City v Country teams revealed ahead of clash on Saturday
Many of Queensland rugby league’s leading under-17 players can be revealed here following the announcement of the City-Country boys and girls teams. Story here.
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Most of the state’s finest under-17 players will be glimpsed on Saturday when Queensland Country and City teams clash as part of a gala day of footy also featuring Harvey 19s and Connell grand finals.
While the respective boys squads do not feature any players from the Connell Cup competition’s best two sides – Blackhawks and Redcliffe – both representative teams were still powerful teams.
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Townsville Blackhawks and Redcliffe Dolphins will clash on Saturday in the under-17 Connell Cup grand final, while the Harvey Norman under-19 women’s clash will be staged between Brisbane Tigers and Mackay Cutters.
The country v city under-17s girls will also be played on the same day of as the two finals.
The City-Country clash will be staged before the finals, with all matches at Totally Workwear Stadium, Langlands Park.
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The boys squads:
City: Adaquix Luke (Souths Logan)
The son of South Sydney premiership champion and New Zealand Test legend Isaac Luke, Luke is promising fullback from Marsden SHS who is making up for lost time after being disrupted by injury. He is Dolphins signed.
Cooper Young (Tigers)
Prop Young hails from Greg Veivers country, a rich breeding ground for rugby league – beautiful Beaudesert. Veivers is one of Queensland’s greatest pre-Origin props who captained Australia, while his cousin Mick, another prop, also represented the Kangaroos. He attends Marsden SHS.
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Fa’apale Feaunati (Souths Logan)
The tall, Broncos’ signed prop from Gregory Terrace is coming off a bumper Connell Cup season. He has an exhaustive work rate and looks the goods.
Hayden Watson (Burleigh)
Watson richly deserves recognition in this company after being consistently among the Bears top five players this season. He plays hooker and has been signed by the Melbourne Storm.
Jared Horne (Norths)
No. 13 Horne has packed a lot of experience in his young body playing Langer Trophy with Wavell SHS and Connell Cup with Norths, and then Wynnum this season. The Broncos signed Horne is a top prospect.
Joseph Tupuse (Souths Logan)
Signed by the Brisbane Broncos, centre Tupuse is a powerhouse on the left edge who has a step and speed, and a dynamic running coming out from his own end. He attends Keebra Park SHS.
Kilarney Lavender (Burleigh Bears)
A beautifully balanced centre or edge forward who will go better and better the more he gathers experience. Get used to seeing his name.
Kobi Floro (Brisbane Tigers)
The towering Easts prop from Wavell SHS was one of the big impact players of the Connell Cup and was only getting better with experience.
Mace Andrew (Souths Logan)
Young prop Andrew was elite during last Saturday’s semi-final loss to Redcliffe after being consistently good for the Magpies this season, sometimes starting, and sometimes coming off the bench. He is South Sydney contracted and attends Marsden SHS.
Marley McLaren (Burleigh)
The mighty mite McLaren had a good Connell Cup campaign with the Bears. A halfback, he is learning his craft at Palm Beach Currumbin SHS which has a history of producing elite No. 7s. Contracted by the Broncos, he hails from northern NSW.
Nelson Makaafi (Tweed Seagulls)
The hulking, mobile edge forward from PBC SHS was a natural selection. He is one of the best forwards in his age group.
Oliver Patterson (Norths)
Patterson has come from slightly left of field to make the side. He was one of the great improvers at the Devils and thoroughly deserved recognition in this company. Patterson is a winger.
Ronnic Starkey (Souths Logan)
Starkey was another who had a bumper Connell Cup campaign for the Magpies who were good enough to make the final – they were just beaten by a marginally better side at the weekend. He will play edge forward.
Sam Martin (Souths Logan)
Broncos contracted, Martin lost nothing in comparison to any other No. 9 in the competition, resulting in his selection here.
Seth Gundry (Burleigh)
Gundry is an x-factor fullback who would have been one of the first players picked. The South Sydney Rabbitohs have a good prospect here.
Soaia Poese (Souths Logan)
A promising winger with plenty of potential, Poese is the type who will step up to the plate in representative football.
Taylon To’a (Wynnum Manly)
A young gun edge forward from Marsden SHS who is an athletic ball runner of considerable potential.
Tom Parker (Souths Logan)
Parker deserves recognition in this company after a bumper season playing five-eight. He can also play fullback and has plenty of speed, but his passing game really developed this season at No.6.
Country
Braithen Scott (Clydesdales)
Signed by the Broncos, Scott would be comfortably in the top four in his age group. He is a promising halfback from Johnathan Thurston’s old school of St Mary’s College, Toowoomba. Watch this space.
Charlie Coates (Sunshine Coast)
An athletic forward who knows how to get the job done, Coates is a Caloundra junior.
Declan Grady (Mackay)
He hails from that powerful league production line assembled by St Patrick’s College, Mackay, and was consistently one of the Cutters best playing edge forwards.
Cohen Jackson (Mackay)
As honest as the day is long, Jackson will lock down a middle forward position all day and half the night if asked too. He is that type of kid. Jackson was the Cutters captain this season.
Brodie Hilt (Clydesdales)
Hilt is a work all day hooker, someone who never stops working on both sides of the ball. He will cherish this representative honour.
Zac Bateman (Capras)
It is no picnic being in the same pool as the Cutters, Blackhawks or the giant Northern Pride pack, but Bateman relished the challenge. The Cathedral College No. 13 or prop also continued to develop his goal kicking.
