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  1. #1351
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    Cole Geyer. (Revised) The son of former Melbourne Storm outside back Matt Geyer has been of the best players on the Gold Coast in the last couple of season and this season deservedly gets a further opportunity with the Burleigh Bears in the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition.

    Cole Geyer started Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deerings Colts competition for the Burleigh Bears at hooker against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls scoring as Burleigh started their campaign with a first up victory.

    When rugby league on the Gold Coast restarted in late July 2020 Cole Geyer 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 Cole Geyer starting the match on the bench.

    When he came on late in the first half Cole Geyer played in the dummy half role and was outstanding leading his forwards onto the ball and also caused some concern for the Burleigh defence with some darting runs out of dummy half.

    Cole Geyer also started from the bench in Round Three against the Tugun Seahawks once again producing an outstanding performance when he came on in the dummy half role. Scoring a try and also recording a try assist.

    Cole Geyer’s try came in the second half when he packed in at lock with Currumbin twenty metres out from the Tugun line. Cole Geyer picked up the ball from the base of the score taking off to his right. As usual Cole Geyer ran with the ball out in front of his body in two hands. The Tugun defence backed off and Cole Geyer burst through two defenders to score under the posts under pressure from the Seahawks fullback.

    Cole Geyer’s try assist came in the first half. At dummy half close to the Tugun line, Cole Geyer skipped out of dummy half to his right and threw a perfectly weighted pass to his lock who ran into a gap to score just to the right of the posts.

    Cole Geyer came off the bench once again in Round Four against the Ormeau Shearers scoring a double as the Eagles defeated the Shearers 28 - 22.

    Cole Geyer’s first try of the match that he scored in the first half was an exceptional long range individual effort. Cole Geyer was at dummy half sixty metres out from the Shearers line two metres in from the left touch line. When the ball was played Cole Geyer darted out of dummy half to his left down the left touch line before stepping off his left foot to beat the Shearers fullback and outpace the cover defence to score a simply outstanding individual try.

    Cole Geyer scored his second try of the match in the second half to break a twelve all dead lock. Cole Geyer darted out of dummy half to his right from a metre out to score next to the right up right for an opportunist try for the Eagles.

    Cole Geyer also started from the bench for Currumbin’s Round Five GCRL First Grade match against the Southport Tigers before making his starting debut at hooker in Round Six against the Runaway Bay Seagulls and maintaining his starting hooker role in Round Seven against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.

    In Round Eight against the Tugun Seahawks Cole Geyer started at hooker and scored all three of Currumbin’s tries in their 20 – 18 loss, one in the first half and the other two in the second.

    The first of Cole Geyer’s three tries resulted when Cole Geyer took off out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball around seven metres from the line. Cole Geyer ran at a 45 degree angle towards the goal posts, but stopped on the spot before cutting back towards the area behind the play the ball finding a gap and diving over. In fact Cole Geyer scored further to the left of the field than where the play the ball occurred.

    Cole Geyer’s second try was also a close range effort. Cole Geyer darted out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball from around three metres out, throwing a big dummy to his right as soon as he had cleared the ruck. As the defence slid to their left as a result of the dummy, Cole Geyer straightened up and dived over adjacent to the right upright.

    Cole Geyer’s final try came when he darted out of dummy half to the right once again from around twelve metres out after a quick play the ball and took off straight towards the try line with the defence still back peddling. Such was the speed that Cole Geyer took off that he had dived over well before the majority of Tugun defenders had made it back onside.

    After his Round Eight hat trick, Cole Geyer also started at hooker in Round Nine against the Burleigh Bears recording two try assists and was heavily involved in another as the Eagles won in the final minutes of the match.

    Cole Geyer’s two try assist came in the second half with the first coming when he skipped out of dummy half to his right, throwing a short flat pass to interchange forward Ji Van Heerwaarden to crash over under the posts from close range. Cole Geyer’s second try assist resulted from a twenty metre long cut out pass to the left out of dummy half to find his left winger in space to score in the left corner.

    Cole Geyer was also heavily involved in Currumbin’s match winning try when he threw a long cut out pass once again to his left for Currumbin to get on the outside of the Burleigh compressed defensive line.

    Cole Geyer added a further try in Round Ten being the final GCRL First Grade regular season round in a big Currumbin win against Ormeau. Cole Geyer’s try came in the second half when he darted out of dummy half to his right, stopping quickly before cutting straight through the centre of the ruck to score from twenty five metres out.

    Cole Geyer could have had a second try, when he backed up on the inside and received the ball once the fullback was drawn in running forty metres to the line. Instead of putting the ball down, Cole Geyer waited in the ingoal passing to his brother Nash Geyer to score. Normally I am not a fan of this but earlier in the match his father Matt Geyer (Melbourne Storm) had scored so by giving the ball to his brother it was an incredible situation where a father and two sons played in the same match and also all three scored.

    In the Gold Coast Bulliten’s 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League Team of the Year Cole Geyer was named on the bench.

    Cole Geyer started the 2019 season off with the Burleigh MM Cup side for the second year in a row in the MM Cup (Cole Geyer played for the Tweed Heads MM Cup side in 2018), playing in all six matches, starting five at hooker and one, being Round Five against Souths Logan at lock.

    In the final round against the previously unbeaten Wynnum Manly Seagulls Cole Geyer scored in a tight 23 – 22 Burleigh win. With Burleigh attacking right on the Wynnum Manly line, they were spread out to the right, instead Cole Geyer threw what could only be described as an extravagant dummy to score from close range from dummy half. Cole Geyer also scored two tries against Norths in Round One.

    At the end of season awards, Cole Geyer was named 2019 Burleigh MM Cup Players Player Award for the talented hooker.

    Post the 2019 MM Cup competition Cole Geyer moved back to play for Currumbin in the GCRL competition, bypassing the U18 Division One competition all together to start in the U20’s. Cole Geyer came off the bench in Round Six before moving into the starting side in Round Seven at hooker, scoring a hat trick as Currumbin defeated Burleigh 52 – 28.

    Two of his tries were simply outstanding individual efforts. In the first half, Cole Geyer took the ball from dummy half running to his left around forty metres out from the Burleigh line, he broke through the initial defensive line as a result of a dummy (Cole Geyer ran with the ball out in front of his body in two hands) and a step.

    As he was coming to the fullback Cole Geyer showed outstanding speed by literally running around him and then did the same to the Burleigh left winger who came back to try to tackle him to score in the right corner. The play started on the left side of the field, highlighting Cole Geyer’s speed across the ground.

    Cole Geyer’s try in the second half was no less impressive, Cole Geyer packed in at lock in a scrum with a Currumbin feed around sixty metres out from the Burleigh line. Cole Geyer picked up the ball from the back of the scrum running to his right.

    Once again Cole Geyer ran with the ball out in front of his body in two hands, putting the defence in doubt as to his intentions. As he was coming to the defensive line Cole Geyer just took off through a gap and then outpaced the cover defence in a sixty metre sprint to the try line to score out wide on the right.

    Cole Geyer also scored in Round Eight when he came off the bench for Currumbin in their 26 – 24 loss to Runaway Bay. Cole Geyer’s try was the final one of the match, with Currumbin behind and attacking the Runaway Bay line, Cole Geyer shaped to pass to his left but instead ran to his right with the ball out in front in two hands (I know that I harp on it but so few players do it) but instead of passing Cole Geyer cut off his right foot on an approximately 45 degree angle with score under the posts.

    Cole Geyer also had two try assists in the match, in relation to the first, with Currumbin a metre out from the Runaway Bay line, Cole Geyer shaped to throw a long pass behind his forward running what looked like just run through but instead Cole Geyer double pumped throwing a soft pass, in a great sleight of hand to his forward to score near the right upright.

    Cole Geyer’s second try assist was no less impressive, Cole Geyer shaped to pass to his left, where Currumbin had a backline spread out, but instead ran down a short blind side (maybe four metres) and put in a grubber from around thirty five metres out for his right winger to dive on. Both try assists came in the first half.

    Cole Geyer also came off the bench in the GCRL U20 major Semi-final as Currumbin fell 26 – 12 to Burleigh and also started from the bench in the Preliminary Final against Runaway Bay with the Eagles prevailing 20 – 16 to progress to the Grand Final against Burleigh.

    In total in the GCRL U20 competition, including finals Cole Geyer played in six matches scoring the four tries noted above.

    Across the 2019 season Cole Geyer also played in five GCRL U18 Division One matches for Currumbin, scoring against Mudgeeraba in late May.

    Cole Geyer made his Hastings Deering’s Colts debut when he started at lock for Burleigh in Round Twelve against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

    Cole Geyer also started at hooker for the Titans U18 side’s early October 2019 match at Pizzey Park against PNG scoring a long range individual try out of dummy half. Cole Geyer ran out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball, running right through the centre of the PNG ruck before outpacing the cover defence to score under the posts in the first half.

    2018 also saw Cole Geyer play for Marymount College in their various school boy rugby league competitions including the Titans Cup including a high quality match against Keebra Park in the Final of the competition. Cole Geyer captained the 2018 Marymount College open rugby league side from hooker.

    The young hooker was outstanding in 2018 in both the MM Cup competition and for Currumbin in the U17 Division One competition and Cole Geyer also got an opportunity in the GCRL U19 competition as a result.

    In the 2018 MM cup competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Cole Geyer started at hooker for Tweed Heads opening three matches against Norths, Victoria and Burleigh. His sole MM Cup try of the 2018 season came in Round Two against Victoria.

    Post the MM Cup competition Cole Geyer transitioned back to the 2018 U17 Division One competition and was outstanding over the course of the regular season playing in nine matches and scoring nine tries for a 100% strike rate through the regular season.

    Cole Geyer scored three doubles which were against Ormeau, Tweed Heads and Burleigh in the final round of the U17 Division One regular season being Round Eleven. Cole Geyer also scored against Mudgeeraba, Bilambil and Runaway Bay.

    In Round One of the 2018 GCRL U17 Division One Finals series, Cole Geyer started once again at hooker and was dominant throughout scoring a double as Currumbin defeated Ormeau 18 – 8 in the Qualifying Final to continue their progress towards Currumbin’s 2018 U17 Division One Premiership success.

    In the second round of the GCRL U17 Division One Finals series, started at hooker and made it three tries from two finals matches as he led Currumbin to a 32 – 22 win over Burleigh in a match of exceptional quality.

    In the 2018 U17 Division One Grand Final against Runaway Bay, Cole Geyer started at hooker for Currumbin as they overcame the Seagulls to win 30 – 10 in an outstanding display by the Eagles in the final game of the season.

    Cole Geyer made his U19 debut for Currumbin in June against Bilambil and played his other U19 match in July against Helensvale.

    The former Marymount College Burleigh Heads student has represented his school with distinction this season including leading Marymount to victory in the Titans School Boy Open competition and in fact Cole Geyer was named Player of the Competition.

    Marymount College defeated Keebra Park C 52 – 6 in the final with Cole Geyer scoring the first try of the game to give Marymount College the lead which they never relinquished.

    Cole Geyer also represented Marymount College at the 2018 Confraternity Shield and was the Spirit Award winner for Marymount College in the competition. Cole Geyer started at hooker in all six of Marymount College’s matches.

    In the Qualifying rounds Marymount College defeated Marist College Ashgrove 24 – 10 in Round One and Rockhampton Grammar School 17 – 10 in Round Two before drawing 18 all with St Brendan’s College Yeppoon in Round Three.

    They lost their Qualifying final 24 – 16 to Cathedral College before bouncing back to defeated St Augustine’s College Cairns 24 – 6 and in their final match of the competition suffered a 24 – 22 defeated to Rockhampton Grammar School.

    The talented young Currumbin Eagles hooker had an outstanding 2017 rugby league season both from a club and school boy perspective. For his Currumbin side Cole Geyer started at hooker in their 34 – 4 grand Final win over Burleigh scoring a try and also proudly represented his school side being Marymount College in a number of school boy competitions including the GIO Cup when they lost in the last minute to Redbank Plains State High School in a great match which easily could have ended in Marymount’s favour.

    Over the course of the 2017 U16 Division One season for Currumbin Cole Geyer played in twelve matches scoring eight tries. Cole Geyer had an outstanding start to the season scoring in each of his five games against Southport, Ormeau, Runaway Bay, Helensvale and Ormeau again. In the match against Helensvale, Cole Geyer in fact crossed for a double. Later in the season Cole Geyer also scored against Runaway bay and as noted scored against Burleigh in the U16 Division One Grand Final.

    At the 2017 Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Rugby League (QISSRL) Carnival held at Padua College in Brisbane, Marymount College in fact were the Bob Linder trophy winners beating fellow Gold Coast School Aquinas College in the final and also the QRL Referees Fair Play Award Winners. In the QISSRL Carnival, Cole Geyer played in all six of Marymount’s matches scoring in a tough 16 – 8 loss to St Augustines College Cairns.

    Cole Geyer’s best attribute is his passing skills from the dummy half position. His passing is effective from both sides of his body and leads his forwards onto the ball by putting the ball out in front of his runners so that they can maintain momentum.

    Cole Geyer does not have an overly long pass but his passing is accurate regardless of whether he is passing to a forward running the ball up or the half back looking to get the ball out wider. The standout feature is the speed in which he gets the ball out of his hands at dummy half.

    Cole Geyer is not a huge threat to run the ball out of dummy half but will take what he is given if the defence does not consider him a threat at any particular time. His initial burst off the mark is reasonable and he has decent feet to enable him to create space, but Cole Geyer does not have the top end speed to break clear of the defensive line if he gets through a gap either by accepting an off load or by exploiting a gap in the defensive line.

    Cole Geyer’s first thought when coming into dummy half is to distribute the ball effectively to his support players. When close to the line Cole Geyer will dummy and get down low to the line when the opportunity presents but again this is a secondary consideration as he progressively works through his options in that part of the field.

    In relation to his defence, Cole Geyer will get in front of opposing forwards and look to slow their momentum with solid initial contact. Cole Geyer is tenacious and courageous, because even at the U16 level there are some huge boys running around.

    Cole Geyer has very good endurance and projects as a hooker who will be able to play the full match without interchange something that he is already used to doing with his club side and School Boy sides regularly playing two or more matches in any given week.

    Cole Geyer will be part of the Burleigh Bears Hastings Deering’s Colts side in 2021 where he should get an extended run and will likely once again also get a number of matches against men in the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition for the Currumbin Eagles. It would also not surprise if Cole Geyer also got a game or two in the Queensland Cup over the course of the 2021 season.

    Cole Geyer is probably a fraction taller than your typical hooker but it has not stopped him at all being a very good distributor at dummy half and also being a more than solid defender. It is these attributes as well as his determination that has me convinced that Cole Geyer can develop into a very good hooker at the NRL level in coming seasons.

    It should be noted for completeness however that Cole Geyer has spent some time at lock over recent season’s and it is not inconceivable that he could operate there or in the second row for short spurts to take advantage of his ball playing skills wider of the ruck especially down blind sides when the tactical situation warrants. With the new rules around the ruck, Cole Geyer may well be the ideal hooker/ lock type of rugby league player as the new rules continue to change the way that the game is played around the ruck.

    From a NRL playing comparison perspective Cole Geyer has a similar playing style to that of Melbourne Storm, Queensland State of Origin and Australian Test Captain Cameron Smith, in that he is a leader on the field, is very good at leading his team around the field and a very good defender on top of all of his other attributes. Cole Geyer is a bigger hooker than Cameron Smith but he has a similar style to Smith in terms of bringing his forwards onto the ball.

    Like Smith Cole Geyer just seems to have all the time in the world when he has the ball to do whatever he wants and that always leads to positive outcomes for his side. Over the course of the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Cole Geyer just seems to be far more assured and confident within himself and that is translating to outstanding performances on the field.

    Cole Geyer is not just a future NRL captain but a future representative level and club captain and a person that any NRL club would be proud to have their brand associated with and any link to the Titans is very positive news.

  2. #1352
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    Blake Forder. The Northern New South Wales youngster signed a multi year contract with the Gold Coast Titans in 2019 as a 15 year old after being part of the Titans junior development squads in the region previously.

    Blake Forder was outstanding starting at fullback for the Titans U16 side that defeated the Newcastle Knights U16 Harold Matthews side 18 – 14 in Port Macquarie in January 2020 in wet and slippery conditions. Blake Forder was his sure footed self and handled the Knights tactical kicking comfortably over the course of the match.

    Blake Forder started the match for the Titans U16 side at fullback and was heavily involved in two of the Titans tries, one in each half and one on each side of the field highlighting his overall skill level and versatility.

    Blake Forder’s first try assist came early in the first half when he chimed into the Titans backline on the left side of the field and threw a long cut out pass to his left to his left winger Kobie Mackay-Taylor who was able to dive over in the corner after beating one Knights defender on the way to the line.

    In the second half, Blake Forder’s try assist impressively come on the right side of the field. Blake Forder received the ball whilst running on an angle to his right and straightened up the attack just a fraction before stepping off his left foot to enable him to run parallel the Knights defensive line for just a fraction to draw in two defenders before popping a great ball to his right to the Titans right centre to charge over near the right corner post.

