Colts 1 club rugby Team of the Year revealed
Is Queensland rugby’s future bright? You bet it is when you look at our Colts 1 Team of the Season which includes Junior Wallabies and Reds Academy talent. Revealed here.
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Don’t worry about the future of Queensland rugby. Just look at the quality of this Colts 1 Team of the Season which we assembled following Sunday’s gripping decider won by Brothers over Souths.
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The squad includes Junior Wallabies and Reds Academy players, along with some big improvers from the club scene.
So here it is, our Colts 1 Team of the Season.
15. Will McCulloch (Norths)
The Eagles fullback had a brilliant start to the year before being bumped up to the club’s Hospital Cup team where he took no time to settle in.
An Australian Schoolboy, McCulloch is a prolific scorer and can kick goals too.
14. Joe Saina (Souths)
Powerful through the hips and strong in contact, Souths outside centre Joe Saina was a wrecking ball who propelled the Magpies forward.
We named Saina, who is not unlike Hunter Paisami, on the wing to get him in the starting team.
13. Kadin Pritchard (Brothers)
The St Peters Lutheran College old boy came into the season a fullback and has finished it as a first-class outside centre.
Tall with the ability to create for his teammates, Pritchard improved his defence out of sight and is an aerial threat with his vertical leap.
He can kick goals and create tries with his boot as well.
12. Dre Pakeho (Brothers)
The Bray Park 18-year-old came into the season with a wealth of representative football behind him including Queensland Reds Under 18s and Australian Schoolboys selection.
And after leading Churchie to the GPS First XV premiership, Pakeho had delivered week-in-week-out for Brothers and it came as no surprise.
He is a strong runner and brutal defender.
11. Ryley Bierton (Souths)
The winger came out of the woodwork to be a top player in the competition with the resurgent Magpies.
He wouldn’t have been on the Queensland Reds radar at the beginning of the season but his name is surely being thrown around for Under 19s National Championships selection.
10. Finn Prass (Brothers)
The Sunshine Coast Grammar School old boy had an excellent season with his game management impressing.
He has a Matt Burton like bomb which haunted fullbacks all season and his territorial kicking was also strong.
The tall, yellow boot wearing fly half was a must have, but Siliva Leofa (UQ) wasn’t far off.
9. Will Cartwright (Brothers)
Are we looking at the most improved player of the competition?
Seriously, Cartwright was enormous for Brothers and in the grand final he showed glimpses of Tate McDermott the way he would take the line on with his split-second decisions.
Brothers play a whippy game and Cartwright is the chief navigator with impeccable judgement.
8. Patrick Sowerby (UQ)
The UQ backrower who was a forward leader for his team after moving up from colts 3 to colts 1.
He was a consistent force alongside Xavier Grambower and Co.
The best No.8 all year.
7. Cooper Cameron (Brothers)
The energetic Brothers breakaway was brilliant all year with his spurts from the ruck giving Brothers great go forward.
He started the year as a forward in the Brothers pack and finished it as arguably the best.
6. George Stoddart (Easts)
The nimble Stoddart played No. 8 but we named him at flanker, which he could play with ease, to get him into the starting XV.
You know what you are going to get when it comes to a Stoddart and if Easts could have cloned one player this season, it would have been him.
5. Patrick Gavin (GPS)
A genuine backrower, Gavin bounced back from a couple injures that hindered his 2022 campaign in Marist College Ashgrove’s First XV to be a leading forward in the GPS side.
Seeing the towering Gavin pop up in the Queensland Reds Under 19s side wouldn’t surprise due to his upside.
4. Jake Kurbatoff (Souths)
The Under 20s Player of the year so it goes without saying.
Harry Wilson, Josh Flook, Mac Grealy, Floyd Aubrey and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips have taken out that award in the last five-years so the 18-year-old backrower is in good company.
3. Harry Bell (Bond University)
The Bond University loose-head only just edged out Junior Wallaby Nick Bloomfield after a stellar season spearheading the Bullsharks scrum.
A John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship holder, St Joseph’s College product Bell is the cousin of Wallabies front rower Angus and is in the Queensland Reds Academy alongside teammate Usher.
2. Harrison Usher (Bond University)
From the King’s School, Junior Wallaby Usher was a prime mover for the Bullsharks this season.
The Bond prop (we named him at hooker to get him in the side) thoroughly deserves his spot in this company.
Spare a thought for Bond blindside flanker Dimitrius Williams.
1. Jacob Coase (Sunnybank)
Nicholas Harper (GPS) challenged for this spot but the Dragons loose-head was hard to leave out.
His work rate was unrivalled, he had a knack for breaking the line and his carries thrusted Sunnybank onto the front foot.
A must have.
RESERVES
Nicholas Harper (GPS)
A Marist College Ashgrove old boy, tight-head Harper hit his strap in what was his first year of Colts 1 rugby after playing club rugby league in 2022.
It didn’t take long for flame-haired Harper to earn his Hospital Cup debut and his future at GPS is brighter than most.
Nick Bloomfield (Easts)
We would have loved to have had Bloomfield in the starting team but it was hard to go past Harry Bell of Bond and tireless Sunnybank loose-head Jacob Coase.
Bloomfield is of course a Junior Wallaby and Easts were a different team with him on the paddock but he played in a few less games.
Siliva Leofa (UQ)
Fly half Leofa elevated his game this season after showing glimpses of magic in the Brisbane State High First XV last year.
