JTS to NRL; the Titans juniors transition lounge

[mdrew]

Keano Kini with a freak of a try tonight for PBC, it was special!!!

[Bayside Titan]

Keano Kini with a freak of a try tonight for PBC, it was special!!!

Saw that try mate... something out of nothing..

[Hail Sezer]

Call on Tom Weaver, Klese Haas vindicates: Big hits from Tweed Seagulls’ rising stars

Nick Wright, GCB, 29/05/2022

If the likes of Tom Weaver are to ascend into the NRL ranks, they need to be given the time and chance to blossom.

That is the opinion of Tweed Colts coach Aaron Zimmerle, who has called for calm when it comes to his raw but talented young halfback.

Weaver’s potential was shown throughout his schoolboys and junior rugby league days, with highlights including player of the grand final honours in the 2021 Mal Meninga Cup.

Such performances earnt himself a spot in the Gold Coast Titans 36-man extended squad until 2024 upon his graduation from Palm Beach Currumbin State High.

On Saturday Weaver’s potential was on show again, where even towards the end of the Seagulls 28-6 triumph over North Devils he kept the pressure on.

At one stage the 19-year-old forced back-to-back goal line drop outs before setting up a try late in the contest.

Zimmerle said he had no doubt that Weaver would one day feature in the NRL, such was the calibre he had proven to be at the younger levels.

However he has called for commentators and pundits alike to be patient with the emerging number seven, and not burden him with expectations of being the finished product too early.

“I think you have to simplify the pathway for him. Tommy wants to be really good at this level, which he is, but he’ll be disappointed with a couple of things in terms of the results of his kicks,” Zimmerle said.

“I know he’ll go away and work individually hard on that, and then next week we’ll play and he’ll execute. In doing that, if an opportunity arises he’ll be right for (Queensland) Cup. “There’ll be big bodies coming at him, but there’ll be big bodies around him, and because he’s got that ability to execute skill he’ll be good at that level.

“Then we need to stop rushing, because if he wants to become comfortable at the NRL he needs to play against men and with men for a period of time. He needs to get comfortable pulling the strings with people who have played at the highest level.

“He needs that time, he’s got to do his apprenticeship, and I’ve got no doubt that when he gets there he’ll be one of the best apprentices you can have. But we have to stop rushing.”

It are those some hurried expectations passed on to other young players in the NRL which irk Zimmerle, as the demands to live up to the hype and dollars thrown at athletes play out in public.

He pointed to the likes of Titans general Toby Sexton and Cowboys gun Tom Dearden — two 21-year-old’s who have already dealt with their fair share of criticism despite their rookie status as first-grade halves.

Dearden endured a torrid time at the Brisbane Broncos, first hailed the heir apparent to the likes of Allan Langer and Darren Lockyer only to be shown the door when he failed to make an immediate impression.

Once he made the move to Townsville to join the North Queensland Cowboys and was partnered with an NRL champion in Chad Townsend, the noise around him settled and he has now undergone a breakout campaign.

Sexton meanwhile has copped brunt at times in the Titans woeful start to the 2022 season, even with only 16 caps to his name as he and former fullback AJ Brimson forge a new halves pairing at the club.

Zimmerle has mentored the likes of Weaver since he was in high school, the Tweed coach himself a teacher and former coach at the esteemed rugby league Academy.

He said spectators and critics often failed to truly appreciate just how much work these teenagers put into honing their craft, and they needed to appreciate not even the likes of Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk became the future legends of the game they became.

“Tommy (Dearden) had a rough patch last year, and now he’s in a team with a senior ballplayer and he’s killing it,” Zimmerle said.

“Toby has had moments and he’s had games where he’s probably gone back and had to work on things, but he’s 21 and learning his craft on the run. I think he’s the leading half for repeat sets in terms of kicks made, that’s amazing.

“Blokes at 30 are not able to do what they’re doing right now, and Tommy (Weaver) is going to be one of them. He’s got the same skillset, the same work ethic, we’ve just got to give him time.”

HAAS CELEBRATES DEAL IN STYLE

Mere days earlier Seagulls edge forward Klese Haas was celebrating a two-year deal with the Gold Coast Titans. And the youngster reaffirmed that faith with a try-scoring effort against the Devils.

Haas will have the chance to push for an NRL debut from 2023 with the Titans, and his efforts on Saturday would have been a satisfying vindication.

Zimmerle said the 19-year-old’s rotation with lock Charlie Murray had been a key threat for Tweed in a disruptive, weather effected campaign, and it was on show again against Norths.

“We are very lucky at the moment in that Klese as a backrower, and then Charlie Murray. A little bit more than halfway in the first half we flipped Klese and Charlie Murray so that there’s no substitutions,” he said.

“Klese is just a damaging ball runner and then goes into the middle and wreaks havoc. Then you’ve got Charlie Murray who’s a great ball playing middle forward, then goes out on the edge and ball plays.

