Club rugby: Slug fest at Yoku Road; Red Heavies flex muscles as Tigers roar home
Club rugby: The Easts Tigers roared home, University of Queensland players flexed their muscles while Brothers won a slug fest in round 9 of action on Saturday. See the Super 20 players here.
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An explosive midfielder in the Hunter Paisami build continued to enhance his reputation at outside centre for the University of Queensland as round 9 of the Colts 1 club rugby competition unfolded.
19-year-old dynamo Samuela Tuisau had the midas touch in the Red Heavies 26-20 away victory over the Bond University Bullsharks.
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In other matches, Souths tighthead prop Slater Galloway scored a beauty in the Magpies 21-20 success over Wests at the Kennel, Easts returned from a 20-nil deficit to win 26-20 over Norths and Brothers won a slugfest, 14-7 over GPS.
But at the Canal on the Gold Coast, Tuisau had another exciting performance which follows a string of matches where he has been one of his team’s best players.
Born in Sydney but of Fijian heritage, Tuisau moved North to Brisbane earlier this year to get greater exposure to rugby under University coach Josh Bray, who has coached him for the last four years.
“I love it here,” Tuisau said.
“It’s just the boys. The boys just get around us and I just love the club.”
Growing up in Sydney, attending Seda College in Redfern, Tuisau looked up to Fijian powerhouse Samu Kerevi and more recently admires Reds midfielder Hunter Paisami, who he wants to model his game off.
“I was looking up to Samu Kerevi … being Fijian and being a centre,” said Tuisau.
“I am not a big person. He (Hunter Paisami) is definitely someone I look up to.
“Not the biggest but the most dangerous.”
In eight games so far this season, Tuisau has proved one of the most dangerous outside backs in the competition and he is doing it for his family who he left behind to develop his game in the Sunshine State.
Mum Lusiana, dad Samuela Senior, sister Joy and brothers Solomon and Jerry are all key motivators, as well as God.
“I am playing for my family,” said Tuisau.
“I grew up with a religious background (Christian). Everything I do is for God.”
The West Harbour Pirates junior prodigy lives with teammates Xander Iosefo (lock), Daniel Christodoulou (loose-head) and fellow Pirates juniors Rodney Blake (No. 8) and Malakai Halavalu.
“I reckon it (the hardest thing) was moving away from family and friends,” said Tuisau.
“I came with a coach (Josh) and some of the boys.”
So who joined Samu Tuisau in the round 9 Super 20? Read on.
BROTHERS v GPS
Having given away 12 penalties in three games from tackling too high around the sternum, Brothers’ players lowered their target in the clash in a 14-7 win at Yoku Road.
It was more hold school tackling today, with the first point of contact around driving into the hips.
Brothers Coach Greg Beaver was delighted with the teams adjustment in this area.
With fewer penalties, Beaver said it gave his side more of a chance to stay in the match.
As you would expect in a 14-7 game, both teams were pleased with their respective defensive performances.
GPS had an extended period in the first half turning Brothers away, while Brothers plugged the dam wall in the second half.
GPS coach Kris Kuridrani said his team started with a mistake which out them on the back foot and a few following errors proved the difference despite a committed and big hearted effort in defence.
“Heart wise they fought hard, but they did not help themselves with lapses,” he said
SUPER 20
Vaiuta Latu (Brothers)
In a game where Brothers were pounded to victory by their back rowers, No. 8 was top of the pops.
Coach Beaver declared “he was next level”, dominant in everything he did.
Paddy Dallimore (Brothers)
The Nudgee old boy played arguably his best match of the season.
Dallimore was at the wheelhouse to secure four turnovers and defensively he was outstanding.
Griffin Schostakowski (Brothers)
Playing blindside flanker instead of lock, he had a real feel for the tempo of the defensively oriented match.
He was disciplined in the collisions.
Indeed coach Beaver said as a group, the performance of his back row trio against respected GPS loose forwards “was where we got them today”
Jack Leo (GPS)
The flanker was outstanding for GPS with his work rate in attack and defence.
You got the impression if a car in the car park had needed to be push started, he’d have been first in line.
He had that type of endeavour and endurance today.
Spencer Alcock (GPS)
Spencer Alcock steered his side around the field with an astute kicking which, in a match featuring plenty of hand to hand combat, was a godsend.
Will Rogers (Norths)
Rogers was officially back at his best.
After missing the first half of the season to injury, Rogers has come back with vengeance and on Saturday he scrummed well but more importantly defended fearlessly.
The second year hooker out of Nudgee chopped low and hard and was unlucky not to win more penalties at scrum time.
Macarius Pereira (Norths)
We have sung this kid praises since the start of the decade when he debuted for the Nudgee First XV in 2021.
Now, in his first year of Colts 1, Pereira is doing all the right things and it almost got Norths home on Saturday.
