Rugby league raiders who have links to GPS or AIC rugby
Meet league’s teen Rugby Raiders helping offset Joseph Sua’alii’s shock move to rugby union. We name dozens of elite rookies with links to GPS or AIC school rugby - but who thrive in rugby league.
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Joseph’s Sua’alii’s has rocked the league world with his shock defection to rugby union – but is it really a big blow to rugby league?
As Wallaby coach Eddie Jones works through his hit list of league players he wants in the 15-a-side code, we name 33 elite young guns with current or past links to GPS or AIC school rugby who were thriving in league.
THE MENINGA, CONNELL STARS SIGNED BY ROOSTERS AND MANLY
LEAGUE’S RUGBY RAIDERS
Ethan Grimshaw
One of the Dolphins recent signings, Grimshaw puts his name up in lights every GPS track and field championship meet with withering sprint performances. The state and national 100m champion in his age group, Grimshaw is a GPS First XV prospect later this decade but currently plays league for Norths Devils and is now a Dolphin.
ROB TOIA
The Nudgee College outside centre ace has long been under contract to the Sydney Roosters - that’s how highly the glamour Sydney club think of him. He has a dyanmic step, power and pace. He really is the full package in the centres.
Tyrece Herniman
A Souths Logan junior, Herniman is a Met East rugby league representative prop or back rower who plays GPS youth rugby for Brisbane State High School.
Taoso Taoso
The Queensland water polo ace who was recently invited to an Australian under 16 water polo camp is a Brisbane State High youth rugby ace signed by the Dolphins NRL club.
RELATED LINKS
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Max Blanch
He plays hooker in rugby league for the Brisbane Tigers but is a Queensland rugby representative inside centre who attends the traditional union stronghold of Nudgee College.
We watched the clever Blanch in a man of the match performance for Met East during the Queensland rugby 15-16 years trials late last year which left us wanting to see more.
Also a Queensland No. 9 representative in rugby league, Blanch is an impressive cross-code talent in his age group.
Berakah Tuifaasisina
An Ipswich Rangers junior and Ipswich State High student, Tuifaasisina is yet another young gun who can do both.
He is in the Jets Connell team, and was last year picked in the Queensland Reds under-15 representative team after a dominant front-row display in the Emerging Reds Cup.
Macarius Pereira
The Nudgee College First XV front row strongman is a two-time GPS premiership winning prop, but he also played for the Brisbane Tigers in the Meninga Cup this season.
And the fabulous prop will be back for his third season of First XV this year.
Cooper Benevenuti
Arguably Brisbane Tigers’ best Connell Challenge player this season, this hard working prop is a league boy to the core but will play school rugby with Iona College after linking with the bayside school which is a mecca for sporting talent.
PJ Su’a
Su’a is a Gregory Terrace back row strongman who will likely spearhead the College’s First XV this winter. But he is also a more than handy edge forward in the Brisbane Tigers under 18 Meninga Cup squad.
Cameron Bukowski
Watch for the low tackling Bukowski to emerge in the AIC First XV competition playing inside centre for Villanova College this season.
But he is also captain of the Meninga Cup under 18 premiership favourites, Wynnum-Manly, and is contracted to the Broncos as a hooker Last season he represented the city under 17 side.
Cooper McInnerney
The representative winger is yet another Nudgee College student who grabbed his chance to win a place in the Queensland under-15s White team last season.
He plays for the Devils in the Connell Challenge, and we’re hoping to see him in the GPS First XV competition this year.
Fa’apale Feaunat
Here is one for the little black book. Tall and athletic, the middle forward from St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace has already been snapped up by the Broncos. He was a Queensland under-15 representative last season where his long stride and nice hands stood out.
Nixon Pasese
One of four Nudgee College students to win places in Queensland under-15 squads last season, the Dolphins signed Pasese is a powerful middle forward who gets forward and plays the ball quickly.
Pasese was a huge influence at prop for the Queensland 15 years Maroons with big, strong carries and mobility for a big man.
Carter Welfare
Another Dolphins’ signing who won a place in Queensland’s top tier under-15 side last season. The young halfback is a Nudgee College border from Harry Grant country - Yeppoon and Emu Park - in coastal central Queensland.
Welfare has been playing five-eighth for the Dolphins Connell team this season
Trent Pilcot
Don’t be surprised if you see Pilcot’s name bob up in the BSHS First XV side this season. He is currently playing Connell Challenge with the Brisbane Tigers but he is a part of an exciting crop of Year 11 talent flooding the BSHS open squad. He will need to recover from a broken thumb.
Larry Siala
Siala was St Edmunds College’s prime-mover in their 2022 First XV team, who had their best season in years.
A powerhouse lock with the run of a rampaging No. 8, his ball carrying gave Eddies’ momentum.
But, it’s on the rugby league field where he excels.
With an unearthly work rate and tremendous effort, Siala, a Norths Tiger junior, is one who leaves his heart out on the field for the Redcliffe Dolphins Meninga team, and any team he plays for.
Finn Lawson
While Lawson is not a private school rugby player - he is a Mountain Creek SHS student - he played elite rugby last season.
A livewire fullback with the ball skills of a hooker and the football brain of a halfback, the Kawana Dolphins is such a natural, rugby union came knocking last season when he was a shock selection in the Australian schoolboys rugby team which toured Japan.