“Muzz set up one try, you had Klese making clean breaks through the middle of the ruck, it’s just hard for the opposition because they’re so different in their styles but both of them are intense and they play at 100 per cent.”

Haas, fullback Jaylan De Groot and Taine Ujur-Berghan all crossed to score in the rescheduled Round 1 clash, while centre Kaleb Ngamanu helped himself to a double.

[GCTTSD]

Under 19s origin announced will be good to see the next best young kids hopefully we'll see one or two titans in the side

[Titanic]

They’ll jump ship after the NRL team’s woeful efforts.

[mdrew]

I posted this in the Junior Development forum, but probably better posted here:

It is a tough time for the NRL side at the moment but even though I am exceptionally biased, our JTS program is going from absolute strength to strength.

All you have to do is look at the fact that a very young PBC side defeated Marsden SHS in Round One of the Langer Cup on Wednesday night 44-0.

All the more impressive is that two of the standouts for PBC were 16 year olds making their Langer Cup debuts in Zane Harrison and Jac Finnigan who are both contracted to the Titans.

Like everyone I am feeling a bit flat about how the NRL side is going but watching our exceptional junior players do so well across all levels certainly makes me feel a heck of a lot more optimistic.

The one person we should all be thanking is Jamie McCormack who is doing an exceptional job.

No wonder Wayne Bennett was there is Wednesday night.

[DIEHARD]

I posted this in the Junior Development forum, but probably better posted here:

Thanks for posting mdrew. Always feel free to post your content twice if you think it is relevant to different threads.

[DIEHARD]

All you have to do is look at the fact that a very young PBC side defeated Marsden SHS in Round One of the Langer Cup on Wednesday night 44-0.

Woah!

Like everyone I am feeling a bit flat about how the NRL side is going but watching our exceptional junior players do so well across all levels certainly makes me feel a heck of a lot more optimistic.

I agree. And this is what you and HS are really leading on. As a fanbase, it would be amazing if we had a super focus on junior development.

[mdrew]

Yes HS certainly knows his stuff.

[Hail Sezer]

A look around the grounds this weekend:

Burleigh Qcup
-Lofi Khan-Pereira (left wing)*
-Tony Francis (right wing)*
-Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui (interchange)

Burleigh HDC (U21's)
-Vaka Sikahele (interchange) (first game back from serious injury)
-Isaac Matalavea Booth (starting prop)

Tweed Qcup
-Paul Turner (fullback)*
-Jojo Fifita (right wing)*

Tweed HDC (U21's)
-Jaylan De Groot (fullback)
-Kaleb Ngamanu (centre)
-Caleb Hodges (centre)
-Tom Weaver (halfback)*
-Jack Cullen (prop)
-Oskar Bryant (hooker)
-Ben Liyou (prop)
-Ryan Foran (right backrow)
-Klese Haas (left backrow)

*= Full time with NRL in 2022 and eligible for NRL selection

[Menoitios]

I love this thread. Thanks, HS for taking the time and putting in the effort to do this. It's a ripper of a thread! You are a tremendous asset to this site and the club as a whole! Keep up the great work!

@Diehard...keep a close eye on HS and Mdrew, mate. Look after them. We don't want them poached by other clubs!

[DIEHARD]

I love this thread. Thanks, HS for taking the time and putting in the effort to do this. It's a ripper of a thread! You are a tremendous asset to this site and the club as a whole! Keep up the great work!

@Diehard...keep a close eye on HS and Mdrew, mate. Look after them. We don't want them poached by other clubs!

We are going to have to pass the hat around for some third party deals here!

What is great is that they both want to share their knowledge and also build up the fanbase's appetite and knowledge base too.

HS posting an around the grounds for the weekend is a great way to do it. That was we can actively follow and watch ourselves.

[Whats Doing]

HS

That Tweed HDC team has some serious talent

[Hail Sezer]

HS

That Tweed HDC team has some serious talent

Yeah mate. A lot of them played together for Tweeds 2021 U18 MM Cup team that won the QLD title too, and still have two years of HDC eligibility after this one. There’s a few other JTS boys that are in the wider squad (some injured currently) too.

Other notable names outside of the JTS boys are lock Charlie Murray who did an NRL pre-season with Titans and winger Brent Barnes (Helensvale junior) who’s been in NRL systems, was a top tier QLD junior but lost his way a bit. It’s great to see him back playing at a competitive level.

edit: some late changes to Tweed HDC side with Ngamanu, Hodges & Barnes out, and Haas & Foran switching edges. No risrespect to their opponent the Clydesdales but I wouldn't be surprised if Tweed decided this round to rest a few.

[mdrew]

HS

That Tweed HDC team has some serious talent

They are leading 35-6 at halftaime against Toowoomba.