Broncos boom teen among 30 next generation Origin players
A Brisbane Broncos signed schoolboy wanted by Australian volleyball is among 30 next generation Origin players named in the Queensland under 18 emerging Origin club.
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A Brisbane Broncos signed schoolboy wanted by Australian volleyball is among 30 next generation Origin players named in the Queensland under 18 emerging Origin club.
Israel Leota joins fellow Broncos development players like Marsden SHS’s Devonte Vaivela (Souths Logan), Karl Oloapu (Norths) and Tyreece Tait (Norths) in the squad to be coached by Guy Williams.
A host of North Queensland talents like Xavier Kerrick, Damon Marshall, Will Sullivan, Tekelu Mene, Elekana Suavai and young Titans such as EJ Finau and Arama Hau in the squad which will enter a training camp on May 7-8.
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Leota, a Logan product who attends GPS school Ipswich Grammar School, is a thrilling athletic prospect who plays wing.
Standing at 189 in height, he has an eye-catching vertical leap and who has just returned from an Australian under 18 volleyball selection camp.
This season Leota has been mentored by Karmichael Hunt at Souths Logan whose Magpies play in Sunday’s Meninga Cup under 18 club grand final against Townsville Blackhawks.
He is one of three supreme athletic talents in the squad - the other hulking Cairns product Elekana Suavai and Marsden SHS’s Haizyn Mellars who dad Vince played in the NRL.
Suavai, a centre, will oppose Leota’s Souths Logan playing for Blackhawks on Sunday.
Like Leota, Mellars and Suavai are tall and athletic, with Mellars an outside winger who puts his Queensland under 18 representative basketball skills to good use.
One of the best players in the squad is Wavell SHS’s Oloapu, a five-eight talent with stunning footwork and speed. He is also with the Broncos.
Blackhawks will be captained by Marshall, a robust, mobile No.13 who is with the North Queensland Cowboys.
The squad is also reward for some of the Meninga Cup’s blue collar improvers like Wynnum’s Ryan Jackson, Cutters hooker Xavier Kerrisk, his teammate Baiden Robinson and improved Blackhawks edge forward Sean Bourke.
Recruits to south of the border, like Iona College schoolboy Jeremy Trappett who is bound for Newcastle, have made it.
The fastest player in the squad is arguably Norths winger Kallum Weatherall-Stacey while blockbusting Townsville winger Mene is an outside back powerhouse who drives his team forward from restarts.
The squad is: Tory Bath (Norths Devils), Sean Bourke (Townsville Blackhawks), Lourace Brown (Souths Logan Magpies), Antioch Faitala (Brisbane Tigers), EJ Finau (Burleigh Bears), Arama Hau (Burleigh Bears), Stanley Huen (Souths Logan Magpies), Ryan Jackson (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Mitchell Jennings (Sunshine Coast Falcons), Xavier Kerrisk (Mackay Cutters), Zack Lamont (Townsville Blackhawks), Liam Le Blanc (Norths Devils), Israel Leota (Souths Logan Magpies), Damon Marshall (Townsville Blackhawks), Haizyn Mellars (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Tekelu Mene (Townsville Blackhawks), Seth Nikotemo (Burleigh Bears), Karl Oloapu (Norths Devils), Baden Robinson (Mackay Cutters), Mitchell Rogers (Redcliffe Dolphins), Joseph Shannon (Burleigh Bears), Jamal Shibasaki (Townsville Blackhawks), Elekana Suavai (Townsville Blackhawks), Wil Sullivan (Townsville Blackhawks), Tyreece Tait (Norths Devils), Jeremy Trappett (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Darcy Turner (Norths Devils), Jack Underhill (Sunshine Coast Falcons), Devonte Vaivela (Souths Logan Magpies), Kallum Weatherall (Norths Devils).
Originally published as Broncos boom teen among 30 next generation Origin players
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