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  1. #316
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    Young Ipswich centre or five eight Caleb Jackson was outstanding this season in the Ipswich Rugby League U15 competition for Norths Ipswich.

    For Norths in the Ipswich U15 competition, Caleb Jackson, who represented Met West this season in the QSSRL U15 School boy competition scored twelve tries from eleven matches.

    Caleb Jackson scored hat tricks against the Swifts Bluebirds and Karalee/Lowood and doubles against the Redbank Plains Bears and Karalee/Lowood as well as tries against the Springfield Panthers and Redbank Plains Bears.

    Caleb Jackson also scored five tries from three appearances in the Ipswich U14 pre-season competition

  2. #317
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    Young New Zealand front rower Mat Palu is on his way over to play for the Redcliffe Dolphins in 2020, he without doubt will garner interest from NRL sides as 2020 progress.

    - - - Updated - - -

    2019 NZ U18 centre Sam Taunga is another player on his way to Redcliffe for the 2020 Hastings Deering's Colts competition.

  3. #318
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    With the South East Queensland AIC schools playing rugby league as well as rugby it goes without saying that a lot of NRL clubs will continue to keep a close eye on the players at those schools. In 2020 I expect that potentially the most influential player in the AIC school boy rugby competition will be powerful No. 8 Keynan Tauakipulu who in 2019 was part of the Australian Schools rugby squad and will play the 2020 season with St Peters Lutheran College.

    He moved over to Australia in 2019 after being a star rugby player for powerhouse New Zealand School St Kentigen College where he was considered by some as one of the top 15 school boy rugby players in New Zealand.

    Whilst he is part of the Queensland Reds Academy luring him away from rugby (if possible) would be a real coup for which ever NRL club could pull it off.

  4. #319
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    Canterbury New Zealand brothers Mapu Usai (second row) and Unaloto Usai (centre) are two players from New Zealand’s South Island going place in rugby league.

    This season they played for Linwood Keys in the Canterbury Rugby League primarily playing in the 17/18 years competition.

    Mapu Usai played in nine 17/18 matches finishing with 84 points from twelve tries and 18 goals.

    Included in his 12 tries were hat tricks against Haeta/Eastern and the Halswell Hornets (he also kicked four goals in that game).

    Mapu Usai also played in four Canterbury Premiership matches (First Grade) making his debut in April against the Eastern Eagles and scoring his first Premiership try in his second match against the Northern Bulldogs before adding a double in his third match against the Halswell Hornets.

    Mapu Usai also played in four Canterbury Cup matches in 2019 scoring seven tries in those matches, after making his debut and scoring in July against the Shirley Hawks. In his second Canterbury Cup match he adding a hat trick against the Halswell Hornets, scored a double in match three against the Papanui Tigers before rounding out his time in the Canterbury Cup scoring against the Northern Bulldogs.

    16 year old centre Unaloto Usai finished the 2019 Canterbury 17/18 years competition with 13 tries from ten matches including doubles in consecutive matches early in the season against the Halswell Hornets in two matches and Haeata/Eastern.

    Unaloto is U18 eligible in 2020 and Mapu has two years of U20 eligibility commencing in 2020

  5. #320
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    In this season’s Queensland U16 representative match between City and Country, plenty of Titans players were involved, but one of the best players in the match was Country front rower John Radel who scored a double as well as running for 170 metres.

    John Radel will play for St Peters Lutheran College in both rugby and rugby league in the AIC competition in 2020 and is a real player of the future.

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    Hayden O’Hara. The multi-talented 21 year old 96kg, 185cm centre or five eight has recently re-signed with the South Logan Magpies after making three appearances for their Queensland Cup side in 2019.

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

    In total in the 2019 Queensland Cup competition, Hayden O’Hara played 233 minutes out of a possible 240 (he played 73 minutes in Round Fourteen), ran for 128 metres (48 post contact), broke seven tackles and made fifty two tackles at a tackling efficiency of 83.87%.