    As a result of the performance, Blake Forder was named the Titans best back in the match. Blake Forder was also acknowledged for his outstanding performance by Titans JTS Co-ordinator Matt Srama in his review of the match in a video on the Titans Official Site after the match.

    Blake Forder was named to start at fullback for the Northern Rivers Titans in Round One of the 2020 U16 Andrew Johns Cup against the Parramatta Eels at Cudgen however the match was cancelled due to the wet conditions in northern New South Wales that particular weekend.

    Blake Forder started at fullback in Round Two of the U16 Andrew Johns Cup at fullback against the Newcastle Knights in Ballina as well as in Round Three against the Central Coast Roosters where he proved to be a significant threat to break through the Roosters defensive line every time that he touched the ball especially when running to the right of the field.

    Blake Forder also started at fullback in Round Four against the Greater Northern Tigers as well as in the Round Five local derby against North Coast recording two try assists, one in each half and one on each side of the field.

    Blake Forder’s first try assist resulted from his quick hands, he chimed into the backline on the left of the field and as soon as he took the ball was confronted by a North Coast defender rushing in, Blake Forder barley took possession and flicked a great ball to his left to send Damon Coldwell on a forty run to the left corner to score.

    Blake Forder’s second try assist came on the right side of the field in the second half. Blake Forder received the ball and immediately cut to his right running parallel to the defensive line and at the last moment threw a great ball to his right, putting Michael Roberts into a gap eighteen metres out from the line.

    Blake Forder played the 2020 season for the Murwillumbah Colts in the Group 18 U16 competition and was a stand out player in the competition with the Colts going down in the Grand Final 20 – 16 to South Tweed.

    In the 2020 Group 18 U16 regular season Murwillumbah won five matches and lost four, along the way scoring 154 points and conceding 112 to finish with a +42 points differential.

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

    In 2019 Blake Forder who attends Benora Point High School was selected at fullback for the Lismore Diocese Northern Country U15 rugby league representative side for the NSW CCC trials that were held in Sydney and subsequently was selected in the NSW CCC for the U15 ASSRL Championships that were played at Redcliffe.

    Blake Forder played a number of matches for the NSW CCC side on the wing in the National Championships and was part of the NSW CCC Championship winning side.

    Blake Forder also represented the Group 18 U15 representative side in 2019, starting at fullback in all of their matches at the 2019 New South Wales Country Age Championships. Blake Forder also represented Group 18 in 2018 at the U14 NSW Country Championships.

    From a club rugby league perspective, Blake Forder played for the Murwillumbah Colts in the 2019 Group 18 U15 competition after moving over from the Bilambil Jets for whom he played for in the Group 18 U14 competition in 2018.

    Blake Forder has also had an outstanding athletics career at Banora Point including being named U14 and U15 Age Champion at the 2018 and 2019 Athletics carnivals respectively.

    In 2019 Blake Forder was the winner of the inaugural running of the “Serone Gift” (named after a much loved retiring teacher) being a 100 metre race with the top sprinters from the school regardless of age or gender participating.

    Blake Forder is an agile runner of the football who relies on his decent speed and elusiveness to make it difficult for larger opponents to line him up. When lining up at fullback Blake Forder always makes himself available for offloads in the centre of the ruck.

    One thing that impresses me is that Blake Forder does not jog after the ball when it is kicked down field, he will flat out sprint to get there either on the full or as quickly as possible, thus eliminating the effectiveness of the oppositions kicking game.

    When he retrieves the ball Blake Forder makes a decision quickly about where to look to run around a staggered defensive line or to run straight in an effort to make as much ground as possible. Blake Forder really does pay attention to details and is rarely if ever out of position.

    Blake Forder also has the ability to sweep around the back of the ruck and also pop up in supporting in the middle of the ruck, either running himself or looking for offloads from his forwards and use his footwork against big tiring forwards.

    Blake Forder’s passing game is outstanding and he drifts across the field looking for runners to run into holes and has the ability to “freeze” the defensive line, making to easier for his support runners as was evidenced in the Titans U16 victory against Newcastle in January 2020.

    Also Blake Forder’s hands at fullback are quite safe and dependable when collecting kicks whether taking the ball on the full or retrieving the ball along the ground. In both instances Blake Forder makes an immediate decision on what to do next and never second guesses himself.

    Blake Forder is not the biggest or necessarily strongest player but will take the hit when needing to make the tackle in the last line of defence and uses the sideline well to redirect the opposition towards the sideline. Blake Forder just has a knack of being at the right place at the right time in a defensive sense and continually tracks the oppositions play across the field and positions himself accordingly.

    Blake Forder is also effective at forcing the attacker to make a decision with the football rather than allowing them the time and opportunity to progressively work through their options. Blake Forder does this by moving forward immediately after a break was made looking to ensure that getting a pass to his supports is as difficult as possible for the opposing player who has made the break in the defensive line.

    Blake Forder will play for Murwillumbah in the NRRRL U18 competition in 2021 and is also a member of the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad and is U18 eligible once again in 2022.

    Blake Forder can play a variety of back line positions, including fullback, wing and potentially centre, but with his ball playing skills and passing ability to both sides of his body which were evidenced in the Titans U16’s in January 2020, fullback seems to be Blake Forder’s ideal position.

    With his ability to gain separation from his opponent and sound positional sense, I see aspects of the game of former Titans fullback, former Palm Beach Currumbin student and soon to be Tweed Coast Raider Michael Gordon in the play of Blake Forder.

    I would argue however that the “out the back” ball playing skills that Blake Forder currently possesses already have reached and surpassed those that Michael Gordon had at his disposal when he retired from the NRL at the end of the 2019 season.

  3. #1353
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    Tanu Nona. The Titans linked young man was named to start at hooker for the Northern Rivers Titans in Round One of the 2020 U16 Andrew Johns Cup against the Parramatta Eels at Cudgen however the match was cancelled due to the wet conditions in Northern New South Wales at that time.

    Tanu Nona started Round Two of the U16 Andrew Johns Cup at hooker against the Newcastle Knights in Ballina. Tanu Nona was involved in an old fashioned mouse trap play late in the match. Tanu Nona ran over the top of the ball to the right of the play the ball leaving the ball to right centre Michael Roberts who took off to the left and forced his way over the try line from close range to ensure the Northern Rivers Titans 28 – 22 victory.

    Tanu Nona also spent the majority of his time on the field packing in at lock when the Titans had the scrum feed and it was from this situation that he was part of a set play from the scrum base that led to a try to Titans right winger Jamal Laurie. The ball went through Tanu Nona’s hands to Harvey Moase who was able to put Jamal Laurie away down the touch line.

    Tanu Nona also started at hooker in Round Three against the Central Coast Roosters and for me was close to if not the Titans best in their 28 – 22 victory, scoring a try and having a big hand in another.

    Tanu Nona’s try was an outstanding individual effort in the first half. With the Central Coast defence back peddling Tanu Nona exploded out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball around about twenty five metres out from the line and was just too quick and strong for the Central Coast defence, scoring near the left upright after breaking through a number of tackles.

    In the second half, Tanu Nona ran out of dummy half to the right of the play the ball and was able to get a one armed (right arm) pass away to Michael Roberts whilst engaged with the defensive line to send Michael Roberts away down the right side of the field from his second try.

    Tanu Nona also started at hooker in Round Four against the Greater Northern Tigers and added another try assist when he threw a perfectly weighted long pass out of dummy half to his left for Damon Coldwell to score in the corner from close range. The pass was perfectly weighted because as well as needing to cover an extended distance, the pass had to be looped over a defender who had come out of the line. Tanu Nona had no margin for error with the pass but made it look deceptively easy and routine, such was its execution in one fluid movement.

    Tanu Nona was once again at hooker in the Round Five local derby against North Coast and as usual provided excellent service out of dummy half as well as undertaking some probing runs to get the Northern Rivers Titans on the front foot early in their sets of six in their two point victory in the must win match.

    Tanu Nona was outstanding for the Cudgen Hornets in Round One of the Group 18 U16 competition playing as a running forward, however the Hornets went down 36 – 26 to South Tweed. Tanu Nona was also outstanding in Round Five scoring on the bell as Cudgen defeated the top of the table Murwillumbah Colts.

    The 2020 U16 Group 18 Cudgen Hornets finished the regular season winning two games and losing eight, along the way scoring 138 points and conceding 244 to finish with a -106 points differential. Post the season Tanu Nona was named the Cudgen Hornets Group 18 U16 Best and Fairest and was also named as the joint Cudgen Hornets Junior Representative Player of the 2020 season.

    Tanu Nona made his NRRRL U18 debut for Cudgen in round Four of that competition off the bench as the Hornets defeated Murwilumbah 18 – 14. Tana Nona played for the Cudgen U16 side the previous day.

    In Round Six of the NRRRL U18 competition, Tanu Nona started on the interchange bench as the Hornets defeated the Bilambil Jets 20 -6 in an injury shortened match. Round Seven against the Tweed Coast Raiders saw Tanu Nona make his first NRRRL U18 start when he started at five eight against the Raiders, pairing in the halves Harvey Moase.

    Round Seven of the NRRRL U18 competition saw Tanu Nona drop back to the bench for the Hornets match against the Bilambil Jets before Tanu Nona started on the wing in Round Eight against the Tweed Coast Raiders.

    In Cudgen’s 2020 NRRRL U18 Major semi-final loss against Murwllumbah Tanu Nona started from the bench. Tanu Nona was also on the bench in the 2020 NRRRL GRen U18 Grand Final playing right second row as the Hornets defeated Murwillumbah 28 – 16 in a bad tempered Grand Final.

    2020 also saw Tanu Nona part of the PBC Year Ten Walters Cup side including starting at hooker as PBC qualified to the 2020 Walters Cup final on the back of an 18 – 14 victory over Wavell State High School with Tanua Nona scoring a key second half try to put PBC in front and also contribute a try assist in the match. Tanu Nona also recorded a first half try assist.

    With PBC on the attack less than a metre out from the line on the left side of the field, Tanu Nona moved into dummy half and when he took possession shaped to pass to his left, the dummy opened up a gap just to the right of the play the ball, which was exploited by Tanu Nona to dive over to put PBC back in front.

    Tanu Nona’s try assist came on the first half and in fact resulted in PBC’s first try of the match. Tanu Nona put in a short attacking kick from dummy half, which after bouncing around was collected by front rower Caleb Temomo to put down in the in-goal.

    In the 2020 Walters Cup Grand Final Tanu Nona started at hooker and was one of PBC’s best as they went down to a Titans contracted William Semu inspired Marsden SHS side. Tanu Nona was a constant danger out of dummy half, including one break in the first half when he darted out of dummy half to the right racing forty metres down field before he was raounded up.

    Whilst Tanu Nona started the match at hooker, he spent time in the second half as a running forward and was also effective in that role, playing primarily on the right.

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

    In 2019 Tanu Nona was selected on the inter change bench for the Group 18 U14 representative side for the New South Wales Country Age Championships and played for Byron Bay/Lennox Heads in the Group 18 U15 competition.

    Previously Tanu Nona played for the Currumbin Eagles in the Gold Coast Junior Rugby League competition before his move to his current Northern New South Wales Byron Bay/Lennox Heads club.

    Tanu Nona is quite an elusive runner of the ball and has impressive foot work in confined space. He will take on the line regularly and has a very good step off both feet but his left foot step seems to be the preferred step based on the games that I have seen at least.

    Tanu Nona also has some size about him and uses that to his advantage when he runs out of dummy half in terms of initiating contract with the defensive line and generating a quick play the ball to maintain his side’s momentum.

    Tanu Nona’s passing game is what I would consider above average and he will drift across the field looking for runners to run into holes and has the ability to hold the defensive line in place as he develops the play in front of them, making to easier for his support runners to get a clear passage through the line, especially when a defender comes out of the line and commits to Tanu Nona.

    Tanu Nona will also wait until the last possible moment to release the football. His best attribute in his passing game is the speed, timing and accuracy when he passes to his outside backs. Tanu Nona gets a very good spiral on the ball from both sides of his body and leads his outside attackers into the ball, enabling them to maintain the momentum of their run.

    Clearly his passing ability is one of the reasons that when his side has the scrum feed, Tanu Nona packs in at lock on a regular basis. By putting Tanu Nona at the back of the scrum due to his outstanding passing game his halves can stand wider of the scrum than they usually giving their back line more room ro move and thus more options to attack the opposition from the scrum set piece and thus there is more for the defense to take into account when looking to defend the upcoming attacking play.

    Tanu Nona’s defence for a hooker is very good, for a hooker his initial contact is more than solid and he can defend effectively one on one against far larger forwards, he sets a good base with his lower body and explodes upwards with his shoulders to drive into opposing forwards.

    Tanu Nona’s intensity and continuous effort means that he will track the ball across the field and thus is in a good position when the ball is passed back inside. Tanu Nona literally tackles everything that moves in the centre of the ruck and displays a solid repeatable defensive technique and is able to make multiple tackles in any given defensive set of six tackles.

    Tanu Nona will play the 2021 season with the Cudgen Hornets in the NRRRL U18 competition and Tanu Nona is also a member of the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad. Tanu Nona is also U18 eligible in 2021.

    Whilst he has a bit of size for a hooker, with his speed and distribution out of dummy half it is clear to me that Tanu Nona is the attributes and mentality to stay in the hooking role into the future.

    With his size and speed out of dummy half Tanu Nona has a playing style equilivant to that of South Sydney Rabbitohs and New South Wales State of Origin hooker Damien Cook. No player in the Titans program has made bigger strides in 2020 than Tanu Nona, and I mean no one.

  4. #1354
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    Solomon Torrens. (Revised) The former Casino RSM junior is contracted to the Gold Coast Titans until the end of the 2021 season and is currently part of the Titans U20 Rookie Squad.

    The Titans contracted powerful front rower or second rower has had an impressive start to his career in Titans colours being involved in late 2018 in matches for the Titans U18 side against PNG and New South Wales Country and also was part of the Titans U18 side in January 2019 that played against the Newcastle Knights.

    Solomon Torrens spent the 2019/20 off season training with the Titans Rookie Squad as well as training with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup squad and was part of the Titans Rookie Squad that played the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup side in early February 2020. Whilst the Titans Rookie squad went down in the match they all obtained outstanding experience playing against hardened Queensland Cup veterans.

    Solomon Torrens also started from the bench for the Tweed Heads A Grade side in their late February 2020 trial against the Burleigh Bears which was played as a curtain raiser to the Titans against Burleigh NRL trial at Pizey Park.

    Solomon Torrens started Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls from the bench against the Northern Pride making a big impression on the match when he came on late in the second half producing a number of outstanding runs as soon as he came on through the centre of the ruck, playing in the front row.

    When the Gold Coast Rugby League restarted in early August 2020, Solomon Torrens started on the bench for the Tugun Seahawks in Round One of the Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition against the Oremau Shearers.

    Solomon Torrens was outstanding in the match scoring a double as the Seahawks defeated Ormeau 52 – 28. Both of Solomon Torrens were as a result of powerful charges. Solomon Torren’s first try come in the first half, when, operating on the left Solomon Torrens charged onto the ball around ten metres out bursting through two defenders in the Ormeau front line before he dragged the fullback over the line with him.

    Solomon Torren’s try in the second half was even better. Solomon Torrens received the ball twenty metres out bursting through the initial defensive line and then spub 360 degrees clockwise to twist past another defender before bumping off the Ormeau fullback to score next to the right upright, for an outstandint individual effort.

    After his outstanding performance in Round One Solomon Torrens also started from the bench in Round Two against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks and in Round Three against the Currumbin Eagles and scored the winning try in the dying seconds.

    With Tugun four points down late in the match, they flung the ball to the right and Solomon Torrens flew onto the ball from twenty metres, crashing through the initial defensive line and then straight over the fullback to score under the posts to win the match for the Seahawks.

    Round Four saw Solomon Torrens once again start from the bench for Tugun against the Burleigh Bears but in Round Five Solomon Torrens moved into the Seahawks starting side at lock against Runaway Bay.

    Solomon Torrens moved back to start on the bench for the Seahhawks in their Round Six match against the Southport Tigers before moving back into the starting line-up at right second row in Round Eight against Currumbin where he was partnered by James Torrens.

    In the Seahawks 20 – 18 victory against the Eagles, Solomon Torrens recorded two try assists, one in each half. In essence both were identical. On both occasions Solomon Torrens was operating on the right side of the field, done short blind sides within ten metres of the Currumbin try line. On both occasions when Solomon Torrens received the ball he held the ball up just a fraction before producing short passes to his right, on the first occasion to his right winger and the second to his right centre for them to score.

    Solomon Torrens also started in the right second row position against the Runaway Bay Seagulls in Round Nine. In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition being Round Ten,Solomon Torrens started at right second row as the Seahawks took on the Southport Tigers.

    In March 2019 Solomon Torrens was selected in the South Coast U18 side for the 2019 QSSRL U18 Championships and started in the front row for South Coast in the QSSRL U18 Championships. One Day One of the Championships, Solomon Torrens was his typical hard charging self, scoring when he collected a grubber kick that had bounced around through a number of feet to score near the right upright.

