Kalemb Hart. The Coffs Harbour Comets junior and former Wavell State High School and Brisbane Broncos NYC centre has moved up to Toowoomba for the 2018 season joining Toowoomba Valleys.
The 19 year old centre got off to a bit of a slow start in the Toowoomba Rugby League First Grade competition this season scoring just a single try in his first four matches which came against Wattles. His last three matches however have been the complete opposite, Kalemb Hart has scored seven tries in the three game span including scoring a hat trick in Round Eleven against Gatton and doubles in Rounds Nine and Ten against Highfields and Dalby respectively.
Kalemb Hart spent part the 2017 season as part of the Brisbane Broncos NYC side, playing in two matches. He started Round Eleven in the centres against the Wests Tigers and on the wing against the Sydney Roosters in Round Thirteen where team mates included current Titans NRL contracted players Jai Whitbread and Keegan Hipgrave.
Kalemb Hart also played a number of matches with the North’s Devils U20 Colts side in 2017, including starting on the wing in the Grand Final against the Redcliffe Dolphins. Even though he was on the losing side that Sunday afternoon, Kalemb Hart was one of the Devils Grand Final tries scorers.
In total in the U20 Colts competition for Norths in 2017, Kalemb Hart played in nine matches, including North’s three final’s matches scoring five tries. Kalemb Hart’s tries in addition to his Grand Final try came in Rounds One, Three, Fifteen and Sixteen against Easts, Sunshine Coast, Burleigh and Wynnum Manly respectively.
Kalemb Hart started Round One in the centres and his remaining eight matches on the wing for the Norths Devils Colts in 2017.
In 2016 Kalemb Hart represented Met North in the U18 QSSRL Championships making the Queensland U18 ASSRL side at fullback and in 2014 was part of the New South Wales U16 side that also contained Jai Whitbread. Kalemb Hart represented Group Two on a number of occasions including in 2012 at the U14 level and 2013 at the U15 level.
In terms of his attacking play Kalemb Hart is a smooth runner of the ball who has above average to plus top end speed and good evasiveness to get on the outside of his opposing defender with a decent fend that enables him to keep all but the strongest outside backs at a distance and away from his body thus allowing Kalemb Hart to maintain his balance to either make additional ground or to off load the football.
When playing at centre Kalemb Hart just needs to be aware to straighten up the axis of attack on occasion to ensure his outside supports have room to move and exploit any advantages identified. He has quite a good step, predominately off the right foot, so Kalemb Hart certainly has the skills to adjust his running line as he gains more experience and develops a better rapport with his teams play makers and progresses to a higher level in competition.
Defensively Kalemb Hart has a technique and timing that has evolved to combat larger centres, he gets up on the ball carrier quickly and chops their legs out from under them before they can transfer the ball correctly and look to unload. When an attacker gets on his outside, Kalemb Hart uses his exceptional recovery speed to get to the attacker before they can reach their top speed and gain additional ground.
Kalemb Hart is still eligible to play for the Western Mustangs in the Hasting’s Deering’s U20 Colts side this season but the most likely scenario for the remainder of the 2018 season is that Kalemb Hart continues to develop and star in the centres for Toowoomba Valleys and based on his recent try scoring exploits will be at or near the top of the Toowoomba First Grade try scoring tally come season’s end.
It will be interesting to see if Kalemb Hart is looking for a Queensland Cup spot come 2019. His outstanding speed and freakish try scoring ability will hold him in good stead if he chases an opportunity.
Back in his Coffs Harbour Comets days Kalemb Hart was a centre but he has moved around a bit since, playing a number of matches at fullback and on the wing through his school boy rugby league career with Wavell State High School, the Bronco’s NYC side, North’s Colts and through to playing for Toowoomba Valleys in the TRL First Grade competition this season.
I would anticipate that with a run of full fitness, Kalemb Hart will find his niche in the centres as a result of his outstanding speed and freakish try scoring ability when he is fully fit and motivated.
In many respects the way Kalemb Hart plays on a football field resembles that of former Titans and current Manly outside back Brian Kelly as a quick hard running centre with some intriguing try scoring potential moving forward.