He has been rock solid in the No. 1 jersey for the Falcons Meninga Cup side this season, Lawson knowing exactly when and where to inject himself in the backline.
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Beni Allen
Brisbane Broncos signed mobile forward playing with Wynnum-Manly in the Meninga Cup. Beni Allen is a John Paul College Old Boy who tore his rivals apart in last year’s TAS rugby competition.
He’s beefed up a bit this year and is a model of consistency in the unbeaten Seagulls side.
Mikael Ibrahim
Highly rated No. 13 who captains the Brisbane Tigers Meninga Cup side.
He won two premierships with St Laurence’s College in 2021 and 2022, his size and strength in the centres often impossible for his AIC rivals to stop.
Mitch Rogers
A Padua College old boy shining for the powerful Redcliffe Dolphins Meninga Cup side.
Rogers, a hooker signed with the Canterbury Bulldogs, was named starting hooker in the 42nd Confraternity Carnival’s Honorary Representative Team last year.
Tauave Leofa
A Brisbane State High fly-half stunner who now plays Meninga Cup with the Dolphins.
Leofa didn’t play much in last year’s under-16 National Championships but a small sample size showed just how crafty the backline utility can be.
His kicking game is out of this world as is his composure in the face of rushing defence.
Jeremy Trappett
The Newcastle signed Iona College old boy who was a member of the 2022 Queensland schoolboys winning rugby league side.
We have had the pleasure of seeing him in the Meninga Cup and Iona First XV and First XIII for the last two years and he has been very, very good.
Liam Le Blanc
The tough as teak middle forward from Nudgee College is South Sydney signed. He played for the winning Maroons schoolboys and winning Nudgee College side’s last year.
Tory Bath
A Norths Devils junior now with the Dolphins. Bath was a 2022 Nudgee College premiership winner who also played for the league schoolboys state side.
Bath, a fleet-footed fullback in union, has the x-factor.
James Grey
The Ipswich Grammar speedster has been out of the Connell with an arm injury but he should be set to dazzle in the GPS First XV competition. When he does play you will know who he is. He has blinding speed and if he has space watch him pin the ears back. Grey is signed by the Dolphins.
Finn Kendall
Kendall is a tall, fast and versatile young back who can really score the ball. He is an Ipswich Grammar boy who will push hard for inclusion in the school’s GPS First XV this season.
Has been a consistent Team of the Week inclusion throughout the Connell Challenge this year.
Prestyn Laine-Sietu
Like his Nudgee College teammate Princeton Ioane, Laine-Sietu was also an U16s Australian Development Squad select after coming to life in the National Championships late last year.
During the Championships, Queensland Reds Under 16s coach Simon Cribe described him as an “outstanding talent” with a “great skill set.”
“No one can stop Prestyn from 15m out … He’s an exceptional footballer.”
And in the Meninga Cup for Redcliffe this season he has been a constant try scoring threat.
Will spearhead the Nudgee First XV backline this year.
Dallas Ingram – Qld 15s, TSS
Ingram is a special all around talent who is both an elite youth boxer who plays rugby for The Southport School and league for Burleigh Bears. A halfback or five-eight, he was a member of the Queensland schoolboys under 15 league side last season.
Billy Wellard
Wellard was a fired up flanker for the Southport School last season, a key component in their premiership winning forward pack. But, on the league field with the Burleigh Bears he lurks on the wing — that’s how quick he is.
Bud Smith
Bud Smith is a classy player with a stunning step, fleet of foot and great vision. He wriggles his way out of the first tackle and is a jinking type. At least that was the case when he led the Toowoomba Grammar backline last season and the Western Clydesdales to a thrilling 28-22 triumph over competition powerhouses Ipswich at the weekend.
Tariq Tanner
Tanner was a centre star for Nudgee in 2022. A superb intercept try encapsulated the hold he had on his rivals in a clash against Brisbane State High.
He’s quick, strong and has natural talent, which explains why the Norths Devils Meninga Cup No. 4 is Broncos contracted.
Samson Tuqiri
The son of dual international Lote, Samson has wheels to burn. He played First XV rugby last season for BBC and also made our News Corp Team of the Season from that competition. A winger, he’s a fast mover with a deceiving step but also uses that pace in cover defence. He is a member of the Brisbane Tigers Meninga Cup squad.
Israel Leota
The Ipswich Grammar Old Boy is pure athleticism.
Tall with a great vertical leap, Leota was a GPS First XV Team of the Year Player and a Souths Logan Magpies outside back.
It goes without saying we are itching to see how he progresses at Red Hill.
Jasper Barry
This tough rugby league rookie is signed by Brisbane Broncos and is a member of the Norths Meninga Cup squad. But he attends one of world rugby’s great school nurseries - Marist College Ashgrove - the home of Wallaby champions like John Eales, Dennis Connor, Brendan Moon and Daniel Herbert - to name but a few. He is a raw rugby talent but his powerful running and defence is sure to be used in the First XV rugby squad this season.
Zack Lamont
A Churchie First XV ace, Lamont is now a Queensland under 19 squad member signed by the Cowboys. He is a goal kicking half with a killer tactical kicking game enjoy life in Townsville.
Will Sullivan
A Ipswich Grammar School old boy, Sullivan is a hard working back rower fitting snugly into the North Queensland Cowboys system. He is also a former GPS track and field record breaker.
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