Hancock Cup, Renouf Shield and BBOB grand final special: Top players named after glory games at Davies Park
Hancock Cup, Renouf Shield and BBOB schoolboy grand final special: How the deciders unfolded and who shone brightest on the big day here, including the best 50 pics and moments.
Keebra Park State High’s line of fullbacks was in full effect this fortnight with the school’s lightning fast No. 1’s proving match winners in three different divisions.
After David Bryenton dazzled in his team’s 11-9 Langer Trophy grand final win over Palm Beach Currumbin SHS, Year 10 Walters Cup fullback Sonny Hewitt had his say at Davies Park in West End when he scored the game winner that downed Mabel Park SHS on the hooter.
The very next week, on Tuesday, Keebra No. 1 Chris Perkins scored an almost identical left corner post try that won the Renouf Shield for his team when downing a gallant Ipswich SHS 24-20.
In the space of seven days, the Grade 12, Grade 10 and then finally the Grade 8 fullbacks were crunch time kings with speed, flair and fabulous execution key features of their match winning efforts.
HOW SEMI-FINAL DAY UNFOLDED, BEST PLAYERS
In the Brisbane Broncos Old Boys Shield decider at Davies Park, Keebra Park SHS added to the school’s overflowing trophy cabinet by beating Mabel Park SHS 46-8.
Mabel fought hard to the final whistle but Keebra were just too good, as they had been all season with winning margins often nearing the fifties.
Keebra then won the Renouf Shield, with Perkins’ dagger breaking the hearts of the mighty Ipswich boys who had played so well they looked like winning all the way up until the 48th minute.
Keebra centre Simi Va’inga was deservedly named player of the match after his deeds on both sides of the ball.
Ipswich had started superbly when prop Juwan Tupu scored in no time. Josh Tamamasui scored Ipswich’s second try after Keebra had scored through Tarlin Lelo.
Ipswich led 14-8 at half time and then 20-8 early in the second half but the Keebra boys stormed back and scored three unanswered tries.
Before the pacy Perkins scored the winner, centre Seth Lotaki and dummyhalf Enzo Hogg landed tries to set up an enthralling finish.
Then in the Grade 9, Hancock Cup final, Palm Beach Currumbin’s classy class of 2028 showed tremendous fortitude holding off a Mabel Park SHS outfit that had all the possession in the second half.
It was 10-all at half time before PBC went on to win 16-10 after a crucial try midway through the second half by slick centre Blake Millar.
Gutsy PBC SHS hooker Nixon Mathewson was awarded player of the game after finishing with an all-important cover tackle that stopped a threatening Alec Joyce (outstanding Mabel fullback) who was charging down the left touchline.
The Reds’ win was built around defence and they produced tackle after tackle, after tackle, in the second half to stave off Mabel, and in particular, trying dummyhalf Kyden Williams who was held up over the line twice when backing himself and scooting.
It was a day of high emotion and two of the best moments came when Grade 9 Mabel Park edge battleship Isaac Matthews had a positive performance and when Ipswich Grade 8 Favor Mukendi did his team a favour scoring an eye-catching try.
Matthews, who had been diligently rehabilitating an ACL injury, has been a junior powerhouse coming through but had his 2024 season stripped away.
Despite PBC SHS winning three tries to two, it was a heartwarming moment seeing him get back to his ways by sledgehammering in defence.
In the game prior, Mukendi had a moment of madness when leaping high into the air to catch a kick, then landing on two feet and propelling forward to score a sensational try.
BBOB SHIELD WRAP
Keebra Park SHS 46 v Mabel Park SHS 8
Keebra Park SHS produced a pile-driving victory to beat Mabel Park SHS 46-8 in the Brisbane Broncos Old boys Year 7 final at Davies Park.
The Gold Coasters set up the victory with a five try first half blitz, driven by their props Evan Tyrell and Rocco de Marchi.
They were helped along by a skilled No. 13 Ryder Mitchell and left second rower Abraham Piutu.
The march to victory started with an extraordinary grand final try when the first touch by the fullback Mason Chamulko saw him run 80m to score emphatically.
Fielding a clearing kick in the centre of the field Chamulko beat defender after defender before sprinting himself into the clear to score under the posts.
He later scored a second try and created a third.
There was a ray of hope for Mabel, seconds before halftime, when they scored through a dummyhalf run by Isiah Scanlon after a barnstorming run by Franz Terepai-Misileki.
Mable’s recovery was accelerated early in the second half with hooker Scanlon scoring his second try after charges by Monti Fevaleaki and Terepai-Misile.
Keebra then amped up its defensive resistance to deny Mabel a third try despite a flow of penalties being waived in Mabel’s direction.
