Queensland’s next Reds stars? All 40 teens named in the under-18s squads
Who are the 38 teen rugby players christening the redeveloped Ballymore stadium on Saturday? We give an insight into every member of the two Queensland Reds under-18s squads here.
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Members of two Queensland Under 18s sides will take on their interstate counterparts on Saturday in what will be the first matches at the newly developed Ballymore.
Queensland Grey and Queensland, will face two New South Wales teams at 1pm and 2:30pm respectively.
But exactly who are these 38 youngsters? We give an insight into where these kids have come from and what they might be capable of.
FULL SQUAD
Queensland Reds U18s
Forwards
Charlie Brosnan | Brothers | Easts | Anglican Church Grammar School
Brosnan was the Churchie No. 8 last year but he could play No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 with ease. He was one of the players of the season in the GPS, highly skilled and mobile with great anticipation both as a support player, but also covering in defence.
An Australian Schools and Queensland Reds Under 18s select who has been playing well for Brothers in the Colts 1 competition.
Alex Kerr | Easts | Anglican Church Grammar School
Kerr, lock, had been in excellent form playing well for Easts in the Colts 1 competition this year, following on from last year where the No. 4 helped Churchie win the GPS rugby premiership.
Ewald Kruger | Toowoomba Grammar School
Kruger joined Toowoomba schoolmate Chace Oates in the Under 16s Australian Development squad last year after impressing in the National Championships.
Kruger, like Oates, was also an elite First XI cricketer for Toowoomba Grammar School, with both boys making our News Corp Team of the Season. Twice during the summer Kruger produced two, six wicket hauls and one five wicket haul bowling left arm spin.
He’s just a great young sportsmen.
Vaiuta Latu | St Peters Lutheran College
Latu was one of the best in the AIC First XV rugby competition this year after a superb 2022 season where he was the leading forward in his team.
A towering forward leader who we had at No. 4 in our AIC Team of the Year, Latu can play positions lock through to No.8.
Lehopa Leota | Iona College | Wynnum Bugs
Leota was a near unstoppable force for Iona in the AIC competition. Iona used him expertly as a ball runner, both in close and wide of the ruck. He was a regular on the score sheet throughout the competition.
Leota is a whirlwind in the maul or sweeping, but also has soft hands when unloading to teammates.
Macarius Pereira | St Joseph’s Nudgee College | Norths
A fabulous prop, Pereira is one and a quarter players, so well rounded is he. A mobile prop, he offers everything imaginable around the field for a tight forward and is a great asset to the side. He made our News Corp 2021 and 2022 Team of the Season.
Tom Robinson | St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace | Riverside Rugby Club
Did anyone grow as much on and off the field in 2022 than Tom Robinson? Surely not.
He went from strength to strength in the GPS competition before being a lineout weapon for the Queensland Reds U16 side every game in the National Championships.
He will be a great leader for Gregory Terrace this season.
Avery Thomson | Brisbane Boys College | Bond Pirates
An Australian Under 16 development select, Thomson is a hard working lock with unmatched lineout presence.
He shone in the Under 16 National Championships and will bolster a Brisbane Boys College outfit on the rise in season 2023.
Backs
Luke Aiken | Sunshine Coast Grammar School | Sunshine Coast Grammar Rugby Club
Aiken has one of those passes that make you go wow. He’s quick to the ruck and his service is seriously as good as it gets.
He makes life easy for his ball runners.
Ieuan Cornelius | Bond University | Trinity Lutheran College | Helensvale Hogs
We haven’t seen much of Cornelius but in the Colts 1 competition he had often shone with limited touches. A winger, Cornelius can also slot goals from anywhere.
Frankie Goldsbrough | Churchie
Queensland Reds contracted Frankie Goldsbrough will most likely set the GPS alight this year, before heading to our beloved Ballymore in 2024.
Goldsborough has a destructive running game, but his defence impacts games as much as anything. He has a good all around game, but of course his ball running was the clincher.
Dre Pakeho | Brothers | Anglican Church Grammar School
Pakeho could seriously play any position in the backline.
At fullback, his brilliant boot and first step would be in play. In the centres, he would be at home, having played No. 12 all year for shared premiers Churchie. He can and would love to play No. 10 but it all depends on where you need him. More on the Kiwi born rugby league convert who resisted the lure of the NRL for a shot with the Queensland Reds here.
Finn Prass | Brothers | Sunshine Coast Grammar School
Prass is a tallish fly half who oozes class. He made the team last year and is back again after a very strong season for the No. 1 Brothers team. He has time on his hands when in possession.
Ryan Shaw | Wests | Brisbane Grammar School | Wests
Shaw is one of the sharpest fly halves to come out of Brisbane Grammar in recent times.
The tricks up his sleeve, including a super offload, were on show for all in last year’s GPS First XV season.
His best trick of all – a super offload. Can play 10 through 15 – he also tackles well.
Emmanuel Taviri | St Joseph’s Nudgee College
A border at Nudgee College, the fleet-a-foot Taviri is an exciting winger who can really move.
Taviri isn’t just good at rugby, the pass-hit often named the most valuable player by his coach in GPS First V volleyball.
Queensland Reds U18s Grey
Forwards
Harrison Angel | Brisbane Boys College | Caloundra
A lock prospect who played in the BBC First XV last year. He is returning again this season and we expect him and Avery Thomson to be among the best backrowers in the competition.
