metres and made 61.56 tackles.

    Jai Whitbread’s first 2020 appearance was for the Titans in the 2020 NRL 9’s 18 man tournament in Perth in February. In the Titans opening match against the Canberra Raiders, Jai Whitbread ran for twenty seven metres on three carries and made six tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency. Jai Whitbread made a further forty three metres from four runs, scored a try, made a line break, broke three tackles and made seven tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency in Game Two against the Wests Tigers.

    In the Titans quarter final victory over Manly Jai Whitbread ran for twenty two metres from three hit-ups and made five tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency. In the Titans semi-final loss to North Queensland Jai Whitbread in addition to scoring his second tournament try ran for forty metres on four runs, made a line break, broke two tackles and made four tackles.

    In total in the 2020 NRL Nine’s tournament, Jai Whitbread played in all four of the Titans matches scoring two tries, ran for 132 metres from fourteen runs, broke five tackles, made two line breaks and made twenty two tackles at a 95.65% tackling efficiency.

    Jai Whitbread started from the bench in the Titans second and final NRL trial against the Brisbane Broncos in Redcliffe running for 102 metres (fifty four post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed for 3.39 seconds and made nineteen tackles at a 95% tackling efficiency.

    As a local junior it was great to see Jai Whitbread make his NRL debut for the Titans in 2018 when he came off the bench in Round 18 against the Sydney Roosters making a more than positive impression in limited minutes on the field.

    In total in his NRL debut in 2018 Jai Whitbread played 18 minutes running for 32 metres, 10.5 of those post contact and made nine tackles at a tackling efficiency of 81.8% in a solid debut for the 186cm 107kg Titans junior and South Tweed Bears product.

    Jai Whitbread’s second NRL match came in Round Five of 2019 season against Penrith and he played a key role in the Titans 30 – 24 victory. In his 38 minutes on the field Jai Whitbread ran for 93 metres, 34 post contact, played the ball at an average speed of 3.13 seconds and made 23 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 95.8%.

    Jai Whitbread was also on the bench for the Titans in Round Six against the Newcastle Knights, playing 39 minutes, running for 130 metres (37 post contact), broke three tackles and made twenty two tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    In Round Seven against the Wests Tigers, starting from the bench again Jai Whitbread played thirty five minutes, ran for 66 metres (29 post contact) and made thirty tackles at a tackling efficiency of 96.77%.

    Jai Whitbread was back in the Titans NRL side for their Round Ten match against Canterbury, once again starting on the bench. In his 27 metres on the field, Jai Whitbread ran for 95 metres (41 post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.27 seconds and made eighteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 81.81%.

    In his first career NRL start (he started at lock), Jai Whitbread had a very solid outing in Round Eleven against Manly playing 35 minutes. In that time he ran for 106 metres (41 post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an exceptional average of 2.96 seconds and made twenty two tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Jai Whitbread made his second career NRL start in Round Twelve at lock in a two point loss to North Queensland, playing just 18 minutes. In those 18 minutes Jai Whitbread ran for 37 metres (eleven post contact) and made seventeen tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Jai Whitbread was back on the bench for Round Thirteen against the Brisbane Broncos but continued his impressive form in his 41 minutes on the field. In those minutes, he ran for 73 metres (13 post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.12 seconds and made twenty nine tackles at a tackling efficiency of 96.67%.

    Jai Whitbread also started from the bench in Round Fourteen against the New Zealand Warriors, playing thirty metres, running for 74 metres (34 post contact), breaking a tackle, playing the ball at an average speed of 3.42 seconds and making twenty five tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92.59%.

    In his third NRL start in Round Fifteen against Manly when he started at lock, Jai Whitbread played 39 minutes, running for 83 metres (twenty five post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.23 seconds and made thirty two tackles at a tackling efficiency of 91.93%.

    Round Seventeen of the NRL saw Jai Whitbread move back to the bench for the match against Penrith and playing twenty nine minutes after coming on at half time. In that time, Jai Whitbread ran for 97 metres (38 post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.33 seconds and made twenty tackles at an impressive tackles efficiency of 96.26%.

    Jai Whitbread resumed his starting lock position in the NRL in Round Eighteen against the Melbourne Storm playing 53 minutes where he ran for 94 metres (23 post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.4 seconds and made twenty eight tackles at a tackling efficiency of 93.33%.

    Jai Whitbread moved back to the bench for Round Nineteen against the Brisbane Broncos, playing forty nine minutes, running for 99 metres (34 post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed for 2.94 seconds and made thirty four tackles at a tackling efficiency of 87.18%.

    Jai Whitbread started at lock in Round Twenty away to the Sydney Roosters playing 65 minutes, running for 113 metres (45 post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.41 seconds and made forty tackles at an impressive 97.56% tackling efficiency.

    Round Twenty One against the St George Dragons saw Jai Whitbread start in the front row, playing 58 minutes, running for 109 metres (48 post contact), playing the ball at an average speed of 3.15 seconds and making an exceptional forty three tackles at a 97.72% tackling efficiency.

    Jai Whitbread started from the bench in Round Twenty Two against Parramatta playing 37 minutes, running for 79 metres (31 post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.31 seconds and made twenty three tackles at a tackling efficiency of 95.8%.

    In Round Twenty three against the Melbourne Storm Jai Whitbread came off the bench once again playing thirty two minutes, running for 31 metres (fourteen post contact, played the ball at an average of 2.87 seconds and made seventeen tackles at a 94.4% tackling efficiency.

    Away to the Newcastle Knights in Round Twenty Four Jai Whitbread came off the bench to play fifty minutes, running for 94 metres (39 post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.11 seconds and made 37 tackles at a perfect 100% tackling efficiency.

    Jai Whitbread also started from then bench for the Titans last NRL match of the season being Round Twenty Five against the St George Dragons playing just twenty three minutes.

    In that time Jai Whitbread ran for 66 metres (25 post contact), played the ball at an average speed for 2.99 seconds and made seventeen tackles at a 94.4% tackling efficiency.

    In total in the NRL in 2019, Jai Whitbread played eighteen matches, playing 792 minutes, running for 1 547 metres, broke seventeen tackles, off loaded the ball twice and made 477 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 93.2%.

    Jai Whitbread’s 2019 NRL per game averages included playing 44 minutes, running for 86 metres from 9.1 hit ups and making 26.5 tackles. Thus per eighty minutes, Jai Whitbread, in 2019, ran for 156.36 metres and made 48.18 tackles.

    Jai Whitbread started the 2019 season proper coming off the bench for the Burleigh Queensland Cup side in their 10 – 0 win over PNG. In his 38 minutes on the field Jai Whitbread took ten carries for 116 metres, 57 post contact (49.14%), broke two tackles and had a play the ball average of a more than decent 3.22 seconds.

    Defensively Jai Whitbread had a tackling efficiency of 95.24% making 20 effective tackles, missing only one.

    Jai Whitbread also came off the bench in Round Two against the Ipswich Jets and had a big game including scoring a first half try. Jai Whitbread showed some good speed off the mark to take the ball around twelve metres out from the line and showed good speed off the mark to split the Jets defence to score under the posts.

    In his forty six minutes on the field, Jai Whitbread ran for 111 metres (29 post contact, had a team leading two line breaks, broke four tackle, played the ball at an average of 3.1 seconds all whilst making eleven tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    In Round Three of the Queensland Cup against Tweed Jai Whitbread started from the bench for the third match in a row but made the most of his 34 minutes on the field, in that time Jai Whitbread made 81 metres (34 post contact) from nine hit-ups, broke a tackle, played the ball in an average time of 2.9 seconds and made an impressive 29 tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    After being in the 21 man Titans NRL squad for a number of weeks, Jai Whitbread made his first Queensland Cup start of the season in Round Five when he started at lock in their 38 - 22 win against Souths Logan and scored his second 2019 try in the process.

    Jai Whitbread played a season high 63 minutes, ran for 153 metres (51 post contact), broke the line on two occasions, broke a team leading nine tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.19 seconds and made a team leading twenty six tackles at a tackling efficiency of 96.30%.

    In relation to his try, Jai Whitbread received the ball from the dummy half about ten metres out from the Souths Logan line, when he made contact with the defensive line, Jai Whitbread spun clock wise 360 degrees to break through the initial contact before he pushed past the Magpies fullback to score just to the right of the goal posts.

    After his performances in the opening two rounds of the 2019 Queensland Cup for Burleigh Jai Whitbread was deservedly rewarded by being named on the Titans extended bench for Round Two in the NRL against the Cronulla Sharks.

    In total in the Queensland Cup in 2019, Jai Whitbread played 189 minutes in four matches, scored two tries, broke sixteen tackles, ran for 464 metres and made 86 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 96.2%.

    Even though Jai Whitbread was still eligible to play U20’s in 2018 he started the season with the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side, starting ten of his 12 matches to date from the interchange and starting two being Rounds 13 and 14 against Ipswich and the Northern Pride respectively.

    Jai Whitbread scored his sole try to date in Round Three against Tweed Heads and also getting a try assist in that match when he broke through the Tweed Heads defensive line before passing to half back Jamal Fogerty to score.

    Jai Whitbread broke the Tweed Heads line right through the middle of the ruck on about his own 20 metre line and showed quite good pace especially on the wet and muddy field to draw the fullback and pass to his right to Fogerty near the half way line.

    Jai Whitbread’s try against the Tweed Heads Seagulls can be put down solely to perservence. A long break was made and the ball spun wide late in the first half but Jai Whitbread, who once again showed quite decent speed kept up with the play nicely and was rewarded for his efforts when he received an inside pass from Jamal Fogerty, Jai Whitbread had the presence of mind to also bring the ball around to score close to the left upright.

    In Round Four against the South’s Logan Magpies, Jai Whitbread suffered concussion like symptoms and had to be replaced when he was hit by a shoulder charge by Souths Logan interchange and Brisbane Bronco’s contracted front rower, Thomas Flegler who was immediately sent off. Jai Whitbread was however named for Burleigh’s Round Five match against the Central Queensland Capra’s.

    Over the course of the recent off-season, Jai Whitbread started on the interchange bench in all of the Titans NRL trials and was one of the Titans best in their NRL trial loss to the Brisbane Bronco’s in Toowoomba as well as a solid performer against the Warriors on the Sunshine Coast a fortnight later.

    In the Queensland Cup in 2018 season through his thirteen matches Jai Whitbread played 444 minutes for Burleigh, making 1 092 metres, 357 of those post contact (32.69%) and made 220 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 90.1%.

    Jai Whitbread averaged 34 minutes, just over seven hit-ups for 78.8 metres and 17 tackles. Jai Whitbread has also been credited with fifteen tackle breaks and a line break (the one that led to Jamal Fogerty’s try in Round Three) a try assist this season and four offloads.

    Jai Whitbread had a standout match in Round Thirteen against the Ipswich in his first starting appearance having career highs (at that time) in multiple categories including minutes (70), running metres (166) and tackles (31).

    In Round 19 a week after his NRL debut Jai Whitbread was outstanding for the Bears as they defeated Central Queensland 24 – 14. Starting from the bench Jai Whitbread played 36 minutes, running for a career high 146 metres, 57 post contact, also a career high, broke three tackles and made 16 tackles at a tackling efficiency of a perfect 100%.

    In Round One of 2018 against the Sunshine Coast Falcons in his debut Queensland Cup match, Jai Whitbread played 32 minutes, making 57 metres from six hit-ups, 13 of those post contact and sixteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 88.89%.

    In Round Two against the Redcliffe Dolphins, Jai Whitbread played 33 minutes, making 94 metres from twelve hit-ups, 34 of those post contact and fifteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 88.25%.

    In addition to his try and try assist in Round Three against the Tweed Heads Seagulls, Jai Whitbread played 33 minutes, making 79 metres from six hit-ups, 16 of those post contact and fifteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 100% in a more than solid display in wet and windy conditions at Tweed Heads in a solid Burleigh victory 32 – 12 where fellow Titans NRL contracted youngster Tyrone Roberts-Davis also scored for Burleigh.

    In Round Four Jai Whitbread started on the interchange bench for the fourth match in a row this time against a giant South’s Logan Magpies pack and played 34 minutes, running for 77 metres, twenty two of those post contact on nine carries and made 13 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92.86%, yet another solid game for the South Tweed junior even taking into account being knocked out by a deemed shoulder charge. Jai Whitbread was also credited with one tackle break.

    The table below compares Jai Whitbread’s 2018, 2019 and 2020 per game averages:

    2018 Q Cup 2018 NRL 2019 Q Cup 2019 NRL 2020 NRL

    Games played 13 1 4 18 9

    Minutes per game 34.25 18 47.3 44 30

    Runs per game 7.8 6 9.2 9.1 6.5

    Metres made per game 84 32 116 86 55.44

    Tackles per game 16.92 9 20.5 26.5 23

    In 2017 Jai Whitbread was the 18th man for the New South Wales U20 State of Origin side and in 2018 was named in the starting side but withdrew as a result of a hand injury. Jai Whitbread in addition to his rugby league commitments is studying a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Phycology so he is also a very intelligent young man.

    Jai Whitbread who originally hails from the Tamworth region of New South Wales and played his junior rugby league with the South Tweed Bears in the Group 18 junior rugby league competition and played a First Grade trial with the Broncos in February 2017 when he came off the bench against the Ipswich Jets in Ipswich.

    In 2017 Jai Whitbread played in twenty three matches for the Broncos NYC side including their finals matches, starting twenty one of those matches in the front row and the other two matches being Rounds Four and Five from the interchange bench. On those matches Jai Whitbread scored two tries which came against the Wests Tigers in Round Eleven and against Newcastle in the Bronco’s first final match this season.

