Queensland Reds’ future glimpsed in Under 18s teams
Glimpse the Queensland Reds’ future with this in-depth look at the next generation players selected in two Under 18s Queensland teams confronting bitter rivals NSW next week.
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The future of the Queensland Reds can be glimpsed following the announcement of two Under 18s teams set to face their New South Wales rivals next week.
The teams will take on their bitter rivals in Sydney in matches that will give the next generation Reds a chance to impress new Queensland coach Les Kiss.
QUEENSLAND UNDER 18S TEAM LISTS BEFORE THE GPS SEASON
The squad includes four members of the Colts 1 premiership winning Brothers side and six players from the GPS First XV champions Nudgee College.
Queensland Reds Under 18s
Forwards
Alex Kerr (Easts)
The towering Churchie old boy and Easts Tigers backrower made our Colts 1 Team of the Season and is a work horse on both sides of the ball.
Avery Thomson (BBC)
From the cradle of BBC, this tall lock has tremendous up side because of his height and agility. He wins lineouts for fun and is one of the more promising in the Reds Academy.
Charlie Brosnan (Brothers)
The 2022 Australian Schoolboy backrower had a strong introduction to Colts 1 footy this season and was a big part of Brothers premiership. This was after two years of First XV at Churchie.
Fergus Gillan (TSS)
There is no more rewarding selection than TSS backrower Gillan.
We doff our hats to Gillan. He was arguably the most consistent, aggressive back five forward in the GPS competition this season and we named him at No. 5 in our Team of the Season.
Lehopa Leota (Iona College)
While still in Year 11, Leota looked right at home in the premiership winning Brothers Colts 1 side this year.
An Iona College student and Wynnum Bugs junior, Leota is a powerful scrummager who the Reds clearly have big hopes for. He is a powerful runner on the edge of the ruck.
Macarius Pereira (Nudgee)
No surprise at all to see the Nudgee skipper in this company. A prop and leader, Pereira spearheaded Nudgee‘s surge to the outright premiership and is a great prospect.
Noah Rauluni (Nudgee)
Pereira‘s school teammate Rauluni is a flanker who resembles a back with his speed and power. Quick and dynamic with a ton of strength, Rauluni played every game for Nudgee this season and this is a just reward for his efforts.
Oliver Barrett (Nudgee)
To us Barrett was an unknown to begin the year but quickly he made a name for himself as one of the competition‘s best front rowers in the GPS competition. A hooker, Barrett scored a ton of tries during the GPS season, did not miss a game, and is fortified by muscle.
Pj Su’a (Gregory Terrace)
No. 8 Su‘a has also been rewarded with selection after a strong season leading Gregory Terrace in the forward pack. He can wind up and deliver fatal blows with his ball carrying and front on contact and he can also offload.
Trevor King (Souths)
Talk about a promising front rower. Of Fijian heritage, King was only at school last year (Downlands College), but already in just one year out he has represented the Junior Wallabies, Souths premier grade side and of course the Queensland reds Under 18s. He has committed to the Reds long-term.
Backs
Dre Pakeho (Brothers)
The Player of the Match in this year‘s Colts 1 grand final against Souths, Bray Park talent Pakeho is a destructive inside centre whose brutal contact and ball carrying saw him pick up a Colts 1 premiership after a GPS premiership last year with Churchie.
Finn Prass (Brothers)
The Sunshine Coast Grammar School product has a huge boot and controls the game well out of fly half. He is one of those players with time in the Colts 1 competition.
Luke Aiken (Brothers)
The Sunshine Coast Grammar alumni is elite and has been the No. 1 halfback in his age group for years now. The Queensland Reds have Tate McDermott, Kalani Thomas and Spencer Jeans but the future is in safe hands with Aiken and Tafito Falaniko ah-Ki (Reds Grey). Aiken has a bullet pass.
Rocco Gollings (Bond University)
The Bond University Colts 1 speedster is a natural talent and his flare and anticipation is just what the Reds need when they face New South Wales next week. He is a Nudgee old boy.
Samson Tuqiri (BBC)
Tuqiri has made our GPS rugby Team of the Season in back-to-back years and there‘s little wonder why the Reds have the Year 12 BBC student starting on the wing next week. He is a dynamic winger who works hard off the ball.
Will Nason (Souths)
Toowoomba Grammar old boy Nason will likely play fullback in this team, but he has the ability to shift into any backline position. From the resurgent Souths Colts 1 team, Nason is also a handy cricketer.
Xavier Rubens (BBC)
Another BBC boy in the team is this fast-paced and strong outside centre.
Rubens is a try scorer, a player who will chase kicks, challenge the breakdown and pop up at the right times.
Queensland Reds Under 18s Grey
Forwards
Amare Milford (TSS)
The TSS hit man who was one of the strongest defenders in the GPS competition this year.
It‘s hard to believe the man mountain Milford is still in school.
Billy Wellard (TSS)
Wellard is a coaches dream player, someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, gives 110 per cent and makes those extra effort plays. He is just as good on the attack as he is defending and was a reserve in our GPS Team of the Season.