Shaun Elara (Clydesdales)
Here he is. When the QRL announced this side we had our fingers crossed Elara would make it. He was a robust runner with subtle skills, able to pass in heavy contact while also impacting games with his own runs from the back fence.
Mark Morrow (Cutters)
Morrow was a middle forward partner in crime alongside Cohen Jackson in the Cutters engine room. The astute Canberra Raiders talent scouts moved last year to secure Cutters on an Academy contract.
Joseph Litidamu (Clydesdales)
A powerhouse centre who could beat a man with strength but also speed. He had that x-factor about him and to see him bob up in the representative squads does not see us fall off our chairs with surprise.
Elijah McKay (Capras)
A tall, powerful centre with a strong run and a big hit in him. He is no Flash Dan, but uses his frame to full effect and will cherish wearing the country gear at training this week.
Finn Kendell (Ipswich)
A boom centre out of Ipswich Grammar School who, after a consistent First XV rugby season in 2023, carried that form over into the club league competition. He is a team player who will be well suited to the squad camp leading up to the clash.
Cayde Miller (Pride)
Miller was the outstanding player in the Northern Pride pack by the length of the Marlin Coast. He will play No. 13 and a more richly deserved selection we cannot think of.
Christian Mikaele (Ipswich)
Christian Mikaele provided some of the deft touches and skill behind a wholehearted forward pack. He will be doing cart wheels following his hard earned selection.
Harrison Braithwaite (Wide Bay)
It is great to see this clever half from the Kingaroy region gain recognition despite his big hearted team struggling. He will love the step up in class and enjoy having the top country players around him.
Harrison Meilland (Capras)
One of the Capras top five players this season, the Rockhampton Tigers junior and strong running centre played his way into the squad over the Connell Cup campaign.
Xzavier Timoteo (Ipswich)
Contracted to the Bulldogs, he got some miles in his league pre-season playing Harold Matthews rep football in Sydney. They Year 12 Ipswich SHS prop hits the ball up off the long run and prides himself on getting his team forward. He is also a weapon in defence.
Tyler Melrose (Capras)
The clever half provided some of the finesse to the Capras game this season, earning a place in the country squad.
Jackson Koina (Sunshine Coast)
A wonderful No.13 and hard working middle who will lead by example.
The girls squads
Selection highlights for the City girls include the naming of:
+ elite Tweed prop prospect Saskia Croyston;
+ an exciting hooker-half combination of Enah Desic (hooker) and half Lilianah Lewis;
+ Redcliffe’s fabulous five of Sharlene Lilliana Nati, Raewyn Olomalii, Deleni Paitai, Keira Rangi and Shalom Sauaso, with Rangi making the side four years after her historic selection in the under 12 boys merit side;
+ livewire outside back Janique Mili;
+ tough tackling, hard running Sienna Trew.
Some of the Country girls selection highlights include:
+ Mia Byrnes who played hooker in the 19s and fullback in the 17s for Western Clydesdales;
+ Makayla Elliott, an impact forward with a high work rate from the Sunshine Coast Falcons;
+ the naming of both Cianna Faulkner (Mackay Cutters) and Pypah Ferguson (Western Clydesdales) who were so good for their clubs this season as No.13s
+ Sifa Leapai, the big hearted Ipswich Jets prop who once this season played against Ipswich for Bulls, when Wide Nay were short a forward;
+ in a developing side, the selection of Northern Pride’s Elishama Suavai who was like a captain-coach of the Pride girls as they improved across the season
+ dynamic utility Pauline To’o from the Ipswich Jets
City girls
Saskia Croyston - Tweed Heads Seagulls, Enah Desic - Brisbane Tigers, Sky-Yvette Faimalie - Brisbane Tigers, Lilianah Lewis - Souths Logan Magpies, Torah Luadaka - Tweed Heads Seagulls, Janique Mili - Souths Logan Magpies, Amanii Misa - Souths Logan Magpies, Sharlene Lilliana Nati - Redcliffe Dolphins, Nikeisha Ngaru - Souths Logan Magpies, Raewyn Olomalii - Redcliffe Dolphins, Deleni Paitai - Redcliffe Dolphins, Keira Rangi - Redcliffe Dolphins, Shalom Sauaso - Redcliffe Dolphins, Easter Taualai - Norths Devils, Sienna Trew - Souths Logan Magpies, Danielle-Elizabeth Tutakangahau - Souths Logan Magpies, Lishainah Ulugia - Brisbane Tigers, Harlem Walker - Redcliffe Dolphins
Country girls
Mia Byrnes - Western Clydesdales, Jakaia-Lee Collett - Townsville Blackhawks
Jessica Cross - Norths Devils, Makayla Elliott - Sunshine Coast Falcons, Macey Evans - Central Queensland Capras, Cianna Faulkner - Mackay Cutters, Pypah Ferguson - Western Clydesdales, Shakina Godbee - Wide Bay Bulls, Tayla Horrobin - Western Clydesdales, Sifa Leapai - Ipswich Jets, Vaitafao-Gisele Masun-Feleti - Ipswich Jets, Jaeda Morato - Northern Pride, Ayslinn Pollock - Sunshine Coast Falcons, Zoe Robson - Central Queensland Capras, Elishama Suavai - Northern Pride, Pauline To’o - Ipswich Jets, Evoltia Tuala - Townsville Blackhawks, Chanelle Williams - Central Queensland Capras.
Originally published as City v Country teams revealed ahead of clash on Saturday
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