    South Coast went through the Championships undefeated including coming from behind to defeated Northern in the final 22 – 16.
    Solomon Torrens was subsequently named in the Queensland School boy’s side for the Australian School boy Championships and in fact was named Player of the Tournament.
    Solomon Torrens was the captain of the 2019 Queensland U18 ASSRL side playing in all of his Queensland’s matches starting in either the front row or second row although he did miss some matches with an injury sustained early .
    Solomon Torrens played in all eight matches for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in 2019 and was particularly outside in their semi-final win against Souths Logan including being heavily involved in the Seagulls first try.

    Operating on the left, Solomon Torrens used impressive late footwork to get outside of the Magpies right second rower and get the ball to the outside, leading directly to a try for fellow Titan, centre Caleb Hodges.

    In the 2019 MM Cup Grand Final against Wynnum Manly Solomon Torren was one of Tweed Heads best and scored the match sealing try late in the second half when Solomon Torrens cut back in after receiving the ball and crashing over for an outstanding try.

    Solomon Torrens was also at his rampaging best in the 2019 National U18 Grand Final for the Tweed Heads Seagulls against the Illawarra Steelers proving to be a real handful for the Steelers defence every time he took the ball up.

    Solomon Torrens played thirty six minutes in the National U18 Final, running for an incredible 150 metres (forty six post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.83 seconds and made fourteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 87.5%.

    Solomon Torrens started Round Two of the 2019 Langer Cup for PBC on the bench against St Mary’s in Toowoomba but when he was injected into the match mid-way through the first half, Solomon Torrens put PBC on the front foot with some big charges through the middle and started at lock against Keebra Park producing similar results from his strong charges.

    2019 also saw Solomon Torrens start in the front row for the Titans U18 side in their match against the North Queensland Cowboys that was played as the curtain raiser to the Titans verses Warriors NRL match in June 2019 at Cbus Stadium where Solomon Torrens led from the front for the Titans against a massive Cowboys forward pack in a very physical encounter.

    The powerfully built young forward has moved up in 2018 from Northern New South Wales and has made an immediate impression at PBC State High School and for me was the best player on the field when PBC defeated Keebra Park 26 – 22 in the Langer Cup (Open Age Group) recently. The match was a high quality affair but Solomon Torrens was a class apart with his powerful running on the fringes of the ruck for PBC that night.

    Solomon Torrens started that match at lock and was dominant throughout regularly making metres through the centre of the ruck as well as on the right side of the ruck. For me Solomon Torrens performance on the Wednesday night against Keebra Park was the best performance I have seen from a school boy since watching Ryan James destroying everyone when he was in his senior year also at PBC seven or eight years ago now.

    The former Casino RSM junior generated a lot of buzz around him as a result of his great season in the U16.5 Group One junior rugby league competition in 2017 and it was certainly deserved. As a result Solomon Torrens was selected in the Tweed Heads Seagulls U18 MM Cup squad for the 2018 version of the competition.

    For Tweed Heads in the 2018 MM Cup competition Solomon Torrens played in two matches being Rounds One and Two against Norths and Victoria respectively coming off the inter change bench on both of those occasions.

    When the 2018 MM Cup competition reached its conclusion, in addition to playing for PBC Solomon Torrens played for the Bilambil Jets in the Gold Coast Rugby League U17 Division One competition. Round One saw Solomon Torrens start in the front row as the Jets lost 20 – 18 to the Tweed Heads Seagulls. An opponent in that match but a team mate for PBC in the Langer Cup match against Keebra Park was giant former Titans linked front rower Jordan Tauali’i.

    Solomon Torrens was back in the U17 Division One competition in Round Three of the 2018 season when he came off the interchange bench. In Round Four Solomon Torrens started from the interchange bench for Bilambil and scored in their tough 18 – 10 loss to Currumbin.

    In Round Five of the 2018 Gold Coast Rugby League competition, Solomon Torrens deservedly made his Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade debut when he started in the centres for the Bilambil Jets in their 26 – 18 loss to the Tugun Seahawks. Making your GCRL First Grade debut at just 17 is an impressive feat indeed for a player at such a young age.

    For Casino RSM in the 2017 U16.5 Group One JRL competition, Solomon Torrens averaged just under a try a match on his way to scoring nine tries from just eleven matches (81.82% strike rate) including a great first two rounds when he scored a hat trick in Round One against Ballina and a Round Two double against Lismore Marist Brothers.

    Prior to his move to Casino RSM, Solomon Torrens played for the Kyogle Turkeys including at 2016 at the U15 level where he scored five tries across 10 ten matches, including a hat trick against Clarence Coast, and also tries against Marist Brothers on two separate occasions. Unfortunately Solomon Torrens U15 side has had a difficult season and finished last.

    Solomon Torrens also played eight matches up in the U16.5 age group in 2016, scoring two tries in the process, one being in his first match in that age group against Grafton and the second against Casino RSM who Solomon Torrens joined in the following season.

    Running with the football, Solomon Torrens has good footwork prior to the line and does not often just put his head down and run straight, but uses his solid footwork to try to work the gaps between defenders rather than trying to simply run over them.

    Solomon Torrens has very good speed off the mark but not necessarily great high end speed, but he will work hard and make the most of his ability. The key to his running is his ability to drop his shoulder into the defenders at the right moment, to go along with his late foot work. These attributes make Solomon Torrens very difficult to tackle and he can rarely be stopped one on one.

    Throw in a decent turn of pace off the mark and you have a player who is difficult for a defensive line to combat. Keebra Park had all sorts of trouble defending against him and he seemed to break at least one tackle every time he ran the ball that Wednesday night. He was just an absolute powerhouse over the course of the entire match.

    Defensively Solomon Torrens hits very hard and usually aims for just under the ribcage and is certainly someone opposing forwards look for when running the ball up and is adept at making sure the opposition do not get quick play the balls, read that Solomon Torrens is very good at winning the wrestling battle in the ruck, he is a naturally strong young man.

    Solomon Torrens defends in the centre of the ruck and seems best suited in the long run defending there and adds a degree of intimidation to any forward pack he plays for. Against Keebra Park he dominated their giant forward pack for large stretches of the match.

    Solomon Torrens really does know how to tackle effectively, as he sets a strong base to create the necessary leverage to defend against larger forwards and then explodes through his core. Throw in a touch of aggression and you have someone in Solomon Torrens who can dominate a game defensively and is able to seal off one side of the ruck on his own.

    Solomon Torrens no doubt continue to work on his strength and lateral movement as he progresses but his work ethic and movivation is such that continued hard work is not an issue for Solomon Torrens.

    Solomon Torrens signed a new deal with the Titans in 2019 that will keep him on the Gold Coast until the end of the 2021 season. Solomon Torrens spent the 2020 offseason training with the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup squad and started the 2020 season with the Seagulls Hastings Deering’s Colts squad before the competition was cancelled after the opening round of the competition.

    For me it was likely that Solomon Torrens would have made his Queensland Cup debut over the course of the 2020 season. There is no doubt however that Solomon Torrens Queensland Cup debut will now occur during the 2021 season for the Tweed Heads Seagulls although it is more than likely that Solomon Torrens will start the 2021 season as a key member of the Tweed Heads Seagulls U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad.

    Solomon Torrens likely could also play in the second row at least for the next couple of seasons, but with his ability to make ground through the centre of the ruck and also establish a defensive presence in the same area, a future at lock would seem the most likely scenario from my perspective.

    From a player comparison perspective for Solomon Torrens, someone that I think that he has a similar playing style to is 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.

    Solomon Torrens just oozes class and the scary thing is that I do not think that he has even come close to realising his potential and likely will not until he plays at a higher level on a more regular basis. Playing in the MM Cup in 2019 for Tweed Heads and for PBC as well as in the GCRL First Grade competition is a great base for him to excel with the outstanding coaching and experience available to him.

    Solomon Torrens was set to continue the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts season in 2020 before the shut down but he is still U20 Colts eligible in 2021 when it is hard not to see a situation when Solomon Torrens will not be one of the most damaging forwards in the competition.

    Solomon Torrens 2018 and 2019 season for both the Tweed Heads MM Cup side and PBC were nothing short of absolutely outstanding and he still has a lot of potential that is yet to translate into production but it will and when it does opponents are in a world of trouble both in terms of how Solomon Torrens attacks them and hit them defensively.

    I have seen Solomon Torrens play over the last couple of seasons where he was good, but in 2018 and 2019 he has taken yet another step in his development with the promise of plenty more to come in 2021 and beyond.

    Also captaincy has suited Solomon Torren well over the last couple of seasons. When some players are chosen as captain of high quality sides their individual performances have suffered, that is definitely not been the case with Solomon Torrens, in fact the opposite is true, Solomon Torrens performances have gone to another level when the “C” was placed next to his name.

  5. #1355
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    Carsil Vaikai. (Revised) After multiple impressive seasons on the Gold Coast Carsil Vaikai deservedly signed a contract with the Titans in 2017 and is thankfully contracted to the Titans until the end of the 2021 season.

    The big strong young Titans contracted Runaway Bay Seagull second rower or lock continues to develop his game at an exceptional rate over the course of recent seasons including a stand out 2019 campaign for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM squad including as their captain, leading them to Queensland and National U18 success and also receiving individual recognition by being selected in the Queensland U18 side for their annual interstate match against their New South Wales counterparts.

    From a trivia perspective Carsil Vaikai was in 2019 selected in the Australian Mixed Netball side highlighting his stamina, athleticism and ball skills. In another piece of information Carsil Vaikai’s younger brother (the wonderfully named) Titan Vaikai is a former Titans junior development squad member.

    Carsil Vaikai is contracted to the Titans until the end of the 2021 rugby league season and was part of the Titans Rookie Squad that played the Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup side in early February 2020 in wet and slippery conditions. Even thought the Titans Rookie squad went down in that match they performed exceptionally well against a Tweed Heads side that contained a number of Queensland Cup veterans.

    Carsil Vaikai started Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Tweed Heads Seagulls at lock against the Northern Pride as they started what they hoped would be a successful season with a resounding 50 – 20 victory. Unfortunately the remainder of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts season was cruelled by the Covid 19 pandemic.

    With the cancellation of all competitions run by the Queensland Rugby League, Carsil Vaikai played the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League competition with his junior club being the Runaway Bay Seagulls, starting Round One of the GCRL First Grade competition at lock as the Seagulls took on the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.

    Carsil Vaikai celebrated his Gold Coast Rugby League debut with a try as Runaway Bay defeated 32 – 20. In relation to the try, Carsil Vaikai was operating on the right side of the field and ran a good outside shoulder route and was put into a gap by his five eight to run five metres to score mid-way between the right goal post and right corner post.

    After his outstanding GCRL debut Carsil Vaikai understandably started at lock in Round Two against Ormeau. After missing a number of rounds, Carsil Vaikai was set to come back into the Runaway Bay side in Round Six, starting from the bench against Currumbin however ultimately was not in the game day seventeen for the match.

    Round Seven saw Carsil Vaikai named to start at lock for Runaway Bay in their match against the Burleigh Bears and also started at lock in Round Eight against the Ormeau Shearers. Round Nine saw a position change with Carsil Vaikai starting in the front row against the Tugun Seahawks.

    In the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Grand Final Carsil Vaikai was on the bench for Runaway Bay as they defeated the Burleigh Bears at Cbus Stadium.

    In January of 2019 Carsil Vaikai started at lock for the Titans U18 side in their Coffs Harbour match against Newcastle and scored an outstanding first half try when he barged over carrying two or three Knights forwards with him from around ten metres out.

    Carsil Vaikai also started at lock for the Titans U18 side in their big win over PNG at Pizzey Park in early October 2019 producing a dominant display of power rugby league as the Titans were far too good for their opponents in a big Titans victory.

    In May 2019 Carsil Vaikai was selected in the Queensland U18 side for their annual match against their New South Wales counter parts in a State or Origin curtain raiser where he started from the bench coming on late in the first half playing in the backrow.

    In the Interstate U18 match Carsil Vaikai played twenty five minutes, running for ten metres and made ten tackles at a 90.9% tackling efficiency.

    Carsil Vaikai started at lock in Round One of the 2019 MM Cup competition as Tweed Heads smashed the Western Mustangs 58 – 18 in a one sided affair with Carsil Vaikai being particularly effective defensively.

    In total in the 2019 MM Cup competition, Carsil Vaikai captained all eight of Tweed Heads matches starting all in at lock in all including both their semi-final against Souths Logan and Grand Final victory over Wynnum Manly. In the 2019 MM Cup Player of the season voting Carsil Vaikai finished with three votes.

    In the Grand Final Carsil Vaikai against Wynnum Manly was simply outstanding leading from the front as he did in the National U18 Grand Final leading Tweed Heads to a big 48 – 14 win against the Illawarra Steelers.

    Carsil Vaikai played fifty seven minutes in the National Final, running for 145 metres (forty seven post contact), broke two tackles, played the ball at an average speed of 3.64 seconds and made fourteen tackles at a tackling efficiency of 73.7%.

    Carsil Vaikai made his Hastings Deering’s Colts debut in Round Eleven of the 2019 season for the Tweed Heads Seagulls against the Northern Pride. After originally being named on the bench, Carsil Vaikai in fact started the match at hooker, acquitting himself well in that role for the first twenty minutes before reverting to the backrow for the remainder of the match.

    Unfortunately for Carsil Vaikai the match was his only Hastings Deering’s Colts match of the 2019 season.

    Carsil Vaikai played for the Tweed Heads Seagulls MM Cup side in 2018 playing in six of their seven matches, including their semi-final loss to eventual champions South’s Logan. Carsil Vaikai started at lock in the Seagulls first four matches, before missing Round Six. Carsil Vaikai came back into the side in Round Seven off the bench and also came off the bench against Souths Logan in Tweed Heads semi-final loss.

    Carsil Vaikai scored one try in the MM Cup competition which came in Round Three against the Burleigh Bears. On that occasion, Carsil Vaikai received the ball from the dummy half to the left of the play the ball and crashed over from around ten metres out carrying two Burleigh defenders across the line with him.

    Post the MM Cup competition, Carsil Vaikai played for Runaway Bay in the 2018 Gold Coast Rugby League U17 Division One completion.

    In total in the U17 Division One competition in 2018 Carsil Vaikai played in ten matches four of which were finals matches. Carsil Vaikai started all ten of his U17 Division One matches at lock.

    In Week One of the Finals series Runaway Bay defeated Tweed Heads 42 -14 and won again in Week Two 24 – 18 against Ormeau with Carsil Vaikai starting both of those finals at lock.

    Carsil Vaikai picked a great time to scored his first and only try of the U17 Division One season when he scored in Runaway Bay’s 34 – 22 Preliminary Final victory over Burleigh.

    Unfortunately for Carsil Vaikai and Runaway Bay they ran into a red hot Currumbin side in the 2018 U17 Division One Grand Final going down 30 – 10 to an Eagles side that contained amongst others fellow Titans contracted player Noah Gafa.

    Carsil Vaikai was also part of the 2018 Coombabah State High School Opens side that made the Queensland Cup Quarter Finals after a one point win over fellow Gold Coast School Marymount College 17 - 16.

    Carsil Vaikai moved to Runaway Bay from Helensvale for the start of the 2017 season, and played the majority of the 2017 season with Runaway Bay in the U16 Division One competition, but also played four matches in the U17 Division One competition where he made an immediate impact.

    In the U16 Division One competition in 2017 Carsil Vaikai played in fourteen matches scoring his sole try against his former club in July and in the last regular season round Carsil Vaikai converted a late Runaway Bay try.

    Carsil Vaikai also played four matches in the 2017 U17 Division One competition and across those four matches scored three tries including a try on debut against Burleigh and also tries against Ormeau and Helensvale. On all four occasions that Carsil Vaikai played in the U17 competition he was backing up after playing in the U16 competition earlier in the night.

    Carsil Vaikai was also part of the Gold Coast Vikings Green U16 side that played in the 2017 U16 pre-season competition, scoring against Ipswich in Week Four in a tough 42 – 6 loss. Carsil Vaikai scored a barging try in Week Three when Gold Coast Green defeated Brisbane Grey at North Ipswich Reserve.

    Carsil Vaikai had a solid season in 2016, at club, schoolboy and representative level, including representing the South Coast U15 side at the QSSRL State U15 championships. For his Helensvale Hornets club side he crossed for three tries in eight matches in the U15 Division One competition, with the tries coming against Runaway Bay, Beaudesert and eventual premiers Burleigh.

    Carsil Vaikai also played one match up at the U16 Division One level in 2016 also against eventual premiers Burleigh in May 2016.

    As noted Carsil Vaikai was selected in the 2016 South Coast U15 side that went through the U15 QSSRL competition undefeated through their four matches in the competition. Other Titans linked members of the U15 South Coast side included five eight Jessie Brasslin. Carsil Vaikai also started in the second row when the Titans U15 side were narrowly defeated 22 – 18 by a Balmain Tigers side in a trial game on the Gold Coast.

    Carsil Vaikai runs exceptionally hard but with a degree of subtlety to his running style, and he will not just run upright, he will drop his should into the defender making it difficult if not impossible for him to be stopped easily or by a single defender. Due to his speed and size, when he is running on the fringes of the ruck, Carsil Vaikai is a handful and also has a very good fend.

    When playing in the second row, Carsil Vaikai seemed from my perspective to play on the left side of the ruck on the majority of occasions, including in representative matches. Whilst he is also very effective taking hit ups in the centre of the ruck, when you have someone with his size and speed, I think that getting him to run a little wider is a more effective utilisation of his skill set both from an individual and team perspective.

