Langer Trophy’s eight most underrated players
Langer Trophy: The eight most underrated players of the elite schoolboy rugby league competition revealed here.
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The Langer Trophy competition starts on Wednesday and is full of the next generation NRL footballer.
News Corp, via www.couriermail.com.au, the Gold Coast Bulletin and News affiliates will live stream a record number of matches, including Langer Reserves, Walters Cup (Year 10) and Langer Trophy games each Wednesday.
There are plenty of stars.
Indeed on Sunday we named a Super 8 of the competition, but it could have been a Super 38, so many good players prevail in this competition.
However, today we name eight, just eight, of the underrated kids who have earned the respect of their coaches and teammates.
RELATED LINKS
PLAYERS TO WATCH IN THE LANGER, DOLHPINS CUP
NRL RECRUITMENT SHOCK: WHERE THE SCHOOLBOYS ARE HEADING
ELI TULI (Keebra Park SHS)
Mark this name down as a bit of a wildcard.
He is coming off a strong season with Tweed Seagulls in the Meninga Cup under 18s and will play front row for Keebra on Wednesday against Ipswich SHS in what will be his Langer Trophy debut.
But while he is a front rower, he has the mobility and size to easily play No. 13 or on an edge.
Keebra Park SHS coach Peter Norman described Tuli as “massively underrated’’.
“I coached him at the recent state carnival for South Coast and he was our most damaging prop forward,’’ Norman said.
“He scored the most tries in our South Coast team (3) and was very aggressive in defence and destructive with the ball in hand breaking the line and gaining quick play the balls which was crucial to the success of the team.
“Somehow he missed out on Queensland selection which shocked me.
“He is also unsigned by any NRL clubs at the moment, however I am expecting that to change very quickly if he continues to perform at the level he has been.’’
SHANNON DONALDSON, Coombabah SHS
Donaldson is coming off a pre-season of Meninga Cup where he played wing or fullback for the Burleigh Bears.
Originally a Mudgeeraba Creek School student, he will wear the No. 1 jersey for Coombabah and team mates will be delighted to know he has their backs.
“He is excellent under the highball, a great communicator in defence and is always around the action,’’ praised Coombabah SHS head coach Sam Meskell.
MELCHIZADEK LAUMATIA, Mabel Park SHS
Known as “Mel” by his mates, he is coming off the invaluable experience of being a member of Keebra Park SHS’s Langer Trophy pioneers in 2021.
Watch for his little known Logan Brothers junior to make his mark in defence and attack.
Lightly built for an edge forward, Mel will get up and under the ball in defence, using his body height to challenge the ball carrier.
And on the edge he is agile and fast, as shown in the Langer Trophy qualifying win over St Mary’s when he scored two early tries.
He is quietly spoken but a popular member of the Mabel Park SHS playing group.
WILL TAYLOR, Palm Beach Currumbin SHS
Taylor flew completely under the radar during the Meninga Cup season earlier in the year playing for Tweed Seagulls, but note the name when you are watching live stream games of PBC SHS in the Langer Trophy this season.
Taylor is an edge back rower who was out of sight, out of mind in 2021 after missing a large chunk of the season through injury.
But the northern NSW product has gathered match fitness and confidence after an excellent Meninga Cup under 18 campaign.
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DOLPHINS SIGN ORIGIN 18s FORWARD
MENINGA CUP TEAM OF THE SEASON
NRL GREAT COACHING IN THE LANGER TROPHY
JACK CAMERON, Redcliffe SHS
Cameron will have the honour of captaining Redcliffe SHS in its historic first ever Langer Trophy match on Wednesday against Mabel Park SHS.
A dummy half, he bleeds Redcliffe and will lead by example.
He is also an improving dummy half who took his game to another level last season, bringing his team mates onto the ball and making ground around the ruck.
Indeed he was named Man of the Match when Redcliffe won the 2021 Gee Cup.
He is well conditioned for the Langer Trophy, having played Meninga Cup for the Dolphins earlier in the year.
JOSH CALLAGHAN, Wavell SHS
A dark horse for the Langer Trophy this season will again be Wavell SHS and looming out on the wing is a young winger who has flown under the radar.
It’s Josh Callaghan, a Redcliffe Dolphins Meninga Cup whose work ethic on the field and on the training paddock impresses all and sundry.
“He is the first one to put his hand up for the tough carries, he is a selfless player who always puts the team first,’’ said Wavell SHS coach Mick Roberts.
AHMANI LEILUA, Ipswich SHS
The underrated player list is just made for someone like Ahmani Leilua.
When I ran a similar themed story at the end of the Meninga Cup competition, his club coach Karmichael Hunt (Souths Logan) nearly knocked me over with his enthusiasm to make sure Leilua was mentioned in the story.
“He just continues to play big minutes as a prop, hasn’t missed a game and leads from the front at training and in games,’’ Hunt said.
Now Ipswich SHS have the pleasure of having him in their side.
A Springfield Panthers junior and close friend of his fellow front rower Josiah Pahulu, Leilua had the honour of leading Souths Logan - a squad full of NRL signed players - to the Meninga Cup premiership in May.
A close second in the Ispwich group is utility outside back Caleb Jackson.
“He goes under everyone’s radar because isn’t flashy, but what he offers is first class,’’ said Ipswich SHS coach Joshua Bretherton.
“He is a great communicator on field and essential to our teams direction. He is a great defender at centre and has a outstanding ability to set up try’s for people around him.’’
RELATED LINKS
SOUTHS LOGAN WIN MENINGA CUP PREMIERSHIP
QRSSL PLAYERS TO WATCH INCLUDE BRONCOS, DOLPHINS YOUNG GUNS
KNIGHTS SIGN BAYSIDE SCHOOLBOY; COWBOYS CIRCLE CQ
JIEYE MAUAI, Marsden SHS
Marsden SHS will again have plenty of horsepower in its side and will be one of the competition danger sides after winning the Langer Trophy home-and-away competition last season.
Emphasising their depth is the fact they may have the likes of Cody Hamilton, Taelon Te Whiu Hopa, Bailey Trew and Mark Nosa not even making the starting 13.
But one player who will be in the 13 is the underrated Jieye Mauai.
Mauai will play edge, where he will be like the glue of the side, someone every coach dreams of having.
Mauai is coming off playing second rower for South Logan Magpies in the Meninga Cup competition after playing Langer Trophy in 2022.
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
4.30pm Walters Cup (year 10): Ipswich SHS v Keebra SHS
5.30pm Langer Trophy: Ipswich SHS v Keebra SHS
5.00pm Walters Cup (Year 10): Marsden v PBC Marsden SHS
6.00pm Langer Cup: Marsden v PBC Marsden SHS
4.00pm Walters Cup (Year 10): Mabel Pk v Caloundra Slacks
5.00pm Langer Cup: Mabel Pk v Redcliffe
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