Connell Cup: Souths Logan Magpies ready to roll in 2025
Connell Cup rugby league countdown: Souths Logan have the brothers of two series winning State of Origin players, but there is also plenty of other talent set to shine in 2025.
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Baxter Best is a young gun in the Souths Logan ranks this season, but there is plenty of other talent on show when the Magpies’ Connell Cup campaign starts on February 15 against Wynnum Manly.
Best, the brother of New South Wales State of Origin series winning centre Bradman Best, has been electric in school football since arriving for Year 8 at Ipswich SHS in late 2022.
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Signed by the Broncos, Best will again look to step up in class when he makes his Connell Cup U17 debut next month, most likely at No.1.
Hooker Tippessa Lee is another rookie with a notable name. Lee, whose brother Brenko played in the 2020 series deciding win by Queensland over New South Wales, will add flair around the ruck with his dummy half work, or as a running No.13.
But new coach Adel Haig has plenty of other talent to work with aside from Best and Lee.
Indeed adding depth to the dummy half role will be Ipswich SHS No.9 Jaylen Naleba.
A kid with a huge motor, Naleba gets through a mountain of work and will lead by example.
In a high class field of centres in last year’s Walters Cup school season, Marsden SHS’s Christopher Vaimili was among the most impressive and played his way into the Queensland U15 side.
Vaimili Toalepai joins Tomo Cook, a returning player from the 2024 campaign, in adding strike to the centres at Souths Logan.
An x-factor player for the Magpies will be outside back Derek Ah Wang. From Ipswich Grammar School, Ah Wang is a genuine swingman across centre, wing and fullback and has attacking spark you just can’t coach.
Speaking of attacking spark players, Lexin Hill is another who adds to the Souths Logan depth across the backline division. He was outstanding in the 2024 school league season playing for Stretton State College.
Far less fashionable than outside backs like Best, Vaimili, Ah Wang and Cook is someone like No.13 Zackery Lotaki who adds defensive clout and depth to the forwards, while another lock (or dummy), Ezekiel Filipi, is coming off a bumper 2024 when he represented the Queensland 14-15 years side.
From Mabel Park SHS, Filipi has an explosive element to his game as a hooker or middle forward.
Souths Logan squad: Abdurahim Kaya, Baxter Best, Brandon Lemalu, Cain Eggerling, Christopher Vaimili, Toalepai Cordell Kirk, David Filo, Derek AhWang, Deisel Guillonta-McCarthy, Dynari Aiolupo, Elijah Pathan, Ezekiel Filipi, Harry Taylor, Jaylen Naleba, Jeremiah Siaki, Jeremiah Toko, Jotoa Lealiiee, Kahmarley Faaaoga-Andrew, Kahu Kitto, Lexin Hill, Malakaih Beals, Marley Tila, Max Newton, Ranel Filipine, Richie Taulagi, Sione Haukinima, Tallis Chong-Nee, Tippessa Lee, Tomu Cook, Tyerce Herniman, Tyson Macdonald, VJ Letalu, Zackery Lotaki. Development: Darenn Stagg, Deshawn Compton, Henry Willis, Hunter Brown, Robert Kamu
Originally published as Connell Cup: Souths Logan Magpies ready to roll in 2025
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