AIC First XV rugby round 3 Team of the Week
Our AIC First XV rugby round 3 Team of the Week includes Marist Ashgrove sons of guns, two forwards from giant-killing Padua and a bayside discovery player.
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Iona may have lost its AIC First XV rugby round 3 clash to a drought breaking Marist College Ashgrove, but the college is starting to “unearth some really good players’’.
Flanker Adam Kelly, fullback Levi Hawea and No. 8 Ned Dore are at the top of the hit parade, with Year 11 Kelly receiving the Doubles Daly player of the day award.
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“He (Kelly) is a young fellow who will be back for us next year while Ned Dore, another Year 11 boy, was very good. They are both doing wonderfully well and that is good for us moving forward.’’
Hawea was another thrilling prospect at fullback. When Hawea and winger Kai Seeto carried the ball, it forced Ashgrove to sound the alarm bells in defence.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
15. Ben Puller (St Edmund’s)
Puller would have been a contender for man of the match, so well did he play. A natural leader, Puller had the hands and vision of a half, and the acceleration of an outside back. An astute runner of the ball, the Brothers league junior pipped Levi Hawea (Iona) and the promising Jude Knapp (Ashgrove) into the side.
14. Tom Howard (Ashgrove)
Playing outside centre Howard saw more ball this week and opposing a competitive midfield which included a rough and tough Will Lane of Iona, Howard consistently made half chances for his side, beating defenders with trademark footwork.
If he died with the ball Howard had stepped himself over the advantage, but if he passed he gave his outside men a chance to progress play.
13. Tobias Graham (Ashgrove)
Remember the point of our Team of the Week is to recognise the best players of the weekend, so if a player is named out of position here or there, that is the reason. To be honest Graham looks like an inside centre but he plays five-eight and was a man for all seasons against Iona. In traffic his straight running was effective, he kicked astutely and promoted the ball inside or out with eyes up vision. It was a well rounded performance that demanded recognition.
12. Finn Mackay (St Laurence’s)
Mackay was outstanding playing five-eight in his debut season wearing the First XV jersey. A former Melbourne Rebels under 16 representative who played against Queensland at last year’s national championships, he was a puppeteer who added the spit and polish to St Laurence’s performance.
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Mackay was the winner of the Jack Cameron Magpies Trophy, an award struck to honour a great Souths rugby family with links to both Villanova and St Laurence’s College.
11. Kai Seeto (Iona)
Seeto was a dynamic runner who threatened with strength and acceleration. The more ball he gets this season, the better things will be for Iona.
10. Wallace Charlie (St Peters)
St Peters emotion charged victory was engineered by five-eight Charlie whose late try clinched his team victory despite playing behind a scrum which was outplayed by Paddies. But even before those heroics he would have been ahead in the 3-2-1 votes and it was appropriate he was handed the Peter Doubles Daly Medal for his team’s best player.
9. Tafito Falaniko Ah-Ki (St Edmund’s)
The best in the business was at it again with his work rate and skills coming to the fore in a losing team performance to Padua. He is in a rich vein of form and when teams come up against him it is not a matter of containing Ah-Ki, it is a matter of watering down his influence on games.
8. Brock Powell
Powell was the official man of the match as Padua kept its unbeaten record after three games. Playing flanker before another fever pitch crowd, Powell was an inspired figure as he tackled anything that moved and put his body on the line at the breakdowns. We named him No. 8 here only because we wanted to squeeze as many of last week’s best players into the top XV.
7. Adam Kelly (Iona)
He is a diminutive figure in the mould of former Queensland and Australian flanker Chris Roche, and like Roche he has a heart the size of a lion who plays above his weight. Only in Year 11, Kelly was Iona’s Doubles Daly Medallist for best player.
6. Ben Addley (Villanova)
It was easy for onlookers to see the influence Addley’s crash ball running had on Villanova’s winning chances. In a tightly contested game where Villa were always one try away from making things really interesting, Addley’s aggression with ball in hand allowed his side to get past the advantage line and charge up the field.
He steamed onto the ball on every carry.
5. Jack Corby (Padua)
We saw him against Ashgrove a week earlier and he was enormous as a line out ball winner and thumping defender or ball carrier around the ruck. A positional switch saw Corby move from blindside flanker to second row last Saturday – and it was a move which agreed with him.
