Our 30 best from quarterfinal day: Plus how to watch the replays
Here’s our top 30 from the four NRL Schoolboys Cup (Langer Trophy) knockout quarterfinals this week involving eight schools.
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The NRL Schoolboys Cup (Langer Trophy) is down to a race in four after quarterfinal action on Tuesday.
The schoolboy rugby league caravan will now shift to Wednesday when www.couriermail.com.au, the Gold Coast Bulletin and News affiliates live stream Ipswich SHS v Marsden SHS and then Palm Beach Currumbin SHS and Keebra Park SHS.
The games were part of a live stream bonanza which will also feature Langer Reserves and Walters Cup finals. Full schedule at bottom of the story.
MATCH REPLAYS: RELIVE ALL THE QUARTERFINAL ACTION HERE
From Tuesday’s quarterfinals, here’s the best 30 players we saw in action.
Karl Oloapu (Wavell SHS)
The kid can only do so much and tried his hardest to get Wavell SHS home. Four times he undid the Marsden SHS defence with either short balls or long balls, resulting in one try and three breaks during the opening quarter. Then he lofted a pinpoint kick for his winger to score. He must not be too hard on himself following Wavell’s loss. The team has been blessed to train and play with him and enjoy his personality.
Kini Keano (PBC SHS)
You get a little used to his sublime play and he produced it again against Mabel Park SHS. He was not flawless. Twice after breaking into open space he fumbled the ball in contact and also threw a low pass to support. But around that, boy oh boy. He could still be the difference between PBC SHS beating Keebra and then either Ipswich or Marsden. Don’t forget he is a tremendous last line tackler as well which may be needed in the weeks ahead.
Jett Forbes (PBC SHS)
He scored three tries, he helped create a try or two, he ran strongly – and that was all by halftime. His statistics sheet figures must have been off the chart.
Josh Lynn (PBC SHS)
This bloke is a little like Cooper Cronk (retired NRL grand final legend) in that he can slip under the radar, so effortlessly does he link the chains of his team together. He has come through he PBC system leaving from Ryan Rivett and Tom Weaver and now runs his own show.
Gosh Lynn is a good footballer and to be honest he is the type of kid who could progress to the next level. Well done to his halves partner Zane Harrison as well who complements Lynn beautifully.
Isaiah Scanlan (PBC SHS)
We liked him in game 1 of the season against Marsden SHS and we are still liking him eight matches into the competition. Another who is a little understated, Scanlan is getting the work done with expertise. We also rate Reico Ratana along the same lines.
Will Taylor (PBC SHS)
Now here’s a footballer. The Northern Rivers prospect has flourished during an injury-free season after a bad run in 2021. We tipped off a player manager prior to round 1 of the Langer Trophy season about the kid following his Meninga Cup season and while I am not sure where his future is at, one thing is for sure, PBC SHS are loving his left edge hole running, hard running in traffic and defence.
Bailey McConnell (PBC SHS)
While Bailey McConnell is the headline act here, he performs a dual role with Tanu Nona as PBC SHS’s dummy halves supremos. Nona starts when opponents are fresh, and McConnell reaps the benefits with his up-tempo play later in games. Both are as good as each other.
Caleb Jackson (Ipswich)
Caleb Jackson, perhaps one of Ipswich’s most improved players, had no trouble crossing the line in the Langer Trophy quarterfinals.
A first half hat trick from Jackson highlighted Ipswich’s emphatic 56-12 victory over Coombabah. It was a statement by Jackson and his team. In that first half they looked at the peak of their powers, especially Jackson, who was bulldozing his way through the defence on every opportunity.
Alex Leapai (Mabel Park SHS)
It was not Mabel Park’s day and not the best of the season for Leapai either. But who attracted the most attention from the PBC defence? Leapai, which was a great complement to him. He still scored a try and effectively trucked the ball forward. Mabel Park played their grand final a week earlier in beating Keebra Park and despite never being in contention against PBC, have had a successful season, particularly now the Walters Cup boys were in the semi-finals.