Having led the Red Heavies to the quarterfinals, Leofa will be full of confidence when he returns next year and opposition teams will have his name with a circle around it.
Sam Farrar (Easts)
Farrar had a strong finish to his third season of Colts 1 putting Souths to the sword in a preliminary final which Easts were so close to winning.
A Churchie old boy and Queensland Reds Under 19s select (2022), Farrar has been a premier halfback in his age group for years now.
It was almost impossible to choose between Farrar and Cartwright.
Dominic Thygesen (Souths)
One of the most destructive forwards in the competition was this powerful No. 8 from Souths.
A BBC old boy who played Seconds, Thygsesen came into his own after school and has put his hand up for the No. 8 jersey in the Queensland Reds Under 19s set up after a brilliant year helping Souths to the grand final.
Stuart Tualima (GPS)
A mobile youngster who can play anywhere in the back row.
He had quite the year in 2022 playing Reds Under 18s and Under 19s, and continued his development under GPS coach Sio Kite nicely in 2023.
Like teammate Gavin, Tualima has upside about him.
Dylan Jones (Souths)
The tallish centre from England had a lovely year down under in a resurgent Souths outfit who were the best team in the home-and-away season.
He was impressive in all three finals games against Brothers (twice) and Easts with his nonsense crash running which laid a platform.
Alex Kerr and Kane Askew (Easts)
The Easts flankers had a mix of size and strength and together, they were a potent duo who thrived off the Tigers fast paced style of footy.
Tom Twaddell (lock) deserves praise too.
Blake Davis (Easts)
It was a toss up between McCulloch and Davis for the starting fullback position and Davis missed out by the width of a tissue paper.
The BBC alumni was a gutsy player who played through injury, kicked magnificently for numerous 50:22s and would have instilled confidence in his teammates.
Rory Beech (Brothers)
The Nudgee old boy worked tirelessly to become a complete modern day prop with the ability to ball play and run when needed.
At the weekend, his scrummaging was excellent and he was a staple of consistency for Brothers all year.
Kaileb Crothers (Easts)
The Easts prop was elite all season long.
Reliable in the scrum, particularly in the absence of Nick Bloomfield, Crothers played close to the most minutes for the year and would rarely make a mistake.
Oliver Harvey (Brothers)
The mobile No.8 whose ball carries worked wonders for the Brethren.
He was very good in the grand final.
HATS OFF TO
Lington Leli (Souths)
Although much of his season was ridden with injuries, the damaging Souths prop was a special customer when he did play.
Souths would have welcomed the promising front rower’s services in the grand final.
Rocco Gollings (Bond University)
Gollings is a thrilling prospect with natural ability and plenty of flair.
He relished a full season of Colts 1 footy on the wing for Bond and is back again next year.
Alex Miles (Bond University)
The powerful Bond University outside centre who dealt damage with inside centre Callum Simpson.
Bullsharks fullback Tai Dowling also caught the eye.
Finn Manca (UQ)
The sharp Red Heavies scrumhalf who began the year in Colts but was quickly put up to the Premier Grade side.
In his absence St Edmund’s College Year 12 student Tafito Falaniko Ah-Ki was impressive.
Lachlan Kerr (Wests)
A player who oozes class, Kerr was a crafty fly half or fullback who steered his team around the park.
Has a big kick on him.
Darby Duke (Wests)
The rangy Bulldogs lock was a scrappy player and brave defender who could score tries, roll the maul along and link his forwards with his backs.
Will Rogers (Norths)
The Eagles hooker was a rolling maul threat every time Norths had a lineout anywhere near the tryline.
He will be match hardened next year so watch out.
Trey Soli (Wests)
The imposing presence of flanker Soli saw him come away Wests’ best on ground in numerous outings.
Tanna Wilson (Brothers)
It’s no mystery the Brothers team was stacked with talent this year and Wilson was one cog in that overwhelming forward pack.
Jack Condon (Brothers)
Condon enjoyed his second year of Colts 1 rugby and was again impressive.
Queensland Under 19s selection would have to be eminent for the dynamic flanker who resembles the speed of a back.
Dom Kallquist (Wests)
A strongly built centre, Kallquist bent the line with his strong carries of the football and power through contact.
Harry Raff (Sunnybank)
The Dragons scrumhalf improved in leaps and bounds this season, starting as a second choice halfback before making the jersey his own.
Jack Hussey (Norths)
The versatile Norths playmaker played a mixture of fly half and fullback throughout the season and offered a mix bag.
He could kick, create for teammates but also break the line with his brilliant footwork.
Tom Sullivan (Sunnybank)
Sunnybank tight five forward Tom Sullivan was often one of coach Brendan Underwood’s standout performers.
Harrison Swane and Charlie Wigan (UQ)
Third year player Swane and his front row partner Wigan were bulletproof such was their effort.
Wigan had his season cut short by injury but prior to that he was excellent.
Robbert Mapa (Brothers)
The muscular Mapa was a third year colt who had the rare sensation of winning two premierships on the same day.
He started on the wing for Brothers in the Hospital Cup final against Wests.
Charles Brosnan (Brothers)
The Australian Schoolboy backrower had a strong introduction to Colts 1 footy and was a big part of Brothers’ historical premiership.
Historic because the last time the club’s first grade and colts one sides both won premierships was in 1974.
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