GPS Coaching ace Sio Kite reveals his Colts 1 all-star side as the Queensland Premier Rugby draw is announced

A rugby club coaching ace has named the best 15 Colts 1 players he’s coached against as the 2024 Queensland Premier Rugby men’s and women's draw is revealed.

27/8/23: Brothers celebrate their victory after the Wests vs Brothers match, QRU club Premier Rugby Grand Final, at Ballymore, Brisbane. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

The Queensland Rugby Union has confirmed the 2024 Queensland Premier Rugby draw, with the nine men’s and women’s Premier Rugby clubs set to start their premiership campaigns earlier than last season.

The 2024 StoreLocal Hospital Cup, Premier Women’s competition and lower QPR grades will start on April 6, with teams playing 18 rounds before a three-week finals series. The grand finals will be held on August 17-18.

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Round 1 of the 2024 season will see Bond University host Sunnybank in a replay of this year’s QPR Women’s Grand Final, while in a local derby Wests host University of Queensland.

There will be a cross town skirmish between Norths and Souths at Hugh Courtney Oval while GPS play arch rivals Easts at Yoku Road.

Easts player Meli Dreu Picture, John Gass

This year’s Hospital Cup runners-up will have to wait until Round 7 to get their chance at redemption when the Bulldogs host 2023 premiers Brothers at SciFleet Stadium.

Sio Kite, previously GPS’ Colts 1 head coach, will take the reins as the Gallopers first grade head coach in 2024, with Kris Kuridrani in charge of the Colts 1 team.

Kite, the 2021 colts premiership winning coach, has named the best 15 players he’s coached against during his tenure at Yoku road.

Queenland Reds' Dominic Kallquist. Picture: John Appleyard

Kite’s all-star side includes several schoolboy prodigies, including schoolboy prop sensation Carsen Patu (The Southport School), elite outside back Meli Dreu (Ipswich Grammar School) and Sam Mataafa (Padua College).

SIO KITE’S MAGIC TEAM

Props: Lington Ieli (Souths) and Oliver Harris (Norths)

Both were standouts for Kite in their respective areas, with Leli an absolute beast in both tight-head and loose-head positions.

The hulking Leli is now in the Brumbies system.

Kite said Harris was a massive human but praised his mobility.

“Very mobile and good all around,” he said.

“Tough like his old man, Norths legend Eddie Harris.”

Harris was a hooker for Norths, a rugged clubman who held his own with the best of them in a drag them down, knock them down era.

He now coaches First XV rugby at Villanova College where Oliver graduated from in 2020.

Hooker: James Durheim (Easts)

BBC hooker James Durheim shapes to offload. Picture: AAP / Richard Waugh

Kite said James Durheim was an “outstanding scrummager,” who was a real handful for the Easts Tigers.

“Real tough,” was the Lismore product who provided a hard edge to the BBC forward pack in 2019, the year they won the GPS premiership.

He is physical.

Lock: Lachlan Shaw (University)

Shaw is in the Brumbies system now after playing for BBC, then University, then the Reds under-19s representative side.

He was a premiership winner with BBC, and then an elite Colts 1 lock.

His younger brother Oscar, a fly half, graduated from BBC this year and was a standout in the competition.

Lock: Sam Mataafa (Sunnybank)

Sunnybank player Sam Mataafa with the ball. Colts 1 rugby match between Sunnybank and Bond University. Saturday April 24, 2021. Picture, John Gass

Padua College old boy Mataafa has moved to Souths but “he was a real warrior for Sunnybank straight out of school,” according to Kite.

Mataafa was a man among boys playing AIC schoolboy rugby, and Kite said it was “no surprise he moved into Grade quickly after that”.

Flanker: George Stoddart (Easts)

George Stoddart.

George Stoddart is the Churchie old boy with great pedigree.

He is from the famous Stoddart clan who, for decades, have drawn battle lines defending territory for their school and club (Easts) on wintry Saturdays.

