Northern Pride young guns shine in Lightning Challenge
When Northern Pride under-20s coach Dave Scott implored his young players to use the Lightning Challenge as a proving ground, fearless prop Jonah Rameka listened.
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When Northern Pride under-20s coach Dave Scott implored his young players to use the Lightning Challenge as a proving ground, fearless prop Jonah Rameka listened.
The New Zealand native has been one of the most consistent performer’s for the Pride teams through three rounds of the Lightning Challenge, and was again eating the metres for the Reef Kings in their 40-20 win over the Giants at Tully Showgrounds on Saturday afternoon.
Scott said the current under-20s player, who moved from Taranaki to Far North Queensland to take up an opportunity with the Pride under-18s at the end of 2017, was a long-term prospect.
“Just his desire through the middle,” Scott said.
“He’s got a good frame and he packed a bit of weight on in the pre-season with Scotty (strength and conditioning coach Scott Callaghan).
“He got a bit bigger but then obviously with the shutdown he lost a little bit of weight again — I think he wanted to get his beach body back again.
“But he’s very unorthodox in his carry, he’s very hard to handle and he’s starting to use his body a lot better.”
Young Edmonton Storm prop Luke Erbacher has also impressed Scott, despite being one of the youngest players in the Pride system.
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Erbacher came off the bench for the Reef Kings on Saturday afternoon in his second appearance in the Lightning Challenge.
“He came in and he was aggressive in what he did,” Scott said.
“He’s playing against men, which he’s not done before, but he didn’t shirk at all.
“He’s like a big Great Dane puppy for me, he’s growing into his body and he went well.”
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Mark Rosendale also showed signs of getting back to his fleet-footed best.
“Considering he’s carrying a bit of timber, he’s playing fullback and he’s going all right,” Scott said.
“You get him fit and back to the level he was in the pre-season, you’ve got a very handy player.”
The Pride were getting what they needed out of the Lightning Challenge, according to Scott.
“As long as we get through the games with good performances and look at developing partnerships and identifying those players that we want to invest in, that’s it for me personally,” he said.
“We’ve got a job to do as a club to offer a pathway for our players to play the sport and that’s what it’s there for this year.”
RESULTS
LIGHTNING CHALLENGE — ROUND 3
TULLY TIGERS 40 (Michael Carroll 2, Benn Campagnolo 2, Ryan Flegler, Tai Namaibai, Steven Stafford, Jackson Laza tries; Shaun Nona 4 goals) d CAIRNS BROTHERS 18 (Isaiah Wigness, Tom Spark, Greg Delaney tries; Elliott Gibuma 2, Lachlan Biondi-Odo goals)
NORTHERN PRIDE REEF KINGS 40 (Sammi Raivaroro 2, Dallas Skardon 2, Tyreyce Chambers, Tom McGrath, Ewan Moore, Jacob McCarthy tries; Evan Child 3, Tyreyce Chambers goals) d NORTHERN PRIDE GIANTS 20 (Dmitri Ahwang, Aiden Kawiri-Kusu, Jack Campagnolo, Jesse Jackon tries; Jack Campagnolo 2 goals)
CAIRNS BROTHERS RESERVES 32 (Keishon Hunter-Flanders 2, Horace Richards 2, Freddy Aki, Bobby Benioni tries; Jarrod Rowe 2, Stanley Daniels, Horace Richards goals) d TULLY TIGERS RESERVES 28 (Louis Carlaw 3, Jonty Ivey, Jesse Barra tries; Chris Coppens 3, Rohan Nona goals).
Originally published as Northern Pride young guns shine in Lightning Challenge