    Jai Whitbread’s 2017 per match averages included 118 running metres on 12 hit-ups and 26 tackles (90% tackling efficiency) in just over 55 minutes. On sixteen occasions Jai Whitbread ran for more than 100 metres including an incredible effort in Round Eleven against the Wests Tigers when he ran for 201 metres. On sixteen occasions also Jai Whitbread made more than twenty tackles including Round Eleven against Wests Tigers when he made 47 tackles. Over the course of the 2017 NYC season Jai Whitbread also made six line breaks and off loaded the ball on seven occasions.

    In 2016 whilst still U18 eligible, in fact he represented New South Wales U18 that year, Jai Whitbread made twenty one NYC appearances for the Broncos starting in the front row thirteen matches and coming off the interchange bench in eight more. His 2016 per match season averages included 78 running metres on 8.5 hit ups and 21 tackles (92% tackling efficiency) in 45 minutes.

    Jai Whitbread’s two 2016 NYC tries came in Round Eight against the Rabbitohs and Rounds Twenty Six against the Sydney Roosters. His best running metre performance in 2016 was in Round Twenty Two against the Dragons and defensively Jai Whitbread in Round Seventeen made 35 tackles with no misses against the Melbourne Storm.

    The 186cm 107kg Jai Whitbread was a former Titans contracted junior from just south of the Border and played for New South Wales at the U16 and U18 levels and also CC and MM Cup for Gold Coast based squads in previous seasons. At the start of the 2016 season Jai Whitbread was signed by the Broncos after a successful GPS rugby career with the Southport School where he played three years in the school’s First XV and making a number of GPS representative sides. Interestingly Jai Whitbread played school boy rugby in the centres but in rugby league has played either front row, lock or second row exclusively.

    Jai Whitbread is a hard running forward who is very good at running the right line including both and inside shoulder and outside shoulder line and consistently hits the pass off either the dummy half or play maker flat thus generating his best possible speed and momentum to hit the defensive line at full speed.

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

    Jai Whitbread’s try in Round Two of the 2019 Queensland Cup competition against the Ipswich Jets perfectly illustrated the analysis noted above.

    Jai Whitbread is adept at cutting back behind the play the ball area when the markers do not work hard and make ground as a result. When the Broncos NYC side were in the attacking area, Jai Whitbread was regularly used to draw the defence into the centre of the ruck thus stretching the defensive line out wide to allow the backline more room to move. Jai Whitbread also accepted the responsibility of regularly taking the first hit-up from kick offs and was regularly the first forward to take a hit-up after an opposition tactical kick.

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

    Jai Whitbread’s speed is probably a bit above average but it is the speed that he is able to generate from only a few paces which makes it play faster from a defenders perspective. Obviously playing high level school boy rugby for TSS has assisted in the development of this particular attribute.

    Defensively he hits very hard and had one of the better defensive technique s in the NYC competition this season. Jai Whitbread’s technique revolves around timing and execution. Jai Whitbread’s head is almost always correctly positioned and he always drives with his shoulder and never just jersey grabs. From the matches that I have seen Jai Whitbread also tackles with both shoulders equally effectively.

    The impressive thing for me also is that Jai Whitbread never seems to bounce off the ball when he makes a front on tackle meaning his target area and the ability to hit the area on a regular basis is quite exceptional for a reasonably inexperienced forward.

    Another defensive aspect that I noted during the 2019 and 2020 seasons was that Jai Whitbread does not just make one tackle at a time, he makes a series of tackles one after another all as clinical and effective as the one before. His lateral speed is quite good due to his quick twitch feet and thus he is effective at defending against smaller dynamic runners out of dummy half as well as half backs and five eights running of the fringes looking to isolate forwards.

    In addition Jai Whitbread continues to display the leadership attributes that you like to see in a player/person, not just in junior rugby league, but across any level of our game and the community. He shapes as someone who has the attributes to be not just an NRL captain but also a club captain one day and a well-respected one at that. A better role model you will not find.

    As noted Jai Whitbread has signed a Top 30 contract and cemented a spot in the Titans top Seventeen in 2020 and 2021.

  7. #1282
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    Tannah Boyd. The outstanding prospect is a Gold Coast junior, who played his entire junior career on the Gold Coast with the Runaway Bay Seagulls who is signed to the Titans NRL squad until the end of the 2021 season and moved immediately to the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup squad upon signing with the Titans during the 2019 NRL season.

    Tannah Boyd made his first 2020 NRL appearance and third overall in Round Four against the Wests Tigers when he started on the bench coming on to play the final thirty minutes of the match in the dummy half role as the Titans won 28 – 23 curtosy of a last minute Phillip Sami try.

    In his thirty minutes on the field, Tannah Boyd ran for twenty two metres (six post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.88 seconds and made seventeen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 94.44%.

    Tannah Boyd was also named to start from the bench for Round Five against the Souths Sydney Rabbitohs spending forty eight minutes i=on the field. Tannah Boyd played in the dummy half role when he came on but moved to half later in the match in the second half.

    In his forty eight minutes on the field, Tannah Boyd ran for sixty metres (seventeen post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.61 seconds and made thirty four tackles at a tackling efficiency of 97.14%.

    Tannah Boyd also started from the bench in Round Six against the St George Dragons scoing his first career NRL try when with a few minutes to go Tannah Boyd was on hand after St George could not defuse a bomb and Tannah Boyd, after receving a pass from Kevin Proctor to run twelve metres to score next to the left upright.

    In his fifty one minutes on the field Tannah Boyd spent time at hooker, half back and left centre. In the match Tannah Boyd ran for fifty eight metres (thirteen post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at ana average speed of 3.94 seconds and made twenty seven tackles at a 96.43% tackling efficiency. Tannah Boyd also kicked once making twenty metres.

    Tannah Boyd once again started from the bench for the Round Seven local derby against the Brisbane Broncos coming on to play thirty one minutes, running for thirty three metres (six post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 4.12 seconds and made nineteen tackles at a 91.48% tackling efficiency.

    Tannah Boyd continued his run of starts from the intrchange bench in Round Eight against the Cronulla Sharks. Tannah Boyd spent forty minutes on the field in the dummy half role in two stints after coming off with a shoulder injury initially before toughing it out for a second stint later in the match.

    In his firty minutes on the field Tannah Boyd ran for forty two metres (four post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at ana average speed of 2.84 seconds and made twenty six tackles at a tackling efficiency of 86.67%.

    Tannah Boyd also started from the interchange bench in Round Nine against the New Zealand Warriors, playing fifty minutes in the dummy half role when he came on. In his fifty minutes on the field Tannah Boyd ran for forty five metres (ten post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.97 seconds and made twenty four tackles at a tackling efficiency of 85.71%.

    Tannah Boyd continued his run of NRL starts from the interchange bench in Round Ten against the Melbourne Storm coming on to play thirty five minutes in the dummy half role. In that time Tannah Boyd ran for eighteen minutes (twelve post contact), played the ball at an averge speed of 3.86 seconds, broke a tackle and made fourteen of his own at a tackling efficiency of 93.33%.

    Tannah Boyd started once again from the interchange bench in Round Eleven against the Penrith Panthers coming on in the 65th minute of the match and playing the rest of the match in the dummy half role. Tannah Boyd made the most of his time, running for twenty eight metres (five post contact), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 2.74 seconds and had a perfect 100% tackling efficiency from his thirteen tackles.

    In Round Twelve against the Sydney Roosters Tannah Boyd once again started from the bench for the Titans coming on to play the final twenty six minutes of the match. In that time, Tannah Boyd ran for twenty four metres, played the ball at an average speed of 3.8 seconds and had a 100% tackling effiency whislt making his sixteen tackles.

    Tannah Boyd also started from the bench for the Titans Round Thirteen match against the North Queensland Cowboys coming on to play the final eleven minutes of the match at half back. In his eleven minutes, Tannah Boyd ran for ten metres (three post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 2.63 seconds and made three tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Tannah Boyd was named to start from the bench in Round Fourteen against the Cronulla Sharks but was a late scratching.

    Round Fifteen saw Tannah Boyd initially named on the Titans extended bench against the Canberra Raiders but came into the Titans side late, starting the match at five eight and recording a try assist with a deft right foot kick for Phillip Sami to score early in the first half. Tannah Boyd also had a line break assist in the match, when he took the ball to the line before popping a short pass to his left to Sam Stone who broke through the Raiders line.

    Playing the entire eighty minutes, Tannah Boyd ran for sixty four metres (fourteen post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 3.66 seconds and made twenty four tackles at a tackling efficiency of 82.76%.

    In Round Sixteen against the St George Dragons Tannah Boyd was named on the Titans extended bench as he was for Round Seventeen against the Canterbury Bulldogs and Round Eighteen against the Brisbane Bronco’s.

    Tannah Boyd was back in the Titans NRL Seventeen in Round Nineteen against Manly coming off the bench and playing in the dummy half role in his forty two minutes on the field recording eighteen tackles at an 85.71% tackling efficiency.

    The final 2020 NRL regular season round, being Round Twenty saw Tannah Boyd start from the bench against the Newcastle Knights playing eighteen minutes off the bench in the dummy half role. Tannah Boyd ran for eleven metres (four post contact) and made fourteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 93.33%.

    In total in the NRL in 2020 Tannah Boyd was involved in thirteen NRL matches, playing a total of 475 minutes and scoring one try. In addition, Tannah Boyd forced a line drop out, had a try assist, a line break assist, off loaded the ball on one occasion, ran for 418 metres and made 250 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 86.7%.

    Tannah Boyd’s 2020 NRL per game averages included, playing 36.54 minutes, running for 32.15 metres and making 19.23 tackles. Per eighty minutes in the NRL in 2020, Tannah Boyd ran for 70.39 metres and made 42.11 tackles.

    Tannah Boyd’s first 2020 appearance was for the Titans in the 2020 NRL 9’s 18 man tournament in Perth in February. In the Titans opening match against the Canberra Raiders, Tannah Boyd, in addition to kicking three conversions from as many attempts, ran for twenty four on three carries, had a try assist and made three tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Tannah Boyd made a further eight metres from a run and made two tackles in Game Two against the Wests Tigers. In the Titans semi-final loss to North Queensland Tannah Boyd ran for sixty four metres on four runs and made two tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    In total in the 2020 NRL Nine’s tournament that was held in Perth, Tannah Boyd three matches, ran for ninety six metres from eight runs, converted three tries and made seven tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Tannah Boyd started at half for the Titans first NRL trial of 2020 against Burleigh at Pizzey Park kicking two conversions from three attempts in an assured display. In total in the match Tannah Boyd ran for forty three metres (five post contact) and made fifteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 88.24%. In addition, Tannah Boyd made 260 metres from his eleven tactical kicks.

    Tannah Boyd also started from the bench in the Titans second and final NRL trial against the Brisbane Broncos in Redcliffe running for thirty seven metres, breaking a tackle and making six at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    Tannah Boyd started Round One of the 2020 Queensland Cup season on the bench for Burleigh against Wynnum Manly playing five eight on the left side of the field when he came on and recorded a try assist when a pin point bomb he put up was taken on the full by Sami Sauiluma to score next to the left upright.

    Tannah Boyd was on the field for twenty eight minutes running for eleven metres (four post contact), broke a tackle, kicked once for twenty two metres (being the bomb noted above), played the ball at an average speed of 4.18 seconds and made three tackles.

    To cap off an outstanding 2019 season Tannah Boyd, in late December was named in the 2020 Queensland U20 Emerging Origin Squad.

    Tannah Boyd made his NRL for the Titans off the bench in Round Twenty Four of the 2019 season against the Newcastle Knights coming on to play thirty minutes in the hooking role, kicking for forty four metres and making twenty one tackles at a quite impressive tackling efficiency of 91.3%, including one try saving tackle when he desperately held on to a Newcastle players jersey with his left arm preventing him from scoring from close range.

    Tannah Boyd made his first NRL start in Twenty Five of the 2019 NRL season against St George which was his “home” debut as well for the Titans and the Titans last match of the season.

    In his 80 minutes on the field in his first NRL start, Tannah Boyd ran for 58 metres (ten post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.6 seconds, made twenty five tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92.6%, Tannah Boyd also kicked the ball eleven times making 291 metres on those occasions.

    In total in his two NRL matches for the Titans in 2019, Tannah Boyd played 110 of a possible 160 minutes (68.75%), running for fifty eight metres, making forty six tackles at a very good tackling efficiency of 87.3% and kicked for 337 metres.

    Tannah Boyd’s 2019 NRL per game averages included playing fifty five minutes, running for twenty nine metres, making twenty three tackles and kicking for 168.5 metres. Not a bad effort at all for an 18 year old in his first two career NRL matches. Thus per eighty minutes, Tannah Boyd, in 2019, ran for 42.18 metres and made 33.45 tackles.

    Tannah Boyd was also selected in the Queensland U20 squad starting the match against New South Wales that was the Third State of Origin curtain raiser from the inter change bench. When he came on Tannah Boyd added enthusiasm and intensity just when he was needed and spent the majority of his time on the field in the dummy half role.

    Tannah Boyd’s first match after signing with the Titans was for Burleigh in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition when he came off the bench in Round Thirteen against Ormeau.

    Tannah Boyd’s first appearance for Burleigh was in Round Fifteen of the Queensland Cup when he played seventeen minutes off the bench against the Ipswich Jets. In that time, Tannah Boyd ran for 41 metres (four post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 4.22 seconds and had a 100% tackling efficiency.

    After being named earlier in the week as the Titans 18th man Tannah Boyd started at five eight for Burleigh in Round Eighteen of the Queensland Cup against the Townsville Blackhawks playing all 80 minutes and recording his first Queensland Cup try for the Bears.

