GPS First XV rugby Team of the Season – and players we can’t wait to see next year
The best GPS First XV season in years finished in a three-way tie. Now, we’ve named our Team of the Season, plus the 20 players we can’t wait to watch in 2023.
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The best GPS First XV season in years finished in a three-way tie between Nudgee College, Churchie and The Southport School.
The final placings were: Nudgee 14, Churchie 14, TSS 14, TGS 8, IGS 6, Terrace 6, BGS 4, BBC 4, BSHS 2.
To celebrate the season, we name our Team of the Year below, plus reserves, and also peer into the future and announce the names of 20 players we cannot wait to see play again in 2023.
TEAM OF THE SEASON
Fullback: Tory Bath (Nudgee)
Dynamic best describes Bath who took it upon himself to impact Nudgee’s premiership campaign after the early loss of star centre Rob Toia. He displayed breathtaking speed but also the ball skills of a No. 10 to either blast into a game, create space with his footwork or create for his support.
Wing: Mac Kelley (Churchie)
Kelley was one of the players of the season with blazing finishing skills from any distance on the field. Fellow winger Connor Simpson took a hit for the team by parking himself on the blindside wing to allow Kelley to swing to the open wing for most movements. Kelley also used his pace to save tries.
Outside centre: Frankie Goldsbrough (Churchie)
The No. 13 position was hotly contested between Toowoomba Grammar School’s Chace Oates and Goldsbrough.
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Ultimately Goldsbrough’s performance against Nudgee eased him into the First XV, but Oates was an automatic choice on the reserves. Goldsbrough has a destructive running game, but his defence impacts games as much as anything.
Inside centre: Jye Gray (TSS)
Are we looking at the player of the season? Gray did everything but cut the oranges for his teammates to consume at halftime. He wore No. 12, but swung to fullback in attack where he won matches on his own. Gray also used his pace to cover defend from inside centre and sweep onto attacking kicks delivered by opponents.
Wing: Samson Tuqiri (BBC)
Tuqiri came into his own and at full flight this speedster is one of the deadliest in the competition. He has the balance and agility on the wing that allows him to weave his way around the defence. But he also saved tries with his uncanny reading of play. He was one of the shining lights in a tough season for BBC, and part of an exciting back division being assembled for 2023.
Five-eight: Dre Pakeho (Churchie)
The form guide was right with this one. He has impressed all season. As a reward he has been selected in the Queensland Reds under 18 squad. This has come on the back off nine blistering performances in the centres, where his kicking, strong ball running and playmaking nature at No. 12. Remember the name.
Halfback: Archie Wilson (Churchie)
Could Wilson’s have dreamt of a better season? He had the ball in his hands more than any other Churchie player and he made the team sing. Whether playing on quickly from a penalty or passing wide or short, he expertly swept Churchie into action. He also scored plenty of tries on his own, the most memorable in the come from behind victory over Nudgee when he ran a joyous 50m.
No. 8: Nick Hilton (TSS)
If Jye Gray was the competition’s most influential back, then Hilton was possibly the leading forward. He was like a one man forward pack, a man among boys, a brute of a No. 8 when he carried the ball, and when he hit in defence.
Flanker: Liam Le Blanc (Nudgee)
Le Blanc was obviously Nudgee’s No. 8, but to get the best players into the First XV we named him as a blindside breakaway. Fortified by strapping around his ears, Le Blanc was a battle hardened warrior whose ruthless defence, aggression when carrying the ball and leg drive in the rolling maul made him an automatic inclusion.
Flanker: Patrick Dallimore (Nudgee)
In a toss up between Churchie captain Thomas Stoddart – who is on our bench – and Dallimore, we opted for the Nudgee skipper by the width of tissue paper. He was a glue player, a worker who did the little things right while being widely respected by his peers.
Lock: Charlie Brosnan (Churchie)
Brosnan was the Churchie No. 8 but to fit himself, Nick Hilton (TSS) and Liam Le Blanc (Nudgee) into the First XV, we named him at lock – a position he would play with ease. Brosnan was one of the players of the season, highly skilled, mobile who had great anticipation both as a support player, but also covering in defence.