    On a per game basis Hayden O’Hara played 77.67 minutes, ran for 432.7 metres and made sixteen tackles. In Round Nine against Sunshine Coast Hayden O’Hara ran for a season best fifty metres and in Rounds Eight and Nine made twenty one tackles.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    In attack Hayden O’Hara has above average to plus speed off the mark but does not necessary have an extra gear in open space, but he is able to sustain his top speed over considerable distance. In confined space, he has very good footwork, including a good step off both feet. He can beat defenders in the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies.

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

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

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

    In defence, Hayden O’Hara does not necessarily come up with the big hit but reads the play well enough and can hold his own when defending much bigger players. When confronted with forwards running directly at him on the edge of the ruck, he will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives.

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

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

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

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

  7. #322
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    Max Elliott. (Revised) Sorry all, I could not help myself, Max Elliott has been one of my favourite players ever since I saw him play at the age of thirteen in Northern New South Wales for the Titans Development Squads, progressing all the way through to being outstanding for the Titans NYC squad in 2015 before heading to the Bronco’s with his brother Sam for the 2016 season. Max Elliott played the 2016 season with the Brisbane Broncos NYC side before moving to the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in the Queensland Cup.

    In 2019 Max Elliott played in twenty one Queensland Cup matches for Wynnum Manly and enjoyed played against Gold Coast sides with his two tries coming against them, being in Round Five against Tweed Heads and Round Twenty Four against Burleigh.

    Max Elliott started thirteen matches in the front row in 2019, six from the interchange, one at lock (Round Twenty Six against Townsville) and one in the second row (Round Twenty Five against Redcliffe).

    In his twenty one matches Max Elliott ran for 1 348 metres (485.5 post contact), broke twenty seven tackles, offloaded the ball on eight occasions and made 354 tackles at an 85.5% tackling efficiency.

    His per game averages in 2019 included running for 64.2 metres and making 16.86 tackles. On three occasions Max Elliott ran for in excess of 100 metres in a matches including running for 115 metres in Round Six against Burleigh and in Round Three made twenty four tackles against the Mackay Cutters.

    In 2018 Max Elliott played in twenty two matches for Wynnum Manly starting the majority in the front row and scored two tries along the way. Max Elliott ran for 1 740 metres (649 post contact), broke forty nine tackles and made 460 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 88.46% and his per game averages including running for 79.09 metres and making 20.91 tackles.

    For the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in 2017 Max Elliott played in thirteen contests in the Queensland Cup including starting on the inter change bench in Round One and moving into the starting line-up in Round Nine against the Townsville Blackhawks in the front row. Max Elliott started one match in the front row, two in the second row, two from the interchange bench and his remaining matches at lock and scored his sole 2017 try in Round Twelve.

    In total Max Elliott was on the field for 516 minutes, making 947 metres and also making 289 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 90.6% in the Queensland Cup in 2017. Max Elliott also broke 20 tackles and had four offloads on the season.

    Max Elliott’s 2017 per game Queensland Cup averages included playing 40 minutes per game, running for 73 metres and making 22 tackles. On three occasions Max Elliott ran for in excess of 100 metres in a match including running for 137 in a Round Fifteen match against the North’s Devils and in Round Nineteen Max Elliott made 45 tackles in just 63 minutes on the field.

    Of the 947 metres that he made in 2017, Max Elliott made 378 of those post contact thus 40% of all his running metres were made after he had impacted the defensive line, including running for 54 post contact metres in Round Thirteen and 51 post contact metres in Rounds Fourteen and Sixteen.

    Over the course of the 2017 Max Elliott also played in the In Safe Hands Cup which is the Brisbane A Grade competition, playing four games and scoring a solitary try.

    In 2016 the 21 year old former Lismore Marist Brothers junior represented New South Wales U20 and 2013 he was part of the Australian Institute of Sport School Boy side that toured New Zealand after making the side from St John’s College Woodlawn in Northern New South Wales. Former Titans NYC star Sam Swift was also part of the AIS touring party that year.

    In total in the NYC competition for the Broncos in 2016, Max Elliott played 1 051 minutes across twenty four matches, running for 1 873 metres from 195 carries and made 526 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 93%. Max Elliott’s 2016 NYC per game averages included playing 38 minutes, taking 8 runs for 78 metres and making 22 tackles.