    Carsil Vaikai also has some off-loading skills both in terms of off-loading prior to contact with the defensive line as well as when he is in contact with it.

    In terms of his speed, I would consider it above average for a second rower but it would be considered plus for lock, in short Carsil Vaikai is a very good athlete, with size, strength, speed and power. If he is not tackled around the legs, Carsil Vaikai’s strength means that he will continue to make ground after contact due to his never say die attitude.

    Defensively Carsil Vaikai hits very hard and usually aims for just under the ribs and is certainly someone opposing forwards look for when running the ball up and is adept at making sure the opposition do not get quick play the balls.

    Carsil Vaikai defends in the centre of the ruck and seems best suited in the long run defending there and adds a degree of intimidation to any forward pack he plays for as a result of his aggressive tackling style.

    Carsil Vaikai really does know how to tackle effectively, as he sets a strong base to create the necessary leverage to defend against larger forwards. Throw in a touch of aggression and you have someone who can dominate a game defensively and is able to seal off one side of the ruck on his own for stretches of a game.

    Carsil Vaikai started Round One of the season in the Tweed Heads U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts side and was potentially a chance to get an opportunity or two in the Queensland Cup. Carsil Vaikai is also U20 eligible again in 2021 where he will likely start the season in the U20 Hastings Deerings Colts competition.

    From a long term position perspective I believe that Carsil Vaikai ultimately stays at lock. Carsil Vaikai can certainly play in the front row or second row now and into the future for that matter, and play very well, but I would much prefer for him to play exclusively at lock or in the second row for the near future.

    Playing at lock or in the second row would enable Carsil Vaikai to take advantage of his speed and hard running on the fringes of the ruck especially the great outside shoulder route that he has in his attacking ****nal.

    I will admit that it was interesting to see Carsil Vaikai play in the dummy half role in his U20 Colts debut against the Northern Pride in 2019 and whilst not for a second do I believe that he will end up at hooker permanently, if Carsil Vaikai can spend some minutes at hooker over the course of a match, he becomes an even more valuable commodity to the Titans in terms of his versatility.

    From a player comparison perspective, consider someone along the lines of the former St George Dragon, New South Wales State of Origin and Australian International lock Jack De Bellin as a big strong mobile forward who hits the defensive line hard when running the ball as well as the opposition when they are running the ball.

  6. #1356
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    Reshawn Anderson. The Titans linked young man from Ballina in northern New South Wales is not your typical head down and just run straight ahead type of front rower, he is a multi-talented goal kicking front rower with an incredibly diverse skill set.

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

    Reshawn Anderson’s first 2020 hit-out came for one of the three Titans U15 sides that played round robin matches against each other in mid- February 2020 at Burleigh’s Pizzey Park. Reshawn Anderson’s team won both of their matches to finish the day undefeated, producing two impressive displays in front of Titans JTS staff.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Post the Grand Final Reshawn Anderson’s Group One U14 Ballina side was named Team of the Group One Junior Rugby League competition for their unbeaten season. On an individual level Reshawn Anderson was also named 2019 Group One U14 Representative Player of the Year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Reshawn Anderson also is quite quick for a big young bloke, both in terms of explosive speed off the mark and agile from a footwork perspective but also with speed over an extended distance. Once he gets into space, it is only going to be backs that will catch him.

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

    Reshawn Anderson does not fall for dummies and is difficult to step as he mirrors the lateral movement of the attacker to effectively wrap up the opposing player.

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

    The 2021 season will see Reshawn Anderson line up once again in Ballina Seagulls colours in the Group One U16.5 competition and Reshawn Anderson should also get multiple opportunities in the Ballina Seagulls U18 NRRRL squad as well. Reshawn Anderson is also a member of the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup Squad.

    Reshawn Anderson will also be involved in the Ballina Coast High School Rugby League Excellence Program over the next couple of seasons which the school is running as an outstanding joint initiative with the Titans and is already producing exceptional results.

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

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

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

  7. #1357
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    Rowan Mansfield. (Revised) The talented Ballina Seagulls Junior and Ballina Coast High School student has been part of the Titans junior development set up for a number of seasons in initially signing a Titans contract in 2018 as a fifteen year old.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    In Group One’s Round One U15 match against Newcastle Rowan Mansfield started in the centres with Group One winning 22 – 18 against Newcastle and Rowan Mansfield scoring a double.

    In Group One’s second match of the Championships Rowan Mansfield kicking a conversion as Group One ran out 28 – 6 winners against Group Three.

    Group One won their Northern Cup semi-final against Group 19 before going down 10 – 6 against Group Two in the U15 new South Wales Country Northern Cup Final.
    Rowan Mansfield played four matches at the U16 ASSRL Championships primarily at fullback and scored against New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Rowan Mansfield can and will beat defenders on the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies. When he has the ball in his hands.

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

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

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

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

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

    Rowan Mansfield will play in the 2021 NRRRL U18 competition for Ballina for the third season in a row and may even get a further match or two in the NRRRL First Grade competition, Rowan Mansfield is just that good. Rowan Mansfield is also a member of the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad.

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

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

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

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

  8. #1358
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    Will Evans. The Gold Coast youngster and former Queensland U16 representative moved back to the Titans after the expiration of his two year contract with the Brisbane Broncos in 2018 in a major coup for the Titans in terms of their stated aim of “bringing back the farm”.

    Will Evans is currently part of the Titans U20 Rookie squad as well as being part of 2020 Titans NRL off-season training squad.

    Will Evans commenced his 2020 season starting at right centre for the Titans Rookie Squad that played a Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup selection at Cudgen in wet and slippery conditions. Even though the Titans youngsters went down in the match, they acquitted theselves well against a team of seasoned Queensland Cup veterans in what where difficult conditions.

    Will Evans then started on the right wing for the Burleigh Queensland Cup side in their 2020 trial against the Titans at Pizzey Park. Late in the match after switching to left centre Will Evans almost scored a long range when he took an intercept ten metres out from his own line and burst down the left wing, only to be caught in an outstanding tackle around a metre out from scoring by fellow Titan Jayden Campbell.

    In total in the match against the Titans Will Evans ran for 117 metres (eighty seven post contact) and made ten tackles at a more than solid 90.81% tackling efficiency.

    Will Evans also started on the right wing for Burleigh’s final 2020 Queensland Cup trial against the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

    Will Evans started Round One of the 2020 Queensland Cup competition for the Burleigh Bears on the left wing against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls and had an outstanding match scoring in the 73rd minute and also recording a try assist in what turned out to be the only Queensland Cup round played in 2020.

    Will Evans try was a simple one as he took the ball around five metres out after a back line movement to score in the left corner, Will Evans try assist however was anything but easy. Will Evans chased a Burleigh clearing kick down the left touch line, the Wynnum Manly fullback flicked the ball back into the field after it was going to go out, it was not going to be a 40/20 so I had no idea what the fullback was doing.

    Will Evans dived on the ball to get possession back for Burleigh. Will Evans immediately got back to his feet and stepped off his left foot to get inside a defender coming across. In the tackle Will Evans, as he was falling to the ground, flicked the ball out of the back of his right hand to a trailing Jamal Fogerty to run twenty five metres to score untouched.

    In total in the Round One Queensland Cup match Will Evans played the entire eighty minutes, running for seventy four metres (nineteen post contact), made a line break, played the ball at an average speed of 2.84 seconds and made four tackles.

    When the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League competition restarted in August, Will Evans was part of the Burleigh Bears side that was looking to repeat their 2019 Premiership success starting Round One of the GCRL First Grade competition against Southport on the left wing.

    Burleigh won the match 32 – 4 with Will Evans scoring a double with both tries coming in the second half.

    Both of Will Evans tries were in many respects very similar, on both occasions Will Evans received the final pass from Taine Tuaupiki and on both occasions Will Evans ran around forty metres untouched to score need the left corner at the car park end of Pizzey Park.

    After an impressive performance in Round One, Will Evans maintained his place on the left wing in Round Two against the Currumbin Eagles and for Round Three against the Ormeau Shearers scoring his third try of the season against the Shearers. Will Evans try was a smart piece of play, Burleigh kicked into Ormeau’s left corner, as the Ormeau right winger was trying to get to the ground after retrieving the ball, Will Evans stole the ball in a one on one tackle and dived over to score.

    Round Four against Tugun saw Will Evans once again start on the left wing for Burleigh and after missing a number of matches, Will Evans was back in the Burleigh starting left wing position for Round Seven against Runaway Bay, in Round Eight against Southport and Round Nine against the Currumbin Eagles.

    In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade competition, being Round Ten, Will Evans started on the left wing for the Bears against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks scoring a long range try when he was on hand to swoop onto a Redbacks dropped ball and outpace the cover defence, running seventy eight metres to score as the Bears headed into the Finals series on the back of a last start victory.

    In Burleigh’s 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Semi-final Will Evans started on the left wing against the Southport Tigers.

    Will Evans also started on the left wing for the Burleigh Bears against the Runaway Bay Seagulls in the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Grand Final with the Bears going down in the 2020 decider.

    In early 2019 Will Evans started at right centre for the Titans U18 side against the Newcastle Knights SG Ball squad in Coffs Harbour which ended in a draw, however from my perspective (and yes I am biased) the Titans were clearly the better side for the entire match.

    Will Evans moved to fullback mid-way through the first half, with Noah Gafa taking his place at right centre and stayed there for the remainder of the match.

    Will Evans first touch of the ball against the Knights was an impressive run in the first set of six for the Titans when he made twenty odd metres from a short right side play dragging a couple of Newcastle Knights defenders with him.

    Will Evans also started at right centre for the Titans U18 side in their big win over PNG at Pizzey park in early October 2019 and he had an impressive try assist in the first half when he produced an impressive right arm flick pass.

    Will Evans made his Queensland Cup debut starting on the right wing against PNG in Port Moresby in Round Twenty of the 2019. Will Evans played the entire 80 minutes in the match, running for 85 metres (22 post contact, 31 from kick returns and six from dummy half), broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 2.93 seconds and made three tackles.

    Will Evans played his second Queensland Cup match when he started on the left wing for Burleigh in Week One of the Finals, scoring in the 4th minutes as the Bears held on to beat Wynnum Manly 34 – 32.

    Will Evans try came down the left side and after receiving an off load was able to dive over from close range.

    In his 80 minutes on the field, Will Evans ran for forty one metres (thirteen post contact), had a line break and tackle break, played the ball at an average speed of 3.52 seconds and had a 100% tackling efficiency.

    In total in his two Queensland Cup matches in 2019, Will Evans played 160 minutes, ran for 126 metres at a per game average of 63.5 metres, had 35 post contact metres, broke two tackles and made seven tackles at a tackling efficiency of 77.78%.

    Will Evans also made his International debut in 2019 when he was named in the Wales 23 man squad for the World Nines held in Sydney in October. Will Evans played in two matches for Wales, both on the second day of the Tournament. Will Evans started at left centre against France in his first match and came off the bench later the same day against Lebanon.

    In his first match against France Will Evans played 18 minutes, making twenty six metres (eleven post contact) from three runs, played the ball at an average speed of 4.71 seconds and made six tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency.

    In his second match against Lebanon, Will Evans also played the entire eighteen minutes, running for twenty four metres (ten post contact) from two runs, broke a tackle, played the ball at an average speed of 3.6 seconds and made a team leading eight tackles.

    Will Evans commenced the 2019 season off starting in the centres for the Burleigh MM Cup sides Round One match against the Western Mustangs with the Bears prevailing 58 - 18. Will Evans continued to play at right centre for the majority of the MM Cup competition but moved to fullback for Burleigh’s Round Five match against the Souths Logan Magpies. That match was the last that Will Evans played at fullback as he moved back to the centres for Round Six.

    Will Evans sole try in the 2019 MM Cup competition came in Round Two as the Burleigh Bears defeated the Ipswich Jets. In the 2019 MM Cup Player of the season voting Will Evans finished with seven votes.

    Post the 2019 MM Cup competition Will Evans started the club season at fullback for Burleigh in the GCRL U18 Division One competition in their Round One match against Currumbin before moving into the centres for Round Two.

    Will Evans was then promoted to the Burleigh GCRL U20 side, starting in the centres in Round Seven and scoring on debut as Burleigh went down to Currumbin 52 – 28.

    Will Evans try came in the second half, he received the ball in space outside the Currumbin left winger around twenty metres out from the Burleigh line. Will Evans used a left arm fend to get rid of the Currumbin left winger before holding off the Currumbin left centre, once again with a left arm fend to score right in the right corner.

    Will Evans was named on an extended bench for the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side for their 2019 Round Ten match against the Northern Pride but he did not make the game day seventeen on that occasion.

    Will Evans however made his deserved Hastings Deering’s Colts debut for Burleigh in Round Eleven of the 2019 season against the Central Queensland Capra’s starting on the right wing and scoring in a 28 -10 Bears victory. In a Burleigh backline movement to the right, Will Evans stayed outside his opponent and sprinted past him to score untouched over receiving a cut out ball form fullback Jayden Campbell.

    Will Evans moved to right centre for Round Twelve against the Sunshine Cost Falcons and was heavily involved in the last minutes of Burleigh’s one point win. With time running down Will Evans made a break down the right side of the field running for approximately twenty five metres. After his quick play the ball and a subsequent one by Cameron Brown, Jayden Campbell had the time to slot the game winning field goal.

    Will Evans continued at right centre in Round Thirteen against the Easts Tigers, scoring his second Colts try of the season when he crossed in the 4th minute of the match. Will Evans early try was as a result of him staying outside his direct opponent and when he received the ball was able to score untouched in the right corner of Pizzey Park.

    Will Evans also had a try assist in the match, he took the ball to the line and was able to pop a ball out the back of his right arm once engaged with the defensive line to send right winger Josh Somerville over untouched in a great piece of play.

    Will Evans also played at right centre in Round Fifteen against Ipswich scoring his third Colts try from his opening four matches when he crossed in the second half. Will Evans received the ball only around five metres out from the line and got on the outside of his direct opponent before diving over with two Ipswich defenders hanging off him.

    Will Evans continued to enhance his growing reputation in Round Sixteen scoring a double against Souths Logan with both tries coming in the last ten minutes of a 38 – 16 Burleigh win. Will Evans first try came after he shrugged off a Souths Logan defender who looked to tackle him as Will Evans was receiving the ball and for his second Will Evans ran o good straight line and was put into a gap to score from twenty metres out.

    The Round Seventeen Gold Coast Hastings Deering’s Colts derby against Tweed Heads was no impediment to Will Evans scoring surge when he received the ball at right centre and after getting outside of his opposite number, Will Evans held off the giant Tweed Heads right centre, and I mean giant, being Gerard Ah-Nau with a strong left arm fend and maintaining his balance to score in the right corner.

    Will Evans may not have scored in Round Nineteen against Redcliffe but once again he did influence the score board with a try assist. Playing left centre, he got outside his direct opponent running twenty metres before drawing the fullback and passing inside to Cameron Brown, who in fact threw him the previous pass, to score.

    Will Evans also had a try assist in Round Twenty One against the Northern Pride playing left centre. Will Evans made a break down the left touch line of about forty metres but was tackled by the Tigers fullback and another cover defender but had the presence of mind to get his arms free to off-load to his left to fellow Titan contracted player Lofi Khan-Periera to score in the corner in the second half.

    The line break noted above was one of three that Will Evans made in the match with the other two coming in the second half. On each occasions Will Evans got on the outside of his direct opponent to generate long big gains down the left touch line. In relation to the first one he barged straight over the Northern Pride half who tried to stop him and bar a jumper grab by the Pride right second rower in the second one, Will Evans likely would have run sixty five metres to score.

    Will Evans scored once again in Round Twenty Two against the Sunshine Coast Falcons and added a further try in Round Twenty Three against Central Queensland when he followed through after a smart piece of play from half Cameron Brown to score in the left corner after an eighty metre movement by Burleigh.

    Will Evans could have actually had a double in the match, but early in the first half was held up right in the left corner after a powerful surge from around ten metres out was defeated by three Central Queensland Carpa’s defenders, just.

    In Week Two of the Finals Will Evans started on the left wing in Burleigh’s 42 – 12 win against Norths and started on the wing in the Preliminary Final against Sunshine Coast.

    Will Evans’s 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts season came to an end when he started on the left wing for Burleigh as they went down 23 – 16 to Sunshine Coast in the Preliminary Final.

    In total in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition, Will Evans played in twelve matches scoring seven tries to finish the 2019 Colts season with a strike rate of 58.34%.

    Of his twelve matches Will Evans started four on the wing and the remaining eight matches in the centres.

    In the 2019 Queensland Rugby League Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Year Award tally Will Evans finished with six votes.

    Will Evans made his Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade debut in Round Sixteen of the 2019 competition starting on the left wing for Burleigh against Runaway Bay and scoring to cap a great debut. The ball was spun out to the left and after retrieving the ball on the bounce Will Evans stepped back inside his opposite number before crossing out wide in the left corner in just the 11th minute of his debut.

    Will Evans also started on the left wing in Round Seventeen against Currumbin scoring a double to continue to enhance his already sky rocketing reputation. Will Evans scored his first try of the match in just the 6th minute.

