Premiership winning Wynnum Manly juniors flood Connell Cup squad

Wynnum Manly’s next generation of grade players will be glimpsed this season when a host of boys from its U16 Division 1 premiership winning side play Connell Cup. Story here.

Wynnum Manly players celebrate a try Connell Cup rugby league between Wynnum Manly and Burleigh Bears. Saturday February 24, 2024. Picture, John Gass

THE DNA of Wynnum Manly’s champion U16 Division 1 side will be all over the clulb’s Connell Cup squad this season, with many flooding into the Seagulls top squad.

Front and centre will be skilled No.13 Daniel Cash, captain and hooker Zeke Jones and prop

Koby McGarrity who has a motor on him akin to a road train doing the Nullarbor Road crossing.

Those boys have had mighty pre-seasons and will be key players around a number of NRL contracted kids who have been given the chance to develop under elite coach Jon Buchanan at the Seagulls this season.

JUNIOR REP PREVIEWS

HARVEY NORMAN U19s

REDCLIFFE’S SQUAD

WYNNUM MANLY

NORTHS SQUAD

HARVEY NORMAN U17s

SOUTH LOGAN SQUAD

WYNNUM MANLY SQUAD

MENINGA CUP

BRISBANE TIGERS SQUAD

CONNELL CUP

SOUTHS LOGAN SQUAD

But there are many more local juniors in the squad who were a part of the victorious U16 grand final winning side.

Raw-boned winger Tristan MacDonald from Iona College, halves Bailen Noy, Nathan Phelps and Lachlan Toumpas, hooker Mason Fisher, middle forwards Kalani Barling, Jaxon Peters Fallon and Christian Rivers, along with winger Cordell Boah and backrower Adam Wilson were all members of the title winning U15 squad.

A

Dean Tauaa.

Another local junior is Cooper Brown.

Wynnum Manly’s campaign will be spearheaded by centre Dean Tauaa, a tremendous centre prospect who is aggressive on both sides of the ball.

Possessed with good feet and power, he had a bumper 2024 campaign and will be in prime conditions after a big off-season.

Last season’s Langer Trophy season for Mabel Park SHS would have also advanced his progress.

No.13 Cash is a tremendous player who will whack in defence, but also ball play cleverly before the line. Cash attends Iona College.

Barry Taukolo is a wildcard talent who has lobbed at the club from Wavell SHS.

He is a smooth operator, a talented fullback, centre or wing who has grace and skill.

Another who has trained strongly in the off-season is prop Koby McGarrity who was a member of the premiership winning U16s.

Wynnum Manly run onto the ground last season in the Connell Cup. Picture, John Gass

He has a big motor, works hard and will be a leading player this season.

Next to him will be his little mate, Zeke Jones, a Queensland schoolboys hooker who is smart around the ruck and a good defender.

Jones won the club’s Cycil Connell Player of the Year award last season.

The squad: Tristan MacDonald, Billo Wotton, Devine Timu, Bailen Noy, Lachlan Hooker, Cordell Boah, Jaxon Peters Fallon, Adam Wilson, Franck Iraguha, Christian Rivers,

Mason Fisher, Benson Manu, Justicce Heta, Cooper Brown, Kalani Barling, Naisa Veetutu, Conor Quinn, Mikaere Cleave, Nathan Phelps, Blake Marshall, Majah Peachey, Lachlan Toumpas, Jordan Hotere, Mak South.

Originally published as Premiership winning Wynnum Manly juniors flood Connell Cup squad