Having repelled Mabel, Keebra swung defence into attack with fullback Chamulko running his team out of trouble.
Then came a strong run by de Marchi who broke the line and set up Mitchell for his second try of the game.
Keebra added to their tally with Marquez Seumanutafa storming onto the ball for a try and Madden O’Donnell minutes later bamboozling the Mabel defence.
Chamulko iced the game the way he started it with an identical long range try set up by half back Tamati Tiopira.
Scores: Keebra Park SHS 46 (Lameko 2, Chamulko 2, Mitchell 2, D Marchi O’Donnell, Seumanutafa tries; Tiopira 5 goals) defeated Mabel Park SHS 8 (Scanlon 2 tries).
TOP GUNS
Mason Chamulko (Keebra Park SHS)
Chamulko was an early arrowhead of Keebra Park SHS’s attack.
In the first set he ran 80m to score, kicking through numerous tackles before working his way into the clear and scoring.
Late in the second half he strode 30m to score after a creative run by his halfback, Tamati Tiopira. The fullback also threw a lovely long pass for his winger Zion Lameko to score, while his first half thrusts through the middle caused headaches.
Evan Tyrell and Rocco De Marchi (Keebra Park SHS)
The engine room duo roared Keebra Park into ascendancy during the first half, helping give the Keebra halves Beale and Tiopira and fullback Chamulko front foot ball in which to weave their magic.
De Marchi then created a crucial try in the second half for his No. 13 Ryder Mitchell after Mabel Park had scored back-to-back tries.
Ryder Mitchell (Keebra Park SHS)
Mitchell was a smooth mover through the middle of the ruck, with the No. 13 scoring one tremendous solo try and also drifting to his left to put his winger Zion Lameko over for the first of his two first half tries.
Mitchell was masterful.
Monte Fevaleaki and Franz Terepai-Misileki (Mabel Park SHS)
Both big bodies, the middle forward duo did their part to try and work Mabel Park close to the contest.
Mabel had little ball in the first half, but both Han and Terepai-Misileki impacted the game with their charges, with No. 13 Terepai-Misileki helping create his team’s first try scored by hooker Isiah Scanlon, and then the second — again by Scanlon.
Isiah Scanlon (Mabel Park SHS)
The mighty mite hooker scored either side of halftime to drag his side back into the game with two dive over tries, while also putting his body on the line in defence.
SPECIAL MENTION: Abraham Piutau (Keebra Park SHS)
RENOUF SHIELD TOP GUNS
Simi Va’inga (Keebra Park SHS)
The Keebra right centre didn’t have a huge 60m break or a massive tackle, but his timely and terrific incursions made a big contribution to Keebra’s winning effort against terrific opposition.
Sharp hands, threatening lines and selfless play were features of his game.
Va’inga’s defence was also strong given just how dangerous his opposites looked in Sa’fyre Tuisau and Josh Tamamasui, a particularly impressive centre.
Rangy left centre Seth Lotaki was also important for Keebra, assisting on a Vaka Talnoa try and scoring a second half try to spark the mini comeback.
Chris Perkins (Keebra Park SHS)
It’s simply hard to believe young Perkins is in Grade 8 because his confidence is sky high and impact profound.
Perkins, the Keebra fullback, has been a joy to watch in finals games over the past two years, especially in Brisbane playing at Davies Park or at the Souths Acacia Magpies.
Perkins was defended extremely well for the first 45 minutes, threatening to break free from the shackles but not quite getting there due to the persistence of the gutsy Ipswich defenders.
You had a feeling the pacy No. 1 was going to have his moment and it came when his team needed it most — in the 48th minute when he burnt down the left touchline and landed the match winner.
Zai Schultz (Keebra Park SHS)
Before Perkins positioned himself perfectly to land the knockout blow, prop Schultz was simply superb, laying the foundations through the middle third.
No one was more amped up and energetic than the big middle forward and his enthusiasm in defence twice translated into Ipswich errors.
He hit hard, below the shoulders and around the ball, to sting his opponents and without him, Keebra don’t win.
Ipswich SHS were also well serviced through the middle with their big boys Quayzon Motuliki and Juwan Tupu tenacious.
Josh Sapolu (Ipswich SHS)
Ipswich SHS’s tradition of churning out dangerous fullbacks does not look to be slowing down any time soon.
In recent years they’ve had Tom Parker, Chris Simpson and Tyler Peckham-Harris. Now they have Josh Sapolu coming to the surface.
What a game he had on Tuesday.
He did not make a mistake in the backfield, took defenders with him when running the ball back and he had touches in two of Ipswich’s four tries.
