Langer Trophy: Meet this Super 8 of the competition
Langer Trophy: Langer Trophy: Meet the Super 8 of the elite schoolboy rugby league competition, NRL signed talents who are set to shine.
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The elite schoolboy rugby league Langer Trophy competition will start on June 1 and News Corp will be there to broadcast a record number of matches via its live streaming service.
The eight team competition, which in the last two seasons has delivered the likes of NRL players such as Tesi Niu, TC Robati, Xavier Willison, Xavier Savage, has a new generation of stars set to shine in 2022.
Below is a Super Eight of the competition who you can watch in action by subscribing via www.courier.com.au, The Gold Coast Bulletin and News affiliates.
RELATED LINKS
DOLPHINS SIGN ORIGIN 18s FORWARD
MENINGA CUP TEAM OF THE SEASON
NRL GREAT COACHING IN THE LANGER TROPHY
Subscription also unlocks access to the best general news services in Australia, as well as access to watch our live stream of the elite Payne Cup competition (North Queensland) and the new Dolphins Cup (Central Queensland, Bundaberg) which starts this week
OUR LANGER TROPHY SUPER 8
KARL OLOAPU, Wavell SHS
Hold onto your hats. The quick-stepping Karl Oloapu is coming to News Corps’ live streaming service from Wednesday.
Brisbane Broncos-signed, the Wavell SHS five-eight has dancing feet the likes of which the great USA actor Fred Astaire would be proud of.
New Zealand born but a long time resident of Redcliffe, Oloapu grew up admiring Benji Marshall which is ironic given his light stepping deeds.
But although he “watched Benji Marshall growing up,’’ Oloapu said his stepping was home made.
“I just run around stepping everywhere, using my imagination,’’ he smiled.
Oloapu said it would be an honour to captain Wavell SHS this season.
“After watching the other boys before me captain this team, it means a lot since I have been here since grade 8,’’ he said.
JOSIAH PAHULU, Ipswich SHS
The Queensland under 18s schoolboys front rower Josiah Pahulu enters his third season of Langer Trophy with an addition to his arsenal - a late offload.
Gold Coast Titans’ signed, the Springfield Panthers junior has always had a late pass in him - but he started to perfect distributing the ball despite being wrapped up by defenders while playing for Burleigh Bears in the Langer Trophy.
“There is always space for development and Joshua Bretherton (head coach) and the coaches make sure we keep developing. That is why I love my time here,’’ said Pahulu, who made both our Meninga Cup Team of the Year and out 2021 Langer Trophy Team of the Season.
“With the late off loads, I never used to do them and I feel I have developed more this year, adding it to my game this season.’’
KEANO KINI, Palm Beach Currumbin
Gold Coast Titans’ fans, take note. Jot down the name Keano Kini.
New Zealand born, Keano was News Corp’s joint Justin Hodges Medallist for 2021 Langer Trophy team of the year after helping Palm Beach Currumbin SHS win the Phil Hall Cup state final.
Keano is a ball playing fullback who can play on either edge as an extra half, or blaze into the attack with blistering pace.
He is also a “fierce competitor,’’ according to his coach, Tim Maccan.
“He does everything at 100 percent and has this ability to always find a way to beat his opponent,’’ Maccan praised. “His high involvement in the game, whether in attack or defence, set the standard for the rest of the team.
“Keano continually looks to improve his role in the game to sharpen his own skills and game play and to also benefit the team. He has all the skills and determination to assist him with his pursuit to play NRL one day and I feel this year we will see him rise to another level again.’’
RELATED LINKS
LANGER TROPHY, DOLPHINS CUP PLAYERS TO WATCH - here https://bit.ly/3MT4CEg
NRL RECRUITMEN SHOCK: Where the QLD schoolboys are going - here https://bit.ly/3wQ6fgF
ARAMA HAU, Keebra Park SHS
Another for the little black book of Gold Coast Titans’ supporters, Hau is a rip roaring back row talent who has untapped potential.
Tall and powerful, he will captain Keebra Park from No.13 but has the speed, ball skills and agility to attack either edge.
He is really one and a half players in one, such is his threat to attack either the middle or edge when momentum is flowing Keebra Park’s way.
A Nerang Roosters junior who grew up admiring South Sydney great Sam Burgess, Hau was last week named in the Queensland schoolboys side to play New South Wales.
