Who are the Silent Assassins impacting GPS First XV rugby?
The GPS First XV premiership race will reach a flashpoint this weekend when Miskin Oval, BBC becomes the place to be. Before round 8, get an insight into each team’s Silent Assassins. FULL LIST
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Here we go. The second last hurdle in a bumper season where at some stage during the season every school supporter has had plenty to cheer about.
Entering the home straight it is a race in three between Nudgee and BSHS (who play each other in the final round) and BBC who can upset the apple cart on Saturday against Nudgee.
The premiership table (win-loss)
Nudgee 6-0
BSHS 6-0
BBC 5-1
TSS 3-3
IGS 2-4
TGS 2-5
Churchie 2-5
Terrace 2-4
BGS 0-6
On the eve of round 8 here’s the GPS First XV’s silent assassins, the players who don’t get public adulation, but who do their work in a quiet manner which is respected by their peers and coaches.
GPS FIRST XV RUGBY’S SILENT ASSASSINS
DJ Colaivalu (BBC)
BBC’s lightning left winger DJ Colaivalu has the ability to break games open with his speed on the edge of BBC’s attack.
This was seen last weekend when he raced away for a 65m runaway try.
BBC players know that when the game becomes a grind in the middle they can shift the ball in his direction and there’s a healthy chance the unassuming Colaivalu could spark something out of nothing.
Tavita Loughland (BBC)
It is clear to see Tavita Loughland loves the tough stuff.
The Queensland Reds Academy youngster has plied his trade in the second row all season long without missing a game.
The towering young 16-year-old is a quiet achiever and much like his pace setting BBC teammates, he is gathering ominous momentum.
Joe McGahan (Gregory Terrace)
Gregory Terrace has had a good one this season in the form of sharpshooting fullback Joe McGahan.
While his brother has missed a couple games, utility back Joe has provided stability both under the highball and with ball in hand where his running game has complimented his trusty kicking game.
He has had a big say in getting Terrace the Brave in the right areas.
George Hales (Gregory Terrace)
You would think George Hales has spiders on him the way he pushes the tempo and wriggles his way out of contact.
With his quick taps and fast clearances, the livewire halfback gets his teammates moving at pace and his opponents back-pedalling.
Carter Welfare (Nudgee)
Cool, calm and collected is how you would describe Nudgee’s inside centre Carter Welfare.
Earlier this year Welfare was the five-eighth that led the charge for Redcliffe’s representative Under-17s team. This winter, Welfare has had a touch of class at inside centre with his ball skills and ball running.
Welfare has played in all six games for Nudgee and you’d be able to count the amount of mistakes he has made on one hand so composed has he been.
Hugo Hart (Nudgee)
The big yet nimble Nudgee breakaway has that something special about him that makes him a hot commodity in rugby.
Hart has the strength and athleticism and behind closed doors a relentless work ethic which sometimes goes unnoticed on a Saturday afternoon.
Following in good footsteps after Griffin Schostakowski, Cooper Cameron, Paddy Dallimore and Noah Rauluni tormented opposition in years past, athletic Marvel Hart is adding an extra layer and a half to Nudgee’s forward pack.
Sam Watson (Nudgee)
Sam Watson has been quite the silent assassin for Nudgee this season, mixing his first class service and his telling running game to swing matches in his team’s favour.
The quick between the ears Queensland Under-18s select earlier this year plays at a fast-paced tempo and his flyhalf Charlie O’Connell must love it.
The Norths junior just knows when to dish it out or when to implement his running game and his consistency is a big reason why Nudgee are doing so well again.
Adam Davis (Toowoomba Grammar)
Coming into the season few would have presumed Davis would have impacted Toowoomba Grammar’s campaign to the magnitude he has.
For those who haven’t caught the left winger in action, he has been leaving a mark each week with his ferocious return carries, clinical finishing and body on the line defence.
You won’t catch the busy Davis standing still for too long, that is for sure.
Joey Gray (Toowoomba Grammar)
Joey Gray has led from the front for Toowoomba Grammar this season and last with his innate ability at the breakdown setting a high standard for his blue and gold battalion.
Gray’s wizards at the breakdown, link play and pile driving heaves is to be expected at this point from a player of his quality and consistency.
Archie Campbell and Harrison Humphreys (Toowoomba Grammar)
Toowoomba Grammar’s tireless props Archie Campbell and Harrison Humphreys fit the criteria of unsung, high quality workers like a glove.
The emerging loose-head and tight-head respectively form a youthful but formidable front row trio including 15-year-old weapon Ruben Kruger.
The softly spoken Toowoomba locals are gaining valuable on the job training this season where they have held their ground in scrum and lineout play.
Harry Solofa (Churchie)
Churchie had a two-pronged threat at hooker this season in Year 12 Harry Solofa, the complete modern day No.2 that clubs would be lucky to have.
