GPS First XI football’s players of the week; Round one debut boys
GPS First XI football: The Southport School sounded a premiership alarm in round 1 as Queensland’s top schoolboy competition returned in stunning fashion. See who starred for all eight schools here.
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The GPS First XI football competition returned with a bang on Saturday when The Southport School pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over reigning premiers Churchie.
A timely header from Jack Gallie late in the match did the trick for TSS, after the match was up for grabs at 1-all and toing and froing as each team traded blows.
Churchie rolled through last year’s competition unbeaten before snaring the premiership but key cogs Lucas Herrington, Quinn MacNicol, Oli Reid and Levi Collins were absent in the opening round.
TSS players, spurred on by debut boys Cruz Kleeman and Jack Gallie, as well as influential midfielder Rex Oliver, were clinical in the one-point-pipping of the premiers.
It means Churchie will likely have to win the rest of their games to remain in premiership contention, in a competition rife with rising talent.
Tom Aspinall, a Churchie Year 11 student, scored in his first outing in the top team last weekend. Making their debuts alongside Aspinall were Hayden Smith, Nate Wallden, Ajaiveer Bhangra, Dom Johnson and Juno Lee-Kang.
On Brisbane Boys’ College’s Miskin Oval, the home side started fast on the way to a 3-1 win over Toowoomba Grammar — a relieving result given last year’s winless season.
The visitors blooded six new players, including Tom Gaffney, Jack Haddow, Iskcon Gyawali, George Clifford, Nathanael Miller and Max Neilson.
On Nudgee College’s Ross Oval, a new batch of daring youngsters from Brisbane State High showed plenty of fight before falling 2-1. Nudgee College blooded four debutants: Lucas Chandler, Nicholas Franklin, Lucas Colnaghi Krueger and Jackson Dalton.
For the visitors, Brisbane State High First XI debutants Lucas Anderson, Rhys Buchanan, Freddie Adams, Jonah Goldsmith Hodson, Dante Minos, Ruben Okafor, Jordi Horrell and George Koumpis got their first taste at this level.
Across town, Ipswich Grammar showed their class with a 2-0 win over a Gregory Terrace team boasting five debutants: Eugene Gromchenko, Miro Katsenavas, Ethan Laie, Sano Ali, and Yugine Byrom.
Gun goalkeeper George Plusnin also made his return for Terrace The Brave after rehabilitating a stress fracture in his back.
William Martin, Ty Lavercombe, Ryan Waalder and Liam Donoghue donned the Ipswich Grammar First XI strip for the first time in a confidence-boosting win to start the year.
GPS FIRST XI FOOTBALL’S TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK
Rex Oliver (The Southport School)
Oliver’s man of the match performance went a long way in deciding the game against Churchie.
The monumental midfielder was regularly charging forward with the ball at his feet and it created countless chances for the home side.
Jack Gallie (The Southport School)
Gallie rose from the ashes to deliver a stunning performance for his team.
His impressive defensive display, which featured the go-ahead goal with about 20 minutes left, was the stuff of heroes after he was injured all week and looked in doubt.
After confirming his availability late in the week, Gallie was a gun in the air when making it 2-1.
Nate Wallden (Churchie)
Wallden made his return from an injury and he did not miss a beat.
An absolute workhorse midfielder, Wallden was quick to dust off the cobwebs and get re-acclimated to the fast-paced nature of GPS football.
Hayden Smith (Churchie)
Smith was rewarded for his persistnace and determination coming through the ranks at Churchie with a starting debut in round one and he was effective in everything he did.
A Year 12 student, Smith gave 110 per cent at left back.
Lachie Cook (Nudgee College)
Cook was cooking with gas to begin Nudgee College’s premiership pursuit, with a dashing double a nice reward for his efforts.
The team’s striker and vice-captain, Cook clinically converted his chances — his second goal sealing victory for the home side.
He finished a poacher’s goal after following up a rebound before showing his versatile finishing ability by timing a header nicely from a set-piece play.
Declan Warnes (Nudgee College)
Warnes’ enormous work ethic on Saturday was a highlight.
Warnes holds himself to a high standard and while not having his best game in the First XI, he still made a difference with his desire to win.
Nudgee like to think they can count on their top players to come through in the clutch and Warnes repaid that trust, whipping in a neat corner to Cook who delivered the match-winner.
Jackson O’Reilly (Nudgee College)
O’Reilly’s one-on-one defence would have had State High supporters giving plaudits so evident was it in such a tight affair.
“His ability to lead the team around the park, directing them, was vital,” Nudgee College director of football Luke Condon praised.
O’Reilly’s laser sharp focused was best highlighted when he cut off a possible Brisbane State High counterattacking opportunity late in the game to keep a 2-1 lead in tact.
Trey King (Brisbane State High)
King was a colossus in round 1 against a highly-fancied Nudgee College outfit.
He led his team well around the park before scoring a stunning long-range free kick to draw level at one-apiece.
Around that moment of magic, he moved mountains in the midfield.
Jordi Horrell (Brisbane State High)
Horrell was tipped to have a big season and it didn’t take long for him to make an early-season impact for a young Brisbane State High team.
Strong in the tackle, Horrell broke up play nicely and was a Mr Fix It who played a few different roles on Saturday.
Ran himself into the ground.
Tanner Wheeler (Brisbane Boys’ College)
The round 1 man of the match at Miskin Oval, Wheeler willed his side to a convincing victory by covering every blade of grass imaginable.
With his midfield partner Ashton Burrows also sharp, Wheeler worked tirelessly to snare the school’s first win since the 2023 season.
D’Arcy Satharasinghe (Brisbane Boys’ College)
Satharasinghe is so influential that even when playing below his best, he is still a mighty mite capable of winning games for BBC.
A two-goal terror, Satharasinghe rose to the challenge against a towering Toowoomba outfit and quelled opposition set-piece plays.
Could have had three when he missed a penalty goal but you get a sense it’s the last time he makes that mistake this season.
Emmanuel Geu (Toowoomba Grammar)
A standout in blue and gold, Geu gave his all for the cause and it was reflected in his team’s much improved second half performance after a false start saw them trail 2-0 quickly.
Emmett Shaw (Ipswich Grammar)
Shaw was up to his usual tricks after last year proving a nuisance upfront.
He nailed a fantastic free kick to make it 2-0 and pull away from Gregory Terrace.
Will Martin (Ipswich Grammar)
Could Martin have made a more sound starting debut?
The answer is no.
A Year 10 goalkeeping ace, Martin did not put a foot wrong and that was reflected in the scoreline.
Eugene Gromchenko (Gregory Terrace)
A Year 10 student, Gomchenko threw age and reputation out of the door and just muscled up against a high-class Ipswich Grammar outfit.
He was up against it and, for the full 80 minutes, held his own admirably.
Miro Katsenavas (Gregory Terrace)
Another gutsy defender who did their job to perfection was Katsenavas, a Year 11 student who got his body in the way of charging Ipswich players.
His deeds defending prevented a handful of shots which were on target.
Originally published as GPS First XI football’s players of the week; Round one debut boys
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