LANGER TROPHY: What we learnt, Six of the Best
LANGER TROPHY: What we learnt and Six of the Best things to come out of round 2. Plus, a link to watching all the replays we livestreamed.
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With round 2 of the Langer Trophy played yesterday, what were Six of the Best things we learnt to come out of the start of the 2021 elite schoolboy season?
WATCH ALL ROUND 2 REPLAYS HERE
AT A GLANCE, ROUND SUMMARY
At Wavell SHS, Broncos’ signed Karl Oloapu turned the ignition key as Wavell SHS hit back hard in the Langer Trophy tonight, rebounding from a first round loss to defeat Coombabah SHS 42-6.
In other matches, St Mary’s College felt the full force of as rampaging Palm Beach Currumbin SHS, going down 44-6.
The Marsden State High point scoring machine rolled over Ipswich State High in a powerhouse 48-10 victory at the North Ipswich Reserve.
And Keebra Park SHS got on the board for the season against a spirited Mabel Park SHS, winning 30-14 at Slacks Creek.
The Courier-Mail, Gold Coast Bulletin and News Corp Australia affiliates are live-streaming the Langer Trophy, Walters Cup and Langer Reserves games. That is at least 10-12 games each round – plus access to the Payne Cup on top of that.
SIX OF THE BEST
WAVELL SHS BOUNCE BACK
Don’t poke the bear. St Mary’s College poked Wavell SHS in the stomach during an upset round 1 victory, and seven days later Coombabah SHS felt the full brunt of Wavell SHS on the rebound.
The scoreboard beamed 36-nil at halftime as Wavell five-eight Karl Oloapu turned the ignition key on for his side. “It was a bit of a bounce back factor. We were disappointed with in round 1,’’ said coach Mick Roberts. “We had Home Coming so the team was easy to motivate this week as it is an important game for our team. The first half was outstanding but we just couldn’t hold it for the second half.’’
COOMBABAH SHS’S COURAGE
The ground is dewy, the scoreboard at Wavell SHS has never shone brighter for the home side – reading 36-nil. And there is a big Wavell crowd cheering on the locals. Coombabah found themselves in a pickle at halftime against Wavell last night. So what are they to do? They showed plenty of ticker to draw the second half 6-all. “The conversation at halftime was that it was probably our choice to go out and probably take some soft choices in the first half,’’ said Coombabah SHS coach Sam Meskell. “I told the boys at halftime – ‘it is your choice. Do you want to go out again and do that, or do you want to make a battle of’? And we did that. I was proud of that. There are times when we could have easily conceded but we dug in.’’
RELATED LINKS
ROUND 1 – WHAT WE LEARNT, SIX OF THE BEST
LANGER TROPHY SCHOOLBOY SIGNS WITH ROOSTERS
MABEL PARK SHS METTLE
Langer Trophy newcomers Mabel Park SHS were also faced with another steep climb, but choose to defiantly scratch out a foothold instead of slipping last night against Keebra Park SHS. Coming off the disappointment of a round 1 loss to Coombabah after a big debut build up, Mabel Park showed plenty of fortitude in a 14-30 loss. “We were up to our eyes in it. I am super proud of my team,’’ said coach Lee Addison. He said he demanded a response and he got it. Addison it could have been even better with better decision making, but Keebra were more used to playing in that standard of football. “But I am super proud and if we continue to play like that, we deserve to be at this level,’’ he said.
TE KANI SHNIES – WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM BLAKE MOZER
Keebra Park SHS dummy half Blake Mozer was at it again – along with Connor Te Kani who engineered early success for his side, which must have been reeling after a savage first round loss. They combined in lead-up play for the first Keebra Park try after the side had found themselves 8-nil behind. Te Kani then had another try assist while Mozer broke the line, drew and passed for his team’s third try. Te Kani kept Keebra Park’s recovery going with a cut out pass to create a try three minutes into the second half to continue his team’s recovery.
RELATED LINKS
LANGER TROPHY ROUND 1 TEAMS, SEASON DRAW
ARMCHAIR GUIDE TO QLD’S BEST SCHOOLBOYS
QLD UNDER 15, UNDER 18 STATE TEAMS NAMED
RAIDERS SNARE LANGER, PAYNE CUP TALENT
THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN FOR PBC
The big guns were back as PBC SHS unleashed on St Mary’s College. Halfback Tom Weaver was at the helm and centre Deine Mariner in the eight try performance. Hunter Ploegsma and Michael Roberts both crossed for two tries as PBC imposed themselves on the opposition – and all seven teams across the competition.
MARSDEN SHS’S BLITZ – again
Last week Marsden SHS produced a 26-nil blitz of Keebra Park SHS on the way to winning 36-nil. Last night it was a 38-nil in a first half avalanche against Ipswich SHS. With halfback Cassius Cowley the ringmaster, Marsden ramped up in attack in another warning to the competition. Cowley really came on this season, first under the coaching of former Marsden SHS coach Jesse Maclean while playing for the Wynnum Seagulls in Meninga Cup, and now under Marsden coach Matt Hartigan. Like Coombabah against Wavell, Ipswich SHS players bit down hard on their mouth guards at halftime to limit the damage in the second half – much to the credit of the home side. But the damage was done.
ROUND 3 LANGER TROPHY
TUESDAY:
Marsden v Wavell
WEDNESDAY
Keebra Pk v Ipswich
PBC v Coombabah
St Mary’s v Mabel Park
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