4. Ned Dore (Iona College)
He wore bright green head gear but no matter how bright it was, Dore would have stood out regardless. He was enormous at No. 8 and did his best to swing momentum his team’s way. We named him in the tight five here to ensure we got as many players of the round into our squad.
3. Hopo Leota (Iona College)
The Ashgrove forwards would have sighed in relief when he failed to appear in the second half. Leota was the cornerstone of a troublesome scrum that caused Ashgrove grief, and his ball running was lethal. Close to the line he was unstoppable, scoring two tries.
2. Manaaki Bateman (St Patrick’s College)
Bateman was a colossus for Paddies, rising from his sick bed to engineer an outstanding set piece that almost swayed the match back St Patrick’s way. He was also a ball carrying dynamo.
1. Kian Nuku Nuku (St Patrick’s College)
Nuku Nuku joined with his hooker Bateman and fellow prop Max Whitbourne to produce a tight forward masterclass despite his team sliding to a narrow defeat against St Peters. Nuku Nuku was St Patrick’s player of the match, and some say the best player on the field.
Reserves:
Harry Thompson (Marist College Ashgrove)
We needed 20 positions this week to cover off on our First XV, but Ashgrove supporters, don’t worry that he was named first reserve.
This bloke was as good as anyone in his position at the weekend. Against a big, physical Iona pack which took no prisoners, Thompson was in everything. No one would have been surprised if he had taken over the microphone at the end match presentation ceremony – he did everything else. His fellow flanker Atticus Armstrong, also a goal kicker, is another little beauty.
Jack Chandler (St Edmund’s College)
St Peters may have had Nona, but Eddies had Jack Chandler. For the third week in a row this young open side flanker more than matched it with the best in the competition. He looks the part, draping his head in while tape decorated by a line of Eddies’ blue, and is moving mountains in his debut season. He is a real tearaway.
Johnny Nona (St Peters Lutheran College)
Not for the first time this season – and we are sure not for the last – Nona drew looks of admiration for his effort in St Peters thrilling, late win over St Patrick’s. The flanker produced an exhaustive performance for the winners.
Nic Gullo (Ashgrove)
The Marist tight five were up against bigger rivals but did enough to quell Iona’s onslaught and throw plenty back at them.
Gullo, his hooker Oliver Clements and Bailey Caplick all did their jobs and if they had wavered, Iona would surely have turned a second half lead into victory.
Brody McLaren (Laurie’s)
McLaren was the unsung hero in Laurie’s 34-29 round 3 victory. He didn’t have any tries to show for but he was at the peak of his powers, his running game causing problems for the retreating Villa defence.
He broke the line, involved his wingers and held down the defensive line superbly, no doubt giving his teammates confidence.
Hugo Harrison (Villa)
Who knew how much pace Harrison had? The No. 11 was sizzling all game down the right touchline, surging onto the ball and beating defenders with sheer speed.
He also had a great idea of when to pin the ears back or take it back in-field.
Larry Clark (Villa)
Once again it wasn’t flashiness that earned Clark a spot but his big boot which, on a windy afternoon in Runcorn, made life tough for Laurie’s.
He scored a cracking try when running off Cameron Bukowski’s hip and organised the attack nicely if his touchfinders weren’t enough.
Daniel Taylor and Jackson Moloney (Villa)
No. 8 Moloney and No. 2 Taylor were terrific for the second week in a row for Villa.
Moloney was a menace at lineout time, prompting Laurie’s head coach Welmar Du Plessis to say that was an area requiring improvement.
As for Taylor, has a front rower ever struck the ball so crisply off a tee? Four-from-four he kicked and only one of them was from in front.
Bailey Cotelli (Laurie’s)
Cotelli was super on Saturday, running great lines, getting offloads away and defending desperately.
He had help from No. 8 Ben Davis and the entire Laurie’s forward pack, but the fast-footed Cotelli stood out with every carry.
Rylan Lock (Laurie’s)
If ever a captain’s knock was required it was at the weekend when Laurie’s were confronted by long-time rivals Villanova.
He had a “follow me” performance which consisted of two pick-and-drive tries that did not come easy.
Footnote: Replays and live coverage of match will be available courtesy of the QRU and available via the website: https://qld.rugby/aic
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