    In addition Tannah Boyd ran for a team leading 164 metres (22 post contact), broke three tackles, played the ball at an average speed for 3.12 seconds and made fourteen tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    In relation to his try, Tannah Boyd spun the ball out the left, and the Burleigh left centre split the defence before passing back inside to Tannah Boyd who sprinted forty metres to score untouched.

    After missing a couple of weeks with injury Tannah Boyd started from the bench for Burleigh in Round Twenty One against the Northern Pride, playing at five eight in his 213 minutes on the field. In that time he ran for 10 metres and made ten tackles at an 83.33% tackling efficiency.

    Tannah Boyd retained his place on the bench for Burleigh in Round Twenty Two against the Sunshine Coast Falcons playing twenty minutes after coming on playing in the halves.

    In the match Tannah Boyd ran for twenty metres (four post contact), played the ball at an average speed of 4.2 seconds and had a 100% tackling efficiency.

    In total in the 2019 Queensland Cup competition when you combine his Souths Logan and Burleigh matches, Tannah Boyd played twelve games, ran for 645 metres, made 134 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 82%, had five try assists, four line break assists, three offloads and kicked for 2 203 metres.

    Tannah Boyd’s 2019 Queensland Cup per game averages included playing sixty five minutes per match, running for 53.8 metres on five runs and making 11.5 tackles. Thus per eighty minutes, Tannah Boyd, in 2019 in the Queensland Cup, ran for 66.22 metres and made 14.15 tackles.

    In the 2019 season Tannah Boyd, prior to signing with the Titans played in eight Queensland Cup matches for the Souths Logan Magpies to go along with his two Queensland Cup matches in 2018.

    Tannah Boyd started at half for Souths Logan in Round One of the Queensland Cup of the 2019 season against Central Queensland playing the entire 80 minutes. In the match he ran for 64 metre (11 post contact), kicked for 210 metres, kicked a conversion, forced a drop out, had a try assist and made six tackles.

    Round Two against the Mackay Cutters saw Tannah Boyd play the entire 80 minutes at half, running for 72 metres (16 pot contact),kicked for 256 metres, kicked three conversions, forced a drop out, had a try assist, broke two tackles and made thirteen tackles.

    In Round Three against Norths Tannah Boyd played the entire match at half, running for 45 metres, kicking two conversions, kicking for 315 metres, forcing a drop out and making thirteen tackles.

    In Round Six against the Northern Pride Tannah Boyd played the entire match at half, running for twenty seven metres, kicking for 291 metres, forcing two drop outs and making eighteen tackles.

    In Round Seven against the Easts Tigers Tannah Boyd played the entire match at half, running for 100 metres (twenty post contact),had a try assist, broke a tackle, kicked for 193 metres, and making thirteen tackles.

    Round Eight against Wynnum Manly saw Tannah Boyd once again play the entire match at half, running for forty metres, record two try assists, break a tackle, kick for 209 metres, and make Seventeen tackles.

    In Round Nine against the Sunshine Coast Falcons Tannah Boyd played 59 minutes at half, running for twenty four metres and make ten tackles.

    In Round Thirteen against Townsville Tannah Boyd played the entire match at half, running for thirty metres, kick for 316 metres and make sixteen tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    In total in his eight Queensland Cup matches for Souths Logan in 2019, Tannah Boyd played 619 minutes, run for 406 metres, kick for 2 065 metres, kick nine conversions, record five try assists, broke five tackles, offloaded the ball twice and made 106 tackles.

    Noted below are some of the key moments of Tannah Boyd’s 2019 Queensland Cup season for both Souths Logan and Burleigh Bears.

    In addition to his try for Burleigh which has been noted previously Tannah Boyd also scored an outstanding try for Souths Logan which came against the Mackay Cutters. Tannah Boyd was operating on the right side of the field and received the ball off the dummy half. As soon as he took possession of the ball Tannah Boyd sliced between two Cutters defenders in the front line before stepping off his left foot to beat the fullback and was wble to break the ball around to score near the left up right.

    In the 2019 Queensland Cup competition Tannah Boyd produced a number of outstanding plays from kicks and ball playing for both Burleigh and Souths Logan that led to him being credited with try assists.

    For Souths Logan against the Mackay Cutters, Tananh Boyd took the ball to the right of the play the ball wide to the left of the field, putting in a twelve metre kick into the in-goal for the Magpies five eight to cross. Also for Souths Logan against the Easts Tigers, Tannah Boyd put in a pin point kick to the right wing from twelve metres out for the Magpies right winger to take the ball on the full and cross.

    Whilst playing for Bureigh Tannah Boyd was certainly made to earn another try assist from a kick when from thirty five metres out he put up a hugh bomb to the left wing. Just as he kicked the ball Tannah Boyd was smashed by one of the Wynnum Mnaly forwards.

    Tannah Boyd’s 2019 Queensland Cup try assists were not just from kicks. Playing for Souths Logan against the Mackay Cutters, Tannah Boyd whilst operating on the left took the ball right to the line from ten metres out to put his right second rower over and also for Souths Logan against Wynnum Manly, Tannah Boyd backed up on the inside and once he received the ball stepped off his right foot before throwing a great one armed pass to his lock who ran away to score.

    In 2018 Tannah Boyd made his Queensland Cup debut in Round Seventeen against the Central Queensland Capra’s celebrating by scoring. Tannah Boyd had to get a special dispensation to play in the match as he had not yet turned 18 years old.

    The table below compares Tannah Boyd’s 2018, 2019 and 2020 per game averages:



    2018 Q Cup 2019 Q Cup (BB & SL) NRL 2019 2020 Q Cup 2020 NRL

    Games played 2 12 2 1 13

    Minutes per game 80 64 55 28 36.54

    Kick metres per game 111 183.6 168.5 22.9 14.9

    Metres per game 87.5 53.6 29 11.7 32.15

    Tackles per game 18 11.4 23 3 19.23


    Tannah Boyd has also played three Hastings Deering’s Colts matches for the South Logan Magpies in 2019 before signing with the Titans, playing his first in Round Ten against Ipswich, where he kicked five conversions. Tannah Boyd also kicked five conversions against the Western Mustangs in Round Eleven and scored a ty and kicked a conversion in Round Twelve against Tweed Heads to finish his three 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts matches with twenty six points.

    In the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Year Award tally Tannah Boyd finished with five votes.

    Tannah Boyd started off the 2018 season with the Souths Logan Magpies in the MM Cup competition, coming into the side in Round Six against Central Queensland starting at half. In fact Tannah Boyd started at half in all five of his 2018 MM Cup matches, including their Grand Final win over Norths and their National U18 final loss to Penrith.

    Across those five matches, Tannah Boyd scored 42 points from four tries and thirteen goals. Tannah Boyd scored doubles against the Western Mustangs in Round Seven and Tweed Heads in the first week of the 2018 MM Cup finals to account for his four tries. Tannah Boyd’s best game was probably against Tweed Heads in the final when he also kicked six goals to go with his two try effort for an individual points haul of twenty. ‘

    Tannah Boyd also kicked four goals in the U18 National Final against Penrith as well as recording a try assist as the Souths Logan Magpies fought back from being 22 – 0 down before losing in gold point extra time 38 - 32. One of Tannah Boyd’s conversions was the conversion to lock the scores up at 32 all late in the match with the kick hitting the cross bar and bouncing over to add a touch of drama, not that the match needed any more.

    Tnaah Boyd’s try assist came in the second half when he put in a pin point kick which was taken out of the air by Vahai Finau to score out wide. Tannah Boyd also played a key part in Souths Logan’s second try of the match when he took an intercept just prior to Tesi Niu scoring.

    Tannah Boyd also played in eight U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts matches in 2018 including their Week One final against the Northern Pride, coming into the side in Round Twelve against the Victorian Thunderbolts at half back.

    Tannah Boyd started at half in all eight of his matches scoring 42 points from three tries and fifteen goals. Tannah Boyd had a huge match in Round Twenty Four against Ipswich when he scored two tries and kicked five goals. Tannah Boyd’s other 2018 Colts try came in Round Twenty against the Western Mustangs and in Round Twenty Three he kicked six conversions against the Easts Tigers.

    The former Australian School boy International grew up on the Gold Coast attending Keebra Park State High School and playing for Runaway Bay last playing for the Seagulls in 2016 in the U16 Division One competition.

    Tannah Boyd is one of the few players that represented Queensland twice at the U18 level, starting at half in both 2017 and 2018, kicking one from two in 2018.

    Tannah Boyd had a storied career with Keebar Park State High School including starting at half back in their Queensland GIO Cup Final win over Marsden State High School and also starting at half and kicking a field goal from twenty metres out directly in front in Keebra Parks 25 – 12 National GIO Cup Final victory over Westfield Sports High. Understandably Tannah Boyd was named at half in the Keebra Park 2017 Rugby League Team of the Year and was also named joint Sportsperon of the Year, sharing the award with David Fifita.

    In the 2017 Queensland GIO Cup Final Tannah Boyd was one of Keebra Park’s try scrers crossing in the 36th minute of the match. Operating on the left side of the field, Tannah Boyd too a high pass (aimed right at his head) before breaking the tackle of the Marsden right centre to run ten metres and dive over to score three metres from the left corner.

    In addition to the field goal, Tannah Boyd kicked four from four conversions and also had a try assist in the National GIO Cup Final. Around eight metres out from the Westfield line on the right, Tannah Boyd popped a short ball to David Fifita and then after getting an off-load back through a flat pass to his right to find Ioane Seuili who carried two defenders over to score.

    In 2017 Tannah Boyd started at five eight for the Australian School Boys side in their 40 – 8 win against the New Zealand U18 side and was clearly the best player on the field on his way to scoring a double as well as recroding four try assists. When you throw in three kicks where New Zealand were trapped in their own in goal, Tannah Boyd had one heck of a match.

    Tannah Boyd’s first try came early in the second half, being the 59th minute. After taking the ball on the right side of the field thirty metres out, Tannah Boyd dummied to a runner coming back inside before veering outside the New Zealand five eight and sprinting the remaining distance in dive over in the left corner.

    Tannah Boyd scored his second try in the 69th minute when he on hand to take an off-load fourteen metres out from the New Zealand line on the right side of the field. Tannah Boyf double pumped to his right and slicing through a gap to score mid-way between the right goal post and the right corner post.

    Tannah Boyd’s first try assist came in the 27th minute of the match. Operating on the right, Tannah Boyd, using a right foot step thirty five metres out from the line before drawing the fullback to send Campbell Graham away to score.

    Tannah Boyd’s second try assist came just six minutes later being in the 33rd minute when he produced a run around on the right of the field before throwing a flat pass to David Fifita to barge his way over.

    In the 54th minute Tannah Boyd made it three try assists when he once again, after a run over sliced through from twenty metres out before drawing the New Zealand fullbackand throwing an onside pass to David Fifita to score under the posts.

    Tannah Boyd’s fourth a final try assist of the match resulted from a Tannah Boyd right foot grubber which he aimed at the righ goal post from the left side of the field. The kick was weighted perfectly for 2020 Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup recruit Jeese Cronin to run through the collect the ball and score under the posts.

    To add to his outstanding match, on three occasions Tannah Boyd produced well weighted kicks which trapped the New Zealanders in their own in goal. These kicks occurred in the 56th, 67th and 80th minutes. The kick in the 56th minute was particularly impressive. Tannah Boyd received the ball from the dummy half to the right fifty two metres out from the New Zealand line, putting in a long right foot kick which pulled up two metres inside the in goal area and a metre from the the left in goal. Impressively Tannah Boyd was the first Australian down field to force the New Zealand fullback back into his in goal area.

    Tannah Boyd to other kicks where attacking kicks with the one in the 67th minute kicked along the ground from eighteen metres out and the 80th minute kick also along the ground from around eight metres out to trap New Zealand.

    Tannah Boyd also started at half back for the Queensland U16 side in 2016.

    Tannah Boyd with his speed is able to exploit even small gaps in the defensive line with an exceptional step off either foot and impressive acceleration as well as outstanding body control. It is that speed trait which opens up his incredible ball playing skills as well.

    Teams start to focus heavily on Tannah Boyd when he has the ball with outside defenders looking to come in to assist that they open up holes wider out in the defensive line that Tannah Boyd can exploit.

    Tannah Boyd has exquisite timing on his passes and is able to weight them perfectly as well and can do so from either side of his body. Adding in this is that Tannah Boyd can stop on a dime even travelling at full speed and pop the short pass, thus it looks for all money that he is going to run the ball thus the defence converges and then the ball is delivered to a support runner who is through a hole before the defensive line can react and readjust.

    In saying all of that the most impressive part of Tannah Boyd’s passing game is that he will go right to the line committing defenders, he is absolutely fearless in that regard.

    Tannah Boyd also runs with the ball in both hands which is another reason why the defensive line is unable to determine exactly what Tannah Boyd is going to do.

    Like when he has the ball in his hands, there is nothing that Tannah Boyd cannot do in relation to kicking the ball. Tannah Boyd is an exceptional tactical kicker with range and accuracy, he can put up pin point bombs and perfectly weighted grubber kicks into the in goal. In short if you can name a type of rugby league kick, Tannah Boyd can execute it with precision.

    Defensively Tannah Boyd is a very strong young man with exceptional functional strength to go along with an innate understanding of the attacking strategies of rugby league thus he is able to anticipate what an attacking side is looking to do with the ball and then be in the best position to negate it.

    Tannah Boyd has a very good low tackling technique which is simple and repeatable and effective against all size opponents and thus there is no need for a defensive minder on Tannah Boyd’s side of the field. In short just like his attacking play Tannah Boyd is an outstanding defender.

