Colts 1 club rugby Rd 7 Team of the Week revealed
Colts 1 club rugby: Last year’s minor premiers jumped to the top of the ladder as a stunning round of Colts 1 rugby unfolded over the weekend. See who impressed from each club here.
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Souths were back on top of the table after a local derby triumph, there was entertainment aplenty at Hugh Courtney Oval between GPS and Norths, while Bond pipped Easts and Brothers grafted out an intense victory over Wests.
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GPS were last gasp winners over Norths courtesy of some clever late play by Jude Knapp, who features in our players of the round story.
The Magpies, minor premiers last season before enduring a gut wrenching seven point loss, moved up the table by finding six tries against southern neighbours Sunnybank.
Who were the best players in that game, and also when Bond beat the Tigers in a thriller and Brothers inched out Wests? All is revealed after another bumper round.
COLTS 1 SUPER 25 FROM ROUND SEVEN
Xaelin Salakai-Loto (GPS)
He had a big match for GPS who won by just four points. He generated some important turnovers and playing slightly out of position at blindside flanker, Loto did not look out of place.
Jude Knapp (GPS)
Knapp continued to show his game was evolving with some acute decision making at the back where it was his run which set up the winning try and after being one of the finds of the First XV season last year playing for Ashgrove, he is progressing at pace at colts 1 level as well.
Matthew Ribot and Nathan Page (GPS)
Both colts 2 boys had considerable impacts when they hit the field and they enhanced GPS’ push to a narrow win.
Mac Hermann (Norths)
The team’s captain and lock, Hermann was busy all game. He had some telling runs, controlled the line out and generally led from the front.
Macarius Periera (Norths)
This ace mobile prop was again damaging with the ball and scored another two tries. He is a try scoring machine who also does well at scrum time.
Sam Dickie (Norths)
The energetic winger used his speed and caused headaches for the GPS defence. He was denied what would have been a brilliant grubber kick try, and looked confused at the referee’s decision. He also set up a first half try.
Mac Kelley (Easts)
Finally the quicksilver talent out of Churchie got more ball and he made good use of it when the chances presented themselves.
The pacy winger scored a try and was harder to contain the more pace he gathered.
Frankie Goldsbrough (Easts)
The emerging midfielder returned from a stint with the Australian Under-20s in fine fashion, running the ball hard and bursting through the Bullsharks defence.
He was at his lethal best.
Joseph Liddy (Easts)
Another Under-20s selection, hardworking breakaway Liddy was again a pest at the breakdowns, elite with his defence and inspirational with his leadership.
Noah Rauluni (Easts)
Liddy’s blindside flanker, Noah Rauluni, the son of Fiji international and Reds halfback Jacob, was outstanding in his second game for the club.
After beginning the season at the Devils Lair in the Meninga Cup representative rugby league competition, Rauluni has provided a big boost for the Tigers boys.
He was one and a half players, impacting the game in more ways than one.
Kobe Waikato (Bond University)
If there was one bloke who turned the heads of everyone watching, it was Bond’s flyhalf kingmaker Waikato.
A versatile utility back, Waikato was all class. His kicking was precise, his passing accurate and his running game a threat. He was just very dangerous.
Sam Howarth (Bond University)
Howarth or D’Angelo Russell? The Bullsharks’ halfback had ice in his veins, kicking the home side to a thrilling last gasp victory over Easts.
Howarth’s 70th minute conversion with the scores level at 24-all, was something out of a fairytale.
The kick was by no means easy and when you consider what was at stake it’s even more impressive.
Cam Bodly and Nick Hilton (Bond University)
Bond University’s lock was a trojan worker around the field and made a massive difference at the lineout.
His physical backrow partner Nick Hilton was also a terror at No.8 and scored a try for his troubles.
Darcy Rowan (Souths)
While we are on the topic of sharpshooting goal kickers, let’s heap praise on St Laurence’s old boy Darcy Rowan who had his radar working on Saturday at Souths.
The headgear wearing inside centre slotted six-from-six off the tee and was a mistake-free customer.
Cooper Hoare (Souths)
Wow! What a season this bullocking hooker out of BBC is having.
He is quickly making his case for Queensland Reds Under-19s selection, and another strong performance at the weekend will surely catch the eye of Reds’ Head of Talent Management Paul Carozza.
Matthew Robertson (Souths)
There were strong showings abound for the Magpies, with Harry Raff (scrum half) and Will Nason (fullback) on song. But the match was won in the forwards, where high effort man Matthew Robertson, a lock, displayed plenty of enthusiasm.
Daniel Malum (Sunnybank)
Another having a breakout season, special winger Malum was dangerous with limited opportunities.
The Townsville boy is elite and continued his strong first half of the season on Saturday.
Kai Combarngo (Brothers)
It was only a matter of time before the exciting Nudgee schoolboy prodigy (2022) stamped his mark on the Colts 1 competition.
On the wing, Combarngo was busy. He went looking for work, was involved in plenty and was the Brethren’s most potent back.
Ben Daniels (Brothers)
The country boy who boarded at the rugby finishing school of Churchie, Daniels hit his straps at the weekend after a disrupted start to the season with injury.
The tall Australian Under-20s lock was immense in the lineouts and in general play where, with Vaiuta Latu, Charlie Stack and Mitch Ross putting in shifts, he was able to combat a high performing Wests forward pack.
Hamish Ward and Archie Smith (Wests)
Both the Wests props should take plenty of confidence moving forward after a beast scrummaging performance against Brothers.
Ward (hamstring) and Smith (midfoot injury) were coming back after some time off and made up for lost time.
Charlie Cooke and Liam McGregor (Wests)
It was a gripping backrow battle between the two sides.
Brothers boys Charlie Stack, Pat Dallimore and Vaiuta Latu were top notch, while for Wests Cooke (flanker) McGregor (No.8) and Ned Kendall (blindside flanker) were big time performers.
McGregor’s size and physicality, Cooke’s silky hands with his backs and Kendall’s workrate combine to make a wonderful cocktail of success at Sci-Fleet Stadium.
Josh Takai (Brothers)
Emerging midfielder Takai continued to flourish at outside centre with a head-turning display through the middle of the field.
The BSHS product was fearless with his carries and got Brothers onto the front foot when they sent it his way.
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