Lock: Griffin Schostakowski (Nudgee)
Schostakowski was Nudgee’s ball winning maestro who supplied the possession on which the success of Nudgee’s point scoring feats were based. He also carried the ball strongly and swept into action to add horsepower to Nudgee’s lethal rolling maul. He edged out TGS’s Charlie Horn and Terrace’s Angus Munn, both of whom were among the first reserves chosen.
Prop: Caleb Laifoo (TSS)
The big, mobile prop was a one man wrecking machine, enormous in the scrum and destructive carrying the ball or swinging into action as a part of the rolling maul. But he also brought into TSS’ defensive philosophy and pity help you if Laifoo lined you up.
Hooker: Will Rogers (Nudgee)
A Harry Vella reincarnated. Well, not really. They play different games, but Vella’s call up to the Brumbies First team surely gives this kid a glimpse of where pure domination in the GPS competition can take you. Rogers is off a good start, standing tall as the best No. 2 in the competition and deservingly gaining selection in the Queensland Reds U18s squad.
Rogers was a prolific tryscorer and the man at the forefront of Nudgee’s statement plus-minus.
Prop: Macarius Pereira (Nudgee)
He was a late starter due to injury, but the Nudgee prime mover made up for lost time. He buried himself into Nudgee’s lethal rolling maul with expertise, swept in the lineout and carried the ball with passion, including to score a try in his return match from injury. And of course he was part of a powerful scrum.
RESERVES
Chace Oates (TGS)
The first reserve chosen and an unlucky omission from the First XV above. An absolutely elite outside centre who won matches with his boot, his pace and his creative play. He is back again in 2023 for a resurgent Toowoomba Grammar School and the TGS faithful can’t wait.
Rob Toia (Nudgee)
Obviously Toia was at the top of every tip sheet formulated by rival coaches and handed around their players. Toia would have been in the Team of the Year had his season not been cut short by injury two and a half games into the competition. But his impact in those games was profound and enough to slide his way onto our bench.
Thomas Stoddart (Churchie)
The unsung hero from a famous Churchie rugby family, Stoddart was a Captain Courageous. He was a leader, someone everyone in the side looked up to, and he was also an outstanding flanker who did everything from being hoisted into the air as a surprise lineout option, to getting down and dirty defending opponents on the Churchie tryline as he did on Saturday against BSHS. Hats off to him. He will be forever more a Churchie First XV premiership winning captain and no one will ever remove that honour from him.
Ryan Shaw (BGS)
Ryan Shaw was a little bit of everything in a BGS side which did their school’s rich rugby history and supporters proud. Shaw tackled, he ran, he passed, he chip kicked, grubber kick and booted his side out of trouble. Shaw was also able to contribute to BGS’s exciting ball in hand game which took teams out of their comfort zone. The BGS skipper did a very, very good job and was never not going to be one of the first reserves chosen.
Angus Munn (Terrace)
Another unlucky omission from the First XV, Munn was someone who was always going to make our squad. But what do you do when faced with an outstanding No. 8 crop like Nick Hilton, Liam Le Blanc and Charlie Brosnan and Munn? Munn was Terrace’s forward leader, their battleship who led young tyreos into the fray with courage and conviction.
Charlie Horn (TGS)
Horn was TGS’s “Follow Me’’ leader, spearheading a sparkling season by the Darling Downs side which saw them push for victory in every game they played – sometimes successfully, sometimes unsuccessfully. Around his set piece contribution, Horn rallied his boys around him and led by example no matter who the opposition were.
Archie Xavier (Terrace)
The leadership skills of the Gregory Terrace No. 9 were on show from day dot. He used his skills to help his teammates milk metres from their rivals with speedy service and incredible decision making. He was a staple in that Gregory Terrace team and each week impressed more and more, with his sneaky kicks, darts from the ruck or quick taps.