    In total in the NYC competition in 2015 for the Titans, Max Elliott played 921 minutes, running for 1 653 metres from 169 carries and made 473 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 89%. Max Elliott’s 2015 NYC per game averages included playing 42 minutes, taking 7.7 hit-ups for 75 metres and making 21.5 tackles.

    Max Elliott is a big strong powerful aggressive 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. Max Elliott 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.

    Max Elliott is always the player standing back deep from kick ups to take the first hit up and will charge straight at the line. Max Elliott 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.

    In defence, Max Elliott can certainly hit very hard and for a solidly built player has quite decent endurance thus allowing him to get back quickly into the defensive line play after play. Where he is also very good, due to his good athletic skills is for a front rower is effectively tackling smaller attackers in the centre of the ruck. Max Elliott 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.

    Max Elliott will play the 2020 Queensland Cup season for Wynnum Manly again. I will admit I would love to see Max Elliott playing for either Burleigh or Tweed Heads but regardless he is great to watch with his tough aggressive attitude on display.

    If he were to come to the Coast to play I would get him to bring his brother and fellow former Titan Sam Elliott who is currently playing with Souths Logan with him, both are just outstanding individuals and more than solid rugby league players.

    For me Max Elliott has been used incorrectly the last couple of seasons at Wynnum Manly where he has spent a lot of time playing in the front row. Whilst he is certainly tough enough to play there, Max Elliott is a little under sized there at 186cm and 102g and also cannot use his footwork as well as he can if he played wider of the ruck in the second row or at least had the licence to do so.

    North Queensland Cowboys, Queensland State of Origin and Australian International lock Josh Maguire is a solid player comparison for Max Elliott. Like Maguire, Max Elliott works all day both in attack and defence and when you least except in, he will produce a great offload or massive hit to ignite his team. Also like Josh Maguire, Max Elliott is more effective when he has the freedom to use his footwork wider of the ruck rather than just taking the ball forward into a set defensive line.

  8. #323
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    Rory Lillis. The local young second rower originally from the Mullumbimby Giants just south of the border moved back to the Gold Coast mid-way through the 2016 season playing for the Tweed Heads Seagulls Colts side before making the Titans Holden Cup squad for the 2017 season and played in twenty Two matches in the Holden Cup for the Titans including scoring his solitary 2017 NYC try in Round twenty Three against the St George Dragons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The 2020 season will see Rory Lillis in the Queensland Cup competition for the third season in a row and from there the young hard working second rower will be looking to get noticed by the right NRL club who needs a hard working all effort type of second rower who has the will and endurance to play big minutes and tackle all day yet is still able to take the ball into a defensive line with vigour.

    Rory Lillis has played his entire career in the second row and I am sure that is where he will continue to play in 2020.

    From a player comparison perspective, think of someone along the lines of South Sydney’s second rower Kyle Turner as a solid all round type of backrower who runs at the defensive line with speed and a hard approach and regularly makes good ground as well as being an effective defender.

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    Julian Christian. The young former Kirwan State High School rugby league star moved down to Brisbane at the end of 2016 to be part of the Brisbane Bronco’s NYC squad. Recently Julian Christian has signed a new contract which will keep him at the Jets for another season.

    In the 2019 Queensland Cup competition Julian Christian played in twenty matches crossing for an impressive nine tries to finish with a 45% strike rate. Julian Christian started off the season with a bang scoring in seven of his first eight matches with those matches being against Burleigh (Round Two), Easts (Round Three), Northern Pride (Round Four), Redcliffe (Round Five), Tweed Heads 9Round Eight), Central Queensland (Round Nine) and Souths Logan in Round Ten.

    Julian Christian’s other tries came in Round Twenty One against Souths Logan and Round Twenty Three against Sunshine Coast.

    In addition in 2019 Julian Christian forced six drop outs, had eight try assists, eight line breaks, five line break assists and twelve off-loads and well as kicking for 2 436 metres. Julian Christian ran for 1 8 41 metres and made 233 tackles at a tackling efficiency is 77.4%. His per game averages included running for 92.1 metres, kicking for 121.8 metres and making 11.65 tackles.

