FINALS FEVER: Club rugby’s unsung heroes, most improved players revealed
FINALS FEVER: Who were the unsung heroes and most improved players in the Colts 1 and Premier Women competition’s this season? All is revealed here.
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Who were the unsung heroes and most improved players in the Colts 1 and Premier Women competition’s this season?
With the finals series’ kicking off on Saturday, we look back on another fantastic year of our beloved club rugby and shine a light on the players that made their teams tick and the players who came out of the woodwork to be knocking on the door of the Queensland Reds’ Super Rugby and Super W teams.
In Premier Womens action, Sunnybank and Bond University will play in the Major Semi Final on Saturday before UQ and GPS butt horns on the Sunday.
In Colts 1 action on Saturday, Brothers host Souths before we see a grand final rematch between UQ and Easts on the Sunday.
UNSUNG HEROES
COLTS 1
BROTHERS
Toby Kennedy
Kennedy had come to Brothers this year from Churchie and delivered on the one percenters.
He gets through his work each week, nails his set piece, never drops his head and always works himself to a standstill.
Ellis Davies
Davies came to the club from Wales and was an unknown at the start of the year.
He has had some adversity with injury but has been a solid performer who does all the micro and effort stuff really well.
Indeed it is Davies consistently doing the little things that may not get recognised, be it chasing kicks, getting behind the ball in transition and communicating like a king with his teammates.
Davies has become a true Brothers guy, coaching their junior teams and helping with the club’s Little Bros programs.
CLUB RUGBY KEY PLAYERS, ROAD AHEAD
CLUB RUGBY PLAYERS YOU DO NOT WANT TO RUN AT
CLUB RUGBY POWER RANKINGS, KEY PLAYERS
EASTS
Kaileb Crothers
Crothers has been Mr Consistent, playing every game and producing big minutes from the tight five.
The loosehead prop has had a terrific season.
BOND UNIVERSITY
Kobie Mackey
Mackay started in Colts 2 but rose to become a starting Colts 1 forward through sheer hard work and dedication.
SUNNYBANK
Jacob Coase and Tom Sullivan
Both tight forwards have come on in leaps and bounds this season playing the most demanding position in a team which was rebuilding.
“Jacob and Tom have excelled this year with their set piece scrummaging and work rate around the field,’’ praised coach Brendan Underwood.
Dragons scrumhalf Harry Raff is also another who has been a trusted performer for his side.
GPS
Tasman Barry
The muscular Barry carried the physical load for the team and when he was missing it was clear as GPS lacked gain line presence.
The best news is he has another two seasons and with this season under his belt, he could be one of the most destructive centres in the whole competition in coming years.
Darcy Hammond
A tough bugger, third year Colts 1 toiler Darcy Hammond is the ULTIMATE GPS team man.
The lock could cover prop, and he has moved mountains for his team for three seasons straight.
His experience will be missed.
Wests
Mika Smith
A third year Colts 1 player who moved from hooker last year to tighthead prop this year with the side light on props.
He hasn’t missed a beat all year playing almost every minute of every round and like the verstitile Hammond, he switched positions on a couple occasions.
SOUTHS
Indeed the entire squad and coaching staff at Souths are unsung heroes, with the underdog Colts 1 side taking this year’s competition by storm.
UQ
Ronan Austin
The Red Heavies captain who leads by doing the tough grunt work.
Mac Kelley
Kelley had a superb first year of colts footy, becoming a defensive rock at outside centre.
He has improved UQ’s defensive shape out of sight.
Jordan Dick
Dick is a quite an unassuming character who quietly goes about his work at flanker with as many involvements each game as anyone.
PREMIER WOMEN
GPS
Vira Kite
The club centurion is part of the lifeblood of the team, in what is her last year for GPS.
Her impact on the team has been immense with her experience and guidance training the next generation.
Leana Dyer
A no nonsense second rower who returned to the team after a few years off following the birth of her child.
