Club rugby’s 20 players from colts, women and Premier finals
Club rugby finals: Who were the star players from a gala Sunday of colts 1, women’s and Premier rugby at Bond University? Here we reveal 20 top guns from 4 incredible finals.
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Premier Women’s winger Heleina Young shone like a beacon in a losing GPS team while a conversion after the siren from Colts 1 flyhalf Taj Annan advanced Easts to the grand final.
What a day it was at Bond University, with four cracking semi-finals. Two games were decided by a combined two points.
In colts, a try on full time by Easts forward Kaan Askew, and a match winning conversion from Annan booked Easts a ticket to a grand final showdown against UQ.
In women’s rugby, Bond University edged out GPS to win 22-21, while the Brothers second grade team blitzed GPS 31-12 and UQ the same to Brothers, winning 36-22 in the Premier Rugby semi final.
Brothers were without James O’Connor, who came off with an injury after only one minute. In that time he made a jinking run through the defence, but the flare was short lived.
As grand final day looms, let’s take a look at some of the unsung heroes and stars from the Colts 1, Women’s and first and second grade finals played on Sunday.
HERE’S 20:
First Grade: UQ 36 beat Brothers 22
Kalani Thomas (UQ)
You forget how young he is. Just three years ago he was playing with Roosters star Sam Walker for Ipswich Grammar school, stepping their way to a GPS premiership.
The 20- year-old has experience beyond his years and in the semi final, he did not make one mistake. He was pesky as ever around the scrums, delivered top notch service, and struck away for a try of his own.
Harry Wilson (Brothers)
Wilson has to be up there as Queensland’s favourite rugby union player. Maybe when your favourite team comes up against him then he’s the enemy, but you seriously can’t hate the way he plays.
The way he carries himself and his teammates. A heads up attitude despite the scoreboard and thumping energy bringing the ball into contact.
Connor Mitchell (UQ)
The Red Heavies blind side flanker was a real handful. He defended strongly, won the ball and was a real silent achiever. Coming up against the established reds towards, Mitchell did everything asked of him. Yet another grand final appearance for UQ was the reward for his efforts.
Harry Hoopert (Brothers) and Cam Flavell (UQ)
These props traded blows and it was Hoopert who won the first half and Flavell the second.
Hoopert got back-to-back ruck wins to give Brothers the upperhand, and continued to show up. But, Flavell and Dane Zander were at the peak of their powers in the scrum and lineout.
Flavell kept toiling and he scored UQ’s last try as a reward.
Second Grade: Brothers 31 beat GPS 12
Poasa Niumataiwalu (GPS)
The king of post contact metres right here. A lone defender cannot take this man down. He’s a powerhouse.
He unseated a few Brothers battlers in defence just for the fun of it. On a good day he and Shaun Anderson would combine to be one of the deadliest centre pairings in the competition. Anderson helped him out on the tackle front but the two were suffocated by in your face Brothers defence.
Louis Werchon (Brothers)
What a dynamo this kid is, not that it surprises us in any way. His pinpoint kicking was as good as it gets in a big match and he also found something inside him to be a defensive brick wall.
Not only does he have an explosive turn of speed but also some real strength. He stripped the ball right out of his rival’s grasp.
Dominic Fraser (Brothers)
The No.17 jersey never looked better. Dominic Fraser seated his GPS rivals in defence, in the scrum and in general play. GPS didn’t have too many answers for the big poppa. When things weren’t going their way, Fraser piled on more hurt.
John Downes (GPS)
It wasn’t GPS’ day. But who attracted the most attention from the Brothers defence from close range? Downes, which is a great compliment to him. He scored a double and effectively trucked the ball forward.
Bas Ward (GPS)
Sunday marked the end of a masterful season by ever improving flyhalf Bas Ward. He should give himself a pat on the back for the strides he made during the 2022 season. That second grade jersey is his and the reward for his consistency and swiftness in attack will be a premier grade run soon enough.
Just watch.
Colts 1: Easts 24 beat Brothers 23
Tim Ryan (Brothers)
Ryan could be on here for how well he played. In the first half he made an impossible try saver, catching and tackling his winger just before the line.