    On seven occasions Julian Christian ran for more than 100 metres including an impressive 178 metres in Round Four against the Northern Pride and 137 metres in Round Twenty against Tweed heads. Defensively Julian Christina made seventeen tackles in Round Two against the Burleigh Bears.

    In 2018 Julian Christian scored four tries and kicked one conversion from as many attempts to finish the Queensland Cup season with eighteen points from fourteen matches.

    In those fourteen matches where he played primarily five eight Julian Christian ran for 1 144 metres, kicked for 547 metres, manufactured five try assists, forced two drop outs, offloaded the ball on six occasions and made 109 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 76.76% all whilst still U20 eligible.

    The young five eight had only limited opportunities in the NYC with the Bronco’s but got his opportunity with the Ipswich Jets starting at five eight in two Queensland Cup matches towards the end of the 2017 season and to say that he was outstanding would be an understatement.

    Whilst 177cm, 77kg five eight only played in two Queensland Cup matches in 2017 matches, he scored four tries, made one line break, had one try assist, made 378 metres and made twelve tackles at a 100% tackling efficiency. Julian Christian’s 2017 Queensland Cup per game averages included running for 188 metres and making six tackles.

    For the Bronco’s in the 2017 NYC competition, Julian Christian played in nine matches, starting the first five matches that he played at five eight. In his final four matches in the NYC in 2017 Julian Christian started one at half back and the remaining three from the interchange. Julian Christin scored two 2017 NYC tries which came against the Cowboys in Round Two and against the Storm in Round Three.

    In total in the 2017 NYC competition, Julian Christian was on the field for 483 minutes ran for 325 metres on 28 hit-ups, made four line breaks, had two try assists and made 99 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 92.83%. Julian Christian’s 2017 NYC per game averages included playing for 54 minutes, running for 36.1 metres from 3 carries and making eleven tackles.

    Julian Christian had an outstanding junior representative career including representing the Queensland U18’s in 2016 where in fact he started at hooker and also multiple school boy and junior age representative side in North Queensland. In 2016 Julian Christian played for the Townsville Blackhawks in the MM Cup competition including playing in the MM Cup final where they were victorious.

    Julian Christian’s speed off the mark is the first attribute that you will notice when you see him play live. Julian Christian does not seem to have an extra gear once he is through the defensive line, but has the ability to maintain his speed over a long distance, thus the apparent lack of an extra gear in speed has no discernible impact that I have identified.

    To compliment an outstanding left foot step, Julian Christian’s speed enables him to make numerous line breaks. He can and will beat defenders in the inside with a step and if the defensive line is staggered a dummy and go, presents multiple headaches for the opposition’s defensive strategies.

    The continued key development area for Julian Christian is in relation to his play making skills, including putting his runners, whether they are backrowers or centres into holes. His enhanced plays making skills has made his speed with his show and go more effective as defensive lines start to focus in his runners and thus leave more space for him.

    Julian Christian has a good short kicking game but he does not have the strongest leg in terms of kicking deep.

    In defence, Julian Christian reads the play well enough to hold his own when defending much bigger players. Julian Christian will also track across field well looking when the ball is turned back inside. When confronted with forwards running directly at him on the edge of the ruck, he will get in front of them and use his shoulder in an effort to contain them until defensive help arrives from the inside forwards.

    It needs to be considered that even in relation to a small sample size Julian Christian did not miss a tackle in two Queensland Cup matches as an 18 year old and his tackling efficiency in the NYC was above 90% which is outstanding for that competition especially in relation to a 177cm, 77kg five eight. The young man can tackle period.

    Julian Christian will play the upcoming 2020 season with the Ipswich Jets once again and for the first time since his arrival at the Jets Julian Christian will have a new coach with the Walker brothers moving on. Under the Walker brothers Julian Christian flourished by being able to play what is in front of him rather than to a set pattern.

    Julian Christian has played just about everywhere in the back line, including fullback, five eight and halfback in the Queensland in his three seasons there and at this stage I think that it is too early to call where his best position will be such is his versatility.

