Meninga Cup’s most improved players revealed ahead of the finals
Meninga Cup’s most improved rugby league players revealed here from every club ahead of the semi-finals which start on Saturday.
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The fast finishing Wynnum Manly Seagulls will play the Burleigh Bears on Saturday as a finals fever grips the Meninga Cup competition.
Wynnum have finished like a train roaring through Central Station, having won six of their last seven matches after starting the season with three losses.
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HOW THE MENINGA CUP FINALS WORK
The preliminary finals have also been decided, with the Tweed Seagulls and Redcliffe Dolphins enjoying a week off while the Jets and Cutters clash on Sunday after Burleigh and Wynnum Manly play each other in Saturday’s sudden death semi final.
Tweed and Redcliffe will face the winner of each game to decide who makes it through to the big dance.
To celebrate the quality of the competition ahead of the finals, we announce the most improved players across the season from all clubs.
MOST IMPROVED
Elijah Keung (Tigers)
Yet another promising player from rugby league rich Logan City, Keung produced one of the performances of the season in the wet when the Tigers played Capras at Langlands Park. A rookie who dabbled in rugby union when he was at Canterbury College, Keung is now attending Mabel Park SHS where he will look to further advance his rugby league career in the elite Langer Trophy competition. A close second as the Tigers best would be fullback Joshua Lee.
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Talas Abell (Burleigh Bears)
Talas Abell is a Burleigh Bears junior who backed up a consistent 2023 season with the Bears to go even better in 2024. A front rower, he has been expertly coached at club level by a succession of coaches at the Bears, and at school by Marymount College’s Matt Geyer.
Abell has also come through a club system surrounded by the likes of fellow middle forwards Cooper Bai, Oscar Laffranchi, Sam McAllister, Jack Schmidt and Zac Kumbamong who would have contributed to his development both at training and in matches.
Amos Va’a (Norths)
Va’a started in round one as the team’s No.8 and finished in round 11 as the team’s No.8, starting in every match across the season. Playing in the most demanding position on the field against the next generation of NRL middle forwards, Va’a was absolutely outstanding, improving with more experience he gathered.
Ethan Rains (Blackhawks)
A mighty mite from Kirwan SHS who once caught a sailfish that was almost twice the size of him, Rains was all courage, all energy bouncing off the bench and trying to give the Blackhawks a lift. He was always a leading junior player in the district, and has maintained his high standing despite the stakes getting higher - and his opponents getting bigger and stronger.
Korrbin Ahu-Skelton (Souths Logan)
Of Maori heritage, Ahu-Skelton transformed himself this season from a middle forward to an edge running second rower. It was a big shift which he embraced, sometimes playing well, sometimes not so well. But around his football he also needed to work on his discipline and it was his improvement in this area which earned him the Magpies most improved title this season.
Billy Wellard (Tweed Seagulls)
Wellard was an athletic, mobile forward who got better with every game this season.
Signed by the Titans, the hardworking prop or edge forward has the skills of a back and a willingness to do the tough stuff required for team success.
Kylem Vunipola and Will Allen (Wynnum Manly)
As the Wynnum Manly Seagulls got better, this duo was also improving with utility back Vunipola and trusty second rower William Allen key cog’s in the semi-final bound side.
Vunipola, a Kiwi boy who plays fullback or centre, has to be the competition’s most consistent player. With a high work rate he simply never made an error that we saw anyway. He also impressed coach Daryl Short with his consistency, effort at training and of course his talent.
Meanwhile, Allen has relished a more prominent role in the side this year, starting in every match and inspiring his side with his no-nonsense type of play.
He has done the dirty work and made the No.12 jersey his own after dipping his toes in the Water last year off the bench.
Hunter Harris (Cutters)
Winger Harris will stride into this weekend’s semi-finals at the North Ipswich Reserve as one of the competition’s most improved players.
A goal kicker with ice in his veins, the Walkerston Wanderers junior from St Patrick’s College was a willing kick return winger, brave in taking metres out of his own end, while being able to finish his team’s attacking raids.
Jack Rix (Pride)
Young for this age group, the jury was out if the rookie would get much playing time against the big boys this season. But when Rix got the chance to play he improved each week. He dipped his toe into the water by playing 10 minutes in his Meninga Cup debut, but then week on week played more. One of the lighter forwards in the competition but held his own.
Why? His attitude and willingness to get better saw him improve out of sight.
Lachlan Middelton (Capras)
He started off the bench but finished as the Capras’ starting prop across the last month of the competition, highlighting his progress as the season unfolded. The Capras did not have its best season, but regardless of the circumstances this Brothers front rower enhanced his reputation.
Lachlan Coburn (Ipswich)
The son of a gun - his dad is the legendary Danny Coburn - young Lachlan was hamstrung by injury in 2023 when he only played two matches. However, he has blossomed this season to be a regular face in the Jets’ semi-final bound top 17 and has come a long way in the last few months.
Riley Jervis (Falcons)
Jervis was injured late in the season which spoiled what had been one hell of a party for him this season. He was easily the Falcons most improved player, displaying massive improvement as a middle forward.
Jervis came mainly off the bench, although he did start against the Clydesdales. He comes from Billy Ross (ex-Origin prop) country - Nambour - where they breed them tough.
Matt Schultz (Clydesdales)
Schultz transformed himself from a fringe player into a young player whose attack and defence improved out of sight. The foundation for his improvement came from his work on the training paddock where he became a lot fitter, allowing him to pinch hit between the middle and the edge. He also displayed terrific footwork for a big body and was hurtful with his contact in defence as well.
Jeremiah Havea (Redcliffe)
The tall, athletic Havea has really come on this season. Beautifully built for a modern day winger, the Keebra Park SHS has worked really hard at the defensive end of the field with his carries or kick returns. He was also a strong finisher and skilled in the air.
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