Langer Trophy 2021 premiers confirmed, big-boppers of the finals list
REVEALED: Langer Trophy 2021 premiers confirmed, and who are the big-boppers of the finals which resume in two weeks?
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Marsden SHS has secured a historic, first ever Langer Trophy premiership.
The Brisbane Broncos and National Rugby Rugby has confirmed Marsden SHS, Cameron Smith’s old school, has been awarded the title despite the final round of home-and-away games being called off due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
The premiership is awarded to the side on top of the ladder at the end of home and away matches. Teams then battle it out for the right to be the Phil Hall Cup state winners during the finals.
The final placings were:
MarsdenSHS 10 points (+120)
PBC SHS 10 points (+ 90)
Keebra SHS 10 points (+52)
Ipswich SHS 6 points (-52)
Wavell SHS 4 points (+32)
Coombabah SHS 4 points (-6)
St Mary’s College 4 points (-138)
Mabel Park SHS 0 points (-94)
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It means the semi-finals will be played on August 25 - Marsden SHS v Ipswich SHS and PBC SHS v Keebra SHS.
The Southern Queensland Schoolboy Cup final will then be staged on September 1, with the Phil Hall Cup between the northern and southern grand final winners on September 15.
Langlands Park, Wynnum Seagulls and Redcliffe Leagues have been pencilled in as finals’ venues across the three rounds of finals, with Redclffe hosting the decider.
The finals will be livestreamed by News Corp via www.couriermail.com.au, the Gold Coast Bulletin, Ipswich Times and Toowoomba Chronicle platforms, among others.
Marsden SHS’s first ever Langer premiership is a triumph for coach Matthew Hartigan and the school’s rugby league coaching group who have played a role along the way.
But it is Hartigan who has brought a majority of the Langer Trophy squad through from the Year 10 Walters Cup competition.
“The team has worked hard to get us into this position,’’ Hartigan said.
“To become the first Marsden team to win the Allan Langer Trophy is a real honour.
“Our community support has always been amazing and this is a special moment that we can share with them.
“Although proud, we are not satisfied. Our goals are much bigger for 2021.’’
Players like Leon Te Hau, Teapo Stoltman, Taelon Te-Whiu Hopa, Lance Fualema, Tyree Bowman, Sione Fotuaika Jieye Mauai, captain Chris Faagutu, Braden Teuila, Tyson Stanley, Mou Taumaletila and Terry Lafaoi have formed the foundation of the side having come through the school system.
Around them Broncos signing Nathaniel Tangimataiti, prop Xavier Stowers, half Cassius Cowley and speedy winger Tea-Rani Woodman Tuhoro arrived hoping for a chance to advance their careers and play Langer Trophy, but with no guarantees of squeezing out local kids.
Marsden SHS’s Langer Trophy premiership follows the school’s 2020 clean sweep of junior competitions - Broncos old boys Shield, Hancock Cup, Renouf Shield and Walters Cup - for year 7-10 students.
Given Marsden SHS’s history in producing elite schoolboy talent, it is surprising this is its first Langer triumph, which goes to show how hard a competition it is to win.
Smith, Jaydn Su’a, Tesi Niu, Israel Folau, Chris Sandow, Brenko Lee, Corey Allan, TC Robati, Caleb Timu, Antonio Winterstein, George Fai, Joe Tomane and Patrick Mago.
WALTER CUP, LANGER RESERVES
Both these competitions will play the remaining home and away clash on August 25, before finals start on September 1.
Those semi-finals will be played as curtain raisers to the Langer Trophy finals.
Broncos Games Development Manager Paul Dyer said Queensland Secondary School Sports Association had been masters of adapting and improvising during the COVID-19 crisis and he was delighted games would proceed.
But he said the Broncos and the association would continue to work with the state government around the best health advice available at the time and all matches would be played in a COVID-19 safe environment.
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LANGER TROPHY
LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE
August 25:
Semi-finals: Langlands Park
Marsden SHS v Ipswich SHS
PBC SHS v Keebra SHS
September 1: (Wynnum)
Southern QLD Schoolboy Cup final
September 8: COVID Contingency Week
September 15: Phil Hall Cup (Redcliffe)
Northern Conference Final, Southern QLD winner v Northern QLD winner.
BIG BOPPERS OF THE FINALS
With the Langer Trophy competition back on, we bring you a list of the big-boppers who could tilt momentum of the finals one way or the other.
KEEBRA PARK SHS
The best big bopper in the competition is Herman Tofaeono and it is little surprise Keebra Park SHS’s revival from a slow start coincided with his improvement across the competition.
A Queensland schoolboys merit team selection, he does all the simple things right.
Middle forward PJ Poutasi is arguably the most skilled big man of the Langer Trophy, with his ball playing skills complementing the creative Blake Mozer and his halves.
The year 11 student has got better and better with the more match fitness he has gathered.
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN SHS
PBC SHS’s big men are not sky-scrappers nor heavyweight title contenders, but they are effective.
Jack Cullen is as strong as an ox, Kade Somerville utterly dependable and the backrower of Brock Priestley, Ryan Foran and Jayden Wright a handful with their size and explosive leg speed.
Wright is a bit of a dark horse - tall, gangly, raw-boned who would be a horror to tackle.
IPSWICH SHS
Ipswich SHS traditional prime movers are Josiah Pahulu and Samson Sauaso.
Pahulu is a Langer hardened campaigner while Sauaso has worked hard at climbing the rungs of the ladder, playing each match this season after an impressive pre-season which saw him earn a place in the Met West rep side after coming from the 2020 reserves. Both are Ipswich Jets Mal Meninga Cup props.
But one of the discovery players of the season has been another big bopper, Rene Bagon. A player being courted by the Manly Sea Eagles, Bagon took on the challenge of making it in the Langer Trophy and has succeeded.
MARSDEN SHS
The biggest bopper in the competition is Marsden SHS’s Xavier Stowers.
He is a towering figure who tips the scales at 114kg whose power game has given Marsden authority in the middle.
A bonus is that he has scored several, close to the line tries despite being in heavy contact.
But a different model of big man is Nathaniel Tangimataiti.
Signed from New Zealand by the Brisbane Broncos aged 15, he arrived at Marsden SHS last year with the view of testing himself in the strongest schoolboy competition - the Langer Trophy.
A big, tall mobile unit who makes the big-bopper list
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