So damaging close to the line, Pereira scored one and created a pressure cooker atmosphere with his carries across the contest.
Ben Kluck (Norths)
Norths won the lineout battle with flying colours and that was partly due to disrupter Kluck, the Eagles’ lock.
He threw Easts off at every lineout, despite Easts having the height advantage.
Around the paddock, he worked hard as well.
Callum Reidy (Norths)
A warrior, Reidy played brilliantly for 70 minutes.
His box kicking was dangerous, running game influential and passing perfect.
You could not fault him or his effort.
Frankie Goldsbrough (Easts)
Boom teen Frankie Goldsbrough showed he is learning quickly at the Reds with his much improved kicking game at the centre of Easts’ second half ambush on Hugh Courtney Oval.
Like a true professional he found touch with every kick and chewed off extra metres with some big boots late in the game when Easts were desperate for field position and points.
Noah Rauluni (Easts)
We are looking at a freakish athlete with the potential to be anything.
Young Rauluni is a flanker capable of being an effective centre.
With sharp footwork, great hands, tremendous offloading ability and great defensive IQ, Rauluni put together another eye-catching performance before being yellow carded late in the game.
PJ Su’a (Easts)
Easts’ powerful No. 8 spearhead PJ Su’a was a late game wonder on Hugh Courtney oval, scoring two tries in the final 20 minutes to complete a terrific comeback.
Down 20-0, the Tigers needed a huge second half effort and when Su’a barged over at the back of the scrum to take a 26-20 lead, the comeback was complete.
His power game through the middle of the field and support play was how he earned his first try, a 30m dash after great phase play by the team.
Xander Iosefo (University)
Tuisau’s roommate and lock powerhouse, Xander Iosefo had one of his best outings of the season against Bond.
Big, physical and mobile, Iosefo could play lock, flanker or No. 8 and on Saturday his runs with the ball in hand got University over the gainline and into Bond’s danger zone.
Tafito Ah-Ki (University)
It was only a matter of time before livewire scrumhalf Ah-Ki produced what he is capable of in a game.
He has been well contained this season with Jimmy Jackson starting in some games, but today Ah-Ki got the start and took Bond University by surprise no doubt.
Quick between the ears and not afraid to go himself, St Edmund’s College old boy Ah-Ki was lightning around the ruck, beating defenders with footwork and speed and offloading to give University prime front foot ball.
Sam Howarth (Bond University)
The Kiwi scrumhalf took it upon himself to get Bond off to a hot start and he did not take his foot off the pedal.
His kicking, passing and running game was first class but what was most impressive was his defence, tackling “like a loose forward” according to coach Rico Gear.
Blake Raymond (Bond University)
Trouble is never far when you are facing an outside centre as capable as Blake Raymond.
The sleek moving midfielder created plenty of opportunities for his outsides Ieuan Cornelius, Justin Faber and Hunter Robinson, with Robinson snaring a double.
Charlie Cooke (Wests)
Quickly cementing himself as one of the best flankers in the competition, athletic breakaway Cooke produced another rollicking performance in a losing side on Saturday.
Everywhere on the field, in the breakdowns, in the lineouts and then with the ball through the wider channels, Cooke was elite.
A Queensland Reds Under-19s call up beckons the Terrace old boy.
Liam McGregor (Wests)
Match hardened after last year’s campaign, No. 8 weapon McGregor has had something about him this season.
Bigger, stronger and better in 2024, McGregor has used his physicality and strength to steamroll opponents.
Finlay King (Wests)
It can be taken for granted but King’s precision lineout throwing on Saturday got Wests off to a flyer.
Lethal near the tryline and mistake free in general play, hooker King was a set-piece ace that helped Wests trouble premiership contenders Souths.
Will Nason (Souths)
We are looking at the playmaker for Queensland’s Under-19s side in this year’s National Championships campaign.
Still just 19, Nason has taken his game up a level in 2024 and against Wests his running game was damaging.
Dom Thygsen (Souths)
He was out for a while with various injuries but he has hit his straps now and that means carnage for the opposition.
A No. 8 wrecking ball destined for higher honours, Thygesen was close to his best with his carries, defence and work off the ball helping Souths escape a Wests side that was up for it at home.
Cooper Hoare and Slater Galloway (Souths)
Last year Souths got just one BBC boy to the club. This year, the BBC production line has proven very influential in Souths’ promising first half of the season.
Hooker Hoare and tighthead prop Galloway combined to produce an excellent display of dominance. Not just in the scrum but more impressively with the ball in hand, rucking the ball up through the middle of the field and close to Wests goal line.
Galloway’s breathtaking 50m solo stunner to seal the game in the second half showed he is a frontrunner for the Queensland Reds Under-19s No. 3 jersey come October.
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