Tyler Peckham-Harris (Ipswich)
Peckham-Harris is Ipswich’s backline assassin, always the one to open up the opposition defence. Being one of the smallest in the competition, he has an awfully large impact on whether or not that deadly backline runs riot. With ease, the headgeared Peckham-Harris can put his defender on the back foot. And that second is all the minor premiers need to do damage.
Jodeci Letalu (Keebra Park)
Letalu was a five eighth genius. His vision on where and how to attack was next level. He’s the danger man for Keebra and he will be the deciding factor for how far their Langer Trophy campaign goes.
He’s an exciting playmaker with a very complete game. In his arsenal he has a class kicking, passing and running game with a sidestep that could undo any defence.
Tommy Luhrmann (and Gabriel Satrick)
The old one-two between Luhrmann and Satrick interchanging as dummy halves continues to be a strength of Ipswich. How can the Queensland schoolboys hooker (Satrick) not be starting in Langer you ask? Because the partnership between the side has worked best for the team since round 1 and if it is not broken, with fix it?
Jaxon Denny (Coombabah)
Denny is a class player. He brought his usual tricks to the quarters and had success.
He’s got an unmatched kicking game. Whether it is on 5th tackle kicking the ball down field or attacking grubbers and chip kicks, he has it on a string.
The feel good try of the day came when Denny regained his own chip and chase and found Braydan Wong tearing through on his inside to score.
Tre Fotu (Ipswich)
With limited ball, it was still breathtaking every time Fotu was given the chance to run free.
It’s not only his powerful fend, but his ability to remain balanced after, that makes the Cronulla Sharks newest talent so impressive.
No wonder they fancy him. Every time a defender tries to latch onto him they end up on their backs.
Jack Laing (Ipswich)
Jack Laing did the hard yards. Although he didn’t cross over for a try, his heroics running the ball up the middle can’t go unnoticed. Countless times Laing made tackle busts when rampaging into the Coombabah’s defence. And every time without fail he connected on the subsequent offload or pop pass.
Shannon Donaldson (Coombabah)
Donaldson was one of Coombabah’s strong points this season. You can rely on him to run hard, make tackles, return the ball from fullback with a promising counter attack and even slot tough conversions. Donaldson stands out with his bleach blonde mullet, which flies in the wind when he puts the foot on the gas.
Boston Riggs- Albert (Coombabah)
The prop was a defensive giant, standing strong against barrage after barrage from an Ipswich team with all the possession. He had his hand in a ton of tackles. And a chunk of huge hit-ups. And hats off also to Junior Filimaua for his urgency in the defence line when his side was down 44-nil. He helped alter the momentum of the second half as Coombabah rallied firstly in defence, leading to pressure with the ball.
Braydan Wong (Coombabah)
Wong delivered top tier service from dummy half. As a reward for constantly putting it in the bread basket for Jaxon Denny, he was put in for a try under the sticks. His work was always helped by the carries of his big prop K-ci Whare.
Kyen Murphy (Coombabah)
Second rower Kyen Murphy was one of Coombabah’s best on the day. His attacking and defensive presence was felt down his right edge, shutting down the explosive Anton Naiyep all game. He was there in support, chasing kicks, and exiting his team out of danger with courageous carries.
Taj Harris and Sam McAllister (Marymount)
Get to know the newest giant killers — Taj Harris and Sam McAllister.
The lock and second row were sensational in the quarterfinals. Countless times the pair of them put their bodies on the line to hold out some big Keebra bodies.
Holding up anyone charging at the line is a tough job, let alone the likes of Lokea Motufoua and Seth Nikotemo.
Jaykob Brown (Marymount)
Brown caused Keebra some serious trouble with his restarts off the tee. Rarely do you see a kick off give a side as much grief as this. On three occasions, the deliberate wobbliness, bounce and awkwardness of the Marymount restarts made Keebra fumble the ball and gift Marymount possession. Not to mention Brown blitzed through gaps in the Keebra defence with smart raids out of dummy half.