    Will Evans received the ball about ten metres out from the try line near the left touch line. With little room to move and with two defenders in front of him, Will Evans took the first defender on running straight over him before using his strength to get the ball down with two Currumbin defenders desperately trying to hold him up.

    Will Evans scored his second try in the second half and once again it was his strength that got him there. Will Evans received a long floating pass and charged down the left touch line once against from about ten metres out. About a metre or two out from the line Will Evans has hit by two cover defenders but was able to maintain his balance to reach out with his right arm to get the ball down just before he was pushed into touch.

    Will Evans was part of the 2019 U18 Queensland Emerging Origin squad as well highlighting the high regard that Will Evans is held in in the Queensland Rugby League community.

    The former PBC student actually played for the Titans Junior Development Squads for a number of years including at the U13 level in 2014 when the Titans played Marsden State High School in October of that year at Pizzey Park. That afternoon Will Evans starred in the fullback position and ripped the Marsden defence apart on multiple occasions and also covered very well defensively when necessary.

    In 2018 Will Evans played for Burleigh in the GCRL U17 Division One competition and in his seven matches in the regular season scored eight tries primarily from the fullback position. Will Evans scored doubles against Ormeau and Tweed Heads and has also scored against Runaway Bay, Bilambil, Helensvale and Currumbin.

    Will Evans started at fullback in both of Burleigh’s 2018 U17 Division One Finals matches which were against Currumbin and Runaway Bay.

    In addition Will Evans was a key member of the 2018 PBC Opens Rugby League side playing right centre in most of their matches this season and was particularity impressive in wins against fierce rivals Keebra Park and also in a big PBC win against Marsden State High School at Waterford in the depths of winter. Against Marsden he was exceptional especially out of dummy half.

    Will Evans also started at right centre for PBC against Ipswich State High School in the GIO Cup Queensland Quarter Finals held at Wynnum Manly earlier this week, a match that PBC were victorious in to progress to the Queensland semi-finals. In the match Will Evans did not get many opportunities with the ball but was very solid defensively as PBC scored literally in the last minute of a close contest to progress to the next round.

    Will Evans was outstanding in both the Queensland GIO Cup final and also in the National GIO Cup final against Patrician Brothers Fairfield including being names Player of the National Final.

    In 2017 Will Evans started at right centre for the Queensland U16 team as well as receiving a PBC on field Rugby League Achievement Award. Will Evans also represented Queensland in 2015 when he was part of the Queensland Maroon side for the ASSRRL U15 National Championships and in those Championships was the Queensland Maroons Player of the Match on Day Three in a big win against New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges. Will Evans contributed a try to that victory for Queensland Maroon.

    From the fullback position Will Evans presents as a silky smooth player, who looks like he glides across the field picking and choosing his time to get involved and wants to have the ball in his hands when the game is on the line.

    In attack Will Evans does not just stand at the back waiting for the “block” plays to occur. When his forwards are bringing the ball out of their own territory, Will Evans is always in and around the ball looking for an offload and the opportunity to explode downfield as a result of outstanding speed off the mark and a wicked step off either foot.

    Will Evans has outstanding balance and body control which enables him to break a lot of tackles through the centre of the ruck. Opposing defenders to key line him up when he is either running from dummy half or taking an offload and his explosiveness means that defenders are regularly reduced to grasping at him with an arm which Will Evans regularly is able slice through and continue his run.

    Will Evans speed is hard to quantify. Will Evans does not necessarily look like he is moving quickly especially when he is open space but players who I consider who have above average to plus speed do not often take ground from him at all in a foot race.

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

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

    Will Evans is also very effective in making ground from dummy half. Like when Justin Hodges used to go into dummy half, defences know that he is going to run but still have trouble preventing him from making a lot of ground, it really does defy logic in terms of the ground that he makes out of dummy half considering his smaller stature.

    In defence Will Evans has good strength, and certainly looks to come forward to stop the attack before it has time to fully develop once a break has been made. Will Evans also has the ability to show the attacker the sideline and is confident that his speed will enable him to get across to make the tackle which he invariably does.

    Will Evans is also effective at wrapping the ball up and he does slide well in defence and has the speed to cover opposition line breaks very well when he is playing in the centres.

    2019 saw Will Evans as a key member of the Burleigh Bears MM Cup side and post the competition of that competition he made the jump to the Hastings Deering’s Colts competition and ultimately to the Queensland Cup and then to the World Nines.

    Will Evans had two years of Colts eligibility remaining in 2020 but started the season in the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup starting side and seemed set to spend the entire 2020 season in that competition.

    I did not envisage a situation where Will Evans would not start the 2020 season with Burleigh in the Queensland Cup competition and is what happened in Round One. It would also not surprise if Will Evans plays a number of NRL trials in 2021 with the Titans and maybe even makes his NRL debut over the course of the 2021 NRL season. Will Evans’s will almost certainly start the 2021 season in the Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup side and from there is only good form away from the NRL.

    When I first saw Will Evans play as a 13 year old, even back then it seemed that fullback was his ideal position but in the last couple of years, especially in relation to school boy and representative rugby league, Will Evans has played almost exclusively in the centres, specifically at right centre and is very effective running out of dummy half.

    I however think that Will Evans best position is at fullback where he can see the entire field and thus is a position to inject himself from there where and when the opportunities arise. At 177cm and 91kg Will Evans certainly has the size to handle himself regardless of position however.

    A very knowledgeable visitor to this site actually suggested that Will Evans would make a more than effective half back. I admit that that was a scenario that I had not really considered but one that is a more than interesting one to contemplate as Will Evans inevitably moves towards the NRL.

    From an NRL player comparison perspective Will Evans has a number of similarities to Titans fullback/winger Corey Thompson. Will Evans does not have the top end speed of Corey Thompson (although he is a lot quicker than he looks) but is quick off the mark and has the same innate ability to make the first defender miss in the congestion in the middle of the ruck or wider out in the backline.

    Making defenders miss first up tackles is just an uncanny skill you either have or you do not and Will Evans definitely has it in spades and Titans fans will have the pleasure of seeing that attribute in action over the coming seasons in the NRL potentially as early as 2021.

  9. #1359
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    Nic Torrens. The northern New South Wales youngster is a Titans linked forward who has been part of the Titans JTS program for the last couple of seasons.

    Nic Torrens was due to start at lock for the Northern Rivers Titans in Round One of the 2020 U16 Andrew Johns Cup against the Parramatta Eels at Cudgen but the match was cancelled due to the wet weather in the region that weekend.

    Nic Torrens started Round Two of the U16 Andrew Johns Cup at lock against the Newcastle Knights in Ballina and produced some outstanding moments including a great run mid-way through the first half of around twenty metres, the majority of the ground that Nic Torrens made were hard post contact metres.

    In the second half Nic Torrens also produced a smart piece of play that should not go unnoticed. On around the halfway mark, Nic Torrens was on hand to retrieve the ball in space after it was dropped by a Knights front rower. Instead of trying to outrun the converging cover defence, Nic Torrens popped a good ball to his left to Travis May to run fifty metres to score.

    Nic Torrens also started at lock in Round Three against the Central Coast Roosters and in Round Four against the Greater Northern Tigers and in the Round Five local derby against North Coast where his defence came to the fore with some heavy initial contact in the centre of the ruck.

    In late June 2020 Nic Torrens started training with his Claence Coast Magpies club side in preparation for the late start of the Group One U16.5 junior rugby league competition.

    In the 2020 Group One U16.5 season Nic Torrens took over some of the goal kicking duties including kicking two conversions from as many attempts in Round Three as Clarence Coast went down 18 – 12 to Ballina.

    Nic Torrens continued his solid start to the season scoring a double and kicked three goals for an individual points haul of fourteen in Round Four as Clarence Coast defeated Casino RSM 40 – 0. Starting at lock once again in Round Five, Nic Torrens kicked three conversions from as many attempts as Clarence Coast went down to Ballina.

    In Round Six in a Magpies 28 – 18 win against Casino RSM, Nic Torrens once again started at lock and kicked a conversion. Round Eight saw Nic Torrens start at lock against Kyogle and kick a conversion in the 16 all draw. In Round Nine against the Kyogle Turkeys, starting as usual at lock, Nic Torrens kicked four from four to help Clarence Coast to a 24 – 22 win.

    Nic Torrens finished the Group One U16.5 regular season with a big match scoring a double and kicking four goals as the Magpies defeated their eventual Grand Final opponents Ballina 28 – 17.

    In total in the 2020 Group One U16.5 regular season competition, Nic Torrens scored fifty points from seven games, with those points coming from four tries and seventeen goals.

    Nic Torrens started at lock for the Magpies in the 2020 Group One U16.5 Grand Final against the Ballina Seagulls with Clarenc Coast winning the Grand Final 28 – 26 with Nic Torrens scoring a try and kicking two onversions in the high quality match.

    The young front rower started for the Titans U14/15 Invitational side that went down 42 – 10 to a Titans Brisbane/Gold Coast based U14 side in early October 2019 and was one his sides best in the high quality match at Tweed Heads.

    For the Clarence Coast Magpies in the 2019 Group One U15 competition Nic Torrens played in thirteen matches including finals scoring forty eight points from eight tries and an identical number of goals with two of those tries coming in Clarence Coast’s 14 – 10 Grand Final win over Ballina. Nic Torrens was in fact named player of the Grand Final such was his dominance throughout the match in the Magpies tight victory.

    In addition to his Grand Final double Nic Torrens also scored doubles in three separate matches against Casino RSM, who must have been sick of the sight of him by season’s end. With the boot Nic Torrens kicked three goals late in the season against Lismore Marist Brothers to be the most that Nic Torrens kicked in a single match in 2019.

    Nic Torrens also had an outstanding 2019 season with MacLean High School dominating in the DEX Shield competition including one match against Grafton High School in which Nic Torrens was as close to unstoppable as I have seen a player be in a school boy match in any age group.

    2019 also saw Nic Torrens represent Group One at the NSW Country U15 Age Championships playing three matches in the front row, scoring against Group 19 in Group One’s second match of a busy Day One of the Championships.

    In November 2019 Nic Torrens travelled to Sydney to take part in the New South Wales U16 Talented Aboriginal Athlete Program being named in the New South Wales Indigenous U16 side in late December to cap off an outstanding 2019 season for the young man.

    In 2018 in the Group One U14 competition Nic Torrens played in fifteen matches for Clarence Coast scoring sixty two points from three tries and twenty five goals. Nic Torrens tries included tries in Round One and two against Casino RSM and Kyogle respectively and a try in Clarence Coast’s 26 – 24 Preliminary Final loss to the Ballina Seagulls.

    From a goal kicking perspective Nic Torrens kicked four goals in a match on three occasions including in Rounds One and Two against Casino RSM and Kyogle, also scoring a try in those matches and towards the conclusion of the season against Grafton.

    In 2018 Nic Torrens also played four matches in the Group One U15 competition making his debut and scoring in Round One against Casino RSM. Nic Torrens other 2018 U15 Group One matches were against Ballina, South Grafton and Lismore Marist Brothers. On each occasion that Nic Torrens played a Group One U15 match in 2018 he had played in the U14 fixture earlier in the day.

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

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

    Nic Torrens is always the player standing back deep from kick ups to take the first hit up and will charge straight at the line asking for and giving no quarter. Nic Torrens also is quite quick for a big young bloke, both in terms of explosive speed off the mark and agile from a footwork perspective but also with speed over an extended distance. Once he gets into space, it is only going to be backs and the quickest of those that will catch Nic Torrens with his long stride and determination coming into play.

    Defensively for a taller type of young player Nic Torrens is adept at getting low and setting a good base so that he can drive with his legs into the attacker. For his taller height he is quite disciplined in terms of not hanging an arm out when defending against a smaller quicker attacker and uses his outstanding lateral movement to mirror the attacker’s movement and make the tackle in a ball and all fashion.

    Nic Torrens is not a big hitter per say but will drive with his legs to stop the momentum of the ball carrier effectively in the centre of the ruck. In short his initial contact and technique is very effective against opponents of all sizes. There is no doubt Nic Torrens shuld be considered a “plus”defender and one that will always be at or near the top of his teams tackle count, regardless of the level of competition that he is up against.

    In 2021 Nic Torrens will play in the NRRRL U18 competition potentially for the Lower Clarence Magpies and Nic Torrens is also a member of the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U18 Laurie Daley Cup Squad.

    From a representative perspective Nic Torrens was named in the twenty five player 2020 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad and come the start of that competition early in 2020 was be one of the team’s prime movers before the season was cancelled with one regular season round to go with the Northern Rivers Titans primed for a semi-final berth.

    Nic Torrens played a lot of rugby league in the front row in 2019 both in club and representative rugby league but I am not convinced that he should be pigeon holed to stay there. Nic Torrens, yes is a big strong young man, but he has outstanding speed and athleticism for his size and a burgeoning skill set as well.

    As a consequence I believe that Nic Torrens has an opportunity to cement a career in rugby league in the second row. To that extent it was great to see Nic Torrens play lock and play wider of the ruck for the 2020 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup squad.

    With his size, speed and skill combination, Nic Torrens has a similar playing style to South Sydney Rabbitohs (former North Queensland Cowboy) and Queensland State of Origin second rower Ethan Lowe, both and big and strong but have the speed, agility and mobility over all to be outstanding representative level second rowers. Former Titan and current North Queensland Cowboy Gavin Cooper also has more than a few similiarities to the talented Nic Torrens.

    The Northern New South Wales region is a hot bed of rugby league talent which the Titans have certainly tapped into and made their own in recent seasons and Nic Torrens is certainly one reason why the region is held in such high regard by not just Titans JTS staff but the entire NRL scouting network.

  10. #1360
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    Samuel Shannon. (Revised) The big strong tough Gold Coast local is a Titans contracted forward and is also currently training with the Titans U20 Rookie Squad.

    In a sign of the regard that the Titans hold in him, Samuel Shannon trained with the Titans Rookie Squad in the 2019-20 offseason and was part of the Titans Rookie squad that played against the Tweed Heads Queensland Cup side in early February 2020 in wet conditions at Cudgen. Even though the Tweed Heads Queensland Cup side prevailed in the match, the Titans Rookie side more than held their own, including Samuel Shannon.

    Mid-way through the 2020 season Samuel Shannon commenced training with the Titans U20 Rookie Squad on a regular basis, such is the regard that the Titans hierarchy hold him in.

    Samuel Shannon was also a key performer for the Burleigh MM side that drew 20 all with a Burleigh Colts selection in a trial that preceded the Titans v Burleigh NRL trial at Pizzey Park in February 2020. That night Samual Shannon was as damaging as any forward on the field for either side.

    Samuel Shannon started Round One of the 2020 MM Cup competition for the Burleigh Bears at lock and captained the Bears side against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls as well as scoring in the match after a powerful burst leaving a number of Wynnum Manly forwards in his wake on the ground. That run was not an isolated incident in the match.

    Samuel Shannon made his GCRL First Grade debut starting in the second row for the Southport Tigers in Round Five against Tugun and maintained his place in the second row for the Tigers Round Six match against the Ormeau Shearers.

    In Round Nine against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks, Samuel Shannon came off the bench in the Tigers 22 – 16 victory as he did in Round Ten against the Tugun Seahawks.

    Samuel Shannon started from the interchange bench for the 2019 Burleigh MM Cup side in their Round One match with the Norths Devils with Samuel Shannon contributing a try in in Burleigh’s great comeback to draw 38 all with the Devils.

    In total in the 2019 MM Cup competition, Samuel Shannon played in all six of Burleigh’s matches starting the first four rounds from the interchange bench before moving into the starting side in the front row against Souths Logan in Round Five and also starting in the front row in Round Six against Wynnum Manly in Burleigh’s last MM Cup match of the season.

    2019 also saw the Robina State High School student represent South Coast at the U18 QSSRL Championships starting from the interchange bench in the majority of South Coast’s matches in Toowoomba.

    Samuel Shannon was named on the Burleigh’s Hastings Deering’s U20 extended bench for their Round Fifteen match against Ipswich and made his first appearance in that competition from the bench on Round Nineteen against Redcliffe and also came off the bench (on both occasions brother Daniel also started from the bench) in Round Twenty against the Western Mustangs scoring his first Colts try of the season in that match.

    For his try Samuel Shannon ran a crash route from close range to the right of the play the ball and once he received the pass out of dummy half from Zac McCormack he was just too big strong and wanted to score more that the Western Mustangs defence wanted to stop him.

    Samuel Shannon also spent time in the U18 Division One competition for Southport in 2019 including starting from the bench in their 28 – 20 Preliminary Final win over Ormeau and starting in the front row in their 28 – 12 Grand Final loss to Burleigh where he was at the forefront of the forward battle that raged over the course of the entire match.

    In total Samuel Shannon played seven matches for Southport in the 2019 Gold Coast Rugby League U18 Division One competition including the two finals noted above.

    To cap off an outstanding 2019 season Samuel Shannon was named in the 2020 U18 Queensland Emerging Origin Squad with fellow Titans Ediq Ambrosyev and Isreal Higgins.

