Meninga Cup: The teen BRL clubs should sign from the Meninga Cup
He is from rugby league heartland of Rockhampton who has shined with the Meninga Cup Capras’ this season. So who is this teen NRL clubs must look to sign?
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He is from the rugby league heartland of Rockhampton and has been a shining light with the Central Queensland Capras’ during the Meninga Cup.
St Brendan’s College’s Coby Williamson has been a focal point of his team’s charge into the semi-finals, to be staged next weekend.
A centre, the Central Queensland born and bred Williamson has crossed for five tries this season and is the type of kid who really should be signed by an NRL side, according to his coach Kane Hardy.
“He should be looked at real hard,’’ Hardy said.
“He has so much potential and is going to grow into a great type.’’
The semi-finals have been confirmed with Tweed Heads Seagulls, the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, Capras and Townsville Blackhawks filling the top four placings.
Yesterday the Capras warmed its engines for the finals by beating a gutsy Wide Bay Bulls 36-10 in Rockhampton.
Kurt Fisher and Elekana Suavai crossed early for Capras, but Wide Bay did not throw in the towel.
Ultimately Ruben Broome and Harrison Brough made it across the tryline for the Bulls.
Wide Bay players and coaching staff should take a bow.
Coach Robert Boon said Folau Havili, Elias Broome and Ruben Broome were best for Wide Bay.
Wide Bay simply cannot train as a team because they are spread far and wide across the South Burnett, but they turn up each week doing the best for their region.
It is also imperative that rugby league is strong in a region which has produced so many great players, including Mal Meninga, Col Weiss, Steve Renouf and co over the years.
Yesterday for Capras, Izacc Jackson, Matt Hill and Brock Hinds were nominated by coach Kane Hardy as best for his side.
Tweed suffered a last-gasp hiccup in losing to Burleigh Bears 34-30 in a try-scoring shootout on the Gold Coast.
Tipped by Souths Logan coach Billy Vine as likely premiers, Tweed were surprised in a high scoring encounter, although Tweed did take the chance to rest key players like halfback Tom Weaver and dummy half Oskar Bryant ahead of the semi-finals.
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Tweed scored first and second through Jordan Stewart and Jesse Jackson respectfully, but it ended up a 12 try free-for-all that saw Caleb Gould score the late winner for Bears.
The Bears upset effort was spearheaded by Gould, his team’s best, while Travis May’s goal kicking proved the difference.
For Tweed No.9 Harradyn Wilson and halves Riley Lack and Joshua Lynn gained valuable experience running a side without Weaver and Bryant.
The Norths Devils rounded off its season with a 40-22 defeat of Redcliffe at Emerson Park.
Redcliffe had a perfect start when Jaedon Wellington scored early, but the further the game went, the more Norths increased its lead.
William Curran and Jake House hit back with tries for Norths, and then came a 10 minute period either side of halftime when the Devils punched well ahead of Redcliffe.
Indeed Darcy Turner and Tory Bath (twice) scored three tries in a blink.
Norths coach Kevin Neighbour said the Devils were led by Isaiah Iongi, Goondiwindi product Trae Bennetto and Darcy Turner, with Iongi an excellent finisher for Norths.
Redcliffe coach Wade Hadley said it was unfortunate the Dolphins could not finish the competition on a high.
“On the back of our poor discipline and effort, we put ourselves undere defensive pressure and weren’t able to stay in the grind,’’ Hadley said.
Hadley praised John Maller (for his tough attitude) and the defensive effort by Matthew Bennett.
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The Sunshine Coast Falcons had a last game 30-14 win over the Mustangs in Toowoomba.
Oscar Boyd and Mason Peut, the scorer of five tries this season, were best for the Sunshine Coast in the 16 point victory, while Mustangs best were best were Riley Wockner and Ki Rasleigh.
The Falcons Ryan Hargreaves, a Nambour Crushers junior, made it across the line for his 10th try of the competition.
In Townsville, the Blackhawks had a 56-nil win over Northern Pride.
The tries kept flowing for the exciting Dudley Dotoi (two) who has been able to finish strongly for the Blackhawks this season.
On Monday, Ezra Mam capped an excellent campaign for the Magpies, scoring two tries as Souths Logan defeated the Ipswich Jets 26-18 at Davies Park.
Souths always had a handle on the match after scoring four of the first five tries, but tries to
Jed Bignell and Josiah Patea closed the cap for the Jets.
Brisbane Tigers continued its improvement to finish on a high, beating semi-final bound Wynnum 30-22.
The Tigers roared through a four try first half effort, with Te Anau Graham-Papali’i, Dylan Gibb and Jackson Chang crossing.
However, importantly the Tigers defensive line got stuck in during the same period.
But three successive tries, including two just after halftime to Blake Moore and Kienan Tempest, got Wynnum rolling and in the end it was a relief to Tigers when Caleb Tokam and Kobie Mackay.
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