    His twenty one tackles in his NRL debut away to the Newcastle Knights is testament to that fact.

    Another area where Tannah Boyd has a plus attribute is in relation to his leaderships skills. He is a strong confident personality and that translates to a leader on and off the field and you can see that the other players gravitate towards him.

    This is a trait that you cannot teach, you either have it or you don’t. Even if he is not the nominated captain on the field Tannah Boyd is a leader regardless of which team he is lining up for and acts accordingly both on and off the field.

    Tannah Boyd will be part of the Titans Top 30 once again in 2021 and provded that he belongs in the NRL especially in relation to his NRL start at five eight. In 2021, Tannah Boyd is likely the first option for a start in the halves if injury strikes the incumbents and will also be a key member of the Titans bench, coming on to provide a spark and enthusiasm in the dummy half role.

    Tannah Boyd grew up playing half back including for Keebra Park, Australian School Boys and in the Queensland Cup although I note that he did play a couple of matches in the Queensland Cup at fullback for Souths Logan in 2018 and when he came off the bench for the Queensland U20 side in 2019 actually played very well in the dummy half role as he did for the Titans in 2020.

    With his ability to play right at the defensive line, getting the ball in his hands as much as possible is critical therefore for me Tannah Boyd is a natural half and a potential representative level one at that.

    I cannot get away from thinking of former Sydney Roosters and former Queensland State of Origin and Australian International Cooper Cronk every time that I see Tannah Boyd play. Like Cronk, Tannah Boyd is just a class apart in every aspect and is just a natural rugby league player as well as an outstanding on field play maker and leader as was evidenced when he played for the 2019 Queensland U20 State of Origin side displaying leadership and determination after coming off the bench.

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    Toby Sexton. The Gold Coast local late in 2019 signed a three year contract (the first year being 2020 as an NRL Development contract) with the Titans after an outstanding 2019 season which saw him achieve so much in rugby league at both a team and individual level.

    In 2019, amongst other achievements, Toby Sexton captained the PBC Open school boy side, was named 18th man for the Queensland U18 side, was selected in the Australian School Boys side after starring for the Queensland School Boys side at the U18 ASSRL Championships and of course signing with the Titans which will see him in Titans colours for the next three seasons and training with the Titans NRL squad at the very least.

    Toby Sexton participated in his first NRL pre-season in the 2019/20 off season with the Titans as part of his Titans NRL Development contract and immediately drew rave reviews from coaching staff including NRL Head Coach Justin Holbrook who amongst other things was impressed by Toby Sexton’s work ethic. Similarly NRL Assistant Coach Jim Dymock was also impressed with Toby Sexton’s calmness and maturity on multiple occasions during game simulations on the training paddock.

    Toby Sexton commenced his 2020 season starting at five eight for the Titans Rookie Squad that played a Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup selection at Cudgen in wet and slippery conditions and even in those conditions put in an assured kicking display that is already of an NRL standard both in terms of attacking kicks as will as tactical kicking for field position.

    Toby Sexton started at five eight for the Titans first NRL trial of 2020 against the Burleigh Bears at Pizzey Park scoring late in the match when he backed up a break when the Titans attacked down the left side of the field to take an inside pass and outpace the cover defence to score under the posts in a run over approximately thirty five metres.

    The match was Toby Sexton’s first senior match and his try was obviously his first senior rugby league try. Like in his junior rugby league Toby Sexton put in an assured and confident display in his senior debut alongside Titans NRL Top 30 player, Tannah Boyd in the halves.

    In total in the match Toby Sexton ran for forty eight metres (seven post contact), broke a tackle and made seventeen tackles at an impressive 100% tackling efficiency. Toby Sexton also kicked twice in general play with those two kicks accounting for a distance of forty seven metres.

    Toby Sexton also started at five eight for the Tweed Heads A Grade side in their late February 2020 trial against the Burleigh Bears.

    Toby Sexton started Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls at half against the Northern Pride and kicked five goals from seven attempts as Tweed Heads emerged with a first up victory with Toby Sexton playing a significant role in the big win, which unfortunately due to the Covid 19 virus was the one and only Hastings Deering’s Colts round of 2020.

    It was obviously disappointing to see the 2020 Queensland rugby league season cancelled as there is no doubt Toby Sexton was a legimimate chance to make his Queensland Cup debut for Tweed Heads especially taking into account his assured display for the Titans against the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side in the Titans first 2020 trial. Toby Sexton’s Queensland Cup debut will now have to be delayed until the 2021 season.

    In late June 2020 Toby Sexton was part of the Titans side that played an eleven on eleven match against the Bronocs at Suncopr Stadium prior to the same sides NRL match, with the match ending in a 16 all draw with Toby Sexton scoring the final try of the match as well as contributing a try assist in the match.

    Toby Sexton was impressive in the eleven aside match scoring a try in the last minute to lock the match up at sixteen all. Playing on the right side of the field, Toby Sexton enginerred a three on two situation before dummying to his right and slicing through the Broncos left side defence to score from close range.

    Toby Sexton also had a try assist in the eleven aside match when he backed up a Sam Stone break in the centre of the field to receive the offload before offloading himself to Tremain Spry who was flying onto the ball to score.

    In early July 2020 Toby Sexton was outstanding of a Titans side that played a Cronulla Sharks side in a nine a side match as a curtain raiser to the same teams playing Round Eight of the NRL.

    In the first half alone Toby Sexton had three try assists, the first two in the 8th and 10th minutes when he worked with Tremain Spry on the left side of the field for Spry to score on both occasions. Toby Sexton had another try assist in the 12th minute of the first hald when he broke four tackles before producing a great one armed off load to Ioane Seuili who crossed.

    In the second half Toby Sexton was involved in two the three Titans tries with his first involvement when he put Tremain Spry into a gap who then set up Kea Pere for the first of his three tries and just a few minutes later Toby Sexton held the ball up perfectly for Sam Stone to run into a gap with the result being a Kea Pere try later in the same movement after Sam Stone off loaded to Nathan Peats who then off loaded to Kea Pere who subsequently scored.

    Round Nineteen of the 2020 NRL season saw Toby Sexton named on the Titans extended NRL bench for the away match against Manly.

    Toby Sexton started the 2019 season playing for Tweed Heads in the MM Cup competition starting at half back in all of their nine matches including both the Queensland Grand Final victory over the Wynnum Manly Seagulls and the National U18 Final victory over the Illawarra Steelers that was held in Brisbane.

    In those nine 2019 MM Cup matches Toby Sexton’s sole try came in the National U18 Final against Illawarra and over the course of the season Toby Sexton kicked thirty seven goals to finish with 78 points and average 8.67 points per game.

    On two occasions in 2019 Toby Sexton kicked nine goals in a match being in Round One against the Western Mustangs when he kicked nine from ten and in Round Six against the Mackay Cutters when Toby Sexton kicked nine from twelve.

    Toby Sexton played the entire seventy minutes of the 2019 U18 National Final against the Illawarra Steelers, running for an impressive 127 metres (eighteen post contact), made a line break, broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.7 seconds and made ten tackles at a perfect tackling efficiency of 100%.

    In the 2019 Queensland Rugby League MM Cup Player of the season voting Toby Sexton finished with a solid five votes.

    Toby Sexton started at five eight for the 2019 Australian School Boys side in their one off International match at Redcliffe Stadium against a New Zealand U19 representative side in a curtain raiser to the 2019 Queensland Cup Grand Final with the Australian side winning a physical contest 36 – 20. To be completely honest I thought that the Australian School Boys side was far more dominant than the final score line indicated.

    Toby Sexton played the entire seventy minutes of the International for the Australian School Boys, running for twenty six metres (nine post contact), had a try assist and a line break assist, broke two tackles and made twenty tackles at a tackling efficiency of an impressive 95.5% especially taking into account the size of the New Zealand forwards running at him for the entire match.

    In August 2019 Toby Sexton also started at half for PBC in their Queensland GIO Cup quarter final win over St Mary’s High School Toowoomba 50 – 6.

    In the first half of that match alone, Toby Sexton in addition to kicking four from five conversions had three try assists, with each coming on the left side of the field. On all three occasions Toby Sexton played shallow and held ontp the ball until the last possible moment before sending his support runners into gaps to score. Even though they knew what was coming the St Mary’s defence could do nothing to limit Toby Sexton’s impact on the match.

    Twice Brendan Paiakura was the beneficiary when he ran into gaps close to Toby Sexton but on the other occasion in the first half, Toby Sexton threw a long cut out pass right onto the chest of fellow Titan Caleb Hodges who ran into a yawning gap forty metres from the line out pacing the St Mary’s cover defence along the way to score.

    In the first half Toby Sexton also forced a St Mary’s goal line drop out with a pin point right foot kick from around thirty five metres out from the St Mary’s line to force another set of six, from which Caleb Hodges try resulted.

    For the match, Toby Sexton ended up kicking seven goals from nine conversions attempts in PBC’s big win which enabled PBC to progress to the Langer Cup Queensland semi-finals.

    Toby Sexton then went on to play a key role in PBC’s 2019 Langer Cup semi-final and Grand Final victories stating both final at half back.

    Toby Sexton was a solid performer for PBC starting at half and kicking three from four conversions in their tough Gold Point extra time loss in the Queensland GIO Cup semi-final loss to Marsden State High School.

    Toby Sexton made his Hastings Deering’s Colts debut In Round Twenty Three of the 2019 season against the Northern Pride starting at five eight as Tweed Heads qualified for the finals on the back of a 36 – 10 win.

    Toby Sexton played his second Hastings Deering’s Colts match for Tweed Heads Week One Elimination Final loss to the Mackay Cutters 23 – 10 starting at five eight and scoring his first career try in the match.

    Toby Sexton’s try was one of the best of the season, he took the ball to the right of the play the ball fifty nine metres out from the line, he took the ball right to the line before producing an impressive right armed over the shoulder dummy to his right before swerving through a gap back towards the play the ball.

    Ediq Ambrosyev roamed up on Toby Sexton’s left as he approached but when the fullback cheated towards Ediq Ambrosyev, Toby Sexton dummied once again and then outpaced the defence to score adjacent to the left upright.

    Toby Sexton also recorded a try assist in the match, he took the ball down a short blind side on the right side of the field, taking the ball right into the line before popping a great short ball to his right finding Jaylon To’O in a big gap who ran forty metres to score untouched.

    In the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Year Award tally Toby Sexton finished with three votes and at the 2019 PBC Sports Awards Night was the joint winner of the Craig Weston Medal for the PBC Open Best and Fairest Player.

    Toby Sexton also played in the MM Cup in 2018 also for the Tweed Heads Seagulls, starting all seven of their games at five eight, including their semi-final loss to Souths Logan. In those seven matches Toby Sexton scored five tries, including scoring in the semi-final. Toby Sexton also scored against Norths in Round One, the Victorian Thunderbolts in Round two, Townsville in Round Three and Wynnum Manly in Round Six.

    From a goal kicking perspective in 2018 Toby Sexton kicked forty two goals, kicking nine goals in a match on two occasions with those being in Round Five against Townsville and in Round Six against Wynnum Manly.

    Toby Sexton in 2019 had a heavy schedule playing for PBC, in the MM Cup and representative commitments thus he did not play in any club matches on the Gold Coast. In 2018 however Toby Sexton played in two matches for the Currumbin Eagles in the U17 Division One competition kicking six goals in his first match against Mudgeeraba and then backing that up by kicking three in a June 2018 match against Burleigh.

    In 2018 Toby Sexton was also a key member of the PBC Open Rugby League side that took all before them winning both the Queensland GIO Cup Final and the National GIO Cup Final. Like in 2019 Toby Sexton was PBC’s primary goal kicker.

    Toby Sexton also played well for PBC in their 2017 GIO Cup campaign including kicking a goal in their tough 22 – 20 Queensland semi-final loss to Marsden State High School.

    Over the course of the 2017 U16 Division ONE GCRL season, Toby Sexton finished at the competitions leading point’s scorer with 85 points from three tries, thirty six goals and a field goal which came against Helensvale in May 2017. Toby Sexton’s three tries came from a double early in the season against Runaway Bay and a late season try against the Seagulls as well.

    With the boot in 2017 Toby Sexton had a couple of big matches including kicking seven goals in Round One against Southport and six in a mid-season match against Ormeau as well as five goals in a match on three other occasions.

    In 2015 Toby Sexton represented South Coast U15’s and from there was selected at five eight for the Queensland White side for the ASSRL U15 Championships. On Day One of the championships Toby Sexton kicked three goals in a win over New South Wales Combined Independent Schools and on Day Six kicked four in a big win over ACT.

    In attack Toby Sexton’s calling card is his organisational and passing skills more so than his running game. Toby Sexton’s speed would probably 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. Toby Sexton also does not have quick twitch feet per say, thus his step is more average than say a plus side step like AJ Brimson’s.

    Toby Sexton 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. Toby Sexton will also take the ball to the line and delay the pass as long as possible to his support runners when necessary in an effort to prise open gaps in the defensive line.

    Assisting his play is the fact that Toby Sexton 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.

    One aspect that is notable is how Toby Sexton directs the team around the field in difficult conditions and he looked to manage the game to take account of those conditions. Toby Sexton always 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 assured presence.

    Toby Sexton is also a very good goal kicker with both good range and accuracy, his statistics over the last two seasons for both PBC and Tweed Heads in the MM Cup clearly bear that out. Like his general play kicking which is also outstanding, I would suggest that he is a real chance to be his side’s primary goal kicker regardless of the level progressing into the future. From a tactical kicking perspective Toby Sexton is already an NRL calibre tactical kicker and is also a legitimate 40/20 threat everytime that he kicks the ball.

