Round 4 Meninga Cup and Connell Challenge Teams of the Week
A Titans signed schoolboy rookie and a 14-year-old Capras hot shot made our Meninga Cup, Connell Challenge Teams of the Week. See who else shone for their team.
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Write down the name Josiah Pahulu, a Burleigh Bears Meninga Cup front rower who will arrive at the Gold Coast Titans next season via Ipswich SHS.
Pahulu was one of the first players chosen in our Teams of the Week after also making last week’s Meninga Cup team.
In a round which saw the Connell Capras and Meninga Cup Blackhawks flex their muscle. and the under 16 Wynnum Seagulls bounce back hard, Pahulu’s performance was one of the highlights.
Pahulu has taken his game to another level this season and lookout those confronting him in what will be his third year of Langer Trophy football for Ipswich SHS later in the season.
The most impressive thing about Pahulu as a front rower is that he does not rely on a physical presence to shine in age group football.
He is built low to the ground, is dynamic and strong – and can unload early or late balls in tackles.
In the last two seasons we have told you first about the likes of Xavier Willison, Xavier Savage, TC Robati, Tesi Niu, Era Mam, Jack Howarth, and now we are telling you about another crop such as Pahulu - among others like Karl Oloapu, Ben Te Kura (both Norths), Israel Leota (Souths), David Leota (Ipswich) and co.
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There were two noteworthy team performances – both in Connell Challenge.
The Capras defeat of the Blackhawks featured a 14-year-old edge forward, Zac Bateman, while Seagulls halfback Zac Herdegen made all the difference in Wynnum’s bounce back win over Burleigh Bears.
TEAMS OF THE WEEK
CONNELL CHALLENGE
Fullback: Seth Carpenter
Finally he gets the No. 1 jersey this week after making our round 3 Team of the Week on the wing. Carpenter was a part of the Capras spine which complemented a dogged forward effort in an early season epic against Townsville Blackhawks.
Wing: Christian Simpson (Falcons)
Simpson was one of his team’s best from fullback, but we found room for him in our Team of the Week on the flank. But a special mention to Matthew Drews (Clydesdales) who was his team’s best in defeat, and also to Simpson’s teammate Tarell Indich (Falcons)
Centre: Saxon Inness (Seagulls)
The Broncos development player starred at fullback but we slotted him into our Team of the Week as a centre, such was the quality of his performance. The unlucky omission this week was Wide Bay Bulls centre Thomas Morcom who keeps getting the wraps.
Centre: Amaziah Murgha
In a mid-season home and away classic, Blackhawks centre Murgha shone in a game highlighted by fierce, dogged defence.
Wing: Cody Sanewski (Capras)
Sanewski had a booming defensive game against Blackhawks’ prime mover Keelin Hookey. He wore Hookey in what was a ding-dong battle which reduced Blackhawks momentum. But there was another five star performance by a winger, Ipswich Jets’ Volonte Baruani who had a big match.
Halves:Zac Herdegen (Wynnum) and Isaac Walker (Capras) steered their teams around during grand winning performances. Herdegen made all the difference giving Wynnum direction running off his dummy half Caden Frame, while Walker’s partnership with halves partner Clancy Hohn and his dummy half Braelan Marsh complemented the grunt work being done around them and helped engineer enough points to beat the Blackhawks.
No. 13: Lachlan Coburn (Ipswich Jets)
On the bench last week. Coburn makes our First XIII after another exhaustive effort for the young Ipswich Jets outfit. But a special mention to Northern Pride’s Marley Helion.
Second row: Zac Bateman (Capras)
The edge backrower from Cathedral College found himself in an epic tussle against Blackhawks but matched it with the best of them.
Second row: Ivey Ezekiel (Mackay Cutters)
Ezekiel’s impact on the edge cannot be understated in a close match which could have gone either way against the Northern Pride. We would love to have found room for Daniel Cavanagh (Wide Bay Bulls). If hard work accounts for anything, Cavanagh would never be out of Team of the Week contention, and nor would Cutters Kale Oliver.
Prop: Dirhys Sefo (Souths Logan)
The Souths Logan 16s were beaten but Sefo again makes our Team of the Week with his toughness, leg drive, ball skill and mobility.
Hooker: Hayden Potts (Redcliffe)
Potts was captain and led his team by example, while also maintaining his own high standards. He is a pure footballer, a natural who plays dummy half with ease. It was a hot field with Harrison Deguara,Braelan Marsh, Ayden Byrnes and Caden Frame all considered.
Prop:Tavita Penaia Te’o (Capras)
Penaia Te’o led from the front in a rugged match that was of grand final intensity against the Blackhawks. It was a high class field with Falcons prop Blaine Watson and Penaia Te’o’s teammate Baylee Meilland considered.
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Reserves
Hayden Cumming (Cutters)
Cumming was an unlucky omission from the first 13 but made it onto the bench for his versatile role in Cutters local derby win against Northern Pride when he played fullback and then five-eighth.