Cruz Leeming (Nudgee)
Leeming is proof of how good the Nudgee front row stocks are. Around Pereira and Barrett, Leeming was sometimes over shadowed but don‘t get it mixed it. He is elite and we noted him as a Special Mention in our end of season summary of the GPS season.
Emil Willie-Jawai (Churchie)
Churchie‘s front row battleship. He is powerful, perfect at the set-piece and improving with every game. It was hard to choose between himself and Kingsley Uys (TSS) in our Team of the Season.
Ewald Kruger (Toowoomba Grammar)
While his brother Wihan is making waves in the New South Wales Under 19s, Toowoomba Grammar Year 12 student Ewald is forging his own legacy.
A hooker, Kruger made the prestigious Australian under 16s development squad at the back end of last year.
George Griffiths (Toowoomba Grammar)
A follow me type of leader, lock Griffiths spearheaded Toowoomba Grammar this season as they chased the GPS premiership.
He had the work ethic of a back rower and could run in long distance tries all the while being a colossus in the set pieces.
Harrison Angel (BBC)
The BBC lock had a consistent season for the blue and green and thoroughly deserves his spot in this company. You know what you are going to get with him and was one of his team’s best on debut for BBC against IGS.
Jakeb Horne (BSHS)
One of many terrific leaders on this list is BSHS First XV captain Horne.
An Australian Schoolboy in 2022, Horne led his team into the fray this year and was majorly successful. Indeed BSHS was the only side to beat Nudgee.
Jeremiah Sialau (Toowoomba Grammar)
Sialau is a front rower and his brother is a fly half, like how Ewald Kruger is a front rower and his brother Wihan is a No. 10. Jeremiah was a prime mover for TGS this season, mobile and a good ball handler.
Slater Gallaway (BBC)
Gallaway played in the front row for BBC this season and although it is a surprise not seeing Cooper Hoare‘s name on the list, Gallaway is no less deserving.
Tom Bailey (Toowoomba Grammar)
Bailey loves the physical battle. He was a part of an elite back row which included Joe Gray and Jimmy White, and like that pair he worked overtime and left nothing in the tank.
Tom Robinson (Gregory Terrace)
A born leader, Robinson takes after his dad, Wallaby Brett. The Gregory Terrace school captain was a titan this season, leading with his words and showing the way with his actions on and off the field. He was mobile, skilled and aggressive.
Vaiuta Latu (St Peters Lutheran College)
The St Peters Lutheran College Year 12 is just one of two boys representing the AIC competition here, along with Hopa Leota.
Tall, dynamic and determined, Latu went from strength to strength this year for the Saints and will play Brothers Colts 1 next year.
Backs
Charlie Johnstone (Churchie)
The Reds could not have picked a better fly half here. He was the best player in his position in this year‘s GPS and is a THREAT with a capital T.
Chace Oates (Toowoomba Grammar)
Oates had a steady season for TGS this year and his seeing his name didn‘t surprise.
He has a mighty big boot, a touch of class, a strong long pass and can deliver an unload in a tackle. He is a well-rounded player who would be a great utility for any side.
Dre-Dyn Laban (Souths)
Fullback Laban had the joy of winning the colts 2 premiership and coming runners up in the colts 1 competition for Souths.
A BSHS old boy, Laban stands out with his colourful hair and silky smooth play style.
Jacob Johnson (Nudgee)
The form player of the GPS competition. Still in Year 11, Johnson is a natural talent who was at the centre of Nudgee‘s premiership charge this season.
Brimming with potential.
James Martens (BBC)
Here is one for the little black book. The BBC halfback who has edged out his schoolmate Jamie Alexander to gain selection here. He is similar to Jamie Alexander in that both players are quick between the ears, make winning plays and are good athletes. Martens was on a three-game-tear to finish the 2023 GPS season.
Maddox Maclean (Nudgee)
The Nudgee fly half has earned his selection after eight top-tier games leading his school side.
Maclean has time, doesn‘t overplay his hand and is both a brilliant goal kicker and exit option. He is steady.
Josh Takai (BSHS)
The BSHS outside centre who burst onto the scene this year with highlight reel games against powerhouses TGS and Nudgee.
Ryan Shaw (Wests)
The Brisbane Grammar old boy and Wests Bulldogs colts 1 playmaker is a natural who has a breakout game lurking around the corner. He has showed the benefits of receiving excellent schoolboy coaching from a very fine No. 10 former Bulldogs champion Phil Mooney.
Oscar Shaw (BBC)
It would have been easy for selectors to see the potential in Shaw.
The BBC fly half and captain was more than impressive this season with his torpedo kicks and high bombs sure to challenge Finn Prass in training.
Richard Dean (Toowoomba Grammar School)
The Toowoomba Grammar outside centre made our GPS Team of the Season as his school‘s potent back. Playing fullback, his incursions caused alarm bells in the opposition teams, as did his passing game to outside backs.
Tafito Falaniko Ah-Ki (St Edmund’s College)
Like Hopa Leota, Ah-Ki played Colts 1 footy this year as a student at St Edmund‘s College.
There is competition in Aiken and Martens but Kiwi-born Ah-Ki is a special player.
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