Langer Trophy: NRL clubs swoop Greg Inglis’ old school of Wavell SHS
Six NRL clubs have raided the old Queensland school of NRL legend Greg Inglis, signing 14 players.
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NRL clubs have dug deep into the talent pool of one of Langer Trophy’s finest schools, signing 14 players.
Wavell SHS, which starts its Langer Trophy campaign today against Coombabah SHS, has 14 players signed to six NRL clubs - the Dolphins, Bulldogs, Broncos, Raiders, Dragons, and Roosters.
Wavell SHS’s clash against Coombabah and the three other Langer fixtures - plus Walters Cup games - will be live streamed this afternoon by www.couriermail.com.au, The Gold Coast Bulletin and News Corp affiliates.
The Wavell SHS students affiliated with NRL clubs are: Mereki Warradoo (Dolphins), Mason Phillips (Bulldogs), Jared Horne (Broncos), Charlie Dickson (Dolphins), Tyreece Tait (Broncos), Karl Oloapu (Broncos), Demascus Neemia (Bulldogs), Lauloto Salei (Raiders), Amos Tuialii (Dragons), Ben Uini (Roosters), Presley Folau (Broncos), Robertson Tusi-Tofu (Broncos), Mark Tuialii (Raiders).
An additional unnamed student is contracted to the Dolphins.
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Wavell SHS rugby league coordinator Ben Colley said the school had played rugby league since it started in 1959, so the sport was a big part of the culture.
“We’ve been able to shape and modify what we do to best suit the student athlete,’’ Colley said.
“It’s not about trying to create a program that caters to the NRL athlete, because they’re not there yet.
“It’s about understanding the processes and pathways that they need to be accessing as student athletes to get there.”
Colley added: “We’ve all got representative coaching experience. We’re all a level two or higher. And we’re all involved with elite player development pathways.
“So we see daily, what it takes, and what ingredients the kids need to take that next step.
“So really getting them to understand that you’re only as good as your last performance and that what you do off the field speaks more about your character than what you do on the field.
“All the best athletes that do make careers out of professional sport are the ones doing the extras when nobody’s telling them to do it.
“Eating right and ticking every box in terms of their preparation and their rehabilitation. “That’s really important to us with consistent processes to get the boys to really buy in and understand that those who buy in, reap the reward for that and they get to eat the fruit at the end of the day.”
He said the emphasis was moulding good people, and it was merely a bonus more than 30 students had gone into NRL systems over the last three years.
This season’s Wavell SHS’s Langer Trophy side will again be coached by Mick Roberts, the former Broncos player and Redcliffe Dolphins Q-Cup premiership winner.
Wavell SHS stands as one of the great rugby league breeding grounds in Queensland, producing honourable NRL players like Greg Inglis, Adam Blair, Dale Copley, Kodi Nikorima, Sam Tagataese, 1970s Queensland and Australian second rower David Wright, ex-Origin and media personality Darryl “Big Man” Brohman, and more.
The school’s most recent NRL player was Michael Molo who made his debut two weeks ago for St George Illawarra.
The last 16 Wavell SHS alumni who are still contracted to NRL clubs upon graduating include: Felix faatili (2021, Broncos), Benjamin Te Kura (2021, Broncos), Kallum Stacey-Weatherall (2021, Broncos), Junior Taungatua (2021, West Tigers), Prinston Esera (2021, Raiders), Jayden Clarkson (2019, Raiders), Isaiah Longi (2019, Panthers), Lodoviko Cokanauto (2019, Storm), Tevita Toloi (2019, Knights), Tuku Hau Tapuha (2019, Roosters), Caleb Esera (2019, Raiders), Nicholas Fenton (2019, Roosters), Manse Kaho (2018, Raiders), Joshua James (Raiders, 2018), Lachlan Lewis (2018, Raiders).
What the current Wavell SHS NRL signed players think about their opportunities:
Benjamin Uini (Roosters): “I think it’s a blessing. It’s a good opportunity to develop myself mentally and physically as a rugby league player.”
Bens favourite player: 2019 Wavell old boy and current Rooster Tuku Hau Tapuha. Ben looked up to Tapuha at school as a role model.
Karl Oloapu (Broncos): “ I think being at the Broncos is good. It’s close to home. Near Wavell. I came to Wavell because I wanted to play football at a high level so it’s great to have been given this opportunity.”
Karls favourite player: Payne Haas.
Charlie Dickson (Dolphins): It’s a great opportunity to be with the Dolphins. It’s a pathway to the NRL. You have to build a history at the club because there is none. I am keen on creating some.
Charlies favourite player: Cameron Murray.
Jared Horne (Broncos): The opportunity is great. It’s great to learn with the Broncos and implement what i learn into my game. We have a lot of training sessions with NRL players so that really inspires me to be there one day.
Jareds favourite player: Kotoni Stagg
ROUND 1
LIVE STREAM SCHEDULE, Wednesday
4.00pm Walters Cup (year 10): Forest Lake v Wavell
2.45pm Langer Trophy: Coombabah SHS v Wavell SHS
4.30pm Walters Cup (year 10): Ipswich SHS v Keebra SHS
5.30pm Langer Trophy: Ipswich SHS v Keebra SHS
5.00pm Walters Cup (Year 10): Marsden v PBC Marsden SHS
6.00pm Langer Cup: Marsden v PBC Marsden SHS
4.00pm Walters Cup (Year 10): Mabel Pk v Caloundra SHS
5.00pm Langer Cup: Mabel Pk v Redcliffe SHS
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