Colts 1 club rugby inside scoop: Coaches name opposition dangermen
The Colts 1 club rugby coaches have peered over the back fence to reveal which opposition player they rate as dangermen. See who the red alert players of every team are here ahead of round 12.
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Colts 1 club rugby coaches have peered over the back fence to reveal which red alert players they have been most impressed by through 11 rounds of the season.
Names like the slick Tom Howard (Uni), Finn Mackay (Souths), and Angus Kelly (Uni) were on the lips of all nine coaches but there are countless others who have caught their eye in games.
Howard, a consensus danger man to all foes, was a major threat in Colts 1 rugby before being promoted into coach Elton Berrange’s first grade side in the recent weeks.
A former schoolboy rival of Howard’s, St Laurence’s product Finn Mackay, has been supreme spearheading Souths towards a finals berth.
The word from Easts coach Jack Richards is that if Souths progress to the finals, they are capable of winning with Mackay pulling the trigger at No. 10.
Richards was also quick to praise Bond University’s frontrow division of Jake Leck (loosehead), Blaze Moana (hooker) and Jonah Rangiwai (tighthead).
He has also been impressed with the substance of a giant-killing Sunnybank side that “could decide the finals”.
The Dragons have made a habit of beating top-echelon teams over the past two seasons. Mattias Agent (lock), Dre Loughlin (hooker) and Royden Fakaosilea (prop) have been driving forces as of late in its maul play.
It’s worth noting Wests danger man Nick Conway (Australian under-20s) and University strongman Tom Robinson (Australian under-20s) are elite players who opposition teams have rarely had to come up against this year.
Richards said Bond University looms large, saying they “have a formula” that makes them difficult to beat.
He is referencing the Bull Sharks’ functioning set piece, tactical kicking aces Sam Howarth (halfback) and Callum Simpson (flyhalf) and threatening midfielders Jackson Jury, Max Angove and Mason King.
Wests coach Phil Mooney is with Richards on this one, saying Bond do not rely on one or two good players but are a well-coached team from players 1-23.
GPS assistant coach Matt Mafi has been blown away by some of the star power gracing the Colts 1 competition this year.
Goal-kicking Easts fullback Tom Lambo, a prospect from Western Australia, has impressed Mafi alongside Bond Uni backrower Keanu Rasch.
Rasch played rugby league in New Zealand last year and has brought that league toughness to The Canal in 2025.
However the player that made Mafi sit up and take note was Wests winger DJ Colaivalu.
“He is electric,” Mafi said.
“Lightning.”
Colaivalu was Busy with a capital B in Wests’ colossal 32-23 round 11 win over Easts after the Bulldogs trailed at half time.
Flyhalf or fullback Henry Armstrong, a Pom putting on a show at the Eagles nest, has also been impressive with his booming kicks.
Souths openside flanker Trent Picot, an athletic workhorse who eats breakdown ball for breakfast, has also been a head-turner.
Mafi has noticed Sunnybank winger Jeriah Vagana, a Samoan Under-20s squad selection last month.
Vagana is the competition’s most aggressive in his position.
He intends to clobber any and all players that come across his tracks and in attack his pressuring chase of kicks has been outstanding.
Norths coach Bart Ritchie, like Mafi, has been impressed with Angus Kelly’s move from the midfield to No.8.
It has been a homecoming for the University bulldozer because before playing as a First XV centre at Gregory Terrace, Kelly was indeed a backrower coming through the ranks.
Ritchie also noted Bond’s “complete package” flyhalf Simpson, a big-bodied playmaker who can conjure the goods with his running, kicking and passing.
Wests hooker Harry Solofa, who has hit hard in defence and been tough to bring down, has given coaches headaches as well.
Sunnybank outside centre Junior Sitia Malupo was exceptional against Ritchie’s Eagles earlier this season.
“He had spiders on him,” Ritchie said, referencing how hard Malupo was to contain.
Dominant with the ball and a defensive enforcer off it, the offloading Malupo gives the ‘Bank front foot ball and shuts down opposition attacking raids by flying off his line.
He hits and sticks.
The speed of Brothers outside back Jackson Hill, the class of his flyhalf Illy Baravilala and the kicking game of Easts No. 10 Sam McGahan has also caught Ritchie’s eye.
Rampaging Easts midfielder Ilan Cloete has been a surprise packet with his power and straight, hard running.
University loosehead Kingbenjamin Swirling also impressed Ritchie, as did the entire Red Heavies frontrow of Slater Galloway, Moe Koroi (hooker), Swirling and the big Paul Aiolupotea (prop).
Bond Uni coach Rico Gear, a former All Black, doubled down on praise for Swirling, saying “he has a physicality that not a lot of forwards are bringing”.
“He is dominant with ball in hand and is standing out.”
Brothers coach Josh Neilsen emphasised Simpson’s stellar kicking game after the game-managing Somerset College old boy engineered a Bond win against his team.
“You want to get to him but you can’t,” Neilsen said.
Neilsen has taken a liking to Sunnybank forward marvel Mattias Agent, stifling GPS lineout operator Avery Thomson and rock solid Souths inside centre Darcy Rowan.
Rowan’s coach, Matt Bennetts, has been impressed by Bond Uni wrecking ball Max Angove (outside centre), towering Brothers lock Harrison Angel and tireless Easts hooker Jakeb Horne.
In Souths’ 14-12 success over The Brethren, Angel was a pest in the lineout who “made life difficult” for the hosts.
Horne was also a pest when Souths edged out Easts 24-23, the former Brisbane State High First XV skipper scrummaging well, throwing straight and playing like an extra flanker.
University coach Nick Turnbull, whose young men are first with an 8-2 record, recalled the round 7 match when Souths interchange prop Viliami Motuapuaka moved mountains when he came on in the second half.
Uni won 21-17 but powerful tighthead Motuapuaka gave the Red Heavies scrum a reality check and was powerful with his charges.
Turnbull said he was wary of GPS backline utility Jude Knapp, a “dangerous player” who has been top notch in various positions this year.
Knapp’s safe hands, speed and elusiveness in space was grand when GPS lost 34-12 on a sodden pitch in Ashgrove. He started the year at fullback but Turnbull believes he is more threatening closer to the ball.
Knapp and the Gallopers will welcome Brothers to Yoku Road on Saturday in a round 12 that will see Souths play away at Norths, Easts host Bond Uni and Wests take on University.
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