Gold Coast Titans sign Jackson Hopley-Joce; Meninga Cup Rd 7 Team of the Week unveil
The Gold Coast Titans’ Queensland Made preference has continued with the signing of a Darling Downs’ ace. Who is it? Revealed here, along with the Meninga Cup Rd 7 Team of the Week.
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The Titans’ recruitment of Queensland youth continues at pace, with Clydesdales’ Connell Cup forward Jackson Hopley-Joce the latest SEQ ace to join the Gold Coast club.
Originally from the Charters Towers’ Bulls, but now a St Mary’s College schoolboy, Hopley-Joce comes off the interchange bench for the club’s under-17s and is a leader in the St Mary’s league program.
Hopley-Joce is not unlike another St Mary’s College recruitment for the Titans, Bohdi Sharpley, a Future Titans member who spent the summer training with the Gold Coast’s NRL squad.
Hopley-Joce is a big, fast middle forward who was capable of playing on the edge. Fortified by headgear, the tall, strongly built Year 12 student was key in St Mary’s big win over Forest Lake SHS last week which pitches them against Redcliffe SHS on Wednesday to see who progresses into the Langer Trophy competition.
“He is a really good kid who works hard and who is a popular member of our squad. All the coaching staff think very highly of him,’’ said Clydesdales’ under-17 coach Ned Murphy.
Murphy said Hopley-Joce was “just starting to scratch the surface of his abilities’’.
“We are all very happy to see him signed with the Titans’’
Hopley-Joce’s recruitment continues the Gold Coast’s Queensland Made agenda.
In the side which beat the Roosters last weekend were Queenslanders Jaylan de Groot (PBC SHS), Tony Francis (Marsden SHS), Phillip Sami (Ipswich SHS), Jojo Fifita (TSS),
AJ Brimson (Keebra Park SHS), Jayden Campbell (Helensvale SHS), Moeaki Fotuaika (Keebra Park SHS), Klese Haas (Keebra Park SHS), Beau Fermor (St Thomas More College), Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (James Nash State High School, Gympie), David Fifita (Keebra Park SHS) and Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui (James Nash State High School, Gympie).
A 13th player, aggressive, mobile middle forward Arama Hau (Keebra Park SHS) was 18th man, while the blistering winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira (Keebra Park SHS) and Keano Kini (New Zealand-raise PBC SHS product) are regulars when not injured.
Hopley-Joce, who plays his club footy for the Valleys Roosters in Toowoomba, had a spell last weekend due to a bye weekend in Connell Cup, but the Meninga Cup continued at pace, leading to the naming of a round 7 Team of the Week.
MENINGA CUP SUPER SIX
Curtis Seierup (Capras)
Not for the first time this season hooker Seierup finished the match with man of the match honours.
Noted for his consistency, the Rockhampton local got through a ton of work which helped aggressive middle men Joshua Nilon, Harrison Hill and Jake Oberhardt retain some energy for their intensive performances.
The reliable rake, out of Cathedral College, seems to have a calm head in a crisis and helps his team rebound out of trouble.
Pouakai Jackson-Williams (Tigers)
Five-eighth Williams, a Bay of Plenty product, was sensational in helping the Tigers come from behind to win 24-22 in the wet against the Cutters.
Being from New Zealand, Williams is well versed at playing in heavy conditions and it showed when he put on a dry weather performance in driving rain.
The dynamic No.6 gave the last pass for two tries and scored a special solo try down the blindside from a scrum.
His ball to put Tigers winger Harri Armstrong over in the corner was possibly the pass of the season given the slippery conditions and the situation of the game.
His running game also makes him a potential strike weapon around the ruck.
Charlie Dickson (Devils)
It honestly looked like the wet and muddy conditions didn’t affect Dickson’s game at all.
While his teammates and opposition at times found it tough and suffered from fatigue, Dickson was like a bull in a china shop all game long.
The talented lock forward used his hard and aggressive running style to his advantage, bouncing off defenders and spinning out of tackles to gain extra metres or offload the footy to his outside men.
A solo try in the second half helped cap off his standout performance as the Dolphins-signed prospect looks to carry his form into the final two rounds.
Joseph Doyle (Cutters)
He played in a losing side (24-22 against Tigers), but not even a loss could take away the running performance of Mackay’s left second rower Doyle.
Doyle scored a sensational 70m try, and later he backed up that try with a second try when he gathered a clever chip kick by five-eighth Joshua Toby to cross again.
The athletic Doyle also fielded a bomb and unloaded the ball to his second row partner Declan Grady for a try.
He has been superb for the Cutters this season.
Sitiveni Afu (Blackhawks)
Afu’s effort on Sunday knew no bounds. The tireless prop just kept going and going and it was reflected in a stunning 38-14 scoreline against hosts Wynnum Manly.
He is not even close to the biggest prop in this competition but his skill, speed and offload game makes him one of the elite teenage middle forwards in the North.
He spearheaded a ferocious forward contingent that backed themselves against the Seagulls.
Afu’s partners in crime were Kyle Bader, Eneliko Savelio, Loranzo Fono, Zane Bethel and Terence Mosby.
David Bryenton (Magpies)
The fancy feet and sniping goalkicking of Souths five-eighth David Bryenton had one and all at Davies Park fixated on his next move.
The exciting Bryenton pulled the strings in the Magpies’ 46-10 win over the Falcons and was in his element from start to finish.
A slippery schoolboy sensation, Bryenton’s footwork looks so sharp he could successfuly step around the water spurting out of a showerhead.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
1. Jack O’Hagan (Falcons)
2. Bruce Baudu (Blackhawks)
3. Zac Garton (Dolphins, edge forward)
4. Tom Morcom (Wynnum Manly)
5. Adaquix Luke (Devils)
6. Pouakai Jackson-Williams (Tigers)
7. David Bryenton (Magpies)
8. Terence Mosby (Blackhawks)
9. Curtis Seierup (Capras)
10. Sitiveni Afu (Blackhawks)
11. Joe Doyle (Cutters)
12. Kyle Bader (Blackhawks)
13. Charlie Dickson (Devils)
RESERVES
14. Tayvius Peo (Tigers)
15. Cruz Tauaifaiga (Bears)
16. Carter Welfare (Devils)
17. Noah Fien (Dolphins)
18. Charlie Coates (Falcons)
19. Jye Olsen (Blackhawks)
20. Banjo Walker (Capras)
Special mentions: Preston Cassidy (Wynnum Manly), Antonio Verhoeven (Bears), Saxon Innes (Bears), Jac Finigan and Braelan Marsh (both Dolphins), Kynan Purdy (Blackhawks), Karlos Iraia (Blackhawks), Jahrel Iselin Jansen (Norths), Braithen Scott (Wynnum Manly), Jackson Connor (Tigers), Cooper Day (Wynnum Manly), Zakkaree Jenkyn (Capras), Mafiou Cherif (Pride), Jacob Mundy (Clydesdales), Kaiden Lahrs (Pride), Flynn Battaia (Cutters), Zane Elletson (Cutters), Duquan Talaepa (Norths), Robertson Tusi Tofu (Norths), Elsiyah Laumatia (Magpies), Jayden Solien (Magpies), Zayden Hayburn (Sunshine Coast), Noah Hetutu-Davis (Wynnum Manly), Kilarney Lavender (Bears) and Brian Pouniu (Dolphins).
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