Jeremiah Tamepo (Keebra Park)
Double trouble for Jeremiah Tamepo highlighted Keebra’s dominant but by no means easy 40-6 victory over Marymount.
He was clinical on the right wing, and will be super important in the semi-finals for Keebra Park. Not only as a scoring option but much more. He has the size and power to go with great IQ and awareness of the game. If Tamepo and Jodeci Letalu are connecting then the sky is the limit for this team.
Jimi Pedlow (Marymount)
Pedlow dealt with the worst of Marymount’s size disadvantage against a towering Keebra line-up. Pedlow, a small five eighth, was inches shorter than his rivals. But, that didn’t phase him one bit. His game stayed the same.
He was calm under pressure, composed with decisions to make and spot on with his grubber kicks. He encapsulated everything you need to know about that underdog Marymount team. They don’t back down. They aren’t afraid of the physical battle and are as tough as nails.
Chris Faagutu (Marsden SHS)
Faagutu went against the grain of the opening 20 minutes to shine for Marsden SHS at a time when Wavell SHS were building a 12-nil lead – and looking like they could build a 20-nil advantage. It was a real “follow me fellas’’ captains knock by the Marsden SHS No. 13.
Harry Durbin (Marsden SHS)
Finals are made for the underdog and we loved Durbin’s second effort when he came on during the championship rounds after halftime. Tough, no nonsense, strong in contact and quick to his feet, Durbin rose to the occasion and deserves high praise against challenging opponents. Generally the Marsden SHS interchange bench did well after Wavell’s initial onslaught.
Haizyn Mellars (Marsden SHS)
The Queensland schoolboys winger was shifted mid-first half from the left wing to the right wing to mark his state teammate Tyreece Tait who was threatening to run amok outside a firing Karl Oloapu.
Surprisingly beaten in an aerial confrontation by young Wavell winger Mark Tuialli – something that would have surprised Mellars himself – he did well to recover and get his head in the game, including a glorious finishing effort to score in the second half.
Loto Salei (Wavell SHS)
The young bloke has come on in leaps and bounds, and his move from No. 13 to left edge was a revelation. In his first season of Langer Trophy, he got more and more up to speed and finished the season with a flourish on Tuesday. Jayden Butt deserves a pat on the head as well.
Tyreece Tait (Wavell SHS)
Tait’s raw speed, his springy running caused headaches left, right and centre early. Unfortunately he sustained a head knock during the second half, but the Marsden defence was never safe.
Jai Camilleri (Wavell SHS)
Camilleri showed great restraint to hold off overplaying his hand in the first half when Wavell were going so well pushing passes to Oloapu, only fire-up his dummy half burst in the second half. No one at the ground knows how he never scored after his 30m burst, but he did very well all afternoon for Wavell. And a pat on the shoudler to his prop Damascus Neemia. Does he ever play a modest match?
Jacob Tinsley (Marsden SHS)
Tinsley has flown slightly under the radar but has been doing an excellent job for Marsden in all departments. One of the reasons Coby Black has impacted the competition during the third term component of the competition is due to Tinsley’s service.
Coby Black (Marsden SHS)
Black slides onto this list late, but deservedly so. He is prepared to back his skill, roll the dice and is good enough to pull it off most of the time. The Queensland Schoolboys interchange player will be so much better next season for his experience in 2022.
LIVE STREAM SCHEDULE
Semi-finals, Wednesday:
11.45am: Langer Reserves: Ipswich SHS v Marsden SHS
1.30pm: Langer Trophy: Ipswich SHS v Marsden SHS
3pm: Langer Trophy: Palm Beach Currumbin and Keebra Park
Thursday:
1:30pm: Langer Reserves: Palm Beach Currumbin and Keebra Park
2.30pm: Walters Cup: Keebra Park v Mabel Park
3:30pm: Palm Beach Currumbin v Marsden.
Grand Finals
August 24
12.30pm: Langer Reserve
1.45pm: Walters Cup
3pm: Langer Trophy
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