    Defensively Toby Sexton has decent size for a half or five eight, and probably would be considered an average sized player if not a touch more for his age and position. This is a facet which assists in him being an effective defender for his position both in terms of initial contact and the ability to wrap up the ball to prevent offloads. Defensively Toby Sexton has the ability to be a solid above average NRL defender in eth coming years.

    Toby Sexton was set to play the remainder 2020 season in the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls, in fact he started Round One and is also Colts eligible in 2021. Based on his progression over the course of the 2019/20 off season it also would not have surprised to see Toby Sexton make his Queensland Cup debut in 2020.

    Toby Sexton is clearly very highly thought of by the Titans as was evidenced by him being named on the Titans NRL extended bench for Round Nineteen and with Toby Sexton moving up to the Titans Top 30 squad in 2021, it would take a brave man to say that Toby Sexton will not make his NRL debut some time in 20221.

    From a position perspective, Toby Sexton plays the same way whether he is wearing the No. 6 or No. 7 jersey and there is no way known that a coach would consider moving him away from either the halves positions.

    Toby Sexton is just so calm and assured on the field and just seems to have a lot of time to do what he wants, whether that is run, pass or kick and to that extent Toby Sexton is more than a bit like Cooper Cronk.

    Toby Sexton is probably the calmest junior rugby league player that I have seen on the field EVER and it is no wonder that a number of coaches have identified his leadership qualities and put him in that position in their teams in relation to club, school and representative sides, for example he co-captained the PBC Open school boy side in 2019.

    Toby Sexton certainly has the leadership attributes and demeanour to be an NRL captain if not a representative level one in the coming years.

    It is great to see a recent Australian School Boys and Queensland U18 squad member player elect to sign with the Titans, it is certainly proof that the Titans Development system is working and of course the fact that Toby Sexton is a local junior is an added outstanding bonus.

  9. #1284
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    Jonah Whitlam-Rose. He is a hooker with a maturity and leadership qualities beyond his years that are on display every time he runs onto a field.

    Jonah Whitlam-Rose played the 2020 season with the Bilambil Jets in the NRRRL U18 competition starting Round One at hooker against the Ballina Seagulls and scoring a double in the Jets 34 – 18 victory.

    Jonah Whitlam-Rose also started at hooker in Round Two against the Murwillumbah Mustangs and in Round Three against the Cudgen Hornets. Jonah Whitlan-Rose continued his run of starts at hooker in Round Four against the Tweed Coast Raiders and in Round Five against the Cudgen Hornets.

    In Round Seven Jonah Whitlam-Rose moved to half back for the Jets match against the Tweed Coast Raiders and also started at half back in Round Eight against Murwillumbah.

    Jonah Whitlam-Rose moved back to start at hooker in Bilambil’s NRRRL U18 Elimination Final victory agaisnt the Tweed Coast Raiders as well as their Preliminary Final loss to the Cudgen Hornets.

    Jonah Whitlam-Rose started the 2019 season of starting at hooker in Round One for the Northern Rivers Titans in the U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition against the Newcastle Knights Development Squad.

    Whilst he started the match at hooker, Jonah Whitlam-Rose ended up playing the last part of the match at half and went close to scoring in the matches last couple of minutes but unfortunately he was held up over the line after taking off from dummy half.

    Round Two of the 2019 Laurie Daley Cup competition saw Jonah Whitlam-Rose once again line up at hooker in their match against Parramatta as he did in Round Three against the North Coast Bulldogs.

    In Round Four against the Central Coast Roosters Jonah Whitlam-Rose started from the bench as he did in Round Five against the Greater Northern Tigers.

    When he came on against the Greater Northern Tigers, Jonah Whitlam-Rose made a big difference, spending time both at hooker and half. In addition to making a big break out of dummy half mid-way through the second half, Jonah Whitlam-Rose threw a great cut-out pass to his right to Jahvis Kendall to score out wide untouched.

    Post the 2019 Laurie Daley Cup competition Jonah Whitlam-Rose played for Murwillumbah in the U18 NRRRL competition, scoring his first try in a Round Six win against Casino RSM 22 – 16.

    In total for Murwillumbah in the 2019 NRRRL U18 competition Jonah Whitlam-Rose played in sixteen matches, scoring eight tries scoring against Byron Bay and in Round Seventeen scored against Byron Bay and in Round Eighteen against Tweed Heads.

    Jonah Whitlam Rose’s other 2019 NRRRL U18 tries included a double against Tweed Heads and also tries against Casino RSM, Byron Bay, Tweed Coast and Lismore Marist Brothers.

    Jonah Whitlam-Roses season ended on Sunday in the U18 NRRRL Elimination Final when Murwillumbah went down 26 – 10 to Byron Bay.

    Jonah Whitlam-Rose made his NRRRL First Grade debut in Round Twelve coming off the bench for Murwillumbah as they defeated Evans Heads 52 – 16 with Jonah Whitlam-Rose marking the occasion by scoring on debut.

    In 2018 Jonah Whitlam-Rose captained the Northern Rivers U16 Andrew Johns Cup side taking them to the finals in the first year of the competition. In the competition he started at hooker and captained the side in each of their five matches and scored a double in Round One against the Newcastle Knights U16 Development Squad in an outstanding display of dummy half running.

    The young hooker played for South Tweed in the Group 18 Junior Rugby League competition at the U16 level in 2018.

    Representative honours are nothing new for the St Joseph’s College Banora Point student, he represented Group 18 at the NSW Country U15 Championships in 2017 in three matches scoring a hat trick against Group 19 and in 2016 represented Group 18 at the U14 level in two matches.

    From an attacking stand point, Jonah Whitlam-Rose has solid distribution skills in relation to his passing skills to either side of his body and uses a solid, repeatable passing technique to ensure consistency, thus enabling his forwards and play makers to have confidence that his passes will find the mark with the appropriate velocity and angle attached on every occasion.

    Where Jonah Whitlam-Rose really stands out in terms of attacking play, is his speed out of dummy half, he is extremely quick and has very good footwork to take advantage of tiring forwards, using a step off both feet.

    Around the try line Jonah Whitlam Rose is also very good at making the right decision whether the go himself or pass, where he gets down low and drives with his legs. He scored a number of tries this season both from running from dummy half close to the line as well as backing up forwards and getting the offload. When in open space Jonah Whitlam-Rose is very quick and can finish off his own breaks all be it over reasonably short distances, a rare skill for a hooker.

    From a defensive perspective he is a very solid tackler who makes good initial contact and is able to generate momentum through his core and drive into his opponent with enough force to redirect the momentum of the ball carrier. He has both a solid low tackling technique as well as having the functional strength to make ball and all tackles effectively against the biggest of forwards looking to target him in the defensive line.

    Jonah Whitlam-Rose is also very quick out of the marker position and will get to forwards how are running one out before they can generate any momentum. In short he defends like a backrower and certainly if he finds himself on the fringes of the ruck, Jonah Whitlam-Rose has the lateral movement and anticipation to also defend against smaller quicker halves looking to exploit a perceived speed advantage.

    2020 was Jonah Whitlam-Rose’s last being U18 eligible and in 2021 if he stays in the NRRRL will surely be an NRRRL First Grade regular for Bilambil but it would not surprise at all if he throws his hat in the ring for an opportunity with the 2021 Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad.

    With his speed and elusiveness out of dummy half coupled with his leadership ability and ability to lead and direct his side around the field, Jonah Whitlam-Rose is ideally suited to the hooking role, although I note that he played a number of matches at half back in 2020 in the NRRRL U18 competition.

    Even though he is a touch stockier and not quite as quick off the mark, Jonah Whitlam-Rose reminders me from a playing style perspective of North Queensland Cowboys hooker Jake Granville. Both can get their sides on the front foot with a timely run out of dummy half but both also have the ability to lead their sides forwards onto the ball.

    I would argue though that Jonah Whitlam-Rose is more selective in his dummy half runs than Granville and always run with a plan in mind rather than running just for the sake of it.

  10. #1285
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    Luke Jurd. He joined the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup squad for the 2019 season after spending a number of seasons with the Cronulla Sharks in their lower grades including in the now defunct NYC competition.

    Luke Jurd’s first official hit out of the 2020 season came when he started at half for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in their Queensland Cup trial win over the Souths Logan Magpies at Tugun in mid-February.

    Luke Jurd also started at half for the Tweed Heads A Grade side in their late February 2020 trial against the Burleigh Bears and was named on the extended bench for Round One of the 2020 Queensland Cup competition but ultimately did not make the Seagulls game day Seventeen for the match which ended up being the only round played in the 2020 Queensland Cup competition.

    When rugby league on the Gold Coast restarted in 2020 Luke Jurd played for the Currumbin Eagles in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition and after a Round One bye, Currumbin took on Burleigh in Round Two with Luke Jurd starting the match at half back. Luke Jurd also started at half back in Round Three against the Tugun Seahawks kicking two conversions from as many attempts in their two point loss.

    Luke Jurd also started at half back in Round Four against the Ormeau Shearers, Round Five against the Southport Tigers and in Round Six against Runaway Bay when he scored a try and also recorded a try assist with a long cut out pass to his right three metres out from the line to put his right winger over. Luke Jurd’s try came late in the match, as a result of a show and go and after a determined run dived over to score under the posts under heavy pressure.

    Round Seven saw Luke Jurd once again start at half back against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks as he did in Round Eight against the Tugun Seahawks and Round Nine against the Burleigh Bears scoring a try and kicking two goals in the Eagles last minute victory. Luke Jurd scored when he received the ball operating on the right around ten metres out from the line. Luke Jurd dummied to his right and took off to score in the tackle of Jayden Campbell.

    In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition being Round Ten, Luke Jurd started at half back for the Eagles as they took on the Ormeau Shearers scoring in the first half in a big Eagles victory. Luke Jurd scored when he received the ball five metres out, from a standing start, Luke Jurd was too quick for the Shearers defence, scoring under the posts before the defence could react.

    Luke Jurd came into the Tweed Heads Queensland Cup side in Round Nine of the 2019 season starting at five eight against Norths after being named on extended benches in previous rounds.

    In total in the Queensland Cup for Tweed Heads in 2019, Luke Jurd played in twelve matches, including starting six matches at five eight, four at half and the remainder from the interchange bench scoring a single try in the process which came against Wynnum Manly in Round Sixteen.

    Luke Jurd played 751 minutes, running for 687 metres (57.3 metres per game), made 163 tackles (12.6 tackles per game), forced six line drops outs, had four try assists, broke the line on three occasions, had twenty tackle breaks and kicked for 1 426 metres (118.83 metres per game) including kicking for 412 metres in Tweeds Elimination Final loss to Redcliffe.

    Luke Jurd started the 2019 season playing for Currumbin in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition, and in Round One against Southport, started at half and scored a try and kicked three from three.

    Luke Jurd operated primarily on the right side for Currumbin and his try came from a dummy and run from around ten metres out from the Southport line as he dragged two defenders over the line with him.

    In total for Currumbin in the 2019 GCRL First Grade competition Luke Jurd played in five matches starting the vast majority of those at half or five eight and scoring eighteen points from three tries and three goals.

    Luke Jurd’s tries came against Southport, Burleigh and Tugun and all three of his goals coming in an early season match against Southport.

    In 2018, Luke Jurd played for the Cronulla Sharks U20 Jersey Flegg side, playing in every match that Cronulla were involved in being twenty matches including four finals matches, including starting the Grand Final that Cronulla won 22 – 12 against Penrith from the interchange bench.

    Luke Jurd started Cronulla’s first twelve matches at five eight before moving to the interchange bench for Cronulla’s remaining twelve 2018 matches including their four finals matches.

    Coming off the interchange bench, Luke Jurd played a variety of positions including in the halves, hooker and even spent some time in the backrow for the Cronulla Sharks.

    Luke Jurd scored two 2018 U20 Jersey Flegg tries, the first coming in Round Thirteen against the Canterbury Bulldogs and the second in Round Twenty Four against the Wests Tigers.

    Late in 2018 Luke Jurd toured South Africa with the Australian Universities Rugby League side and scored in their first tour match against a West Province XIII side in Cape Town in a big 72 – 6 Australian Universities victory.

    Luke Jurd was part of the New South Wales University side that were beaten by Queensland Universities 52 – 12 earlier in 2018 but played well enough to be selected in the Australian side alongside his brother as one of only a handful of New South Welshmen in the Australian side.

    In 2017 Luke Jurd was in fact named to make his New South Wales Intrust Super Cup debut with the Newtown Jets but unfortunately had to withdraw from the match late in the week due to injury.

    In attack Luke Jurd has a touch above average speed off the mark but does not necessary have an extra gear in open space, but he is able to sustain his top speed over considerable distance. In confined space, he has very good footwork, including a good step off both feet.

    Luke Jurd can 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.

    As games progress Luke Jurd is very good at identifying tired forwards in the defensive line, and he will target them accordingly. A great trait that Luke Jurd already displays is that he will play what is in front of him rather than just play to a set game plan, which is a sign of a young player with a good understanding of the game.

    When confronted with forwards running directly at him on the edge of the ruck, Luke Jurd will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives. Due to his speed off the mark Luke Jurd is also a very good cover defender as he tracks the ball across the field and has a solid low tackling technique from the side

    Luke Jurd was set to play the 2020 season with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup side as he looked impress new Titans coach Justin Holbrook however when the Queensland Cup is back in 2021 Luke Jurd should be at the forefront of the thoughts of Tweed Heads Seaglls Queensland Cup coach Ben Woolf.

    Luke Jurd has played in the halves the majority of his career in the New South Wales Junior Representative competitions and it appears likely that that is where he will play in 2021 for Tweed Heads, but it would also not surprise if Luke Jurd spends some time in the dummy half role over the course of the 2021 season and beyond.