A nimble flanker, Stoddart is a guy who is shaping up to play 100 first grade games. “Consistent, uncompromising and never gave an inch,” Kite praised.

Flanker: Jack Condon (Brothers)

AIC First XV schoolboy rugby. Marist College Ashgrove vs. Padua College. Marist #7 Jack Condon goes for a try. 5 September, 2020. Picture: Renae Droop

A Marist College Ashgrove old boy, Condon has played two seasons for The Brothers Colts and was often BoG for head coach Greg Beaver.

Kite said Condon was “easily the best player I saw running around in colts”.

“Had it all,” Kite said about Condon who is destined for higher honours, “maybe a Wallaby for 2027?”

No. 8 Carsen Patu (Bond University)

Bond players Zalyrius Patelesio-Faamausili and Carsen Patu Rugby colts 1 West's vs. Bond Uni in Toowong. Saturday May 14, 2022. Picture, John Gass

Kite said the TSS old boy made his team look like little children at home one day, Patu “bumping and running around people for fun”.

Patu is a big human, built like an ox with speed, a fend, balance, and a V8 engine.

He was in the Reds Academy but now plays club rugby league for the Burleigh Bears.

The one that got away.

Halfback: Oscar Varricho (Brothers)

Brothers had no issue replacing quick-thinking Varricho with Will Cartwright this year.

He was almost a clone, but let’s not forget what Varricho did last year with the Brethren.

He was like the flash around the ruck, and packed a punch in defence.

“You couldn’t take a nap on this guy or he’d carve you up,” Kite said.

Indeed it seemed defenders all around the competition got sleepy all of a sudden whenever the sneaky Varricho was nearby.

Fly half: Jack Hussey (Norths)

Norths player Jack Hussey.

Watch for this fly half or fullback in the Eagles first grade side next year.

A headgeared assassin with the skills and speed, Hussey has been a Queensland Reds under-19s selection and was “very skilful and will be a great asset to his club in grades,” according to Kite.

Winger: Ethyn Martin (Bond)

Ethyn Martin’s point of difference was his pace. “There are not many guys who looked as fast as him,’’ Kite said of the Napier Boys’ High School First XV old boy.

Now playing rugby league, he was at one stage likened to former All Black Damian McKenzie. “If you gave him space, he took it,’’ Kite said.

Inside centre: Hunter Lim (Brothers)

Big, strong and skilful, Lim “was problem we could never solve’’, Kite said. A junior Queensland representative and a Reds 19s’ campaigner, Lim set the tone early for Brothers successful push for the 2023 colts premiership.

Outside centre: Dominic Kallquist (Wests)

Dominic Kallquist as the 2022 Rockhampton Grammar First XV captain.

A tough country kid from the Wandoan Wildcats, Kallquist went to rugby finishing school at Rockhampton Grammar School. “He will be a massive threat in coming years,’’ Kite praised.

Winger: Ethan McFarland (UQ)

University player Ethan McFarland Colts 1 rugby clash between GPS and University. Saturday May 22, 2021. Picture, John Gass

The quicksilver McFarland was an elite teenage footballer who played for the Queensland schoolboys, the Reds’ under 19s and this year played for the Queensland Reds Development XV. “He was a bit rusty coming back from injury but once he hit his straps it was all over for defenders,’’ Kite praised.

Easts player Meli Dreu. Picture, John Gass

Fullback: Meli Dreu (Easts)

Dreu was an elite schoolboy footballer (Ipswich Grammar School) and one of the most influential colts players at the Tigers.

“He was always good on his feet and played with so much time. He made colts rugby look so easy,’’ Kite said.

Over the seasons he also improved his kicking game “out of sight’’ while being a constant threat on the counter attack. He has been consistently good for the Tigers first grade team.

Footnote: Norths and Souths have swapped home games in round 1 and round 10, while the grand final dates will be August 31 and September 1.