Ellyjah Birve (Falcons)
Half Birve fired the trigger which set the Falcons backs free in scoring 44 points against the Clydesdales.
Ayden Byrnes (Tweed)
The Tweed Seagulls best performance of the season was spearheaded by their No. 9 Ayden Byrnes.
Marley Helion (Northern Pride)
Helion rose to the challenge against his southern neighbours Mackay Cutters with a big performance in the middle.
Harrison Deguara (Cutters)
Deguara did everything other than peel the oranges for the halftime break. He was outstanding for the Cutters at dummy half.
Caden Frame (Wynnum)
Wynnum’s revival from a last round defeat started at the feet of dummy half Frame who gave the Seagulls direction from the ruck.
Joshua Donovan (Brisbane Tigers)
A fullback, centre or halve from the Grafton Ghosts juniors, Donovan was the Tigers’ best in their 12-all draw against Tweed Seagulls.
MENINGA CUP
Fullback: Tyler Peckham-Harris (Ipswich)
Peckham-Harris had the endurance of a triathlete in his high class game which covered off on every aspect of fullback play.
Wing: Ethan Polner (Falcons)
Fullback Polner just had to be included in our squad so we found room for him on the wing following his excellent performance in the draw with the Clydesdales.
Centre: Liam Doolan (Wide Bay Bulls)
In challenging conditions Doolan had a big match, plugging holes and working hard with the ball to give the Bulls some momentum or try scoring threat.
Centres: Kai Simons (Mackay Cutters)
Kai Simon scored three tries as the Cutters came from behind to win 30-22 in a northern derby against Northern Pride. But special mention to Bears Kci Whare and also Souths Logan’s Tre Fotu made the most of his chance.
Wing: Joseph Pearson (Northern Pride)
It was a toss up between Tekelu Mene (Blackhawks) and Pearson who produced some classic finishing in a high scoring match against the Cutters that ebbed and flowed.
Halves: Keahn Skipps (Bears) andZac Lamont (Blackhawks)
With his team retaining the ball and fast gaining momentum, Skipps looked like the best running half in the competition and he sent his runners spearing down the field like they were heat seeking missiles. Lamont combined beautifully with Sean Bourke who we would also have loved to have included. Their combination released a potent backline.
No.13: Damon Marshall (Blackhawks)
Gee he is a good player, Damon Marshall. The Blackhawks captain again got stuck in to set the highest of standards across the match.
Arama Hau (Burleigh Bears)
Hau played No. 13 but could handle edge running with ease and that is where we named him. Hau was at the peak of his powers with a barnstorming middle performance that also gave the Bears additional running power on the left edge.
Seth Nikotemo (Burleigh Bears)
Nikotemo had a picnic down the right edge as Skipps worked his side of the field looking to pick either Nikotemo or centre Kci Whare.
Prop: Josiah Pahulu (Burleigh Bears)
Pahulu was dynamic with his leg drive and late off-loads which murdered Wynnum Seagulls in the ruck.
Hooker: Wil Brady (Clydesdales)
We will sneak the Clydesdales’ halfback into our side as the dummy half after he steered his team around the park to a meritorious away draw with the Falcons.
Prop: Ahmani Leilua (Souths Logan)
Like Pahulu, Lielua makes yet another appearance in our Team of the Week. Big, tough and mobile, he is also a great leader.
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Reserves:
Will Taylor (Tweed Seagulls)
An unlucky team of the week omission for his performance in Tweed Seagulls resounding victory over the Brisbane Tigers. Usually a middle forward, he played on the edge where he defended strongly and ran some great lines.
Elekana Suavai (Blackhawks)
When the Blackhawks got rolling and halves Lamont and Bourke started moving play around, the Suavai-Mene combination was lethal.
Darcy Carswell (Clydesdales)
He is a tough, this kid, and also plays smart in the middle. He was that close to our First XIII, it was not funny, but we are delighted he made our bench. Carswell and Toby Evans shone for the Clydesdales.
Jeremiah Matautia, Henry Teutau (both Blackhawks)
Our Meninga Cup Team of the Week reserves are going to be forward heavy, and with good reason given the quality of the likes of Matautia and Teutau.
Lewis Symonds (Souths Logan)
The Magpies were down a few troops and Symonds rose to the occasion with influential edge running. Special mention also to Pride second rower Kaleb Eaton
Tamakaimoana Whareaorere (Redcliffe)
In a losing side, Dolphins’ forward Whareaorere gave his all in difficult circumstances against outstanding opponents.
Xavier Sofeni (Brisbane Tigers)
You did not have to look far from the ruck for the Tigers’ best at the weekend – prop Sofeni and dummy half Caleb Colls were excellent and deserve public adulation here.
Cayse Munro (Falcons)
The Falcons interchange forward made a big different when he was injected into the game.
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