Oliver Barrett | St Joseph’s Nudgee College
A tighthead prop who can throw it in the lineout. The strong Barrett is good at set piece and has broken the Nudgee squat record previously held by current Reds prop and Souths Magpie Phransis Suli-Siaosi.
Max Campbell | Anglican Church Grammar School
Campbell plays No. 8 for Churchie but has been selected at the blindside flanker position in this team.
Standing at 198cm, Campbell has good skills and footwork having been a back in his early years.
Dominant tackler.
Fergus Gillan | The Southport School | Lennox Head Rugby Club
The TSS lock is an understated tight forward who coaches love. He grafts away, is a strong carrier and defender who also cleans out well.
George Griffiths | Toowoomba Grammar School | Goondiwindi Emus
The talented 17-year-old second rower will relish the experience alongside schoolmates Will Nason, Ewald Kruger, Chace Oates, and Jeremiah Sialau.
Jakeb Horne | Brisbane State High School
Horne, Year 12, is a hooker with quite a light build. He has been involved in the BJRU representative pathways and the under 13 and under 15 Queensland Reds Development Academies.
Hardworking, a good leader and a high IQ player, Horne has every chance of being Brisbane State Highs' First XV captain this year.
Noah Rauluni | St Joseph’s Nudgee College | Cap Coast Crocs, Yeppoon
Noah Rauluni and younger brother Isaac are two promising forwards. Noah can really play, but hot on his heels is prop Isaac who made the Queensland Reds under 15s team last year after his defence stood out like a broken finger in the Emerging Reds Cup.
Jeremiah Sialau | Toowoomba Grammar School
Moving to Queensland to further his rugby career, Sialau was, like his brother Sebastian, an exciting junior in the Melbourne Rebels system.
The young prospect is determined but unlike Sebastian who is a fly half, Jeremiah is a front rower.
Archie Smith | Anglican Church Grammar Shcool
Smith is a loosehead prop who will be better for the run after last year’s GPS First XV competition.
PJ Su’a | St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace | Easts
Su’a is a Gregory Terrace back row strongman who will likely spearhead the College’s First XV this winter. But he was also a more than handy edge forward in the Brisbane Tigers under 18 Meninga Cup squad.
Billy Wellard | The Southport School
Wellard was a fired up flanker for the Southport School last season, a key component in their premiership winning forward pack. But, on the league field with the Burleigh Bears (Meninga Cup under-18s) he lurks on the wing — that’s how quick he is.
He carries the ball strongly into contact.
Kytama Cooper | UQ Bullsharks
Slater Galloway | Brisbane Boys College | Riverside Rugby Club
Backs
Tafito Ahki | St Edmund’s College
Ah-Ki was the best player in the AIC rugby competition this year. He was out of this world last season and he repeated the dose, in 2023 producing one man of the match performance after another with brilliance out of scrumhalf.
Not afraid to run himself.
James Alexander | Brisbane Boys College | Wests
Alexander’s leadership will be one weapon he arms Queensland and BBC with this year, his speed, cross-field vision and service all a staple of his game.
The BBC College captain, Queensland Under 17 cricketer and now Queensland Under 18s rugby select is indeed a terrific all-rounder. He made our News Corp GPS First XI cricket Team of the Season in March.
Rocco Gollings | Bond University | St Joseph’s Nudgee College | Surfers Paradise Dolphins
Gollings is a thrilling prospect.
He is a footballer, a natural outside back with flair and pace and anticipation.
Dominic Kallquist | Wests | Frenchville Pioneers
A first season colts player from Rockhampton Grammar School, Kallquist brings versatility to the Bulldogs.
He plays outside centre, but can play a number of positions.
Dre-dyn Laban | Souths | Brisbane State High School
An 18-year-old fullback with serious feet and a high work rate.
Very dangerous in open space.
William Nason | Souths | Toowoomba Grammar School | USQ Saints, Toowoomba
The TGS old boy is a true sporting all rounder who last year received his GPS First XI cricket cap from Queensland cricket great, former Test batsman Martin Love, and when the winter winds blew, turned his hand to running in tries for TGS.
Has been in fine form for Souths, whether it be in as fly half, winger or fullback.
Chace Oates | Toowoomba Grammar School
We didn’t go a week without mentioning Oates in a story of ours last year. Whether it was Lord’s Taverners cricket, GPS First XI cricket, GPS First XV rugby, the Emerging Reds Cup or the Queensland Reds Under 16s in the National Championships, Oates was making a name for himself.
From Toowoomba Grammar, Oates comes from a rich family tree of rugby talent.
Most notably is cousin and Brisbane Bronco Corey Oates and older brother Kye Oates, a Hospital Cup Premiership winner with the University of Queensland in Queensland Rugby’s first grade competition as well as an Australian Rugby Sevens player, having made his debut in 2022.
Chace took a step up last year with U16s Australian Development Squad honours after shining in the GPS and National Championships.
Oscar Shaw | Brisbane Boys College | Ipswich Rangers
We haven’t seen Shaw on the rugby field but in the cricket nets he can sure play.
A mainstay in BBC’s First XI this year, Shaw batted brilliantly more than once.
Moliga Too Junior | Kenmore Bears
Samson Tuqiri | Brisbane Boys College
The son of the great Lote Tuqiri.
He’s the type of winger to chase kicks, slice and dice down the edge and in the trial game at GPS rugby club, he read the attack and scored a fantastic intercept try.
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