Who made our TAS First XV rugby union Team of the Season?
Who has made our TAS First XV Team of the Season? Ormiston College are premiers, but across the competition outstanding talent from all teams shone. Our team, plus reserves, revealed.
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The Associated Schools is one of the finest breeding grounds for rugby talent in the country, with Wallabies like Ben Tune, Fletcher Dyson, Stan Pilecki, Troy Coker and Shane Nightingale joining dozens of past Queensland and club players who have come through the system.
They are past players, but who are the current up-and-coming players to watch out for in the future?
Here we name our top First XV side from this season, an outfit where ever school is represented.
Fullback: Liam Reynolds (Canterbury College)
There was a hot field of No.15s including Jamal Meena for Ormiston and Mark Moran for JPC but we settled with Canterbury College’s Liam Reynolds, a strong and determined ball runner, sure with his hands while possessing a turn of pace. Reynolds was always great returning the ball from the back, and loved his post contact metres. He was one of, if not Canterbury’s best back throughout the season.
Wing: Peter McGrath (St Columban’s)
McGrath was magic from the back. He moved around wing and fullback but his presence on the offensive-end was always felt.
He is one of those exciting backs that can spark some magic and set up his teammates with his decisive play style. McGrath is someone you want on your team. He has the heart. He has the skill. He has the leadership, aggression and also a great shoe.
Centre: Beni Allen (JPC)
Where do we start. Beni Allen was an excitement machine and the epitome of firepower in JPC’s 2022 rugby campaign. His selection was a given, a player with more than a smattering of x-factor about him. Allen won’t go to ground unless multiple defenders throw their body at him. He has a step, speed, strength and genuine rugby brains. Allen could be the next TAS alumni to make his name in rugby.
Centre: Laif Williams (Ormiston)
If there was a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, Laif would take it. It would be unanimous. It cannot be overstated how crucial Laif was to Ormiston’s success this year.
He is everything in one. A leader. A brick wall on defence. A play maker. A sniper kicking goals. His best trick of all is his in game kicking. The Wallabies could use someone like Laif. How many schoolboy rugby players think to kick 50-22s and consistently execute?
There are not enough words in the dictionary to encapsulate the brilliance of this young-gun— not just in his game but what he has done for the game at Ormiston.
Wing: Lachlan Creswell (St Paul’s) and Dylan Penniket (Ormiston)
These two are similar. Try-scorers. Creswell was an assassin on the wing for the Pumas, running in a phenomenal six tries and 65 points throughout the season with the help of his boot.
Creswell is strong with ball in hand, with a great turn of pace and born leadership. It’s hard to leave a player like Penniket out. Always working down the wing. He was such an integral part of the Ormiston backline, scoring five-pointers every game. You could trust him to finish off a try, even if he had defenders in front of him. He would leave them stuck in the mud.
Fly half: Ryan Fitzgerald (St Columban’s)
Fitzgerald was one of TAS’ players to watch and he did not disappoint. He is a cracking utility that could play multiple positions.
He straightens up the attack, puts his teammates into space and threatens the defensive line every time he has ball in hand. The opportunity to play at the State Championships this weekend is a testiment to his form and class as the first-receiver.
Halfback: Lucas Wood (Ormiston)
Wood is the best halfback we have seen in years. It is a huge bonus for Ormiston to have him returning next year. Although, him and Williams connected telepathically. He isn’t a big kid, but he can handle everything that is thrown at him.
Whether it is late shots, niggle opponents or a forward steaming into him, Wood’s not worried. His service from the rucks is brilliant and head of rugby Kris Peterman had high praise for his delivery from scrumhalf after every game. Wood was even passing on his left and right side before Ormiston’s First XV premiership in 2008.
No.8: Jack Henry (Canterbury) and Daniel Body (Ormiston)
These two were both so good they couldn’t be separated.
If you have seen Scott Higginbotham, you will see the similarities in Henry’s game. He would slice through the defence and always look for the offload. Not only was Henry a rock in the lineouts, but he can run the ball and put his teammates into space. His best quality was his workrate. He was everywhere at once, and you could always count on him to be where you needed when it mattered.
Body was a bulldozer for Ormiston all season long. IN fact, he got better as the season progressed.
It was like he realised he was 6 foot 5 and then decided to take his game to the next level. He was huge in the scrums, and his ball-running was phenomenal, especially where it mattered most—in the big dance.
Flanker: Matt Hayes (WestMAC)
Hayes was WestMAC’S best alongside Liam Theron. Hayes tackled his heart out every game but his play making was the most underrated aspect of his game,
For a forward to slot into the backline, play first-receiver on several occasions, and perform at the highest standard is outstanding.
He created overlaps, gave his teammates room to move and held down the both the forwards and backs at once.
Flanker: Alex Mutimuti (Canterbury) and Tanner Baker (St Paul’s)
Mutimuti was an absolute handful. Although Canterbury had an underwhelming season, Mutimuti continued to show up and make his case for the best No.6 in the competition. He would juke his defenders and step his way through the line to put the opposition on the back foot. One word comes to mind and that is post contact metres.
Tanner Baker is one of St Paul’s Year 11 lads who was never overawed. He always took the ball hard into contact and was a leader in defence.
As his coach Andrew Thomas described, “he gives all of himself for the team.”
Lock: Angus Melville (Ormiston)
The unsung hero in Ormiston’s premiership campaign is this workhorse right here. He picked up a few tries throughout the season and was a big factor in his team’s forward pack. With good go-forward, great ball-running and determination, Melville was a menace that no opposition could withstand.
Melville was the glue of the Ormiston forwards, in the lineouts, rucking and mauling. One of the reasons Ormiston were so successful was because of the damaging forward combination of Melville, Body, Riley O’Brien and Luca De Abreu.
Lock: Devlyn Nel (St Columban’s)
The fight of the Columban’s forwards never stopped working. Devlyn Nel stood out when shooting through the defensive line every game.
Indeed he advances his team up the field to create scoring opportunities. He would slice through the defence and really give the supporters something to stand up and cheer for.
Prop: Tom Dove (WestMAC)
Tom Dove was WestMAC’s biggest improver this year, finding his feet more as the season progressed. He showed how far he has come in his team’s final game of the year, getting two try assists. Coach Shane Toll said: “He has come a long way as a front row. He has improved so much.”
Hooker: Liam Theron (WestMAC)
Theron is a man among boys. On defence he knows how to put the opposition in their place. Big hits, crunching tackles and physicality across all aspects of his game makes for WestMAC’s second smash-bro. Him and Hayes are two cracking players, that compliment each others play styles. Theron is a thumping force on both sides of the ball, and Hayes complimented him nicely.
Prop: Oscar Neuendork-King (CHAC)
Neuendork-King is the ironman of the CHAC forward pack, a never-say-die front rower who just goes and goes, ploughs away with the same consistency than if his team was leading by 15 or behind by 15. He thoroughly deserves his place in this company.
RESERVES:
Hamish Hunt: The WestMAC’s fullback or wing tried his heart out all season and on multiple occasions used his pace to save tries or mop up dangerous situations for his side.
Myron Taupati- Campbell: St Columban’s centre had a great season. He made something happen every time and was a huge threat.
Johnny Dick: Another one of CHAC’s key men in this year’s team. He’s a smart playing halfback who steered the ship all season as captain.
Dan Johnstone, Logan Stansfield: These St Paul’s guns were the reason they had the season they did.
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