Take a bow youngster.
Favor Mukendi (Ipswich SHS)
Mukendi was a magic man for Ipswich, a two-try winger with the Midas touch when he soared into the air and plucked a pin point Leo Hunt kick.
It was the highlight of the game, if not the whole day, when Mukendi freakishly swooped in from his left wing and soared before scoring straight after half time for a 20-8 lead.
Just before half time Mukendi scored for a 14-4 lead when a superb shift saw five-eighth Sonny Nichols, fullback Sapolu and centre Josh Tamamasui get touches before the ball found Mukendi.
Cooper Hunt (Ipswich SHS)
The Hunt family should have a seat named after them at the North Ipswich Grandstand after how well young Leo (Year 10) and Cooper (Year 8) carried themselves this season.
Seriously, Walters Cup half Leo was a Queensland Schoolboy select and younger brother Cooper, who unlike his brother wears bright red headgear, was terrific in a side that didn’t deserve to lose.
Hunt put in the kick that Mukendi grabbed and scored and across the match his kicking was fabulous, as was his decision making with Keebra defenders charging toward him.
SPECIAL MENTIONS: Tallis Naleba (Ipswich SHS), David Malu (Ipswich SHS), Sammysteel Tupa'i (Keebra Park SHS).
HANCOCK CUP TOP GUNS
Isaac Matthews (Mabel Park SHS)
the chant of ‘Isaac Matthews’ erupted prior to the edge forward entering the game midway through the first half.
It was a comeback game of considerable magnitude for the scorer of five tries in this Mabel cohort’s BBOB win back in 2023.
At the same venue, tackle-machine Matthews was magic and after missing last season with an ACL injury, it was just magnificent seeing the thunderous Slacks Creek centre or second rower make an impact again.
His defence was terrific, with Matthews making key tackles on key PBC attackers late in the first half.
Jaxon Worthing (PBC SHS)
Worthing has been a wonder in junior footy and he maintained his mantle as one of the top Grade 9 fullbacks in Queensland during Tuesday’s tight tussle with Mabel.
A whiz more often than not, Worthing worked wonders with his ability to suck in defenders and make crucial tackles coming across in cover.
He did both, once when saving a certain try from Mabel in the first half and then when creating a try to fullback Blake Millar when he released an impossible offload.
He got PBC on the board first too, using speed and strength to charge over the top of two players.
His defence was just outstanding when roving from touchline to touchline.
Alec Joyce (Mabel Park SHS)
Nothing flashy but fabulous in his core role.
Joyce, at fullback, returned the ball with vim and vigour and was busy like a middle forward with his runs into the teeth of PBC’s defence.
Safe under the high ball and held up his end of the bargain.
Rico Ford (PBC SHS)
Ford was fabulous without overplaying his hand from five-eighth.
A bit of a young star in years past playing BBOB and Renouf Shield footy, Ford has remained classy playing No. 6 and No. 13 coming through the ranks.
His passes were on point and kicks on song. He also had his hand in a bold defensive shutout by PBC which kept Mabel scoreless in the second half despite them enjoying the glut of possession.
Ford had fabulous options to his right and left, with both Xane Jervis and Blake Millar scoring tries on each side of half time.
Brayden Rapata (PBC SHS)
The big, athletic edge forward did his job and did it well.
Running hard, fast and often into the defence often got PBC on the front foot. Then when it was time to muscle up, Rapata held down the left edge extremely well despite Mabel throwing punch after punch after punch as the clock dwindled on an enthralling finale.
Nixon Mathewson (PBC SHS)
The Runaway Bay high achiever had the biggest say of the game when making a win-clinching cover tackle on Mabel’s Joyce who was screaming down the sideline in a threatening last-ditch effort.
Mathewson was just clinical in his core role. His passing was great and defence through the middle tireless.
The player of the match award was great recognition for his valued contribution in such a back-and-forth match which saw the PBC defensive line plug every hole in existence to keep Mabel out set after set.
Nathanael Brain (Mabel Park SHS)
Brain was particularly impressive in the first half where Mabel had all the momentum. The forceful five-eighth was the firing pin and the reason why.
Brain’s game smarts, sharp instincts and question-asking kicks were key in Mabel’s superb start and it helped he had Kruz Hola putting it on a platter for him from the ruck base.
Brain had his hand in a Alailepule Allen try and commanded the attack well with loud and clear direction and organisation.
SPECIAL MENTIONS: Mataio Misa (Mabel Park SHS), Nathanael Brain (Mabel Park SHS), Kruz Hola (Mabel Park SHS).
GRAND FINAL DAY PHOTO GALLERY
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