Club rugby: Most inspiring, most underrated revealed
Club rugby: Colts 1 and women’s club rugby’s most inspiring and most underrated players revealed.
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As the colts 1 and women’s competitions move toward the championship rounds of the season, we present part one in a two part season review aimed to highlight the high achievers of 2022.
Each colts 1 and women’s coach has been asked for responses in four categories:
1. most improved player
2. most inspiring player
3. their best x-factor player
4. most underrated player
Today we feature the most improved and the most inspiring players of the season in the colts 1 competition which sees Brothers (47), fast finishing UQ (46), Easts (42), Wests (42), Bond (41) and Norths (37) still in contention.
In the women’s competition Easts and GPS (both 53) were marginally ahead of Bond (49) and Sunnybank (45).
RELATED LINKS
GPS ROUND 4, 20 PLAYERS OF THE ROUND
ROUND 4 REPORT - INCLUDING BSHS’S MILESTONE MATCH WIN
ROUND 5 REPORT - HERE https://bit.ly/3QtnlIr
MOST UNDERRATED, colts 1
Jacky Hussey (Norths)
He has really flown under the radar at No. 10 this season. After converting from a halfback, Hussey has been a revelation with his tactical kicking and probably the best defence from a fly half in the competition. He hits really hard and rarely misses.
James Peirce (GPS)
GPS coach Sio Kite has the highest of praise for both Peirce and Darcy Hammond.
“He always puts in an honest shift every week,’’ praised GPS coach Sio Kite said of Pierce.
“While not the biggest or the strongest, he always puts his hand up for work and leaders from the front.’’
Darcy Hammond: The prop or lock has altered between positions this season and has done an admirable job supporting his teammates.
Fehi Mahina (Sunnybank)
The 18-year-old workhorse gives up a lot of height and weight to his opponents but is always strong carrying the ball and will always win his collision. He is a great on the ball and can also play hooker - his future position in the game.
Nik Mitchell (Bond)
Mitchell is Nik Mitchell is the best openside flanker in the competition and is never spoken about.
Leo McCarthy (Brothers)
Leo McCarthy is hard working, tough and exceptional at what he does. He has really high numbers every week and does all the stuff required of a flanker without the fan fair
Josh Meyer (University of Queensland)
The inside centre has been the defensive rock of the team, always making key tackles in the midfield and putting his body on the line.
He also provides control in attack and is not afraid to get his hands dirty in breakdowns to secure the ball.
Mika Smith (Wests)
Straight out of school, he is juggling life as a first year apprentice and juggling his long hours and improving as a footballer, all of which “takes a special man’’ to achieve, according to his coach Rob Roiri.
Luke Hatherell and Joe Liddy (Easts)
Hatherell, a First XV rugby and cricket player at BSHS last season, gets the job done alongside another quiet achiever, flanker Joe Liddy, the 2021 Terrace skipper. Both lead with their actions.
Cadell Rees, Leandro Tupi, Tom O’Callaghan (Souths)
The back five forwards were nominated by Souths coach Cian O’Connor as his team’s most underrated.
Tupi is a dynamic No.8 or back rower, while O’Callaghan is a lock forward workhorse and Rees a tireless forward who never stops.
MOST INSPIRING, colts 1
Jack Small (Norths)
According to his coach Dan Ritchie, Small “would be close to the most dominant lock in the competition’’. “He has repeat efforts carrying and his defence has been instrumental.
“He has a massive work rate and his growth this year as a third year player is exceptional.
Nick Weier (Norths)
Weier has played in five different positions across colts one and colts two this year and never complains. “His work rate in defence is immense and he has found a home at outside centre. The energy he brings can’t be undersold,’’ coach Ritchie said.
George Stokes. (Norths)
As captain he has been incredible, someone who controls the tempo of the game well and his support work in broken play has hurt a number of teams this season.
Hamish Muller (Brothers)
The lock is the Brothers captain and leader, calm on the field and an inspirational leader with his actions. He is also constantly one of Brothers’ best
Tiane Roiri and Taj Annan (Easts)
A huge man, Roiri can be a “follow me’’ type of character who lifts players around him.
Annan is not only a highly skilled fullback or fly half, he is also an inspiring leader.
Morgan Conway (Sunnybank)
Dragons coach Brendan Underwood said his benchmark was someone who “consistently contributes to our team values’’.
“Week in, week out Morgan Conway is on time to training and games, always wears his uniform and prepares well,’’ Underwood said.
“Morgan is a lighter back rower-lock option but puts in maximum effort and rips in to the best of his ability.