    The powerfully built Southport and Titans youngster started off the 2018 season in fine form being a stand out for the Gold Coast Vikings Viking’s White U16 side that played in the South East Queensland U16 pre-season competition.

    From that competition Samuel Shannon was selected at lock for the South East Queensland White U16 side for the 2018 Queensland Age Championships and through his dominant performances in Mackay at those Championships, Samuel Shannon was selected on the bench for the Queensland U16 side that were narrowly defeated by New South Wales. Fellow Titan Ediq Ambrosyev (hooker) was also part of the Queensland U16 side in 2018.

    For South East Queensland White U16 Samuel Shannon started all four of their matches at lock including their Championship final loss to South East Queensland Green.

    Samuel Shannon played in eight 2018 U16 Division One matches in the GCRL competition with Southport and through the regular season had a 50% strike rate from his four tries. Samuel Shannon’s four tries came against Burleigh, Helensvale, the Runaway Bay Seagulls and the Currumbin Eagles.

    Samuel Shannon’s 2018 club season came to an end in the U16 Division One Elimination final when Southport were defeated 44 – 4 by Helensvale, a match that Samuel Shannon started at lock and dominated for long stretches.

    In 2017 Samuel Shannon was selected in the Queensland White U15 side for the ASSRL U15 Schoolboys Championships after playing for South Coast in the QSSRL U15 Championships held in Cairns. Samuel Shannon started primarily from the bench for South Coast after making the side from Robina State High School.

    In 2017 Samuel Shannon played for the Southport Tigers in the U15 Division One GCJRL competition and performed strongly including scoring a double in Round Two against the Helensvale Hornets. In total in 2017 Samuel Shannon played eight matches scoring five tries to have a solid season in black and orange.

    The pace and power in terms of how Samuel Shannon runs the ball is the outstanding feature of his game, he takes the ball to the line with speed and 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 Samuel Shannon will target the smaller defenders on the edge of the ruck and burst through and for a big young bloke he has very good speed over the medium term and has the strength to drag defenders with him.

    I would consider that Samuel Shannon’s speed would be considered above average for his position 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. Samuel Shannon also runs a very good inside shoulder line to add variety to his running game.

    With his low centre of gravity coupled with his speed and power, Samuel Shannon is a difficult proposition for defensives and is able to draw in multiple defenders and still get a quick play the ball to gain forward momentum for his side on a regular basis.

    The defensive side of his game is similarly impressive, Samuel Shannon does not just charge wildly up looking for a huge hit, but is calculating in where and when to hit. He drives hard with his legs and always uses his shoulder and core body strength to drive into his opponent.

    Samuel Shannon 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 through his shoulders. In short Samuel Shannon is an outstanding defensive player both from a technique and initial contact perspective.

    Samuels Shannon’s initial contact is absolutely outstanding and more than enough to stop or redirect the momentum of the ball carrier and he is also able to his functional strength to slow the play the ball down sufficiently to allow his team’s defensive line to re-establish itself for the next play the ball.

    Samuel Shannon played a number of matches off the bench for the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts squad in 2019 and seemed certain to add to those matches in 2020 prior to the cancellation of that competition after Round One.

    Samuel Shannon is set to be one of the first players selected in the 2021 Burleigh Bears U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts squad and will also be Colts eligible in 2021.

    Samuel Shannon currently presents as a strong hard running powerfully built lock or front row and that will likely continue as he progresses through the junior rugby league ranks on the Gold Coast, to senior rugby league.

    For me at least playing lock is different to playing in the front row and I am more than pleased to see Samuel Shannon playing at lock where his skill set for me at least is far better suited in the context that he can move around the field more and thus use his strength and power on the fringes of the ruck and not just through the centre.

    Samuel Shannon is far more than just a bash and barge type of player and can certainly develop into a difference maker in coming years. Samuel Shannon is not the most talkative player on the field but that is more than made up for by the fact that he leads so well by example.

    New Zealand International James Fisher-Harris of the Penrith Panthers with his power coupled with his non-stop movement (and motor) when running the ball into the defensive line as well as the intensity in his defence is an apt NRL player comparison for Samuel Shannon.

    Like Fisher-Harris, Samuel Shannon can and will play substantial minutes in a match and projects as one of the few NRL level forwards that could play the entire 80 minutes of a match without being substituted.

    Samuel Shannon is an outstanding young forward prospect for the Titans and is as good as any player for his age running around on rugby league fields in Australia or New Zealand. The fact that Samuel Shannon will only get better and a Titan makes watching this exceptional develop only sweeter.

  11. #1361
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    Tristin Powell. The young backrower spent three seasons in the Brisbane Broncos Junior Development system but after a break out 2018 which saw him play a number of MM Cup matches for Norths as a 17 year old and also representing Queensland at the ASSRL U18 Championships Tristian Powell has recently inked a two year deal with the Titans is spending the current off-season training with the Titans NRL squad.

    Tristian Powell started from the bench in the Titans first NRL trial of 2020 against Burleigh at Pizzey Park in an impressive senior rugby league debut. In total in the match Tristian Powell ran for 106 metres (thirty five post contact) and made fifteen tackles.

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

    Tristian Powell started Round One of the 2020 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition for the Burleigh Bears in the second row against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

    When the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League competition restarted in August, Tristian Powell was part of the Burleigh Bears side that was looking to repeat their 2019 Premiership success starting Round One of the GCRL First Grade competition against Southport from the interchange bench.

    After an impressive performance off the bench in Round One, Tristian Powell was promoted to the starting line up at right second row in Round Two against the Currumbin Eagles and maintained his place as the starting right second rower for Round Three against the Ormeau Shearers.

    In Round Four against the Tugun Seahawks Tristian Powell started at right second row again and scored in a 66 – 0 victory. Tristian Powell’s try was a result of an impressive hard straight run three passes of the ruck as Burleigh threw the ball to the right. Tristian Powell took the ball twenty metres out and ran straight between to defenders and gave the defensive line no chance.

    Tristian Powell also started at right second row in Round Five against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks, in Round Seven against Runaway Bay and in Round Eight against Southport, a match that saw him score a second half when he charged onto the ball from a pass off the dummy half to crash over adjacent to the right uprights from three metres out.

    Tristian Powell continued his run of second row starts in Round Nine of the GCRL First Grade competition against the Currumbin Eagles and was involved in Allan Lockwood’s first half try when he got the ball quickly to Allan Lockwood when he was in space.

    In the final regular season round of the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby Leauge First Grade competition, being Round Ten, Tristian Powell started in the second row for the Bears against the Mudgeeraba Redbacks.

    In Burleigh’s 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Semi-final Tristian Powell started at right second row against the Southport Tigers.

    Tristian Powell also started at right second row for the Burleigh Bears against the Runaway Bay Seagulls in the 2020 Gold Coast Rugby League First Grade Grand Final.

    Tristian Powell was a member of the 2019 Queensland U18 Emerging Origin squad. Subsequently Tristian Powell was selected in the Queensland U18 side for their annual match against their New South Wales counter parts in a State or Origin curtain raiser starting in the front row.

    Tristian Powell was immediately in the action in the match taking the second hit-up and winning a penalty for Queensland when he was held down too long as he fought to get a quick play the ball.

    In the Interstate match, Tristian Powell played fifty five minutes of the match, running for 102.9 metres (32.3 post contact), had an offload and made a team leading twenty two tackles at a 88% tackling efficiency.

    Tristian Powell played in five matches for Burleigh in the 2019 MM Cup competition starting all in the front row. Deservedly Tristian Powell was also named the 2019 Burleigh MM Cup Player of the Year.

    In Round Four against Townsville, Tristian Powell was credited with a try assist when he popped a good short ball to his left for left second rower George Etuala-Noa to run into a yawning gap to score from around eight metres out.

    Instead of playing Round Six in the 2019 MM Cup, Tristian Powell was promoted to the Burleigh U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts side starting in the second row against Wynnum Manly and celebrated his debut by scoring in the Bears big 50 – 20 victory.

    Tristian Powell also had an outstanding game in Round Nine against Redcliffe playing right second row and was heavily involved in two of Burleigh’s tries. His first try involvement was when he off-loaded out the back of his hand to his right for Jayden Campbell to score and in relation to the second once again in a tackle Tristian Powell was able to get his arms free to offload to his right to Jayden Campbell who then drew the fullback for debutant Trey Peni to score his first Colts try.

    Tristian Powell was also outstanding in Round Ten against the Northern Pride when he was at least the equal of any forward on the field, both in attack and defence.

    Tristian Powell added a try assist in Round Twenty One against the Northern Powell when he produced a great right arm off-load to Shallin Fuller to score under the posts in the first half.

    In Week Two of the Finals Tristian Powell scored an outstanding try in Burleigh’s 42 – 12 win against Norths after starting the match in the front row. Tristian Powell burst onto a pass on the right side of the field about twenty five metres out, running a slight inside shoulder route before rounding the fullback to scored adjacent to the right upright.

    Tristian Powell’s 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts season came to an end when he started in the front row for Burleigh as they went down 23 – 16 to Sunshine Coast in the Preliminary Final

    In total in the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition, Tristian Powell played in seventeen matches scoring two tries.

    As noted above Tristian Powell came into the Burleigh Colts side in Round Six in the second row and went on to start in seven matches in the second row, one at lock being Round Eleven against Central Queensland, Round Sixteen from the interchange against Souths Logan and the remaining eight in the front row including Burleigh’s three 2019 finals. Tristian Powell’s first start in the front row came in Round Seventeen in the local derby against Tweed Heads.

    In the 2019 Hastings Deering’s Colts Player of the Year Award tally Tristian Powell finished with three votes.

    Tristian Powell was also part of the Titans U18 side that played North Queensland in the Titans v Warriors curtain raiser in June.

    During the Round Nineteen Hastings Deering’s Colts bye week, Tristian Powell turned out for Burleigh in the GCRL U20 competition, starting from the bench and scoring in a Bears 40 – 14 win over Runaway Bay.

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

    In the MM Cup competition in 2018 Tristian Powell played in six matches for the Norths Devils including their semi-final victory against the Mackay Cutters and North’s Grand Final loss to Souths Logan.

    Tristian Powell started the opening two rounds of the season in the front row and Round Three against Souths Logan from the interchange bench before missing a number of matches, coming back into the side from the bench for Round Seven and the subsequent finals series.

    In his six matches Tristian Powell had a try scoring strike rate of 50% with his tries coming in Round Two against Central Queensland, Round Three against Souths Logan and Round Seven against Townsville.

    Over the course of the 2018 season Tristian Powell represented Met North at the U18 ASSRL Championships starting all of their matches in the front row and from there represented Queensland at the ASSRL U18 Championships.

    Tristian Powell is another product of the GPS school boy rugby system playing the 2017 and 2018 seasons for the Nudgee College First XV side, spending a lot of time at outside centre in the blue and white hoops of Nudgee College.

    In 2017, his first at Nudgee after moving down from Toowoomba, Tristian Powell represented Brisbane Grey in the South East Queensland U16 pre-season competition, scoring in Round Three of the competition against Brisbane Blue and also was selected in the Queensland U16 side, starting the annual interstate match against New South Wales in the second row along fellow St Mary’s student hooker Jake Simpkin.

    In 2016 Tristian Powell represented Darling Downs at the U15 QSSRL Championships, starting at lock. In those Championships he scored on Day Four against Sunshine Coast and on Day One was named the Darling Downs Player of the Match against South Coast.

    In 2016 Tristian Powell captained the St Mary’s College U15A side that won the Devere Cup beating Mountain Creek High School 42 – 10 in the final at Bishop with Tristian Powell scoring a strong second half try for the Toowoomba based school.

    The first thing that you will notice when you see Tristian Powell on a football field is his size, speed and athleticism that he exhibits every time that he is around the ball. Running with the ball he is effective running wide of the ruck where he can utilise his speed and power more effectively by targeting individual defenders rather than running at a set defensive line where defenders will be converging from multiple axis simultaneously. Tristian Powell also has the speed to finish off movements himself when he gets into space.

    I am not saying that he is not effective running in the centre of the ruck but his effectiveness multiples exponentially running on the fringes of the ruck and another positive is that he is effective running both on the left or right of the field.

    In addition to his speed, which I would suggest is above average to plus for a second rower Tristian Powell has a powerful fend and thus he can keep defenders from getting into his body enabling him to maintain his balance and running line and thus he has a stable base from which to look to offload.

    Defensively Tristian Powell’s athleticism also shows out, his strength enables him to handle the biggest of forwards on a one on one basis and his athleticism particularly in relation to his lateral movements enables him to deal with smaller quick stepping halves how look to try to exploit and perceived speed advantage.

    When the opportunity presents Tristian Powell 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 Tristian Powell 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.

    Tristian Powell is currently training with the Titans NRL squad which is a great achievement for such a young player. Tristian Powell will likely start the 2021 season as part of the Burleigh Queensland Cup squad even though he is still U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts eligible.

    Tristian Powell but also get an opportunity for the Titans in the 2021 NRL trials. Selection in the 2021 Queensland U20 State of Origin squad is also well within Tristian Powell’s grasp.

    I appreciate that Tristian Powell played the opening rounds of the MM Cup competition for Burleigh in 2019, but with his speed, footwork and athleticism I would prefer, for the short to medium term at least to see Tristian Powell play in the second row where he can operate on the fringes of the ruck.

    At 184cm and 97kg, Tristian Powell has the requisite size and speed combination to be an asset on the fringes of the ruck more so than playing in the front row where he would be confined more towards the middle of the field.

    When Tristian Powell started for the Burleigh Hastings Deering’s Colts side in the second row this season you could see the damage that he was able to do on the fringes of the ruck, a circumstance that helped me confirm my opinion.

    A current NRL player with a similar playing style to Tristian Powell for me is former Titan Keegan Hiprgave. Both are very hard running , very quick players on the fringes of the ruck who also can really cut players in half defensively all while playing big minutes in a match.

  12. #1362
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    Michael Roberts. Early in October 2019 the tall young centre was nominated to play for a Titans U14/15 Invitational NRRRL side that played the Titans U14 Gold Coast/Brisbane Academy side in a development match at Tweed Heads Piggabeen complex. Although unable to play Michael Roberts’s proposed selection for the Invitational match shows the high regard he is held in by the Titans JTS staff.

    From a trivia perspective, Michael Roberts is the younger brother of former Titan and Brisbane Bronco and current Souths Sydney Rabbitoh and New South Wales State of Origin and Australian International centre James Roberts. Michael Roberts has a different body shape to his older brother and not the same type of speed, but like James, Michael Roberts is a very talented rugby league centre.

    Michael Roberts was named to start in the centres for the Northern Rivers Titans in Round One of the 2020 U16 Andrew Johns Cup competition against the Parramatta Eels at Cudgen however the match was cancelled due to the wet conditions in the region at that time.

    Michael Roberts started Round Two of the U16 Andrew Johns Cup at right centre against the Newcastle Knights in Ballina scoring a late second half try and kicking one from one in the Titans 28 – 22 win.

    Michael Roberts scored from an old fashioned mouse trap play. Hooker Tanu Nona ran over the top of the ball to the right of the play the ball leaving the ball to Michael Roberts who took off to the left and forced his way over from a close range of around two metres mid-way between the right upright and right corner post.

    Michael Roberts also started at right centre in Round Three against the Central Coast Roosters finishing that match with an individual point’s haul of sixteen points from two tries and four conversions from five attempts.

    Michael Roberts first try came from a scrum when he ran a great line into a gap and received a great ball from half Harvey Moase. Immediately upon running through the gap, Michael Roberts stepped off his right foot to beat the Central Coast fullback to score untouched.

    Michael Roberts also scored a long range try, also in the second half when he received a great off-load from hooker Tanu Nona to burst down the right touch line before beating the fullback with a step to score under the posts after a fifty five metre run.

    Michael Roberts also started at right centre in Round Four against the Greater Northern Tigers kicking two goals from four attempts including a first half penalty goal.

    Michael Roberts also started at right centre in the Round Five local derby against the North Coast Bulldogs scoring a try after running a great line and hitting a hole fifteen metres out and also kicked two goals from four attempts in the two point victory.

    Michael Roberts attends PBC and as a 16 year old made his Langer Cup debut on the right wing in the 2020 Round Four local derby against Keebra Park and maintained his starting spot on the right wing for Round Five against Marsden State High School.

    Michael Roberts also started on the right wing for PBC as they qualified for the 2020 Langer Cup final on the back of an impressive 34 – 6 victory over Ipswich State High School.

    Michael Roberts started the 2020 Langer Cup Grand Final on the right wing for PBC as they defeated Keebra Park 16 – 8 in a high quality match and was unfortunate not to score when he crossed in the right corner only for the last pass to be called forward. Michael Roberts had some very good moments in the Grand Final especially in relation to taking some contested high balls that were targeted to his wing.

    In the Queensland School Boys Final against Kirwan State High School Michael Roberts started on the right wing as PBC travelled to take on their North Queensland based opponents but unfortunately went down 24 - 20.

    Michael Roberts played the 2020 season for the South Tweed Bears in the Group 18 U16 competition and was in fact named the joint Player of the Year in that competition alongside Bilambil’s Jemaine Henderson-Sabato.

    Michael Roberts started the 2020 Group 18 U16 Grand Final at right centre with South Tweed overcoming a determined Murwillumbah side 20 – 16.