The ex Reds player has been solid as a rock for the team in the middle of the park and her effectiveness in doing the ‘dirty’ not many people like to do has been invaluable for GPS.
Anna Nasalo
The club stalwart is someone who leads with her actions. Nasolo’s work ethic is second to none and she runs herself into the ground until she can go no more.
“A menace to opposing teams on defence and an awesome link player for us on attack,” praised head coach Mutch Kite.
SOUTHS
Mary Tuaana
Are we looking at the best hooker in Queensland rugby? She has only played there sporadically during the season due to injuries but a huge future awaits for the Magpie banging on the door of Super W sides across the country.
UQ
Amy Brice
An extremely damaging player with size, skill and pace.
A real handful, the outside centre came out of nowhere this year.
Brooke Savelio
Savelio’s leadership, skills and experience having won four premiership titles prior to moving to UQ has been unmeasurable.
The hooker is someone that the playing group, management and coaches can lean on.
Charlotte Brown
A No. 8 workhorse that gets the job done week-in-week-out.
Her communication skills on and off the field has proved invaluable to this Red Heavies team.
Anelisa Lole
The nononense lock who works until the wheels fall off and will always back up her messages with actions.
EASTS
Michelle Dreu
The Easts No. 8 is one of if not the most damaging ball runner in the competition and there are no questions as to whether she could step into the Reds on the back of her physical presence.
She’s on the shorter side but is compact and powerful and the sky is the limit.
Shannon Symon
A coachable, young, tough, pocket rocket with a good rugby brain.
Arguably the best pound for pound tackler in the competition, Symon giant-slayed every ball carrier this year and had good ball playing game as well to compliment her defence.
Tiana Molloy
Fast and strong with a massive work rate and a high skill level on both sides of the ball, Molloy has a natural feel for when to pop into an attack line, bend defensive lines and play the modern wide running, ball paying hooker role.
Shows up every moment it’s needed.
BOND UNIVERSITY
Elisha Godsiff
The skipper of the Bullsharks has been there every step of the way in 2023 and has provided experience and consistency amid line-up changes.
SUNNYBANK
Christina Sekona
Sekona was impressive all season long with her presence around the ruck, powerful scrummaging and try scoring prowess helping Sunnybank to the minor premiership.
WESTS
Hana Lane
Lane returned from the Reds where she didn’t get much of a run and as one of the team’s smaller forwards, Lane played with the biggest heart and put her body on the line every week.
Loved a try or two.
BROTHERS
We couldn’t pin it to just one or two, but front rower Nina Poletti, outside backs Brittney Brown and Rebecca Davidson and halfback Jordan Manegga were staples of consistency in the butchers stripes.
Davidson was a prolific tryscorer, and Manega was awfully impressive moulding her outside back skillet to become a versatile halfback who can play anywhere in the backline.
MOST IMPROVED
COLTS
BROTHERS
Will Cartwright
As a third year Colt, Cartwright developed into a complete scrumhalf with tactical kicking, passing and an elite running game in his bag of tricks – which is deep enough to see him compete in the Brothers premier grade set up.
Kadin Pritchard
Kiwi-born Pritchard transitioned from 15 at St Peters to become one of the more dominant outside centres in the competition.
Deservedly invited into the Reds academy during the season.
Rory Beech
After two years of playing First XV footy at Nudgee, Beech has worked hard to develop his game outside of set piece and make no mistake, his knowledge of set piece is beyond his years.
He has worked tirelessly to become a complete modern day prop with the ability to ball play and run when needed.
EASTS
Kaileb Crothers would have to be one of the Tigers biggest improvers this season simply because of his reliability and output in the tight five.
GPS
Joe Doljanin
Doljanin had a patchy first half of the season but really came into his own in the second half.
With great feet and speed, a big future lies ahead of the strongly built GPS outside centre.
Pat Tierney
Despite being 17 for much of the season Tierney adjusted well to senior footy.