Solofa has the set piece down pat with his rolling maul and lineout throwing sound. His biggest weapon however is his light feet, line breaking ability and quickfire acceleration over a short distance.
After all, he was a centre coming through the ranks and Churchie had another No.12 in their forward pack this season with the speedy Solofa packing down in the scrum.
Liam Gordon (Churchie)
Liam Gordon won’t be seen again this season due to a shoulder injury but the dependable outside centre was Churchie’s silent assassin this season.
You wouldn’t find a more important defender to a side this season than the tall timber, 195cm to be exact, from Hong Kong.
Gordon is no flash dan but he gets others involved with his ability to unload in contact with his long levers and you’d be hard pressed finding a player who has made as many cover tackles as this important Year 11 student.
Ezalle Matautia (Ipswich Grammar)
A gentle giant, Ipswich Grammar’s No. 8 Ezalle Matautia has proved a crucial cog in the link up play between Grammar’s forwards and backs.
The mobile big man from up north in Woree loves to take the ball from the back of scrum which has added an extra dimension to his team’s attack this season.
He doesn’t say much on the field, but looms as a big threat when he gathers steam.
Brock Coombes (Ipswich Grammar)
Fast, gutsy and passionate Ipswich Grammar winger Brock Coombes has brought his leanings from last year to be one of the premier wings in this year’s competition.
The headgear wearing assassin keeps to himself and lets his actions do the talking. Take his dagger against Churchie last weekend to claim the inaugural Jones-Bell Trophy for Ipswich Grammar as an example.
The Buderim hot-stepper can play fullback, but Ipswich Grammar love him at wing where he is always on the money with his positioning, jam defence and kick chases.
Jean-Paul Sia (Ipswich Grammar)
A fixture at any front row position or even No.8 for Ipswich Grammar’s First XV over the last two seasons, hooker Jean-Paul Sia is another who does the grunt work that sets up tries to others.
Built low to the ground, the deceptively powerful Ipswich Rangers junior is always lurking near the breakdown to attack with the ball or challenge with a pilfer.
Elyjah Sau (Brisbane State High School)
Like his statement making band of teammates, tighthead prop Sau has let his actions do all the talking in a stellar campaign.
Sau wears white headgear and uses that protection to put his head in places others wouldn’t dare.
The big bodied prop, who so often requires two or three defenders to be brought to ground, crunches ribs on the defensive end and carries a lot in attack and despite this is still running from breakdown to breakdown in the 70th minute.
Jackson Hill (Brisbane State High)
As the old saying goes ‘a kick is only as good as its chase’ and Brisbane State High’s Jackson Hill is one of the best when it comes to kick chase pressure.
A pest in defence, the outside back has been a quiet achiever who has demanded praise as a key piece of Brisbane State High’s premiership puzzle.
He may be small in stature but he has speed, knows where to position himself and he has played every game.
Flynn Horton (Brisbane Grammar)
The reliable Flynn Horton has once again gone about his work without fuss this season after playing halfback in last year’s team.
With a productive box kicking game, sharp service from the feet of his forwards and a threatening running game when he uses it, Horton has continued to do his job quietly, but effectively for Brisbane Grammar.
Lincoln Manuel (Brisbane Grammar)
Hard working Brisbane Grammar flanker Lincoln Manuel gets through a ton of work as a fierce defender and running threat in the wider channels for Brisbane Grammar.
The at times immovable force at the breakdown has shown impressive versatility transitioning from a crash running forward in rugby league in autumn to a well rounded flanker learning the trade of being a rugby open side in winter.
Agapetos Lote-Felo (The Southport School)
An emerging backrower with untapped potential, Gold Coast youngster Agapetos Lote-Felo has flown slightly under the radar at No.8 playing in his first season as a Year 10 student.
Lote-Felo benefitted from a long pre-season which began with Reds academy games and he had added obvious size to his frame, all the while remaining his nimble self that is capable of playing in the centres.
The spitting image of a silent assassin, Lote-Felo hits and sticks in defence and is often one of the leaders when the stats roll in after moving mountains in a quiet, uncompromising manner on Saturday afternoons.
Viliami Fifita (The Southport School)
Promising young flanker Viliami Fifita has had an impressive start to his First XV career offering plenty on both sides of the ball for the Sharky Army.
A young giant born in 2008, Fifita is well built for someone of his tender age but his agility, soft hands and turn of foot makes him a real threat when TSS go to him to make inroads.
At the moment, the young breakaway is quietly going about his business at a very high level and his five-pointer earlier in the season might just be front runner for try of the year.
Dan Wells (The Southport School)
Dan Wells is the typical no-nonsense hard working rugby player that helps a team tick.
TSS are lucky to have the tireless lock forward who this season has been pivotal in TSS’s set piece assassination.
The grunt work he bites his teeth into is what allows his teammates to look good, grab tries and dominate in other facets.
Round 8
TSS v Churchie
BBC v Nudgee
IGS v BGS
BSHS v Terrace
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