    In early October 2020 Michael Roberts was part of a Titans squad that played a trial against a Titans Group 18 U16 Invitational side with the match being played at Cbus Stadium, giving the young players a great experience with an added bonus that the players wore Titans jerseys. Michael Robert played against five of his 2020 South Tweed Group 18 U16 team mates in the match.

    Michael Roberts was part of the Group 18 U15 side that played at the 2019 New South Wales Country Age Championships held in Port Macquarie in September. In those Championships Michael Roberts scored doubles in Group 18’s two matches on Day One which were against Central Coast and Group Three.

    Michael Roberts was also part of the Group 18 side that drew 18 all with Newcastle on Day Two. As a result of his two doubles, Michael Roberts finished the Championships as Group 18’s leading try scorer and in the top five of the U15 Championships overall.

    In late 2019 Michael Roberts headed to Sydney to trial for the 2020 New South Wales Koori U16 side with fellow Titan linked Kai Smallwood and was named in the side in late December to cap off a great 2019 for the young man.

    Michael Roberts also represented Group 18 in 2018 at the U14 New South Wales Country Age Championships and had a big match on Day One scoring a try and kicking two goals against Group 21.

    Michael Roberts played the 2019 club rugby league season with Byron Bay/Lennox Head in the Group 18 U15 competition and was part of their side that went down in the Grand Final against Bilambil.

    In 2017 however in the Group 18 U13 competition Michael Roberts was part of the Byron Bay/Lennox Head side that won their Grand Final 40 – 8 and in fact Michael Roberts was named player of the Grand Final.

    Michael Roberts has good size (certainly bigger than his brother) and on his day is a powerful and determined runner who will crash through tackles with sheer force of will. He runs with power and even though he does run straight on he will drop his body into the first defender and will bump off the first tackler regularly with limited loss of momentum.

    In terms of speed, Michael Roberts has what I would consider above average speed for a for centre and whilst he does not have an extra gear when he breaks into open space, Michael Roberts has the ability to sustain his speed for the duration of his runs meaning that a lot of the line breaks that Michael Roberts makes ends up in him crossing the try line.

    In terms of beating a defender other than with strength and power, Michael Roberts has a good in and away and can hold defenders off his body with a strong fend with either hand and Michael Roberts is also able to drift across the field looking to set up his support runners if/when a hole develops in the defensive line.

    In relation to the defensive aspects of rugby league, Michael Roberts is a very aggressive defender who focusses heavily on the physical contact of the defensive side of the game. Michael Roberts has a hard tough streak and will definitely not shirk contact in any circumstance.

    The majority of time Michael Roberts is an aggressive defender who aims to dominate his immediate opponent when they have the ball and will finish off every tackle he makes with authority and Michael Robert will also ensure that his opponent will not get a quick play the ball.

    Michael Roberts will play the 2021 season as part of the U18 Laurie Daley Cup Northern Rivers Titans squad and will also likely line up in the NRRRL U18 comeptition.

    From a school boy perspective in 2021 Michael Roberts will without a doubt continue to be a member of the PBC Open A side and an almost certain starter in their 2021 Langer Cup and Gio Cup campaigns.

    Michael Roberts is just a talented athlete with size and speed and as he fills out his strength and power will continue to develop. Michael Roberts has a frame that can add a fair degree of muscle mass yet maintain his speed, a potent combination for such a young player.

    Michael Roberts is ideally suited to playing in the centres, especially with his speed and projects as a strike centre moving forward all be it a very different type of centre prospect to his brother James Roberts.

    From a player comparison perspective, I will once again qualify my comments that when I am making a player comparison, I am talking about a playing style rather than potential career path. For me Michael Roberts has a little bit of former Brisbane Bronco, Queensland State of Origin player and Australian Test centre Justin Hodges in his game.

    Like Hodges, Michael Roberts is a very good runner out of dummy half, seemingly always making the first defender miss even though the defence knows that he is going to run when he moves into dummy half.

    On his day, which are increasingly more and more frequent Michael Robertss can be a bullocking/ bulldozing type of ball runner who can just break a game open individually from the centre position.

  13. #1363
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    Very interested to see how young Roberts develops in the Junior Titans and PBC system. Didn’t realise he was only 16.

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

    Kye Cooper’s first 2020 hit out came for one of the three Titans U15 sides that played round robin matches against each other in mid- February 2020 at Burleigh’s Pizzey Park spending the majority of his time on the field in his two matches at five eight. Kye Cooper’s team won both of their matches in the series of round robin matches.

    When community rugby league restarted in July 2020 Kye Cooper played once again for the Ballina Seagulls in the Group One competition, this season in the U16.5 competition and in Round One in a 16 – 14 loss against Casino RSM Kye Cooper started in the left second row position.

    Kye Cooper moved to five eight for Round Two and scored as Ballina defeated South Grafton 28 – 0. Kye Cooper continued at five eight in Round Three and scored once again as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 18 – 12. Kye Cooper also kicked three goals in the match to finish with a ten point haul.

    Kye Cooper started at lock in Round Four against Kyogle scoring once again as Ballina defeated the Turkeys 28 – 6. In Round Six Kye Cooper was back at five eight and kicked a conversion as Ballina defeated Grafton 32 – 22. Kye Cooper also started at five eight in Round Seven as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 32 – 0.

    Kye Cooper continued at five eight in Round Nine and scored one of Ballina’s tries as they defeated South Grafton 38 – 14. Kye Cooper also started at five eight and was one of the Seagulls try scorers as they defeated Clarence Coast 32 – 10.

    In total in the 2020 Group One U15 regular season competition Kye Cooper scored twenty eight points from eight matches, made up of five tries and four conversions.

    Kye Cooper started at five eight in the 2020 Group One U15 Grand Final against Casino RSM and was close to the best player on the field, scoring two tries and kicking two goals as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 28 – 10 to become 2020 Premiers..

    In Round Ten of the Group One competition, being the final regular season round, Kye Cooper made his U16.5 debut off the bench as Ballina went down 28 – 17 to the Clarence Coast Magpies.

    Kye Cooper also played rugby in 2020, playing the opening three matches of the Far North Coast U15 Junior Rugby competition at inside centre (No. 12) for the Lennox Head Trojans. In Round One against Casurina Beach Kye Cooper scored a double, also scored in Round Two against the Brunswick Billygoats and then added another double against the Grafton Redmen in Round Three.

    In Round Five of the U15 Far North Coast Junior Rugby competition Kye Cooper started at inside centre (No. 12) and was amongst the Lennox Head try scorers in their match against Lismore. Kye Cooper once again started at inside centre in Round Six against Casuaina Beach scoring a double for the Trojans in their victory.

    In Round Eight Kye Cooper also started at No. 12 (inside centre) for the Trojans as they defeated the Grafton Redmen with Kye Cooper scoring three tries in the big 64 – 0 win. Kye Cooper added a further try in Round Nine when he once again started at inside centre in a tight 15 – 12 win over Wollongbar Alstonville.

    Late in 2019 Kye Cooper played for a Titans U14/U15 NRRRL Invitational side against a Titans U14 Gold Coast/Brisbane side at Piggabeen starting the match at five eight with the result being that the NRRRL side went down 32 - 10.

    Kye Cooper started the 2019 Group One U14 competition off in outstanding fashion scoring two tries and kicking two goals for a game haul of twelve for Ballina in their 34 – 6 victory in Round One against the South Grafton Rebels.

    Kye Cooper was on fire once again in Round Two scoring five tries and kicking two conversions as Ballina defeated Casino RSM 54 – 4.

    Kye Cooper continued his try scoring feats in Round Three scoring a double as Ballina defeated Clarence Coast 44 – 8.

    In Round Five against Lismore Marist Brothers Kye Cooper finished with an individual point’s tally of twelve from two tries and two goals in a big win against Lismore Marist Brothers.

    Round Seven saw Kye Cooper continue to add points to his season tally when he kicked two conversions in a 38 – 0 win over Kyogle.

    In Round Ten against Casino RSM Kye Cooper continued his outstanding season by scoring a hat trick and kicking two goals.

    Round Twelve against Grafton saw Kye Cooper add two tries and three goals to his already impressive 2019 points tally.

    Kye Cooper added a hat trick and four goals in finish the Round Thirteen match against Lismore Marist Brothers with an individual point’s tally of twenty.

    In total in the Group One U14 regular season Kye Cooper scored 112 points from nine regular season matches, from nineteen tries and eighteen goals. Kye Cooper’s 2019 try scoring strike rate was 211% and Kye Cooper averaged just under 12.5 points per game.

    A try that Kye Cooper scored against Marist Brothers Lismore highlighted the exceptional skill set that Kye Cooper possesses. Kye Cooper received the ball on the half way mark on the left side of the field and stepped to his outside to get around the compressed Turkeys defensive line and then he used his speed to outpace the cover defence down the left touch line before beating the fullback with a right arm fend.

    In Round One of the 2019 Group One U14 Finals series, Kye Cooper scored a try and kicked five goals as Ballina defeated South Grafton 40 – 6 and was also a member of the Ballina side that won the Grand Final with Kye Cooper once again prominent, starting the Grand Final at half back.

    Kye Cooper was one of the best players on the field in the Grand Final scoring two tries and also setting up four others in a confident and assured display.

    Kye Coopers first try of the 2019 Group One U14 Grand Final came when he backed up a strong run from Reshawn Anderson and after his received a great one armed off-load from Reshwn Anderson, Kye Copper was able to score just to the left of the uprights.

    Kye Cooper scored his second try of the Grand Final when he ran the ball down a short blind side on the right side of the field ten metres out, before stepping off his left foot and diving over with a Rebels defender hanging off him.

    As noted above Kye Cooper also had four try assists in the Grand Final with the first coming when he put in a kick from a Ballina tap kick on the half way mark. IT must have been a set play as fullback Lachlan Offley flew downfield and got a perfect bounce to score in the left corner.

    Kye Cooper recorded his second try assist of the Grand Final when he threw a long cut out pass to his left to find front rower Reshawn Anderson who stepped inside the first defender to score. Kye Cooper’s third try assist came when he put his left winger over after a supurb winding run by Kye Cooper left multiple defenders in his wake. Kye Cooper’s final Grand Final try assist occurred when Kye Cooper took the ball into the line before popping a short ball to his left for fullback Lachlan Offley to fly through a gap to score.

    Post the Grand Final Kye Cooper’s Group One U14 Ballina side was named team of the Group One Junior Rugby League competition for their unbeaten season. On an individual level Kye Cooper was named Group One U14 Player of the Season to put an exclamation mark on an oustaanding 2019 rugby league season.

    Kye Cooper made his Group One U15 debut in Round Thirteen against Lismore Marist (he had scored twenty points in the preceding U14 match) kicking a late conversion in a 32 – 18 Ballina victory.

    The St Johns College Woodlawn student was selected in the 2019 New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges (CCC) Lismore Diocese U15 side for their for the NSW CCC selection trials that were held in Sydney commencing 25 May, very impressive for a 14 year old.

    The result was that Kye Cooper was selected in the New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges U15 Country side.

    Kye Cooper was named at five eight for the 2019 Group One U14 Taipans representative side for the New South Wales Country Age Championships that were held in Port Macquarie in late September and kicked a conversion in Group One’s 26 – 10 Northern Cup Final loss to Central Coast.

    Kye Cooper had an outstanding 2018 season for Lismore Marist Brothers in the New South Wales Group One U13 competition, scoring in all thirteen of his matches to finish the season as the competitions, leading point’s scorer, leading goal kicker and second leading try scorer.

    All told Kye Cooper scored 240 points from just thirteen matches (18.5 points per game average). He scored 40 tries (308% strike rate) and also kicked forty goals.

    Kye Cooper scored five tries in a match on two occasions, being against Kyogle in May 2018 and Clarence Coast in August. He also scored four tries in four matches which came against Casino RSM, Clarence Coast, South Grafton and Kyogle.

    Kye Cooper scored hat tricks against South Grafton and Ballina and doubles against Grafton in two matches and Ballina. Grafton and Ballina were the only teams able to keep Kye Cooper to one try in a game.

    With the boot, Kye Cooper kicked nine in a July match against Kyogle and eight the following round against Clarence Coast. In those two matches Kye Cooper finished with impressive individual totals. In the match against Kyogle, along with his nine goals he scored four tries to points the match with 34 points and in addition to his eight goals scored five tries to finish the match against Clarence Coast with 36 points.

    Let’s cut to the chase, when Kye Cooper runs the ball, he is exceptionally quick and explosive, with exceptional speed, both off the mark and when he gets into open space, teams in his age group in the Group One junior competition just could not handle him when he had the ball. Kye Coopere also can step off both feet exceptionally well and he also has a great swerve whilst maintaining top speed.

    On many occasions when he made a break, Kye Cooper’s support could not keep up and thus Kye Cooper used his incredible footwork and speed to beat the opposing fullback by himself. There is nothing that he cannot do running the ball and it is only now about developing his ball playing skills to make his footwork and running ability even more lethal. In attack Kye Cooper also played up in the line quite often and has been his team’s primary attacking option.

    In addition Kye Cooper also has the ball playing skills to set up his support runners and get them lines to run into when defenders came out of the line to negate his time with the ball in hand. Kye Cooper obviously was a key target for defences but he understands that he cannot do it all himself and thus became adept at drawing defenders out of the line and putting his support runners into the subsequent hole. As Kye Cooper’s play making skills continue to evolve, the attacking possibilities are endless.

    In terms of running the ball back from kicks, Kye Cooper’s timing and anticipation means that he gets to a lot of balls on the full and makes a quick decision whether to run the ball flat out back into the oncoming defenders or look to create an opportunity by running across field. Regardless Kye Cooper is an absolute handful to tackle with his speed and evasion skills.

    Defensively in the fullback position Kye Cooper understandably he does not make a huge amount of tackles but the ones he makes are the ones that need to be made. If an attacker runs directly at him, he will come forward to cut down the time the attacker has to make a decision and he will hit very hard and does not fall for a dummy in those situations.

    Defending from the five eight position Kye Cooper gets a lot of traffic coming his way and he handles his defensive duties well with solid initial contact as well as having a solid, simple and repeatable low tackling technique.

    An impressive attribute that Kye Cooper does have is ability to force attackers who are in open space to try to beat him down the side line. Kye Cooper will stay inside the attacker and force him in the required direction and then use his timing, closing speed and anticipation to make the tackle, usually forcing the attacker into touch.

    The 2021 season will see Kye Cooper line up once again in Ballina Seagulls colours in the Group One U16.5 competition and Kye Cooper should also get multiple opportunities in the Ballina Seagulls U18 NRRRL squad. Kye Cooper is also a member of the 2021 Northern Rivers Titans U16 Andrew Johns Cup Squad.

    In 2021 Kye Cooper will also be involved in St Johns College Woodlawn’s various school boy rugby league competitions.

    Regardless of the number on his back Kye Cooper is an exciting runner of the ball combining speed, elusiveness, evasion, balance and body control. To that extent I believe that ultimately his best position will be at fullback where he will get the ball with space to work with prior to the defensive line and look to exploit any gaps that he identifies.

    In must admit that whilst I still think that he ends up at fullback, Kye Cooper spent a lot of time in 2019 at five eight, mainly playing on the left and handled the five eight position very well indeed, being heavily involved, especially in attack and as a consequence Kye Cooper’s play making skills have increased exponentially.

    From my perspective, a talented, unselfish attacking player with similar attributes to Kye Cooper is North Queensland Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater. Like Drinkwater, Kye Cooper has great acceleration to go along with a wicked sidestep and the play making skills to make opposition teams pay if defences look to focus too much on him.

    Similarly like, Drinkwater Kye Cooper can play in the halves as well as fullback like he did for the Titans U14/15 Invitational side in early October 2019 against the Titans U14 Gold Coast/Brisbane squad.

  15. #1365
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    Jojo Fifita. (Revised) The exceptionally talented centre has signed with the Titans on a three year contract and will spend the offseason training with the Titans NRL squad.

    I try not to get too intrigued when I see talented young players at the U14 level but sometimes you see a player that just stands out not just from a skill perspective but from also from the perspective of a young player who just seems to innately understand how to play the game, whether it be rugby or rugby league, a natural if you will. That is what I saw when I first saw Jojo Fifita play school boy rugby for the first time when he was 14 years of age a few seasons ago at TSS’s home ground.

    I would argue that I have seen only very few players at that young an age that you would put into this category, but I was dragged along early to a 2017 TSS match, in time to see the U14A side play and by the end of that season I was making sure to get there early to see an amazingly talented young TSS centre play named Jojo Fifita.

    Obviously you cannot get too carried away as a spectator as so much will change as young players progress such as injuries, schooling competing priorities etc. but Jojo Fifita was a real handful every match that I was lucky enough to see him play for TSS and for that matter has in the multiple TSS matches I have seen in subsequent seasons, including in the GPS First XV school boy rugby competition over the last two seasons.

    In his last season of school boy rugby in 2020 for the TSS First XV side, Jojo Fifita was once again dominant across multiple matches in the Covid 19 interrupted season. Post the 2020 GPS First XV season, Jojo Fifita was named at Number Six in the 2020 Courier Mail Top 30 South East Queensland School Boy rugby/rugby league players and that is after missing half of the GPS First XV season with a lower leg injury.

