50 junior footy grand final stars of 2021
These are 50 white hot schoolboy and schoolgirl players we saw shine brightest playing finals’ footy in rugby league, Aussie rules, union and soccer.
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These are 50 white hot rugby league, Aussie rules, rugby union and soccer schoolboy and schoolgirl players we saw shine brightest playing finals’ footy in 2021.
Across the four football codes we witnessed some starring roles when the season was on the line.
So here we name the most eye-catching 50 player performances from the 14 junior or school football finals we witnessed.
RUGBY LEAGUE
TOM WEAVER
The Gold Coast Titans contracted halfback claimed a triple treat of honours in 2021 - the goalkicking Weaver captained Tweed Seagulls to the Meninga Cup victory, Palm Beach Currumbin SHS to the Phil Hall Cup while also making the Australian schoolboys merit side.
DEINE MARINER
The brilliant right centre was one of Weaver’s go-to men at both the Tweed Seagulls and PBC SHS. Mariner, signed by the Broncos, also made the Australian schoolboys merit team after being named player of the state carnival in May.
He iced his season with an all-star performance on grand final day against St Brendan’s College.
Mariner and Weaver’s teammates Ryan Foran and Jack Cullen also enjoyed dual premiership success and Australian selection, with Foran’s left edge charges and Cullen ball play and power laden ruck runs giving hooker Oskar Bryant front foot ball.
LANCE FUALEMA
The big Marsden SHS prop rose to the occasion in the biggest match of the season - the NRL Schoolboys Cup decider against PBC SHS.
Marsden SHS lost, but Fualema and his hooker Tyree Bowman both produced their best performances of the season.
The third member of Marsden SHS’s starting front row, Xavier Stowers, was also a big match performer, scoring the winning try three seconds from fulltime in the semi-final - a win that got his side to the big dance against PBC SHS.
MICHAEL ROBERTS (PBC SHS)
Moving Roberts closer to the action from wing to five-eight proved a masterstroke of coach PBC SHS coach Tim Maccan.
Not only did the year 11 student scoop up stolen ball and run 80m to score the match-winning grand final try against Marsden SHS, he also scored another smart individual try and put his winger Jett Forbes over for a try as well.
It is little wonder Roberts is fast - his older brother is NRL speed machine James Roberts.
NAYTEN ISELIN-JANSEN
Nothing this season tops the grand final performance by Wavell SHS Langer reserves five-eighth Nayten Iselin-Jansen, with his winning play breaking a 12-all deadlock to beat Marsden SHS.
The five-eight snared a 22m drop kick restart 65m out and went on an extraordinary, match-winning kick and chase surge to the tryline.
It was the first time in the game that Wavell had lead and a piece of sheer brilliance from Iselin-Jansen that will be remembered for a long time.
The rookie ran for his life down the left side, then kicked ahead and won the race to the ball.
There were other stars on grand final day. In the Hancock Cup, PBC SHS centre Sunny Karma was presented with the man of the match award, while Marsden SHS’s Storm Enoka claimed man of the match in the Broncos Old Boys Cup grand final.
In the Renouf Shield decider Marlie Barry of PBC SHS had a storming match from the front row in a drama charged grand final against Marsden SHS.
JACK CAMERON
The Redcliffe SHS produced a man of the match performance in the Gee Cup grand final victory.
Cameron was one of the big developers in schoolboy rugby league this season.
He had plenty of helpers this season in the Redcliffe SHS side that lost just one match, in particular captain and prop Matt Bennett.
CHANTAY RATU and SKYLA ADAMS
Keebra Park SHS’s Chantay Ratu and Skyla Adams played blinders as their side claimed the Karyn Murphy Cup 24-8 over Kirwan SHS.
Adams was an astute ballplayer while the long striding Ratu hit the edge of the ruck with great vigour.
Both have enormous futures in the code.
JAIDA FALEONO
When you are on the same field on Titans Cup grand final day alongside a host of elite talent and finish with the player of the match award as Faleono did, you know you are a good player. The Keebra Park SHS student is an outstanding middle forward with great mobility.
LILLI LEWIS and JANIQUE MILI
Lewis and Mili are the babies of this list but the duo’s rich natural skills shone like a lighthouse in the distance. The Marsden SHS year 7-8 pair were a class above in their team’s successful pursuit of the premiership. Lewis played five-eight while Mili was a running fullback with astounding skill.