    Julian Christian has exceptional speed, balance and hand eye co-ordination thus fullback is a clear option but he also runs with the ball out in front of his body in two hands and can pop a very good short pass thus half back is also clearly not out of the question.

    Should he make the NRL I would think that Julian Christian initially breaks into a side at fullback but then after getting acclimatised moves to the halves on a more permanent basis.

    With his outstanding speed, elusiveness and ball playing ability Julian Christian is almost a carbon copy of the Titans very own AJ Brimson.

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    Rory Ferguson. The outstanding Otago youngster was a standout school boy rugby and rugby league player in South Island of New Zealand before moving over to play for the Brisbane Bronco’s in the 2017 NYC competition before moving to the Souths Logan magpies making his Queensland Cup debut in August 2018.

    This season for the Souths Logan Magpies, Rory Ferguson played in Twenty One matches scoring his sole try in Round Fifteen against the Mackay Cutters. Rory Ferguson started one match in the second row being Round One against Central Queensland, three at lock with his first coming in Round Two against the Mackay Cutters, seven from the interchange and ten in the front row with his first start there coming in Round Thirteen against the Townsville Blackhawks.

    In total in 2019, Rory Ferguson ran for 1 777 metres (602.2 post contact), broke twenty six tackles, had a try assist in Round Three against Norths and made 567 tackles at an impressive tackling efficiency of 92.8%.

    Rory Ferguson’s 2019 per game Queensland Cup averages included running for 84.7 metres from 8.1 hit-ups and making twenty seven tackles.

    On seven occasions Rory Ferguson ran for in excess of 100 metres in a match including running for 150 metres in Round One. Defensively Rory Ferguson made in excess of forty tackles on four occasions with his best stats coming in Round Three against Norths when he made forty four tackles. In Rounds One, Two and Sixteen, Rory Ferguson made forty two tackles with those matches against Central Queensland, Mackay and Burleigh respectively.

    In 2018 Rory Ferguson played in four late season Queensland Cup matches, running for 380 metres (164 post contact), broke ten tackles and made eight four tackles at a tackling efficiency of 94.38%.

    Also in 2018 Rory Ferguson was part of the Souths Logan Magpies Hastings Deering’s Colts side starting sixteen matches in the front row including their Week One Finals loss to the Northern Pride and scoring in Round Three against Norths and Round Six against Central Queensland.

    For the Bronco’s in the 2017 NYC competition Rory Ferguson made his debut in Round Ten against Manly starting from the interchange. In total in 2017 Rory Ferguson played in thirteen NYC matches for the Bronco’s starting two matches at lock being Round Eleven against the Wests Tigers and Round Twenty Six against the Cowboys. Rory Ferguson crossed for his sole try in Round Sixteen against the Canberra Raiders.

    In total in the 2017 NYC competition Rory Ferguson was on the field for 422 minutes, including playing all 80 minutes in Round Eleven, his first start in the NYC, took 65 hit-ups making 568 metres and made 248 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 91.85%. Rory Ferguson’s 2017 NYC per match averages included playing for 32.46 minutes, taking five hit-ups for 43.7 metres and making 19.1 tackles. In 2017 Rory Ferguson was also credited with only making only two errors in 422 minutes of football, not bad at all.

    Rory Ferguson had an outstanding Round Eleven match against the Wests Tigers making 132 metres from fourteen hit-ups and also making 45 tackles whilst playing the entire 80 minutes. In Round Twelve against the Warriors Rory Ferguson went even better from a tackling perspective making 50 tackles in 75 minutes on the field, he also made 81 metres from nine hit-ups against his countrymen.

    Rory Ferguson also played a number of Colts matches for the South’s Logan Magpies across both the FOGS Colts Challenge and the U20 Colts Cup. In the early season U20 State-wide Cup competition Rory Ferguson played in five matches for Souths Logan starting all at lock and scoring in Round Six against the North’s Devils. In the subsequent U20 Colts challenge competition Rory Ferguson started both matches that he was involved in at lock as well.

    In New Zealand prior to his move to Brisbane Rory Ferguson was the captain of his School’s First XV rugby side being John McGlashan High School in Dunedin where he was a boarder for five years and also represented New Zealand in rugby league at the U16 and U18 levels. Rory Ferguson captained the New Zealand U16 side in a match against Samoa in 2014 leading from the front scoring a double.

