Live stream: Phillip Coates, Marcus Bai taking lessons from Matt Geyer ahead of ASSRL National Championships

Matt Geyer knows what it is like to share a last name with a famous rugby league player, but he can tell it is no burden for two of Queensland’s fastest rising stars. Find out more.

Marymount College coach and former NRL premiership winner Matt Geyer has no concerns his star duo Phillip Coates and Cooper Bai will get too big for their boots.

Despite a meteoric rise over the past 12 months, which will culminate on the national stage in July, and the famous surnames to boot, Geyer has backed the duo to keep their humility.

While Bai has been ruled out of the ASSRL Nationals due to injury, another cruel blow after missing the U19s State of Origin and Confraternity Carnival, Coates will still line up in the centres for Queensland in Coffs Harbour.

Every match of the ASSRL Under-18 Nationals will be exclusively live streamed on KommunityTV from July 7-12 across all News Corp Australia digital mastheads.

HOW TO WATCH THE ASSRL NATIONALS LIVE

Phillip Coates playing for the Currumbin Eagles. Photo: Regi Varghese

Cooper Bai in action for the Burleigh Bears Mal Meninga Cup side. Player: Pic Mike Batterham

The duo have made history as the first students selected from Marymount College in the Queensland schoolboys side, despite the school not playing in the top tier Langer Trophy competition.

“I am extremely proud, really words can’t describe what this moment means for our team and our school,” Geyer said.

“I have never been in this position before, to have two players named in the state side and I don’t think the school has either.”

The pair carry a fair weight of expectations around with them, not least because of the last names they carry.

Former Melbourne Storm player Marcus Bai with his sons Cooper Bai 2.5yrs, and Aston Bai 6yrs.

Phillip is the younger brother of current Maroons winger Xavier Coates, while Cooper is the son of Melbourne Storm fan favourite Marcus Bai.

But the school coach is adamant his pupils don’t let their last names get in the way of their effort.

After all, Geyer is probably the best man to judge considering he was in their position coming through school.

“They aren’t just talented footballers who just get what they want,” Geyer said. “They work as hard if not harder than every other player in our team.

“They aren’t the type to rest on the success of their relatives. They are the complete opposite.

“I feel like I had a lot to relate to them about that. I grew up with a surname as a bit of a shadow. We are always having conversations about it and how to use it.

Brothers Matt (L) and Mark Geyer pose together before training with Perth Reds Super League team in 1997.

“You can really treat it as a positive or a negative. For me, I loved being Mark Geyer’s little brother, I thought I was the coolest kid in school. He was this six-foot-four giant hard hitting front rower with all the talent in the world and I could just run fast.

“They are very talented young men and they do give us a lot of hope. Hopefully they can produce for their state and their school, and in the same vein get some individual glory too.”

Bai has been ruled out of the national championships with a foot injury he sustained during the Queensland Schools State Championships back in May.

Queensland has been dealt a double injury blow before the tournament with Sunshine Coast young gun Cooper Clarke also out for the tournament.

Ipswich State High big man Kanaan Magele has come into the starting side, while Palm Beach Currumbin’s Jac Finigan has also been called up to the squad.

Originally published as Live stream: Phillip Coates, Marcus Bai taking lessons from Matt Geyer ahead of ASSRL National Championships