    Former Gold Coast Titan and current Melbourne Storm half back Ryley Jacks for me is a similar type of player to Luke Jurd, both are solid players who can play either of the halves positions and both have the where with all and confidence to also be an effective dummy half should the need arise.

  11. #1286
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    Rory Lillis. In late February 2020 Rory Lillis started at lock for the Tweed Heads Seagulls A Grade side in their trail against Burleigh.

    Rory Lillis started Round One of the 2020 Queensland Cup competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls from the bench against the Northern Pride and impressing in his forty six minutes on the field. Rory Lillis ran for 106 metres (thirty eight post contact), broke four tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 4.42 seconds and made twenty seven tackles at a perfect tackling efficiency.

    When community rugby league restarted in July 2020, Rory Lillis played for Mullumbimby in the NRRRL First Grade competition including starting at left second row and scoring in Round Three as the Giants went down 26 – 12 against the Byron Bay Devils.

    Due to boarder issues between Queensland and New South Wales Roroy Lillis moved to the Currumbin Eagles in time to start at right second row in Round Four of the Gold Coast Rugby League competition as they took on the Tugun Seahawks. Rory Lilles also started at right second row in Round Four against the Ormeau Shearers and Round Five against the Southport Tigers.

    Rory Lillis was back starting in the second row for Currumbin in Round Eight against the Tugun Seahawks and Round Nine against the Burleigh Bears. In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition being Round Ten,Rory Lillis started in the second row for the Eagles as they took on the Ormeau Shearers. Rory Lillis scored a final round double with both tries coming from good outside shoulder runs from Rory Lillis on the right side of the field to get through the defence from around ten metres out on both occasions.

    In 2019 Rory Lillis was part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup squad playing in ten matches, starting eight from the bench and Rounds Twenty Three and Twenty Four at lock.

    In total in the Queensland Cup in 2019 Rory Lillis played 339 minutes, ran for 715 metres (249 post contact), broke sixteen tackles and made 194 tackles at a 91% tackling efficiency.

    Rory Lillis had a career match in Round Twenty Three against the Northern Pride, in fact it was his first Queensland Cup start. In his fifty six minutes on the field, Rory Lillis ran for 207 metres, eight three of which were post contact and made twenty eight tackles.

    2019 also saw Rory Lillis made eight appearances for the Tugun Seahawks in the GCRL First Grade competition scoring three tries, including a late season double against Southport and also scoring the following week against Ormeau.

    Rory Lillis made his Queensland Cup debut in 2018 for Tweed Heads playing three matches in total, running for 165 metres and making fifty five tackles at a 90.16% tackling efficiency.

    In 2018 Rory Lillis played four matches in the GCRL First Grade competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls with his matches coming against Burleigh twice, Currumbin and Tugun.

    The local young second rower originally from the Mullumbimby Giants just south of the border moved back to the Gold Coast mid-way through the 2016 season playing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side before making the Titans Holden Cup squad for the 2017 season and played in twenty Two matches in the Holden Cup for the Titans including scoring his solitary 2017 NYC try in Round twenty Three against the St George Dragons.

    Rory Lillis started in all twenty two of his 2017 NYC matches, all in the second row outside of Round Three against the Parramatta Eels when he started at lock. In total across the 2017 NYC season Rory Lillis carried the ball on 199 occasions making 1 786 metres, one line break, two try assists, six off loads and 663 at a tackling efficiency of 86% all whilst on the field for 1 652 minutes. Rory Lillis’s 2017 NYC per game season averages included running for 81.2 metres from 9.1 hit-ups and 30.1 tackles in 75 minutes of game time.

    On fifteen occasions Rory Lillis played all 80 minutes including from Rounds Ten to Nineteen when he did not come off the field in those eight matches. On four occasions Rory Lillis ran for more than 100 metres with his highest number of metres in a match coming in Round Fourteen against the Warriors when he ran for 137 metres from fourteen charges into the Warriors defence.

    Defensively Rory Lillis had an outstanding year in 2017, making the most tackles by a Titans NYC player both in terms of total tackles and tackles per match with 663 and 30.1 respectively. In all twenty two matches that he played Rory Lillis made in excess of twenty tackles including making more than 30 tackles on eleven occasions including a huge game against the Cronulla Sharks when he made 39 tackles in Round Nineteen.

    In 2016 Rory Lillis played the season with the South Sydney NYC side where he played a total of eight matches, scoring one try in the process which came against the Newcastle Knights in Round Two. Of the eight matches Rory Lillis played, he started at either lock or second row in five of those and came off the interchange bench in the other three rounds that he played in. In two of the matches that he started Rory Lillis played the entire 80 minutes, which were in Rounds One and Three against the Roosters and Dragons respectively, showcasing his endurance abilities.

    In the remaining six rounds Rory Lillis averaged around 40 minutes a match to finish to an average of 50 minutes per match during the 2016 NYC season. His 2016 averages also included an average of eight runs for 70 metres and 20 tackles per match. From a run metres perspective his best match was against Newcastle in Round Two when he ran for 105 metres and in Round Three he made 31 matches against St George. In addition to the NYC matches that he played in 2016, Rory Lillis also played two matches for La Perouse United in the local South’s Sydney A grade competition which were against the Coogee Dolphins and Moore Park.

    Upon his return from Sydney in mid-2016 Rory Lillis linked with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup Colts squad making his first appearance for them in Round 17 against the Sunshine Coast Falcons and proceeded to play eight matches straight, including scoring three tries which came on debut, in Round 22 against the Toowoomba Clydesdales and in Round 25 against the Redcliffe Dolphins. Rory Lillis lined up in the second row in all of the matches that he played for the Tweed Heads Colts in 2016.

    Prior to moving to Sydney, Rory Lillis had a distinguished junior representative career on the Gold Coast and Northern New South Wales, including representing Group 18 at the U15 level in 2012 and playing in the CC Cup competition in 2013 and the MM Cup competition in 2015 including scoring a try against the Redcliffe Dolphins in Round Three. Rory Lillis was also part of the South Coast team for the 2015 QSSRL U18 championships where team mates includes Tyrone Roberts-Davis and AJ Brimson who will be Titans NYC team mates this year.

    The young hard running backrower usually lines up on the right hand side of the field and runs with speed into the defensive line. Rory Lillis is not the biggest young backrower you will ever see, but he is all effort in attack and will constantly run the ball into the heart of the opposition forward pack regardless of how big they are. Rory Lillis is a smart runner though to the extent that he does use good foot work prior to the defensive line to help negate his lack of size and he also has very good leg drive once initial contact has been made.

    Rory Lillis also fights hard when tackled to ensure he gets a quick play the ball to maintain the momentum for his side. In addition, he has enough speed to be an effective runner of the football to run the ball on the edges of the ruck. He is not exceptionally quick but quick enough to rush defenders to make a decision of when to commit to the tackle.

    In terms of his defence, Rory Lillis has a very good low tackling technique, which he displayed on a number of occasions for the Titans NYC side, a skill that is not always present in rugby league and is also an exceptional cover defender, in part because of the effort he puts in to track the ball across the field when opposition teams spread the ball wide. His head placement always seems to be correct, thus reducing the possibility of injury to himself.

    In the context of defending in the centre of the ruck a continued focus on increasing his functional strength will enable him to better handle the biggest of forwards one on one, but I have no doubt with his dedication and the tools that are available to him, this will be easily addressed. He seems to have the type of frame that could add muscle without compromising his speed attributes.

    The 2021 season will see Rory Lillis in the Queensland Cup competition for the fourth season in a row with Tweed Heads and from there the young hard working second rower will be looking to get noticed by the right NRL club who needs a hard working all effort type of second rower who has the will and endurance to play big minutes and tackle all day yet is still able to take the ball into a defensive line with vigour.

    Rory Lillis has played his entire career in the second row and I am sure that is where he will continue to play in 2020 and at 195cm and 96kg is also the ideal size for that position.

    From a player comparison perspective, think of someone along the lines of current Titans second rower Sam Stone as a solid all round type of backrower who runs at the defensive line with speed and a hard approach and regularly makes good ground as well as being an effective defender who will regularly be at or near the top of tackle counts.

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    Hayden O’Hara. The multi-talented 23 year old 96kg, 185cm centre or five eight made his first appearance in 2020 starting at five eight for Souths Logan in their first trial in February against Tweed Heads at Tugun, with Souths Logan going down seven tries to three to the Seagulls at Tugun.

    Hayden O’Hara also started at five eight in Souths Logan’s second Queensland Cup trial against the Easts Tigers.

    Hayden O’Hara re-signed with the South Logan Magpies in early 2020 after making three appearances for their Queensland Cup side in 2019.

    With the cancellation of the 2020 Queensland Cup competition Hayden O’Hara played the season in the Gold Coast Rugby League competition with the Ormeau Shearers including starting Round One for the Shearers at five eight against the Tugun Seahawks and Round Two against Runaway Bay where he scored in a 20 all draw against Runaway Bay.

    Hayden O’Hara operated on the left side of the field in the match and in relation to his try, dummied to his left and cut back inside the immediate defender to score from ten metres out and ten metres to the left of the uprights.

    Hayden O’Hara also started at five eight in Round Three against the Burleigh Bears before moving to left centre for Round Four against Runaway Bay, Round Six against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks, Round Seven against the Southport Tigers and Round Eight against Runaway Bay.

    In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition being Round Ten, Hayden O’Hara moved back to the starting five eight position for the Shearers as they took on the Currumbin Eagles.

    Hayden O’Hara made his Queensland Cup debut in Round Eight of 2019 starting at five eight against Wynnum Manly and also started at five eight in Round Nine against the Sunshine Coast Falcons before moving to the centres for Round Fourteen against Central Queensland also starting that match.

    In total in the 2019 Queensland Cup competition, Hayden O’Hara played 233 minutes out of a possible 240 (he played seventy three minutes in Round Fourteen), ran for 128 metres (48 post contact), broke seven tackles and made fifty two tackles at a solid tackling efficiency of 83.87%.

    On a per game basis Hayden O’Hara played 77.67 minutes, ran for 43.7 metres and made sixteen tackles. In Round Nine against Sunshine Coast Hayden O’Hara ran for a season best fifty metres and in Rounds Eight and Nine made twenty one tackles.

    The young former Springwood Tiger over the 2016 and 2017 seasons primarily played five eight in the Brisbane Bronco’s NYC squad, and was still eligible for Colts again in 2018.

    For the Bronco’s in the NYC competition in 2017, Hayden O’Hara had an injury interrupted season but still managed sixteen matches, playing every match after coming into the side after injury in Round Eleven against the Wests Tigers. In his sixteen matches Hayden O’Hara scored five tries which came against the Newcastle Knights in Round Nineteen, against the Sharks in Round Twenty Three, Round Twenty Four against the Dragons, Round Twenty Five against the Eels and also in the Brisbane Bronco’s qualifying final win over the Knights.

    Hayden O’Hara started fifteen of his sixteen 2017 NYC matches, starting five at five eight, ten in the centres including the final seven regular season rounds and the finals series and one match from the inter change bench.

    In total in the NYC competition in 2017, Hayden O’Hara played 1 117 minutes, including on eleven occasions playing all 80 minutes, running for 1 030 metres from 109 carries and made 207 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 84%. Hayden O’Hara’s 2017 NYC per game averages included playing 74 minutes, making 7 runs for 64.5 metres and making 13 tackles. In the Brisbane Broncos first final in 2017 Hayden O’Hara ran for 124 metres against the Newcastle Knights.

    In 2016 Hayden O’Hara played in ten NYC matches for the Bronco’s scoring two tries and kicking twenty five goals starting all ten matches at five eight.

    Hayden O’Hara represented the Easts Tigers in the CC Cup in 2014 and the MM Cup in 2015 and was a prolific point’s scorer in both competitions. In 2013 Hayden O’Hara represented the South Coast at the U15 level from Coombabah State High School at the QSSRL U15 championships and from there was selected in the Queensland Maroon side for the U15 ASSRL Championships. At those Championships Hayden O’Hara kicked two goals in the Championship Final when Queensland Maroon overcame New South Wales Combined High Schools 26 – 12. Team mates in the Queensland Maroon side included Tians NRL trialist Apiata Noema and star Burleigh Colt’s player Sean Garner.

    In attack Hayden O’Hara has above average to plus speed off the mark but does not necessary have an extra gear in open space, but he is able to sustain his top speed over considerable distance. In confined space, he has very good footwork, including a good step off both feet. He can 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.

    At present, one area for Hayden O’Hara to continue to develop is his play making skills, including putting his runners, whether they are backrowers or centres into holes. With experience however there is nothing to suggest that these type of play making skills will not develop over time as we are talking about still young blokes here. As games progress Hayden O’Hara is very good at identifying tired forwards in the defensive line, and he will target them accordingly.

    Hayden O’Hara does a good job of playing what is in front of him rather than just play to a set game plan, which is a sign of a young player with a good understanding of the game. Some of his passing in the NYC this season was exceptional.

    Hayden O’Hara also has a solid kicking game, especially in relation to short attacking kicks where he seemingly has the innate ability to put the correct amount of weight on the ball. His longer tactical kicking game is also solid but is not as accurate or instinctive as his short kicking game.

    In defence, Hayden O’Hara does not necessarily come up with the big hit but reads the play well enough and can hold his own when defending much bigger players. 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.

    In his two Queensland Cup matches in 2019 Hayden O’Hara had a lot of traffic coming his way (he made twenty one tackles in those matches) and more than held his own defensively highlighting that he has the ability to defend on the fringes of the ruck in the NRL.