    With the competition in turmoil due to Covid Nineteen the season started with two “Official GPS First XV Trials”, the first being against Nudgee College where Jojo Fifita had a huge match starting at outside centre for the TSS First XV side, including gaining three votes in the 2020 Player of the Year voting.

    In the match against Nudgee Jojo Fifita started the 2020 season off with a bang scoring a double as TSS came from behind to beat Nudgee 24 – 21 in wet and slippery conditions in Brisbane’s north.

    Jojo Fifita showcased his speed for his first try when he swooped on an errant Nudgee pass to sprint eighty metres to score. Even in the wet and muddy conditions and holding the ball, Jojo Fifita actually ran away from the Nudgee defenders who were chasing vainly in his wake.

    Ttans contracted Kaleb Ngamanu was heavily involved in Jojo Fifita’s second try of the match, Kaleb Ngamanu put in a kick from just inside his own territory into space, the TSS right winger was the first to the ball and whilst on his back threw a two handed pass to Jojo Fifita who had also chased htorugh the kick. One he took possession Jojo Fifita was not going to be stopped and he dived over in the right corner to put TSS in front late in the match.

    In the second official trial of the 2020 season against Churchie Jojo Fifita also started at outside centre, dominating once again as TSS won for the second straight match 31 – 19. Jojo Fifita may not have scored in the match but some of his ball running was impressive, as was his initial contact in defence.

    In Round One of the 2020 GPS First XV competition proper Jojo Fifita, from outside centre scored four tries as TSS ran out 49 – 19 winners against Brisbane State High School and also recorded two votes in the Player of the Year voting. The Australian Rugby coach attended the match and spoke glowingly after the match to the press about just hwo good Jojo Fifita was, highlighting what a coup it is for the Titans to get Jojo Fifita signed.

    Jojo Fifita’s first try of the match came from a quick release of the ball from a ruck with Jojo Fifita receiving the ball fifteen metres out to score in the corner untouched. Jojo Fifita’s second try was just as easy having a simple ten metre run to the line after good work from TSS at the break down.

    Jojo Fifita had a lot more work to do for his third try that came from an exciting forty metre run to the line with three BSHS defenders in his wake. Jojo Fifita scored his fourth try when he exploded seventy metres down a very short blind side, rounding the BSHS fullback to score an impressive long range try.

    Due to injury Jojo Fifita only played in one more match in 2020, with that coming in Round Four against BBC when he had a great battle with Melbourne Storms Jack Howarth, being awarded three votes in the TSS Player of the Year voting.

    Whilst TSS may have lost the match, Jojo Fifita did nothing but enhance his already impressive reputation as a result of his outstanding match against BBC, where he was once again pitted against Melbourne Storm signing jack Howarth. That particular individual battle was worth the trip to the ground alone and for me at least ended in a draw with both players showing that the are talented young players with enormous futures.

    At the conclusion of the final round of the 2020 GPS First XV school boy rugby competition, Jojo Fifita was named the TSS First XV Best and Fairest player, which was especially impressive as he had missed a number of matches due to a lower leg injury.

    The 2020 TSS First XV coach came out in the local Gold Coast media noting that Jojo Fifita will go down as one of the best players ever to don a TSS First XV jersey.

    In 2019 Jojo Fifita commenced the GPS school boy season in the TSS First XV squad, starting TSS’s first trial of the season against Toowoomba Grammar School on the bench. Jojo Fifita came into the starting line at outside centre in TSS’s second trial against touring New Zealand school, New Plymouth Boys High.

    Jojo Fifita also started at outside centre (No. 13) in the remainder of TSS’s other First XV trials in 2019 against Brisbane State High School, Nudgee College and Ipswich Grammar School.

    Jojo Fifta made his official First XV debut for TSS when he started Round One of the 2019 GPS First XV school boy rugby competition agaisnt Nudgee College with an after the siren penalty goal by Hamish Roberts giving Jojo Fifita a winning start to his First XV career as a result of the 21 – 20 victory.

    Jojo Fifita started at outside centre once again in Round Two and scored his first career First XV try when he scored in a TSS 64 – 7 voctory over Churchie. Jojo Fifita’s first career try came late in the second half when he backed up a break by the TSS left winger and he was on hand to take an inside pass ten metres out and was able to put the ball down in the left corner for what turned out to be the final try of the match.

    Starting at outside centre once again in Round Three against Brisbane State High School, Jojo Fifita scored two tries as TSS recorded a 52 – 7 victory and also gaining three votes in the Player of the Year voting.

    Both of Jojo Fifita’s tries came in the seconf half, the first coming when Jojo Fifita was on hand to gather a ball that was dropped by Brisbane State High School. Jojo Fifita scooped the ball up twelve metres out from the line and was immediately engaged by the defence. Jojo Fifita just kept pumping his legs and forced his way over to get the ball down with three defenders hanging off him.

    Jojo Fifita’s second try of the match resulted when he backed up a break by the TSS left winger through the centre of the ruck from is own territory. As he came to the fullback the TSS winger put in a short grubber kick, Jojo Fifita who had been backing up on the right sped through to retrieve the ball on the fly to score untouched next to the right goal post.

    In Round Four against Toowoomba Grammar School, Jojo Fifita, starting at outside centre added another double to his impressive production including gaining two votes in the Player of the Year voting. Jojo Fifita was also heavily involved in one of TSS’s second half tries when he threw the final pass to his left to Deom Samuela to score in the left corner as TSS cruised to a 65 – 7 victory.

    Both of Jojo Fifita’s tries came in the first half, the first being an exceptional individual effort. The ball was spun out to the right and Jojo Fifita flew onto the ball seventy five metres out from the line, bursting through the attempted tackle of two defenders, Jojo Fifita used a left foot step to beat the initial cover defence before a supurb left arm fend eliminated the threat of the Toowoomba Grammar School fullback and he was able to easily cover the remainder of the ground to the try line for one the best individual tries that I have seen, regardless of code.

    Jojo Fifita’s second try of the match came when he backed up a break by the TSS loose head prop, receiving an inside pass from the front rower for Jojo Fifita to raun the remaining thirty five metres to the try line unopposed.

    Jojo Fifita continued his run of starts at outside centre in Round Five against Brisbane Grammar School and continued his run of try scoring matches when he sprinted fifty metres to score in a TSS 78 – 0 victory. Jojo Fifita also provided two try assists to winger Hamish Roberts in the big win as well.

    In the pivotal Round Six match at Toowong against Brisbane Boys College, I was one of a crowd of around 5 000 to see TSS surge back from a first half deficiet on the back of some incredible Jojo Fifita charges, including one dominating run that led to a try in the second half as TSS defeated BBC 23 – 20 to effectively win the 2109 GPS school boy rugby First XV Championship.

    The run I referred to above came early in the second half, initially Jojo Fifita was used as a decoy runner as TSS threw the ball out to the right. Jojo Fifita kept running and made himself available to take an off load after a TSS break back on the inside around fifteen metres out. It would be more than fair to say that BBC defenders were everywhere, but Jojo Fifita set sail for the line and was able to crash over adjacent to the right upright under heavy pressure from three BBC defenders,

    Jojo Fifita scored the try right in front of where I was standing and the sound of the impact of the collosion had to be heard to believe.

    Jojo Fifita started at outside centre once again in Round Seven against Gregory Terrace scoring from a set play as TSS left Graceville with a 54 – 24 win. From a TSS scrum five metres out from the Gregory Terrace line and set just to the left of the uprights, TSS spun the ball out to the right before the ball was cut back to the left for Jojo Fifita to run a crash line, bursting through the Gregory Terrace to score under the posts.

    TSS needed a draw or a win in the final round, being Round Eight against Ipswich Grammar School and in an exciting match where Jojo Fifita started at outside centre TSS held on to draw 29 all against the Ipswich School that was led by Sydney Rooster half Sam Walker. TSS were down 29 – 17 with just minutes to go but scored late to tie the match.

    After the completiton of the 2019 GPS First XV competition, Jojo Fifita was named in the centres in the 2019 Courier Mail GPS First XV team of the year.

    In 2019 Jojo Fifita played for the Queensland Reds U18 Academy (Jojo Fifita was still U16 eligible at the time) in a match at Nudgee College against the New South Wales U18 Gen Blue Academy and earlier in 2019 Jojo Fifita was part of the Queensland Maroon U16 side that played in the U16 Junior Gold Cup National Championships. Jojo Fifita started all of Queensland Maroons matches in the centres.

    In 2018 for the TSS U15A side, Jojo Fifita started on the bench for the first two trials which were against Far North Coast and Toowoomba Grammar School before moving into the starting side at fullback for the last three trials against Nudgee, Ipswich Grammar School and Ambrose Treacy College.

    In the 2018 GPS school boy U15A season proper, Jojo Fifita started all eight matches at fullback and in Round Five against BBC scored an outstanding 50 metre try splitting the defence to score under the posts.

    As a consequence of his outstanding play I went to watch a number of his matches for Sunnybank Blue in the Brisbane Rugby U15 competition in 2018. In that competition, which was split into two, Jojo Fifita played in a total of seven matches and scored an impressive thirteen tries.

    In the first half of the season, Jojo Fifita scored a hat trick in Round One against Souths Black and four tries in the first week of the finals against Souths Black as well.

    In the second half of the season, Jojo Fifita was just a prolific scoring a hat trick against Easts Gold in Round Three, a double in Round One against Redlands and he also scored against Sunnybank Green.

    In his seven matches for Sunnybank Blue in 2018 Jojo Fifita started three at fullback, two at outside centre and two from the bench.

    From a representative rugby perspective in 2018 Jojo Fifita was selected in the City U16 side at fullback after starring for Brisbane Green in the preceding Championships.

    In 2017, Jojo Fifita started in all eight Rounds of the GPS U14A competition, starting the first three rounds at inside centre before switching to fullback for the remainder of the season. In his eight matches Jojo Fifita scored an incredible fourteen tries, crossing in every match.

    Jojo Fifita scored a hat trick in Round two against Toowoomba Grammar School and four doubles which came against Ipswich Grammar School, Brisbane Boys College, Brisbane Grammar School and Churchie, in Rounds Three, Four, Six and Nine respectively.

    Jojo Fifita also scored in Round One against Brisbane State High School, Round Five against Gregory Terrace and in Round Eight against Nudgee College.

    Jojo Fifita is not just a try scorer and on four occasions last school boy rugby season, he was named at the TSS U14A best back. He was awarded the honour against Toowoomba Grammar School, Brisbane Boys College and Churchie in Rounds Tow, Four and Nine respectively as well as against Downlands College.

    To cap off an incredible 2018 U15A season for TSS, Jojo Fifita started at outside centre for TSS when they played a “trial” against Downlands College during their Round Seven bye. In that match, Jojo Fifita scored a staggering seven tries.

    The 2015 Gold Coast Academy of Sport Rugby participant and TSS outside centre represented the U13 Brisbane Green side at the 2016 Queensland Age Rugby championships and from there was selected in the City side for their annual clash against a Country U13 side in a curtain raiser to a Queensland Reds Super Rugby clash which the City side won.

    In 2016 for the TSS U13A side Jojo Fifita was deservedly nominated for the TSS Best Junior Footballer of the year award after the 2016 GPS season where he scored four tries, including a hat trick against Brisbane Grammar School in Round Five in a comprehensive 52 – 24 victory and also scored in the final match, being Round Nine against Brisbane State High School in a tough loss for TSS. I was lucky enough to also see him play in Round Eight against Anglican Church Grammar School where he was a handful for the Churchie defence every time that he touched the ball.

    Jojo Fifita has not been just an outstanding rugby player for TSS but has also been a star in the TSS GPS Track and Field Athletics Team.

    In the 2020 GPS Athletics Championships, Jojo Fifita competed in three Open Events included running a time of 10.94 seconds in the 100 metre sprint to finish second, running 21.94 seconds to finish third in the 200 metre sprint and ran the opening leg for TSS in the 4 x 100 metre sprint relay with the team finishing seventh in a time of 44.69 seconds. Fellow Titans Kaleb Ngamanu and Syris Schmidt were also part of the TSS 4 x 100 metre relay team.

    In 2019 in the 16 years age group for TSS, Jojo Fifita completed in four events including finishing second in both the 100 metre and 200 metre sprint events. Jojo Fifita ran the 100 metres in 10.85 seconds and ran 22.2 seconds in the 200 metres.

    Jojo Fifita also ran the first leg in the 16 Years 4 x 100 metre TSS relay team that finished 6th in a time of 45.18 seconds, Syris Schmidt and Kaleb Ngamau were also part of the relay team as they were in 2020. Jojo Fifita also finished 5th in the shot put with a best throw of 13.14 metres.

    Jojo Fifita had an outstanding Track and Field Carnival in 2018 in the 15 Years age group winning both the 100 metre and 200 metres sprint events in times of 11.06 seconds and 22.37 seconds respectively. At the 2018 Championships Jojo Fifita also ran the first leg of the 4 x 100 metre relay with the TSS side finishing third in a time of 44.83 seconds.

    Jojo Fifita was no less impressive in 2017 in the 14 Years competition winning four events and finishing 4th in the shot put competition with a best throw of 12.36 metres.

    Jojo Fifita won the 100 metres sprint in a time of 11.59 seconds, ran 22.99 seconds to win the 200 metre sprint, ran the first leg of the 4 x 100 metre relay team that won in a time of 46.68 seconds and also won the long jump with a best jump of 6.17 metres to win that event by in excess of centimetres.

    In attack one of the positives in rugby compared to league is the space that centres have, when the ball is given to them early they seem to have a lot more room to move and this is something that Jojo Fifita has exploited this season in eth GPS competition. Against Brisbane Grammar School in Round Five he got the ball early and expertly stepped the opposing centre on the inside and out paced the cover defence to the try line.

    Whilst he is a big strong powerful young centre, he also has a myriad of attacking moves, including a great in and away, and also being able to cut back on the inside of his defender if they over commit to the outside, as was evidenced by his three tries against Brisbane Grammar School as well as some good breaks against Churchie.

    From what I have seen I would consider that his speed would in the plus category if not in the plus plus category for a centre, add his power and strong fend and you really have a young centre that could develop in anything on a football field.

    I concede that I know little about the attacking strategies and philosophies of the TSS rugby coaches but he seems to run slightly better when he lines up on the right hand side of the field, his spacing, line running and ability to beat his opposite number on the inside seems a little more instinctive from that side of the field.

    Jojo Fifita must be a five eight’s dream, when he gets the ball early he causes real havoc for the defensive line whether he is playing in the centres or at fullback.

    Defensively he hits very hard and constantly is in a position to disrupt the attacking movement of the opposition. Extrapolating his skill set to a rugby league setting, I would suggest that he 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 he certainly does not shirk contact, both in attack or defence and similarly in committing to the break down in rugby, he will put his head over the ball to protect the ball when TSS have it and also clear out aggressively when looking for the turn over for TSS. The GPS matches are keenly contested regardless of the age group and the rucks and mauls are not for the faint hearted as young men represent their schools with pride.

    Jojo Fifita is still U18 eligible in 2021, thus it will be fascinating to see where he starts the 2021 season. Jojo Fifita may start the first round or two of the MM Cup (the MM Cup starts prior to the start of the Hastings Deerings Colts competition, or has in the apst) before moving almost immediately to the U20 (U21 in 2021) Hastings Deerings Colts competition.

    The only thing holding Jojo Fifita back is his lack of experience playing rugby league, but once he gets some rugby league matches under his belt, Jojo Fifita will fly through the lower grades all the way to the NRL, potentially as early as 2022.

    From a position perspective, Jojo Fifita has played the last couple of school boy First XV seasons playing at outside centre (No. 13) but in earlier seasons played some fullback for both TSS and representative rugby sides such as the Cyclones and South Coast.

    For me however there so no doubt that Jojo Fifita is an outstanding centre prospect and one that has not just NRL level potential but State of Origin and International level potential. It will be interesting to see in what position Jojo Fifita starts is rugby league career, do the Titans give him some time on the wing to get acclimatised or do they immediately play Jojo Fifita in the centres. If it were me I would play Jojo Fifita in the centres immediately, he certainly has the maturity and skill to adapt quickly to playing in the centres in rugby league.

    Jojo FIfita just looks a natural on a football field and if he can have a bit of luck with injuries etc. the sky is the limit for the talented young athlete.

    From a player comparison perspective, I will once again qualify my comments that when I am making a player comparison I am talking about a playing style rather than potential career path. For me Jojo Fifita has a little bit of former South Sydney Rabbitoh, Queensland State of Origin captain and Australian Test centre Greg Inglis in his game.

    Jojo Fifita is not as tall as Ingles but is just as damaging and powerful and Jojo Fifita has a fair bit more speed, both off the mark and over extended distances than the former Queensland State of Origin and Australian International star.

    If I am being honest Jojo Fifita is not that dis-similiar in size to his second cousin David Fifita and has the same explosiveness and power as his (at this stage) more well known cousin.

    On his day Jojo Fifita can be a powerful, exceptionally quick and elusive but also a bullocking runner who can just break a game open individually and simply dominate for the entire match almost through sheer force of will alone.
    Last edited by mdrew; 20-11-20 at 07:41 PM.


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