Stanley Huen (IGS),
Ipswich Grammar School had some wonderful workers like top rating forwards Raife McKenzie (lock) and Dian Minnie (flanker), but it was the centre pairing of Stanley Huen and Israel Leota which caused opponents most grief. Outside outstanding No. 10 Jack Hocking, inside centre Huen was outstanding, straightening the attack while blocking the edge of the ruck with strongarm defence.
Israel Leota (IGS)
On Stanley Huen’s outside, No. 13 Leota was an elite athlete, hard to hold with his power and strength and height. Together Leota and Huen were a dynamic duo and easy choices for our squad, and both boys would have appreciated the service of Hocking.
Blake Raymond (TSS)
One of the first men chosen on tour because of his utility value, Raymond was among the best players in the imposing TSS side. He could play fullback or five-eight, but was so skilled he played wing. Like his big hearted flanker Billy Wellard who reinvented himself as an open side flanker, Raymond looked like he had been a winger all of his life.
Toshi Butlin (BSHS)
Who was the BSHS’s most feared player? It was winger Toshi Butlin. An elite winger, Butlin used his space to race after kicks, make tackles and finish tries. In short he tried very hard and that desire, coupled with his elite athletic ability, was why he was BSHS’s representative in our Team of the Year.
PLAYERS WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE IN 2023
Daniel Malam, Samson Tuqiri, Xavier Rubens (BBC)
The outside back trio were part of BBC’s Babes of 2022, a young crop which also includes playing-making young guns Jamie Alexander of First XI fame, James Martin and Queensland 18s selection Toby McPherson. With a strong under 16 and under 15 crop, and a stack of First XV players returning, BBC is dripping with potential.
Diamond Fifita, Emil Willie-Jawai (Churchie)
The young front row giants will be laying the platform again in 2023 for the likes of centre star Frankie Goldsbrough. A huge assert in the rolling maul, scrum and with their ball running, one can only imagine the joy it must bring coach Ryan Schultz to think his bookends will be back in 2023.
Rocco Gollings (Nudgee)
Like his teammate Rob Toia, Gollings was robbed of a winter of dreams by injury in round 3 against Churchie at Churchie. But the good news for Nudgee supporters is that the exciting outside back will return in 2023.
Tauava Leofa, Netani Lesimaikimatuku, Dredyn Takave (BSHS)
Brisbane Boys College do not have a mortgage on exciting outside back talent. Five-eight Leofa, inside centre Lesimaikimatuku and fullback Takave showed with a better foundation next season, there was enough strike in the BSHS side to cause more than a ripple in the competition next season.
Will Robinson (Terrace)
Part of a young Terrace front eight Robinson played lock with the skills and gusto of a No.8. Full of vim and vigour, the athletic tight forward impacted multiple matches and you can see him being the leader of the pack in 2023.
David Leota (IGS)
The No. 8 tasted First XV rugby as a rookie, making his debut in the toughest of circumstances against Churchie at Churchie. He will be wiser for the experience.
Chace Oates (TGS)
For those that didn’t see enough this season, the Toowoomba Grammar School outside centre will be back for an encore performance in 2023 alongside the likes of lock George Griffiths and Richard Dean – and we can’t wait to see him in action.
Moses Manu (BSHS)
Just as Churchie prop pair Fifita and Willie-Jawai will be back next season, BSHS front rower Manu will be the bedrock of the BSHS pack in 2023. Injury carved a huge hole in his season, but he can make up for lost time next year. Manu’s performance trying to take BSHS forward against Churchie on Saturday was one of the highlights of the match.
Rowan Tong-Law, lock Will Pasocoe and exciting winger Shannon Simpson (BGS)
How’s this for a terrific trio to accept the baton for 2023? Brisbane Grammar School threesome prop Rowan Tong-Law, lock Will Pascoe and exciting winger Shannon Simpson will be back in business in 2023 as BGS look to continue its wonderful development from this season under coach Phil Mooney.
Billy Wellard, Mason King and Fergus Gillian (TSS)
The Southport School was in good hands with winger King, flanker Wellard and lock Gillian to lead the charge. Wellard will be a real impact player at the breakdown after learning his craft on the run this season after moving from centre to the pack, while Gillian will be bigger, stronger and wiser for his tight five experience this season.
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