FOOTBALL, SCHOOLS PREMIER LEAGUE
SIERRA McCAFFREY
Sierra McCaffrey’s blazing goal from next to halfway to send the Kelvin Grove State College junior girls into the grand final was one of the highlights of the season. JC Plumpton was another star on the big stage for Kelvin Grove SC, but nothing could top McCaffrey’s bewildering strike into the wind.
NOVAK KJAJIC
Cavendish Road SHS’s Novak Kjajic was his team’s ace striker in their thrilling Intermediate Boys grand final push. He scored two goals in the semi-final against Kelvin Grove State College, and was a constant danger in Cav Road’s upset win over Palm Beach Currumbin SHS on grand final day.
Other big match performers during the finals were PBC SHS’s striker Forbes Porter, Kelvin Grove State College’s four goal hero Zac Fowler, Helensvale SHS’s junior girls player Olivia Driene and PBC SHS’s junior boys midfielder Justin Handisides.
RUGBY UNION
CLUB
FLOYD AUBREY
It was a year to remember for this exciting teenage fullback. A Marist College Ashgrove old boy, Aubrey was the youngest member included in the Junior Wallabies training squad, he made his Premier rugby debut, then helped GPS colts to an upset grand final win. He produced strike and gave confidence to a GPS side which turned a winless 2020 into a 2021 premiership. GPS fly-half Bas Ward and forward leader Nick Baker also rose to the occasion, with Ward surely the most improved player in the competition. But few could top Aubrey’s season.
SCHOOLBOY RUGBY
ROB TOIA and DANIEL MAIAVA
While the GPS First XV premiership race was deflated by a COVID-19 lockdown, the unofficial premiers were Nudgee College. No one would deny they were the best in the competition, and the best players in their unofficial 2021 premiership team were classy centre Rob Toia and mobile tight forward Daniel Maiava.
The athletic Maiava is a thrilling prospect while Toia was a beast in the midfield.
MIKAEL IBRAHIM and RYAN JACKSON
St Laurence’s College had a number of outstanding players shine in their successful push for the 2021 AIC First XI rugby premiership. Expect to see flanker Joe Nadenic on this list next season, but for mine centre Mikael Ibrahim and lock Ryan Jackson were key driving forces in a smooth, well oiled team machine. Jackson had a wonderful pack around him - including skipper Holt - but his powerhouse ball carrying and lineout work with and without the ball stood out.
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL
JED FOGGO
Foggo led the charge for Palm Beach Currumbin SHS despite an upset grand final loss to Helensvale in the StreetSmarts Schools Cup senior boys premiership.
He had to share the spotlight with a number of other high class performers across the semi-finals and finals, including Miami SHS pair Finley Gray and Judd Pollard, Marymount’s Max Hudson and Ambrose Treacy College’s Michael Romelo - a ripping talent from Darwin who kicked the goal of the semi-finals with a booming effort from the boundary line.
AFL SEQ JUNIOR FOOTY GRAND FINALS
TARA HARRINGTON and LATAYA DE PAUW
Bounding out of two superb grand finals were under 17 Div 1 player Harrington (Broadbeach) and Moreton Bay Lions under 15 Div 2 player Lataya De Pauw.
Harrington’s Div 1 decider went down to the wire, 4-3-27 to 3-7-25, and through the slog of quarter to quarter desperation Harrington ploughed ahead.
De Pauw was also best on ground in her grand final - despite Moreton Bay losing after the under 15 Div 2s had been plunged into extra time.
COOPER HODGE
Cooper Hodge’s under 12 Div 1 Morningside Panthers snared the flag, with the St Laurence’s College student having a booming match.
The cream also rose to the top in other grand finals we witnessed, with these players claiming either BoG or best and fairest player of the season awards:
Jasymn Smith (Wests juniors, under 17 Div 1)
Mia Doyle (North Lakes-Redcliffe, under 13 Div 3)
Luke Costa (Wynnum, under 14 Division 4).
Taylor McLeod (Aspley under 13 Aspley Div 2 girls)
Annabel Peacock (Sherwood, Div 2 under 13 girls)
Eva Sartor (Wests juniors under 15s)
Jessica La Vigne (Mt Gravatt, under 15 Div 3 girls)
Farradai Hopkins (Mt Gravatt Vultures)
Fanolele Tuitahi (Morningside, under 15 girls).
Ethan Stackelberg (Sandgate Hawks, under 12 Div 2)
Veronica Picerno (Morningside under 13’s)
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