    Rory Ferguson was so highly thought of in New Zealand Rugby circles that he was invited to be part of the Otago Highlanders Super 15 Development squad but chose rugby league instead. In school boy rugby Rory Ferguson was primarily an open side flanker (No. 7) although I believe he also played some No. 8 and in younger grades at John McGlashan High School spent some time in the centres, specifically outside centre ( No. 13).

    Rarely can you find a young player who is equally at home running on both sides of the ruck but that is what a team has with Rory Ferguson, he runs a superb outside shoulder line and his excellent footwork enables him to step off either foot to enable him to cut back against the movement of the defensive line to take advantage of gaps back on the inside of his direct opponent if an inside defender is slow to come across in defence.

    For a big strong young man, Rory Ferguson also has above average speed, not just off the mark but also when he is in clear space, when he makes a break Rory Ferguson is more than capable of going the distance and normally out paces the cover defence on the way to the try line.

    Rory Ferguson is not just a strong runner of the ball he as noted above has excellent footwork prior to the line and also some very good short passing both before the line and when in contact with a defender. Rory Ferguson in schoolboy rugby in New Zealand was a magnet for defenders and is adept at identifying when multiple defenders are vectoring towards him and identifying the appropriate force to be applied to his passing.

    On a lot of his runs Rory Ferguson rather than trying to step his opposite number will really look to initiate the contact and then use his strength to hold the defender off his body to either push through the tackle or draw in the next defender to create space for his support players.

    Defensively Rory Ferguson has a hard edge to his play and his initial contact is more than sufficient to redirect the momentum of the ball carrier. Rory Ferguson sets a very good base which he uses to explode into the ball carrier looking to use their own momentum against them. His good situation awareness also enables him to be well positioned when he is defending against smaller quicker opponents and he endeavours to minimise the time available for the opposing attacker to generate speed and to utilise their footwork.

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

    As a 21 year old Rory Ferguson had an outstanding 2019 season and I must admit I am a touch surprised he has not had a look in from an NRL perspective even on a train and trial basis but another impressive season in 2020 for Souths Logan may change that after resigning with the Magpies recently.

    At around 186cm and 98kg with outstanding athletic ability and aerobic fitness Rory Ferguson is the ideal size to play in the second row in the NRL. To compliment his physical skills Rory Ferguson displays a skill and intensity level on the field that will rarely be matched by anyone.

    I appreciate that Rory Ferguson spent a fair portion of the 2019 Queensland Cup season in the front row for Souths Logan and definitely made an impact through sheer hard work and effort but should he make it to the NRL I would think that second row would be his ideal position.

    From a player comparison perspective in relation to Rory Ferguson, someone along the lines of Simon Mannering captain of the New Zealand Warriors and New Zealand Test side is a more than sound comparison from a style perspective as a talented back rower who plays the game hard and with toughness and a no compromise attitude that will demand team mates respond in kind through Rory Ferguson’s actions not necessarily his words

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    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe. The former Titans Junior Development Squad member and Logan Brothers junior was part of the Bronco’s NYC squad in 2017 as well as representing Queensland at the U18 level starting at half back in the interstate clash.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe wore a Titans jersey in a couple of Development Squad matches at Redlands at the U13 and U14 age groups and even back then he was a class apart from a ball playing, elusiveness, game management and leadership perspective.

    I was standing watching the U13 Titans Development Squad start to warm up before a match in 2013, the Titans coach was a touch behind still talking to the referee, but Dray Ngatuere-Wroe took it upon himself to organise the squad and get the warm up started rather than just standing around waiting for the coach. Small things like this say a lot about a person.

