Coach names hardest workers, most improved after grand final
After seeing the standard Marsden set, coach Josh Seage said his year 7 players left Carina with a renewed focus to go one better in next year’s elite schoolboy competition.
Ipswich
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AS Marsden State High celebrated a deserved Brisbane Broncos Old Boys grand final victory, the Ipswich State High players held their heads high.
Ipswich State High head coach Josh Seage praised Marsden for their all-round performance in their 46-12 victory at Carina on Tuesday afternoon.
“Marsden are a very good team and when you make errors, they are going to make you pay for it,’’ Seage said.
Marsden’s powerful try-scoring forward Storm Enoka led the way.
Marsden laid the platform for victory racing away to a 28-6 halftime advantage.
The winning Marsden SHS team was: Jeremiah Toko, League Tua, Chris Vaimili, Alex Paisa, Kyedon Ashley, Boston Barnard, ZJ Watene, Cyrus Simmonds, Tipessa Lee, Marquis Sando, Storm Enoka, Marlee Smith, Brendan Lemalu, Ezra Button, Ryan Coles, Tayden Tamati and Kengzen Lefono.
See Andrew Dawson’s grand final preview
After seeing the standard Marsden set, Seage said his year 7 players left Carina with a renewed focus to go one better in next year’s schoolboy elite competition.
“They are disappointed. They know they can learn from this,’’ Seage said, encouraging his players to look ahead.
“We should be getting the whole 17, 18 boys back together.
“I said to the boys after the game ‘we didn’t get the result today but we were the second best team in the state. We match any other team in the state at our age group or our year level and win that game. You should be happy with that’.’’
The Ipswich State High team was: Tiyrell Wood-Sneddon, Iverson Inu, Wiremu Karaitiani, Viliamu Seumalii, Brayden Pearce, MacGuinness Tiananga, TJ Sauaso (captain), Lincoln Natapu, Jaylan Naleba, Innocent Baruani, John-Williams Levi, Spaniyon Gray, Brendon Bruce, Rohan Smith, Christian Tulifau, Bryce Epati, Chris Compton and Ross Vunipola.
Among Ipswich’s best were hooker Jaylan Naleba, lock Brendon Bruce, captain TJ Sauaso and forward Spaniyon Gray, who really stood up against the might of Marsden.
Naleba scored both Ipswich tries.
Seage said the biggest lesson for his team was maintaining confidence for the whole game, playing the way Marsden continued to charge forward and display their speed out wide.
“The big question is they just needed confidence,’’ Seage said.
“Even though as we let them go away today, when we held the ball and did what we needed to do, we were really good.
“Just confident and know that they deserve to be there.’’
Both teams in the grand final played in former Brisbane Broncos style jerseys, which the players get to keep as a reward for their efforts this season.
Reflecting on his team’s 2021 season, Seage rated forward John-Williams Levi, centre Wiremu Karaitiani front rower Chris Compton his side’s most improved young players.
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