His great running game and good footwork made it easy and with another two years of Colts ahead of him, expect him to a leader for GPS.
SUNNYBANK
Jacob Coasse
He made the move from Adelaide at the beginning of the year and worked his way into the starting scrumhalf position quickly thanks to his ability to on-board feedback.
BOND UNIVERSITY
Kobie Mackey
He made his way up from Colts 2 to become a regular starting forward this season.
“He has grown so much with his understanding of rugby as he had a league background,’’ lauded Bond coach Rico Gear.
SOUTHS
Again the Souths Colts 1 side as a whole is their most improved player following a successful season.
We will however throw a few names in the mix: Jake Kurbatoff (lock), Lington Leli (prop), Dre-dyn Laban (fullback), Denzil Perkins (winger) and Dylan Jones (centre)
UQ
Patrick Sowerby
The mobile UQ backrower who was a forward leader for his team after rocketing from colts 3 to colts 1.
He was Consistent with a capital C.
Siliva Leofa
Leofa has a diverse skillset as a genuine triple threat across fly half and inside centre.
He has been the constant in an injury affected backline and leads the team with new-found confidence.
Xavier Grambower
Still developing physically, Grambower is super tough and has great attention to detail at set-piece.
WESTS
Lachlan Kerr
There were too many to choose from in this rebuilding Wests side but Kerr was one on the top of the list after a really strong season which started at the fullback position and ended in the No. 10 jersey.
PREMIER WOMEN
WESTS
Allana Sikimeti
The loosehead prop or No. 8 found her feet this year as a devastating ball runner.
Watch for her in the Super W next year.
Dillyn Blackburn
It was Blackburn’s first year in Brisbane and the Noosa Dolphins product didn’t disappoint when she came back from an ankle injury which had sidelined her for the first month of the season.
A Queensland Country representative player, Blackburn will be a force to be reckoned with in 2024 with her involvements, work rate and skilful play style.
SOUTHS
Tabitha Cleary
In what was only her second year in rugby, Cleary went from a winger to a top-tier backrower for Souths.
UQ
Charlotte Brown
The tall Brown was a serviceable player last year but not one that stood out and she has been unbelievable this year shifting from Lock to No. 8
We have her as an unsung hero above but her enormous work rate, strong carry, good defence and lineout jumping has her here as well.
Nena Williamson
The lock only turned 18 this year and has grown 10 fold according to coach Savelio Savelio, who said Williamson, who came from the Subdistricts competition, has the game knowledge, rugby and socials skills to make her a threat in 2024.
Lillian Kolb
The consistent Kolb has grown into a strong and reliable halfback whose improvement is easy to see for those who watched her as the season went on.
GPS
Grace Ropati
Ropati reverted to playing prop for the first time in 2023 and enjoyed giving many more experienced campaigners a run for their money in the set piece.
She also had a knack for getting GPS over the advantage line with her carries.
Bella Col
Col moved from fly half to fullback this season and there was no issues unlocking her potential at the back of the GPS backline.
She tapped into the pace of Heleina Young with her passing game and skilful playmaking, and was a guiding presence around the park.
SUNNYBANK
Luana Tongia
Super consistent in previous years but this season the No. 8 went to a different level.
“You can always depend on her with her fierce defence and every time she gets the ball she is really dangerous,” said Sunnybank captain Sam Lingman.
BOND UNIVERSITY
Zoe Hanna
A breakout player, breakaway Hanna ran the ball hard and fast and was an astute defender.
BROTHERS
Mabel Johnston
Tight five forward Mabel Johnston is a strong ball carrying forward and powerful in set pieces.
She took her game up a level this year.
EASTS
Carla Huysamen
The versatile outside back went from being a rookie with moderate skills to a key player who can be trusted to do the job.
“Her self belief went through the roof this year and that played out dramatically on the field,” said Easts coach Brad Pillette-Hughes.
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