    This season Dray Ngatuere-Wroe played for the Easts Tigers making his Queensland Cup debut in Round Sixteen against Central Queensland, starting the match at five eight, scoring and kicking five goals on debut. In Round Seventeen against Ipswich Dray Ngatuere-Wroe moved to half, kicking three goals before moving back to five eight for Round Eighteen against PNG when he kicked seven conversions before starting Round Twenty against Redcliffe at half.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe played eight minutes in all four of his Queensland Cup matches this season, running for 121 metres (seventeen post contact), kicking for 388 metres, broke the line on one occasion, broke eight tackles (literally two in each match), had try assists in Rounds Seventeen and Eighteen, had an offload and made fifty four tackles at a tackling efficiency of 78.26%.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe’s 2019 Queensland Cup per game averages included running for 30.8 metres, kicking for ninety seven metres and making 13.5 tackles. In Round Twenty against Redcliffe Dray Ngatuere-Wroe ran for fifty two metres, kicked for 125 metres and made twenty two tackles, all current career highs.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe started the 2019 season off in the Easts Tigers U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts side, playing in sixteen matches in total including their Week One Finals loss to Norths, starting all at half and captaining the side on a number of occasions. Over the course of the season Dray Ngatuere-Wroe scored forty six points, from six tries, ten goals and two field goals.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe scored a Round One double against Mackay as well as tries in Rounds Three, Four, Fifteen and Twenty Two against Ipswich, the Western Mustangs, Norths and the Northern Pride respectively. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe also kicked four goals in Round Twenty Two against the Northern Pride to finish that match with twelve points.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe kicked a game winning field goal in Round Twenty One against the Tweed Heads Seagulls and kicked his other field goal right on half time in Round Fifteen against Norths.

    In 2018 Dray Ngatuere-Wroe played for the Souths Logan Magpies in the U20 Hastings Deering’s Colts competition starting all fourteen of his matches, elven at half and three at five eight being Rounds Eleven, Twelve and Eighteen. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe’s sole point on the season was a Round Seventeen field goal against Central Queensland.

    For the Bronco’s in the 2017 NYC competition, Dray Ngatuere-Wroe played in twelve matches, starting three at half back, including the Bronco’s two finals matches and the remaining matches from the interchange. Across his twelve matches, Dray Ngatuere-Wroe scored a single try. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe made his NYC debut in Round Sixteen against the Canberra Raiders from the interchange bench.

    In total in the 2017 NYC competition, Dray Ngatuere-Wroe was on the field for 509 minutes ran for 207 metres on 31 runs, made one line break, had a try assist and made 142 tackles at a tackling efficiency of 82.08%. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe’s 2017 NYC per game averages included playing for 42.5 minutes, running for 17.3 metres from 2.6 carries and making 11.8 tackles.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe’s best match from a running perspective came in Round Sixteen (his debut NYC match) when he ran for 58 metres against Canberra and in Round Seventeen against the Storm he made twenty five tackles missing only one.

    Prior to his debut for the Bronco’s NYC side Dray Ngatuere-Wroe played for South’s Logan in the MM Cup and the Colts Challenge competitions. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe played the opening six rounds of the Colts Challenge competition starting all six matches at half back, scoring 28 points from five tries and four goals. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe scored a hat trick in Round Four against the Burleigh Bears and also tries in Round One against Tweed Heads and in Round Five against the Western Mustangs, he obviously liked playing against Titans aligned clubs.

    In the 2017 MM Cup competition for South’s Logan Dray Ngatuere-Wroe started at five eight in all eight of South’s Logan matches including their Grand Final loss to the Western Mustangs which contained seven Titans Scholarship holders. In those eight matches Dray Ngatuere-Wroe scored seven tries including a try in the Grand Final and against Redcliffe in the semi-final. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe also scored a double in Round Six against the North’s Devils, a try in Round Five against Tweed Heads, in Round Three against the Central Crows and in Round Two against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe is a dynamic runner of the football who excels in taking on the defensive line with deft footwork around the ruck, looking to seek out bigger slower forwards when they are caught on the edge of the ruck, he also has a very good dummy which continues to be effective regardless of the frequency of its use as it is indistinguishable in process from when he is going to actually pass the ball.

    If Dray Ngatuere-Wroe sees an overlap or a another play developing he will get the ball out quickly and effectively, using his solid passing skills from both sides of his body, where he will put the football out in front of his runners. He is able to impart a good spin on the ball, thus can get good distance on his passes whilst maintaining accuracy from both sides of his body.

