Players to watch in the club rugby union’s premiership season starting Saturday
The QRU premiership rugby season starts on Saturday, with a traditional blockbuster between GPS and Brothers (Ashgrove), a local derby between Sunnybank and Souths, Bond University hosting Norths and University welcoming Easts. But who are the players to watch?
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The QRU premiership rugby season starts on Saturday, with a traditional blockbuster between GPS and Brothers (Ashgrove), a local derby between Sunnybank and Souths (Sunnybank), Bond University hosting Norths and University welcoming Easts. But who are the players to watch?
Colts matches will be covered at www.couriermail.com.au, with coverage expanding to cover women’s and Premier competitions as the season progresses
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PLAYERS TO WATCH
BROTHERS
Matthew Faessler: An Australian under 20 and NRC representative, this will be his third year as hooker for the first grade side.
After using the COVID-19 break to put on some additional bulk, he now weighs 112kg. “He is looking to have a big year and hopefully go onto bigger in better things in 2021,’’ said Brothers rugby manager Ryan Schultz.
Rohan Saifoloi: Since arriving at Brothers in 2019 and helping steer the team to a grand final appearance, Saifoloi’s experience and style of play will be a huge asset to his team. “A standout fly half with a long list of representative experience he will be sure to be one of the leading players in the competition,’’ Schultz said.
Colts player Titi Nofoagatotoa is a first year colt who comes out of the Nudgee College rugby nurses and recently the senior Reds Academy. “Playing at No 8 he is sure to have a big season for Brothers and will be sure to add extra firepower to the forward pack,’’ Schultz said.
Nick Cross is a third year colt who has worked his way through the colts program to become captain in 2020. “A former outside centre who will play lock or backrow for Brothers colts in 2020, he is certainly a player to watch in this upcoming season.’’
GPS
GPS will usher in three outstanding young players, Emosi Tuqiri, John Downes and Cullin Cooper-Jones, who are all colts playing age, but who will experience Premier rugby this season. Emosi Tuqiri, the cousin of dual international Lote, continues a long tradition of Tuqiri’s playing at GPS. Unlike Lote junior, Emosi is a front row hulk in the mould of his uncle, Lote senior, who was one of the most respected tighthead props in club rugby in the 1970s, 1980s and even into the early 1990s.
The GPS women will be spearheaded by Hilisha Samoa who is back in the Wallaroo’s squad after having her youngest daughter. In 2017 she was the Wallaroo player of the year.
In addition Luanna Moors, a Queensland junior girls representative and seven’s star, will be in the GPS women’s side alongside captain Marlugu Dixon, a current member of the PNG international women’s 7s Squad)
SUNNYBANK
The Dragons women’s side will be captained by Ivana Wong, a Queensland Super W team winger but who will play flanker for Sunnybank. “She is a good, aggressive ball runner good on the ground great tackler,’’ said coach Robert McCarthy.
Christina Sekona was also an outstanding player with the ball in hand and “gives the team good momentum going forward’’.
In the Sunnybank colts, Colts captain is Issac Crone who is a Brisbane under 19 player. “He will be playing at inside centre which is a challenge,’’ said Dragons colts coach Eddie Keepa.
Keepa said the team’s x-factor was Sam Samu, who was a teammate of Crone’s in the Brisbane side which won the under 19 national title. “Sam is playing on the wing with his good broken play runs.’’
SOUTHS
The Magpies have a host of players to watch in 2020, including rookie hooker Theo Fourie who coach Todd Dammers described as a “physical hooker who has a great set piece and work ethic’’. “He Enjoys the physical part of the contest and is a player of the future.’’
Fullback Luke Samoa will be captain and will call on his experience as a Romanian Test match player. “Having moved to Romania to play professionally, Luke was soon being groomed for higher honours,’’ Dammers said. “He is a natural leader of this young up and coming Souths group and a high level goal kicker as well.’’
Centre Leon Elia is an experienced journeyman who adds a wealth of experience to the side, having played Q Cup previously for Easts Tigers
Tight-head prop Phransis Sula-Siaosi was described by Dammers as “a strong scrimmaging prop with an excellent work rate’’. “He is mobile, powerful and explosive. A young player with all the tools to be a prominent figure in 2020,’’ the colts said.
The Magpies colts ground, to be coached by Rama Chand was looking to back-up its considerable success from 2019.
“We have quite a lot of the older colts players playing premier grade this year so it gives a lot of the second and third year colts and new players coming from their respective school associations an opportunity,’’ Chand said.
Souths’ colts players to watch include Ipswich Grammar School old boy Kalani Thomas, St Laurence’s College old boy Callum Lauder, vice-captain and fullback Sebastian Hanna who is a Nudgee College old boy.
Souths women’s coach Daymon Tuka, or “Tuks” to wider rugby community, was enjoying seeing a women’s side back representing the club. Notable players in 2020 will be half Natalie Johnson who has an excellent passing and running game, her fly-half Ellie Draper and utility back Larana Thomas.
“Ellie has fantastic all around skill set as a fly half, extremely explosive off the mark, great footwork and vision to breakdown the defensive line,’’ Tuka said.
“Larana covers multiple playing positions across the backline and is the big sister to live wire half back Kalani Thomas.’’
In the forwards prop Wynona Baice “ticks all the boxes off as front rower’’.” She has a great set piece and is a strong ball carrier who defends,’’ Tuka said of the state rep.
UNIVERSITY
University Premier coach Mick Heenan will have Sam Wallis and Brad Wtidale as players to watch.
“Sam is our No 8 and our captain for 2020 who has been busy taking the next step in his rugby career by training with the Reds squad, well deserved recognition for outstanding performances in the last couple of years of Premier rugby,’’’ Heenan said.
Twidale is one of several Darling Downs products at the club.
“Brad is a skilful and tough fly half with the ability to play a number of positions in the backline.
“Like Sam, he has come through the ranks of club footy, winning a colts premiership as fly half in 2017 and was a part of our premiership winning side in 2019.’’
NORTHS
In Glen Dodds’ colts side, lock and captain Jack Small, a Nudgee College old boy, has an outstanding work ethic and attitude.
Okaw Obonno has previous colts experience who will be important on the flank after using the off-season to work on his size and fitness. “He is devastating around the breakdown and his worth ethic is phenomenal,’’ Dodds said.
“There are also a number of players who are product of Norths juniors colts who will have an impact this season.’’
In Premier grade women, coach Matthew Quilty said skipper Korbyn Broomhall was a player to watch, someone who “always leads from the front and lets her actions do all the talking’’
Vice-captain and halfback Talia Holt “punches well above her weight’’ while hooker Kimberly Bouttavong had “great footwork and a very high work-rate’’. “She is a real leader in our team,’’ Quilty said..
Winger Tozia Leaso, in his first season of rugby, has great pace while fellow winger Neteske Venter was “incredibly tough and fearless’’.
EASTS
The Easts Tigers will be well served by tighthead prop Rhys van Neck who is so good, many think he could play for the Reds with ease.
van Neck is at the front and at the back is fullback Adian Toua, a player of vast Super Rugby experience who is a Tigers’ man to the core despite his world travels, having played in the club’s 2008 colts premiership winning side.
And of course around them is Ben Mowen whose influence on the field and the training paddock has been immense.
“We have seen the whole group lift with the way he carries himself,’’ said Tigers general manager Michael Lucas.