    As a result of his speed off the mark Hayden O’Hara is also a very good cover defender as he tracks the ball across the field and has a solid low tackling technique from the side.

    Hayden O”Hara will likely be back in the Queensland Cup competition in 2021, I assume with the Souths Logan Magpies after being part of their squad in 2019 and 2020.

    When he was playing for the Broncos NYC side I was of the firm belief that Hayden O’Hara would make an outstanding fullback but he played well in the Queensland Cup in 2019 at both five eight and centre, but with his size, Hayden O’Hara still has the ability to be an NRL calibre centre.

    A close comparison from an NRL stand point is Titans winger Phillip Sami. Both are around the same size and have the same speed attributes both due to his experience at five eight Hayden O’Hara’s ball skills are understandably more advanced.

  13. #1288
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    Laz Sua. (Revised). Laz Sua started Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls at right centre against the Northern Pride.

    It was interesting to see Laz Sua start in the centres in Round One in 2020 as over recent season he has spent time a lot of time in the front row, at hooker, in the second row and also at lock in club, representative and school boy rugby league rather than in the back line.

    Laz Sua played his first match in the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition in Round Six starting in the second row for the Ormeau Shearers in their match against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks. Laz Sua also started from the bench in Round Seven against the Southport Tigers and in Round Eight against Runaway Bay.

    In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition being Round Ten, Laz Sua started from the bench for the Shearers as they took on the Currumbin Eagles to round one their 2020 season.

    Laz Sua started the 2019 season as part of the Souths Logan Hastings Deering’s Colts side playing in five matches for the Magpies before heading back to play in the GCLR First Grade competition with the Ormeau Shearers with his first match being in Round Sixteen against Currumbin when he came off the bench. Laz Sua also came off the bench in Round Seventeen.

    Laz Sua made his first start since coming back to Ormeau in Round Eighteen of the 2019 GCRL First Grade competition when he started at hooker against Southport and also came off the bench in Rounds Nineteen and Twenty also spending time in the dummy half role.

    Laz Sau started off the 2019 season with the Souths Logan Magpies U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts side, playing his first match in Round Three against Norths when he started the match in the front row.

    In total for Souths Logan Laz Sua played in five Hastings Deering’s Colts matches this season, starting three in the front row, one at lock being Round Five against Burleigh and one from the interchange bench which was in Round Six against the Northern Pride.

    The powerful nuggetty young Gold Coast local had an outstanding 2018 season. Even in the 2018 pre-season Laz Sua was in outstanding form. In Tweed Heads MM trial against Souths Logan at Waterford, the Seagulls were on the back foot for the first two quarters but Laz Sua’s introduction made a significant difference and when he was on the field he provided momentum through his hit-ups and defensive starch and that was just a trial!

    In the MM Cup season proper in 2018 Laz Sua started in the front row of all seven of Tweed Head’s matches including their semi-final against South’s Logan. Laz Sua did not score any tries in the MM Cup this season, but was rewarded for his outstanding effort in Round Five against the Townsville Blackhawks when he converted Tweed Heads final try in a big 72 – 6 victory.

    After Tweed Heads finals elimination, Laz Sua moved directly to the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side starting in his debut in the front row in Round Ten against Ipswich and came off the bench in Round Eleven against the Northern Pride who were top of the table at that point. Round Twelve saw Laz Sua once again start on the bench. He was also on the bench for the Seagulls in Rounds Thirteen and Seventeen to Twenty Four.

    Laz Sua moved to the Gold Coast Rugby League competition in Round Eight of that competition, coming off the interchange bench for the Ormeau Shearers who unfortunately suffered a 74 – 12 loss to a rampaging Bilambil Jets side. In total Laz Sua played in five GCRKL First Grade matches in 2018.

    In 2017 in addition to playing for Keebra Park, Laz Sua was selected in the South Coast U18 side and from there was selected in the Queensland U18 Open Schoolboy side for the ASSRL Championship including scoring a try on Day Three in a 28-18 loss to New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges.

    Laz Sua and his Keebra Park Open team mates had an outstanding 2017 GIO Cup campaign with the Gold Coast based school winning the National final with Laz Sua starting the final in the second row and playing on the left side of the field against Westfield’s Sports High School, with Keebra Park winning 25 - 12.

    Laz Sua also started at left second row for Keebra Park in their Queensland GIO Cup Grand Final victory against Marsden State High School.

    Laz Sua was also a member of the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side for the 2017 version of that competition and played for Queensland Samoa U18 squad for the QPICC tournament that was held in October 2017.

    Laz Sua played in club football in 2017 with the Ormeau Shearers across a number of competitions including the U17 Division One competition, U19’s, the Doug Lipp Cup and five first grade matches. In the U17 Division One competition, Laz Sua played in five matches scoring three tries including a double against Burleigh with his other try coming against Mudgeeraba. In the U19 competition, Laz Sua has played in nine matches scoring against Runaway Bay in June and also kicking a late conversion against Mudgeeraba.

    Laz Sua made his Doug Lipp Cup debut in June 2017 against Tugun and celebrated by scoring on debut. Playing first grade at any level as a 17 year is no mean feat and Laz Sua achieved that feat on Sunday June 18 2017 when he came on from the interchange bench against Currumbin. Laz Sua’s other first grade matches came against Runaway Bay, Bilambil, Currumbin again and the Southport Tigers.

    During the 2016 season Laz Sua was selected as a result of his good form to represent Queensland at the U16 level. Unfortunately for Laz Sua he only got a handful of minutes on the field when he came on late and played in the dummy half role.

    In relation to his club rugby league on the Gold Coast in 2016 Laz Sua played six matches for the Ormeau Shearers club in the U16 Division One competition and scored three tries in limited action, including scoring against eventual premiers Burleigh on two separate occasions and also against Helensvale.

    For Gold Coast White in the CC Cup competition in 2016, Laz Sua played in all six of their games, splitting his time evenly between starting at hooker and at lock. He started at hooker in Rounds One, Six and Seven and started at lock in the other three games. He also crossed for two tries which came in Rounds One and Two, against Souths Logan and Gold Coast Green respectively.

    In addition, after the completion of the 2016 season Laz Sua was a late replacement in the Team Toa side where he came off the bench in their loss to a NSW New Zealand side. In 2016 he was also a member of the QAS squad and in 2015 made the Queensland Maroon U15 side for the ASSRL U15 championships after playing a leading role for South Coast at the U15 QSSRL championships where he played the majority of his matches in the centres.

    In attack, regardless of the position he is playing, Laz Sua 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.

    In relation to his play at hooker his passing is reasonably crisp, especially to the right side, but on occasion he passes in two movements, the first being a straightening motion with a distinct second motion being the delivery of the pass, on other occasions he does pass directly from the ground in one fluid motion, like he would be doing as a rugby half.

    Laz Sua does like to 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 Keebra good things happen for his team.

    Defensively Laz Sua 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. Laz Sua is also extremely fit thus getting back into the defensive line is no issue for him over the course of the entire game.

    Laz Sua will be looking to break into a Queensland Cup squad in 2021, the only question is whether it will be with the Souths Logan Magpies, the Burleigh Bears or the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

    The big question for Laz Sua is where Laz Sua’s long term positional future lies. I know that he played a fair bit of front row in 2019 for Souths Logan and in 2018 in the MM Cup and Colts but there are skills in Laz Sua’s game which suggest a future in a wider playing position such as in the back row is the ideal position for him.

    Laz Sua has a diverse range of skills to take advantage of and with a reduction of the inter change currently being fore shadowed a player of his type will become very valuable. Regardless of the position that he is playing, Laz Sua also has outstanding endurance and shapes as an 80 minute player now.

    He may not be any where near as big as the player I am using as a playing comparison but for me Laz Sua has a playing style similar to former North Queensland’s versatile John Asiata. Both have intriguing skills and a hardness to their play that compels others to follow their lead.

  14. #1289
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    James Torrens. James Torrens is a big strong barrel chested northern New South Wales junior who spent a fair portion of the 2019/20 off season training with the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad even though he was still MM Cup eligible in 2020.

    With the cancellation of the 2020 Hastings Deerings Colts competition James Torrens headed south to play in the 2020 NRRRL competition with Casino RSM, including starting at right centre in Round One of the NRRRL First Grade competition against Marist Brothers Rams. James Torrens was one of Casino RSM’s try scored in their 16 – 10 loss to the Rams.

    James Torrens also started at right centre in Round Two against the Tweed Coast Raiders but moved to right second row for Round Four against Marist Brothers Lismore, being the first round where the NRRRL competition had to be split in two due to the Queensland/New South Wales strict border closure in August 2020.

    Post that round James Torrens moved to the Gold Coast Rugby League competition to play for the Tugun Seahawks.

    In Round Five of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition James Torrens came off the bench for the Tugun Seahawks in their match agaisnt Runaway Bay. Round Eight saw James Torrens move into the Tugun starting line-up in the left second row position where he was partnered by Solomon Torrens for the Seahawks match against the Currumbin Eagles with James Torrens one of the Seahawks try scorers in their 20 – 18 victory.

    James Torrens try came when he chased through a Tugun bomb. The ball was coming done around a metre out from the try line but James Torrens was there to put pressure on the Currumbin defender who lost the ball forward. The ball then rebounded off another Currumbin defender straight back to James Torrens who by that time was in the ingoal area. All James Torrens had to do to have the try awarded was to drop to the ground, which he did two metres from the left goal post.

    James Torrens also started in the left second row position against Runaway Bay in Round Nine and scored an outstanding long range solo try. James Torrens received the ball around sixty metres out from the line skipping immediately to his outside and proved to be far too quick for the Runaway Bay defence to score in the left corner.

    In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition being Round Ten, James Torrens started at left second row as the Seahawks took on the Southport Tigers.

    James Torrens started off the 2019 season on the bench for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in their Round One match with the Western Mustangs with James Torrens contributing a try in a big 58 – 18 Seagulls win.

    When he came on James Torrens played on the left side of the field and that is where he scored his try, the Titans worked a blind side play with James Torrens receiving the ball literally on the try line and was able to just bend down to score probably the easiest try James Torrens ever will no matter how long his career goes for.

    In total in the 2019 MM Cup competition, James Torrens played in all nine of Tweed Heads matches starting all from the bench including their semi-final and Grand Final victory over Wynnum Manly as well as the National U18 Championship victory over Illawarra.

    James Torrens played only twenty one minutes in the National U18 Final but certainly made the most of it, running for 134 metres (forty post contact), broke four tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 2.7 seconds and made four tackles at a tackling efficiency of 80%.

    If there was a more improved player for Tweed Heads over the course of their 2019 MM Cup campaign than James Torrens I did not see them. When he came on in the 2019 MM Cup National U18 Final James Torrens played in the forwards and on each occasion ran with intensity and purpose, James Torrens was to put it simply very impressive in each of his nine outings in the MM Cup this season.

    In the 2019 Queensland MM Cup Grand Final against Wynnum Manly James Torrens provided a real spark off the bench immediately making some powerful charges in the centre of the ruck. Over the course of the 2019 MM Cup season, when he came on James Torrens played primarily in the second row although he did spend some time in the centres as well.

    James Torrens started at right second row for PBC in their 2019 Round Two Langer Cup win over St Mary and taking into account his heavy MM Cup schedule played big minutes for PBC and for me he was their best player regularly making big post contact metres, he also had a running battle with the St Mary’s No. 12.

    James Torrens also started in the front row for PBC in their Queensland GIO Cup quarter final win over St Mary’s High School Toowoomba 50 – 6 and started in the front row and scored the last minute try to pushed the GIO Cup Queensland semi-final to Golden Point when he used a late change of angle to score mid-way between the left corner post and left upright for a typically powerful James Torrens try.

    After the completion of the 2019 MM Cup competition, James Torrens played for Tugun in the 2019 Gold Coast Rugby League U18 Division One competition, making his first appearance off the bench for the Seahawks in Round Four against Mudgeeraba.

    James Torrens also came off the bench in Round Six of the 2019 GCRL U18 Division One competition scoring a double against Helensvale. James Torrens also scored in Round Thirteen against Currumbin.

    James Torrens played in a total of five U18 Division One matches in 2019 for Tugun and after starting from the bench in his first two matches moved into the starting side in the second row.

    James Torrens also represented South Coast at the U18 QSSRL Championships where he was named on the bench. On Day One of the Championships against Northern James Torrens was particularly impressive, in one instance splitting the line from a Northern line drop out, after James Torrens effected a quick play the ball the ball was spun out wide to the right for fellow Titan Trey Peni to score.

    At just 17 years old, James Torrens made his Hastings Deering’s Colts debut in Round Nineteen of the 2019 season when he started in the second row against the Mackay Cutters.

    The tough young centre/second rower was impressive throughout the 2018 season for Northern Rivers in the U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition as well as in the NRRRL competition for Ballina for whom he played across all three grades of the NRRRL competition including an outstanding NRRRL First Grade debut.

    James Torrens started off the 2018 season, performing solidly for Northern Rivers in the inaugural U18 Laurie Daley Cup competition starting in the centres in his four matches against the Newcastle Knights Development Squad, North Coast, Central Coast Roosters and the Greater Northern Tigers and was damaging in each of those matches.

    For the Ballina Seagulls in the NRRRL U18 competition, James Torrens finished the regular season playing in eleven matches and scoring twelve tries. Of those twelve tries, James Torrens scored ten of those in a six game period from late May to late July.

    In that span James Torrens scored a hat trick against Murwillumbah, doubles against Casino RSM and Cudgen and tries against Tweed Coast, Kyogle and Lower Clarence.

    With his twelve try tally James Torrens finished equal second on the U18 NRRRL try scoring list equal with Tweed Coast forward Oscar Clarke and five behind Cudgen centre Liam Cusack.