    In a U13 Titans Development squad match in 2013 at Redlands Dray Ngatuere-Wroe ran a great play down the short side from a Titans scrum resulting in what looked like a try starting about twenty metres out from the opposition try line, for some reason the referee called the play back and made Dray Ngatuere-Wroe feed the scrum again. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe ran the exact play again which this time was awarded a try. It was a great sleight of hand by Dray Ngatuere-Wroe that the older opposition could not stop even though they knew it was coming and had just seen the exact play a minute before.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe is not a giant on the field and in fact in the majority of the matches that he is involved with he is one of the smallest but defensively he is quite aggressive and tries to get up quickly when confronted with a wide running forward, looking to initiate contract prior to the forward gaining too much momentum.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe will not necessarily hit them hard but is effective at slowing the attack and then he gets back into the line quickly. Dray Ngatuere-Wroe probably currently not considered a “plus” defender but is more than effective as can be seen by his 2017 NYC tackling efficiency of 82%.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe’s Colts eligibility is finished and without doubt Dray Ngatuere-Wroe will add to his four Queensland Cup matches in 2020.

    Dray Ngatuere-Wroe played a lot of five eight as a youngster including for the Titans Junior Development Squad but transitioned to half back permanently when playing for the Logan Brothers U16 side including playing a leading hand in their GBJRL U16 Premier Division success in 2015 when Logan Brothers defeated North’s Aspley.

    I was on the side line at Bishop Park that afternoon and Dray Ngatuere-Wroe was simply outstanding in terms of how he controlled the game for Logan Brothers. The opposition coach was calling out for his side to stop Dray Ngatuere-Wroe “dancing” they couldn’t and Dray Ngatuere-Wroe cut them apart. Titan Reihana Marsh was outstanding in the centres for Logan Brothers in that Grand Final as well. PS that Logan Brothers U16 GBJRL Premier side is probably the best junior club side that I have ever seen, and by a fair margin as well.

    A player comparison for Dray Ngatuere-Wroe is difficult, with his speed, elusiveness and step he looks like a smaller version of Shaun Johnson but he also flashes the play making ability of a Cooper Cronk. More consistency from a play making perspective will no doubt propel Dray Ngatuere-Wroe to the next level.

    Simply put Dray Ngatuere-Wroe is one of the best young players that I have ever seen. The best I have ever seen are Ryan James as a 17 year old playing for the Titans SG Ball side especially in one match at Cudgen when he almost single handedly destroyed the Melbourne Storm and Titan Reihana Marsh who will play the 2018 season with Burleigh, Dray Ngatuere-Wroe is not far behind those two at all.

    From a trivia perspective Dray Ngatuere-Wroe’s older brother Aron is a former Titans scholarship holder as well and played a match or two for the Burleigh’s Colts side in 2017 at hooker.

  12. #327
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    An impressive youngster who could be anything in a few years is 15 year old centre k-ci newton-whare.

    188cm, 82 kg powerhouse attends Hornby High and plays for the Riccarton Knights n the Canterbury (NZ) junior rugby league competition and in 2019 was a South Islands Scorpions U15 rep.

  13. #328
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    One of the most outstanding youngsters in New Zealand is on his way over to Queensland to play in the 2020 MM Cup competition being Sheldon Tairea-Rapana.

    The young second rower or front rower will play for the Easts Tigers MM Cup squad and attend Marsden State High School. His contract with the Sydney Roosters expires at the end of 2020 and then I am sure multiple NRL clubs will have him on their radar.

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    Forest Lake State School's rugby league program continues to develop and already includes a number of Titans linked players.

    One player that will be joining the school in 2020 is talented Logan Brothers youngster Nevaeh Faamau who will be part of the Brisbane Wests schools U13 side and is certainly a player to watch in coming seasons.

  15. #330
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    NRL teams could do worse than look at Armidale Secondary College’s front row or second rower Malakai Griffiths.

    After a big 2019 the powerful young man played for the ASSRL representative Invitational side at the U15 ASSRL national Championships and was subsequently named in the ASSRL U15 Pool B Merit side in the front row.


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