But he’s here for being a team player. Following a team scuffle, Taj Annan of Easts was given a yellow, and so was Harry Grant of Brothers. But, Lim knew how important it would be to keep flyhalf Harry Grant on the field, so he raised his hand and said I’ll sit.
While Annan was off, Brothers scored back to back tries to take the lead at 23-17.
Hunter Lim (Brothers)
Hunter Lim, a star centre revelation this year, saved the best for last. In a must win, Lim was super. His kick chase pressure and line speed was relentless.
He was the danger man. But, the Brothers backline were right there with him gaining the momentum. Lim did a bit of everything, thanks to the mighty fast service by halfback Oscar Varricchio and the A1 connection with his centre partner Lastus Auakai.
Taj Annan (Easts)
Annan slotted four from four, with his last conversion the game winner. 15m in from the touch line, Annan faced a daunting challenge.
With the Tigers down 22-21, the siren sounded and Easts season on the line, the lefty managed to scrape it through. With a ricochet off the right post, Annan booked his team a ticket to the grand final.
Blake Davis (Easts)
At fullback, Davis stepped it up a level. It was bound to be his toughest test coming up against a full strength Brothers backline, and he passed the examination with flying colours.
He was all class at the back there, with some brilliant catches, return kicks and flashy counter attacking with Jarrod Homan.
Harry Grant (Brothers)
Wow. An absolutely stellar performance from Grant very nearly kept Easts out. Grant held up charging Easts forwards over the line in the dying moments and that just told us what we already knew. He meant business.
From kick off to a remarkable try saver at the end, Grant was instrumental. It was clear how much he wanted it because he put his body on the line on countless occasions.
He scored, he set up and he defended his guts out. He would have won the flyhalf duel with Annan if it wasn’t for that clutch conversion to win.
Oliver Harvey and Leo Mccarthy (Brothers)
The Brothers No.4 and No.6 worked at a rate second to none all game.
Harvey was huge in the lineouts, while McCarthy was a mammoth presence across the park. Lock Cooper Bridgeman bolstered the Brothers forward pack which had no easy task against the likes of Joe Liddy, and barnstorming lock Taine Roiri.
Women: Bond University 22 beat GPS 21
Heleina Young (GPS)
The speedster can only do so much, trying her hardest to get GPS home. She took the crowd by shock with ball in hand, showing one of a kind type of pace.
For GPS, it’s their secret weapon. But, the secret is well and truly out, especially after Sunday. Her blinding speed saw her carve past half of the Bond team and score.
Every other occasion you thought ‘watch out. If it gets in the No.11’s hands it’s a try for all money.’
Anna Nasalo (GPS)
Two weeks in a row Nasolo has been a force in that No.8 jumper. She’s tall and strong with a V8 engine. Nasolo’s a bit like centre Diuna Biau, in that they don’t stop working. Hard runners and relentless defenders that give it their all for the Gallopers jersey.
Skya Adams (Bond)
The composure oozes off Adams, who is still in school at Keebra Park SHS. Her passing was crisper than ever and that made it easy for her backline assassins who dealt damage with open pastures in front of them.
Adams knew what to do and that was to spread the ball. With some cut out balls and great sense of attacking direction from the back, She engineered the counter attack. It does help having Wilks among other cracking ball runners.
Melanie Wilks (Bond)
Scintillating all afternoon. A crowd favourite and she has every reason to be, with a unanimous man of the match performance.
Every touch was threatening and every time there was space to muster up, Wilks scored or assisted. The centre was 10m away from a hattrick, when bursting through and going 50m before being brought down.
Cobie Jane Morgan (Bond)
Jane Morgan is the unsung hero. What a player to have when it comes down to must win finals. The halfback does her job while getting the whole team up for the fight.
We saw it first hand when she willed her team to victory over Sunnybank, and it was the same story sending her team to the final when beating GPS.
Finals fixtures for sunday 18 September at Suncorp Stadium:
Easts v Bond (Women’s final)
UQ v Easts (Colts 1 final)
Wests v UQ (Premier final)
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