“His work ethic and standards leaves me no option to recommend him as an inspiration to the future program.’’
Harrison Usher (Bond)
Usher is described by his coach Brenden Jones as “ a great leader who is very dedicated and who is a great bloke’’.
Hugo Perceval (University of Queensland)
The Uni. No.8 is the captain and unquestioned leader of the team. He is also one of the toughest players in colts who has played through extreme pain, all the while his motor never stops.
Fergus Nasser (UQ)
Nasser has been Uni’s best player this season with multiple player of the match awards. “He has been the player that demands the ball to carry the side forward when there is nothing on and stands us in defence when we are under pressure,’’ said UQ coach Matt Ingram.
Alex Robinson, Max Hurwood and Emerson Treasure (Wests)
“We are very lucky to have three young men that inspire me everyday, not only with their talent but with their outlook on life off the field,’’ praised Bulldogs coach Rob Roiri.
Lachlan Howes (GPS)
In a battling team he has worked really hard to motivate and inspire the team with his actions. “A proud club man, Howes will be part of an exciting generation of Gallopers coming through,’’ said GPS coach Sio Kite.
Tom Cox (GPS)
The utility has played everywhere he is needed. “He never complains and always does a job you can be proud of,’’ Kite said.
Ben Murphy (Souths)
WOMEN
UNDERRATED
Diuna Biau and Anna Nasalo (GPS)
Both girls have been mainstays in the team and in the competition for a number of years and often not recognised for their quality play.
Both are driving forces within the team at training and drive high standards.
“They also had an opportunity to play with Fiji, with both earning Test caps,’’ said coach Mutch Kite. “Diuna also made a debut this year in Super W.’’
“Both epitomise the DNS of GPS playing tough, hard footy and always led from the front.
Gemma Lawrence (Norths)
Skilful, tough and very fast, she is also ultra competitive and is constantly improving her knowledge and shaping her game.
Shannon Symon (Bond)
What Symon lacks in size, she makes up for through hard work and effort. She has been consistently one of the best for the Bullsharks every time she takes the field and her work, particularly around the breakdown and defensively, has been crucial for Bond.
Elisha Godsiff (Bond)
New to Bond this year, her rugby IQ is matched by her follow me style of play.
Godsiff is often putting her hand up for the tough carriers and has also been a pillar in defence.
Brie Salagaras (Easts)
Salagaras is recognised for being tireless, with a lot of the work she does crucial but unnoticed. A lock, she is solid in the scrum and effective in the lineout and can be found always doing the work that no one else gets accolades for. “She is a solid performer every time she puts on the jersey,’’ coach Wilson said.
Roni Setu (UQ)
Setu is renowned for never giving up, and always leads the charge.
MOST INSPIRING
Marlugu Dixon (GPS)
Dixon is a captain courageous who has come back after giving birth to her first child. “She leads from the front with her attack and her tenacity in defence,’’ said coach Mutch Kite.
“She has been a mainstay of the program since our reinclusion to the competition in 2014 and is loved by her teammates as someone everyone would want to go to war with.’’
Visa Kite (GPS)
Captain of the team since 2014 and one of the veterans, she is still contributing years on and is on the verge of reaching 100 games for the club and will be the first female to reach this milestone.
“Even after all these years she is still leading the team with her actions and passion and love for the team and club,’’ coach Kite said.
Caitlyn Lofthouse (Norths)
“She is one of the toughest players you’ll come across who pushes herself to beyond her physical limits every game,’’ said coach Norths Dom Clarke.
“Caitlyn always is first to put her hand in to run it or put her body on the line for her team.’’
Claudia McLaren (Easts)
After finding rugby through her father, a Scottish international, McLaren has overcome some significant personal challenges to develop in rugby. “She has gone on to thrive,’’ said Tigers coach Wilson. “Her excellent work ethic, positive outlook and easygoing nature sees Claudia as a popular member of the playing squad that sets an example to other.
“She has overcome injury through a confidence cloud and is thriving on the other side. She is a player to watch.’’
Shelley Fox (Bond)
She took a punt leaving GPS to play a little closer to home and has been an inspiration, often fitting in a work shift around a Saturday fixture. As part of a new front row, Fox and her front row team mates have seen Bond more competitive against much bigger packs.
Chanelle Kohima and Caitlin Urwin (both University of Queensland)
REMAINING ROUNDS
Norths v Wests
Brothers v Bond
UQ v Sunnybank
Souths v GPS
Bye: Easts
Wests v Souths
GPS v UQ
Bond v Easts
Sunnybank v Brothers
Bye: Norths
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