NRL legend leads gun Langer Trophy school on tour to Rabbitohs and Roosters

Who’s the NRL legend coaching at a gun Langer Trophy school this season - and who will lead them on a tour to play South Sydney and the Roosters? Story here.

Shannon Subritzky Stewart, Coby Black, Issac Luke, Jacob Tinsley, Bailey Trew. Students and teachers at Marsden State High School. Thursday April 28, 2022. Picture, John Gass

South Sydney Rabbitohs hero and New Zealand Test legend Isaac Luke will guide Marsden SHS’s senior rugby league squad on a two match tour of Sydney.

Luke, who will be the defensive coach for Marsden head coach Matt Hartigan in the Langer Trophy season, will mentor the young squad confronting youth teams from the Sydney Rooster and his old club of South Sydney.

Luke, a veteran of 287 NRL matches who was a member of Souths drought breaking 2014 premiership squad, said he was loving his role as a schoolboy coach which will also seem him help with teams from Year 7 to Year 11.

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“Matt (Hartigan, head coach) saw some talent in my oldest son and got him to the school and the bonus was that my daughter goes here as well. So eventually I gravitated to the school,’’ Luke said. “I did not realise how much I would enjoy it.’’

He said he was uncertain about wanting to coach his son in the Marsden system “but it has turned around and I really enjoy it’’.

Shannon Subritzky Stewart, Coby Black, Issac Luke, Jacob Tinsley, Bailey Trew. Students and teachers at Marsden State High School. Thursday April 28, 2022. Picture, John Gass

He said the tour was not only a great preparation for the school league season, but also a chance for players to impress Roosters and Rabbitoh talent scouts.

“We play against Daniel Anderson’s Roosters and the Rabbitohs and for some who don’t have contracts it is good exposure for them,’’ Luke said.

“This is about exposure for the school and individuals.’’

Haizyn Mellars Students and teachers at Marsden State High School. Thursday April 28, 2022. Picture, John Gass

He said the tour would also give the schoolboys a taste of life in a football bubble.

The touring party will ironically include two Marsden SHS students signed by the Rabbitohs - Jacob Tinsley and Braden Teuila.

Marsden SHS, the old school of league legend Cameron Smith and a host of current NRL stars, has many players signed on development contracts with a variety of league clubs, including the Broncos, Titans, Wests Tigers, the Raiders and South Sydney.

The touring party includes some interesting players, among them:

+ Dom Sandow, the nephew of NRL livewire Chris

+ Souths Logan Meninga Cup Premiership winning No. 13 Chris Faagutu

+ exciting Easts Connell Challenge five-eight Mark Nosa

+ highly thought of Brisbane Broncos halfback recruit Coby Black

+ exciting outside back Teapo Stoltman

+ 16-year-old Broncos signing Bailey Trew

+ Queensland under 18 basketball and Queensland under 18s Origin emerging squad member Haizyn Mellars

Teapo Stoltman and VJ Semu. Picture, John Gass

+ Shannon Subritzky who made our Meninga Cup Team of the Year announced on Monday as a centre.

+ Broncos signed Magpies Meninga Cup winning centre Devonte Vaivela

+Cody Hamilton, the brother of prolific Q Cup point scorer Guy

Hartigan said the Sydney tour was introduced in 2018 to provide the students at Marsden SHS with invaluable experience against NRL clubs and systems.

Chris Faagutu, fresh from winning the Meninga Cup grand final on Sunday, and his Marsden SHS coach Matt Hartigan. Picture, John Gass

“It forms an important part of the pre-season and leaves them with a lasting memory for many years to come,’’ Hartigan said.

“The trip is built around giving back, with the 2022 squad booked in to run a junior clinic for the Kincumber Colts.

“In previous years we have facilitated the teaching of our MTC strategies with young students in NSW and also visited nursing homes. We have some talented musicians and singing talent to support these sorts of activities.’’

Marsden play the Rabbitohs this afternoon and the Roosters development side on Thursday.

The touring squad is: Sandow, Stoltman, Vaivela, Stewart, Mellars, Twidle, Black, VJ Semu, Tinslay, Mauai, Teuila, Faagutu, Hamilton, Papalii, Taumeletila, Akaroa, Trew, Palu, Nosa, Rangihuni, Cassidy, Taputoa, Whakatau, O’Leary, Innes.