He said it was an honour to captain Keebra Park SHS this season. “We are super keen to showcase what we have been building on in the pre-season and to show everyone that Keebra is still the top rugby league school in Australia.’’
GUY-VISACHI WAEREHU, Redcliffe SHS
Redcliffe SHS student Guy-Visachi Waerehu will play fullback when the Sharks make their historic entry into the Langer Trophy against Mabel Park SHS on Wednesday.
A new chum to the peninsula this season after arriving from New Zealand,
Waerehu said he was nervous to be playing against all the “big schools in the Langer’’ but it was exciting.
Originally a halve, Redcliffe SHS coach Scott Murray threw him to fullback pre-season and during the Langer Trophy qualifying games where he was a leading light.
He is a young man with a burning desire to try and earn an NRL contract to help his family. “I want to get to where I want to be to get mum (Xaviana) what she wants for the future,’’ he said.
He was loving his time at his new school with his new mates and the coaching staff.
ALEX LEAPAI, Mabel Park SHS
If the name sounds familiar, it should. Leapai is the son of Alex “Lionheart” Leapai of boxing fame, a fighter who once slugged it out with Ukraine’s Wladimir Klitschko for the world heavyweight title.
But Leapai junior is forging out his own sporting career, inspired by his dad, his extended family and the honour of representing Mabel Park SHS in their second season of Langer Trophy football.
A prop, Leapai is a young giant - 119kgs, 193cm - who has been snapped up by the Roosters after being spotted playing for Logan Brothers.
“It was amazing,’’ he said in reference to off-season training and playing Harold Matthews with the Roosters. “The atmosphere was great and staying down there gave me a taste of what the dream has installed for me,’’ he said.
RELATED LINKS
SOUTHS LOGAN WIN MENINGA CUP PREMIERSHIP
QRSSL PLAYERS TO WATCH INCLUDE BRONCOS, DOLPHINS YOUNG GUNS
KNIGHTS SIGN BAYSIDE SCHOOLBOY; COWBOYS CIRCLE CQ
LEWIS SYMONDS, Coombabah SHS
The multi-talented Symonds is a rare athletic gem who will play edge forward for Coombabah SHS.
The Brisbane Broncos-signed edge forward is a former national athletics champion and a current Australian Oceania Championship weightlifting representative.
Aged just 16, Symonds is a lean, mean 87kg athlete who enters the season in the prime of his brief but busy sporting life after winning the Meninga Cup premiership with Souths Logan.
“With the pre-season from Souths Logan and Broncos it has helped me properly prepare myself for this year,’’ Symonds said. “Pre-season was great having Karmichael Hunt (Magpies Meninga Cup coach) as a coach, teaching us what he learned in the NRL.’’
CHRIS FAAGUTU, Marsden SHS
Faagutu is having the winter of dreams, having helped Souths Logan win the Meninga Cup (under 18s) grand final under the coaching of Karmichael Hunt, and last week being named in the Queensland schoolboys side to play New South Wales.
A No.13 who most admires NRL powerhouse Cameron Murray (Souths) and Victor Radley (Roosters), Faagutu will be playing in his third season of Langer Trophy, and his second as captain.
“It means a lot to have another chance to lead the boys around and hopefully lead them to another Langer Trophy,’’ said after Marsden claimed its first ever home-and-away season Langer Trophy premiership last season.
Signed by the Wests Tigers and a junior from the famous Logan Brothers club, Faagutu was joint Justin Hodges Medallist alongside Keano Kini (PBC SHS) last season.
ROUND 1
LIVE STREAM SCHEDULE, Wednesday
4.00pm Walters Cup (year 10): Forest Lake v Wavell
2.45pm Langer Trophy: Coombabah SHS v Wavell SHS
3.30pm Langer Reserve: Ipswich SHS v Keebra SHS
4.30pm Walters Cup (year 10): Ipswich SHS v Keebra SHS
5.30pm Langer Trophy: Ipswich SHS v Keebra SHS
4.00pm Langer Trophy: Reserve Marsden v PBC Marsden SHS
5.00pm Walters Cup (Year 10): Marsden v PBC Marsden SHS
6.00pm Langer Cup: Marsden v PBC Marsden SHS
3.00pm Langer Reserves: Mabel Pk v Redcliffe Slacks Creek
4.00pm Walters Cup (Year 10): Mabel Pk v Caloundra Slacks creek
5.00pm Langer Cup: Mabel Pk v Redcliffe Slacks Creek
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