    James Torrens was part of the 2018 Ballina U18 NRRRL Grand Final side that won 30 – 4 to Cudgen with James Torrens starting the Grand Final in his usual left centre position. Throughout the Grand Final James Torrens was a handful for the Cudgen defence, scoring a good try and also making a long break when he fielded a Cudgen grubber kick on his own line and charging downfield on a 60 metre run before the cover defence converged.

    In the 2018 Grand Final James Torrens had the responsibility of taking the first hit up from every one of Ballina’s scrum wins, regularly bending the Cudgen defence back and putting the Seagulls on the front foot.

    James Torrens made his NRRRL Reserve Grade debut in June 2018, against Casino RSM and in 2018 went on to play in six Reserve Grade matches in total scoring three tries, for a 50% strike rate, including a double against Lower Clarence and also scoring in his second Reserve Grade game against Mullumbimby.

    James Torrens made his NRRRL First Grade debut in late July 2018 against Lower Clarence and what a debut he had, scoring a double on a memorable afternoon. James Torrens had scored a double in the earlier Reserve Grade match as well as scoring in the U18 match that same day.

    In 2017 James Torrens represented the East Coast Dolphins in the New South Wales Country U16 Championships and in 2016 represented Group One at the U15 New South Wales Junior Country Championships.

    James Torrens just oozes class on the field he is able to break tackles at will but also understands when it is more appropriate to draw his opponent and pass. He has used this skill set on multiple occasions on the right side of the field. He has a very strong right hand fend which prevents opposing centres getting in on him and forcing him towards the sideline.

    Over the course of the entire season, both at club and representative level James Torrens was outstanding at left centre.

    Even though he has size, strength and power in the centre position, he does look for his outside support when confronted with the fullback, even though he is more than capable of beating fullbacks one on one if need be.

    James Torrens also has very good hands, on a number of occasions for Ballina in the U18 NRRRL competition this season, he picked up a number of passes from either low down or above his head and then can use his speed off the mark to look to create something for either himself or his team mates.

    Defensively James Torrens hits very hard with above average initial contact being more than sufficient to halt the forward momentum of the ball carrier. James Torrens is constantly is in a position to disrupt the attacking movement of the opposition.

    Extrapolating his skill set to the NRL, I would suggest that James Torrens would be more than capable to adapt and excel in either an up and in or sliding methodology.

    The other point I will make is that James Torrens certainly does not shirk contact, both in attack or defence and seems to revel in the physical aspects of defending. Simply put the more physical the game, the more that James Torrens enjoys it.

    James Torrens was MM Cup eligible again in 2020 but was named in the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad but was not part of the Tweed Heads game day seventeen for Round One of either competition.

    In 2021 I do not think that there is any doubt that James Torrens will be part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad, and be a shining light in that competition but there will also be significant opportunities for James Torrens to continue to play against men in the 2021 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition.

    James Torrens is a solidly built young man but has the speed, mobility, skill set and mentality to be a representative level second rower for the duration of his rugby league career.

    From a player comparison perspective for James Torrens, someone that I think that he has a similar playing style and build, especially around the chest to North Queensland Cowboy and New Zealand International Jason Taumalolo as a wrecking ball of a forward who can break open and dominate a game on his own.

    The more game time that James Torrens the scarier proposition he will become. James Torrens is just a scary talent and could literally be anything when all is said and done.

  15. #1290
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    Josh Bevan. (updated) The former Titans (and Brisbane Broncos) Junior Development Squad member and PBC student is currently contracted to the Sydney Roosters until the end of the current 2020 season.

    Josh Bevan was to commence the 2020 season starting at hooker for the Roosters in their 2020 U18 SG Ball Round One match against the Norths Sydney Bears however the match was cancelled due to the extreme weather conditions in Sydney that particular weekend.

    In Round Two against the Western Suburbs Magpies Josh Bevan was once again named to start at hooker for the Roosters scoring in the first half in the Roosters 50 – 4 victory. Josh Bevan’s try was an opportunist one out of dummy half. With the Roosters on the attack right on the Western Suburbs try line, Josh Bevan ran out of dummy half to his left from a metre out, crashing over between two Magpies defenders who were no chance to stop him.

    In relation to his try, the Magpies initial contact was actually quite good on Josh Bevan but he pumped his legs and was able to crash over mid-way between the uprights and corner post on the left side of the field.

    Josh Bevan also started at hooker in Round Three against the Parramatta Eels as well as in Round Four against the Canberra Raiders.

    After the Roosters had a Round Five bye, Josh Bevan was back starting at hooker in Round Six against the Cronulla Sharks in what turned out to be a low scoring bruising encounter in what ended up being the last match before the season ended prematurely.

    When community rugby league recommenced in July 2020 Josh Bevan turned out for the Bilambil Jets in the NRRRL U18 comeptition starting Round One at five eight against the Ballina Seagulls and also starting at five eight in Round Two against Murwillumbah.

    Josh Bevan made it three starts in a row at five eight in Round Three against the Cudgen Hornets but Round Four against the Tweed Coast Raiders saw Josh Bevan move to lock. . In Round Seven Josh Bevan started in the second row against the Tweed Coast Raiders and also started in the second row in Round Eight against Murwillumbah.

    Josh Bevan started at lock in Bilambil’s NRRRL U18 Elimination Final victory agaisnt the Tweed Coast Raiders. In the 2020 NRRRL U18 Preliminary Final, Josh Bevan also started at lock and was close to the best player on the field, scoring a double, one in each half, in a tough 24 – 16 Jets loss.

    Josh Bevan’s first half try resulted from a powerful charge from fifteen metres out when he took a hit up off the dummy half to the right of the play the ball to surge through the centre of the Cudgen forward pack to cross ten metres to the left of the uprights.

    Josh Bevan’s try in the second half was not dis-similar to his first half try. Josh Bevan once again took a hit-up off the dummy half, this time to the left of the play the ball and once again was too strong for the Cudgen defence to score next to the left upright.

    Josh Bevan made his deserved NRRRL First Grade debut in Round Five of the 2020 season when he started from the bench against the Cudgen Hornets and also came off the bench in Round Six against Murwillumbah, Round Seven against the Tweed Coast Raiders and in Round Eights 12 all draw against the Cudgen Hornets. Josh Bevan also came off the bench in Bilambil’s last minute 20 – 18 2020 NRRRL First Grade Preliminary Final loss to Murwillumbah.

    In 2018 and 2019 Josh Bevan was a key member of the PBC Open school boy side that had so much success including in 2018 starting in their GIO Cup National Final victory against Patrician Brothers.

    In 2019 Josh Bevan was also part of the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup Queensland Grand Final and National Final winning U18 sides. In the 2019 Queensland MM Cup competition Josh Bevan was part of all eight of Tweed Heads matches including starting from the bench in their 28 – 24 Queensland MM Cup Grand Final victory over Wynnum Manly.

    Josh Bevan started six of his eight 2019 MM Cup matches from the bench scoring in Round One against the Western Mustangs when he started from the bench. Josh Bevan’s two starts were in Round Three against Burleigh when he started at hooker and Round Four against Central Queensland when he started in the front row.

    In the 2019 U18 National Final against the Illawarra Steelers, Josh Bevan came off the bench for Tweed Heads to play thirty three minutes (including some time at dummy half) running for fifty one metres (eighteen post contact), was credited with a line break on his way to scoring and made eleven tackles at a 91.67% tackling efficiency.

    In 2018 Josh Bevan plyed his trade with the Bilambil Jets in the GCRL U16 Division One competition and was part of the U16 Northern Rivers Andrew Johns Cup side starting in the front row in their Round One clash against the U16 Newcastle Knights Development squad.

    Post the 2018 Andrew Johns Cup competition Josh Bevan was selected in the front row for the New South Wales Country U16 side at played matches against PNG and a Titans U16 side at Cudgen late in the season. Josh Bevan in fact scored for New South Wales Country in their 30 – 14 win against the Titans in that match.

    Late in 2017 Josh Bevan was selected in the New South Wales U16 Emerging Origin Squad, highlighting the high regard that he is held in across junior rugby league circles and has also been selected in the 2020 Emerging Blues squad. Also in 2017 Josh Bevan was 18th man for the New South Wales U16 side for their match against Queensland.

    In 2017 Josh Bevan represented Queensland Maroons at the U15 ASSRL Championships being named on the bench for Queensland. Josh Bevan had an outstanding Championships being named in the front row in the 2017 U15 ASSRL Pool A Merit Team.

    Josh Bevan played four matches for the Queensland Maroon U15 side scoring on Day Three against Queensland White and Day Six against the ACT. In addition Josh Bevan was named Queensland Maroon Player of the Match on Day Four against NSW CHS.

    The 178cm, 96kg wrecking ball and former Titans Development Squad member had an outstanding 2017 rugby league campaign ending in his selection in the U15 ASSRL Merit side after a standout performance in the front row for the U15 Queensland Maroon QSSRL side. Josh Bevan made the Queensland Maroon side after starring for South Coast in the QSSRL U15 Championships from Palm Beach Currumbin High School.

    Josh Bevan is a hard ball runner who is adept at using late and quick footwork just prior to contact line which he hits with power and force in absolutely every hit up that he makes dropping his shoulder into the first defender that is looking to make the initial contact.

    Josh Bevan’s ability to get low to engage the defenders with his shoulder rather than allowing them to get in and under his ribs and also a substantial leg drive means that he drives defenders backwards even after they had engaged him with significant force rather than allowing them to impact on his momentum.

    A skill that I saw from Josh Bevan over recent seasons was Josh Bevan looking to off load prior to the line. On a couple of occasions especially for PBC Josh Bevan would look as if he was going to take the hit-up, but just prior to the defensive line he popped a couple of good short balls to fellow forwards looking to move the opposing forward pack around.

    Josh Bevan prior to the 2020 season playing at hooker for the Sydney Roosters in the U18 SG Ball competition had only spent limited time in the dummy half role but even after such a limited time in the role is a solid player there with a one movement fluid passing style and has quickly adapted to bringing his forwards onto the bll, passing out in front for their bodies close to the advantage line so that they can hit the ball with no loss of momentum.

    Whilst his ball running skills are the first thing that you will likely notice when seeing Josh Bevan his defence is equally effective even though it may not be as noticeable at first glance. Defensively Josh Bevan has a tough edge to his play and his initial contact is more than sufficient to redirect the momentum of the ball carrier when defending in the forwards. Josh Bevan sets a very good base defensively as well and uses it to maintain his balance when setting up for a tackle.

    Defensively Josh Bevan hits very hard 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’s momentum.

    Defensively the most impressive aspect of Josh Bevan’s play is his ability to make effective tackle after effective tackle. Josh Bevan continually makes up to three and four tackles in a row on multiple occasions and still back up looking to take a hit up the next set of six tackles.

    Whilst his stamina is very impressive, so is his initial contact, Josh Bevan uses his strength and leverage to hit the ball carrier hard forcing momentum changes to the ball carrier. Josh Bevan is also adept at wrapping up the ball and preventing offloads as he uses his functional strength to engage ball carriers. Defensively in a covering role he is also very effective as even though he is a big strong forward he has very good catch up speed and a solid low tackling technique from a side aspect.

    Josh Bevan’s good situation awareness also enables him to be well positioned when he is defending against smaller quicker players and he endeavours to minimise the time available for the opposing attacker to generate speed and to utilise their footwork.

    Josh Bevan is also able to change direction quickly to adjust to the directional changes of the attacker especially when he is marking up against multiple attackers running in his direction where he will hold his ground to let the play to develop in front of him before committing to a specific defensive course of action.

    Josh Bevan really has mastered using his low centre of gravity to his advantage both in attack and defence.

    I note that Josh Bevan represented the Sydney Roosters in the 2020 U18 SG Ball competition this season but if the Titans are a shot at grabbing him in 2021 to continue to “buy back the farm” so to speak signing Josh Bevan once his contract is up with the Roosters they will I am sure jump at the opportunity to add such a class player and individual into their ranks.

    With his ability and perigee however Josh Bevan will be in demand, including by the Broncos who also had him in their Junior Development system prior to his signing with the Roosters. Of course I am sure that the Roosters will also not let him go without a fight and no doubt also other NRL clubs will also be looking to add such a talented young man to their club set up.

    There is no doubt that Josh Bevan has the ability and determination to make an immediate impact in the U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition and it is hard no to see him being a key member of the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side come Round One of the 2021 season.

    Josh Bevan has played a fair bit in the front row over the last couple of season’s but I would still prefer for him to be able to operate a touch wider of the ruck, at least for the short term at least. To that end I would like to see Josh Bevan in the No. 13 jersey for any side that he is playing for, especially with the new rules aiding the influence that players such as Josh Bevan will have around the centre of the ruck.

    I do note that Josh Bevan played hooker of the Rooster in 2020 in the U18 SG Ball competition and also spend some time at dummy half for PBC and Tweed Heads in 2019 and whilst that is a great skill for him to have I just think that Josh Bevan is a better fit at lock for the majority of his playing time in a match. At lock Josh Bevan has the freedom to make a determination on which side of the field his presence gives his side the best possible advantage.

    It will do Josh Bevan absolutely no harm however having the ability to slot into dummy half should injuries occur over the course of a match or if the tactical situation requires it for any given period of time.

    From a player comparison, a perfect comparison for me is former Titan, 2021 Souths Sydney recruit, Queensland State of Origin and Prime Ministers XIII Jai Arrow. Like Arrow, Josh Bevan is a strong tough hard tackling forward with underrated ball running and offloading skills. In saying that however, Josh Bevan is in all likelihood going to be considered a defence first player whether that is warranted in relation to this talented young man or not.


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