GPS Rugby 2019: Round One Teams Announced
The teams of the first round of GPS Rugby 2019 have been released. Find those, and the First XV’s captains predictions for the season ahead, here:
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The second century of GPS Rugby is about to begin, and defending champions Nudgee College are aiming to take home their third First XV trophy in as many years.
Prop Harry Vella will captain the side for the second straight year, while Brumbies-bound Reesjan Pasitoa will steer the side from flyhalf.
GPS Rugby 2019: Ipswich Grammar School preview
GPS profile: The Southport School excited by big Wilson Blyth
Fullback Trezman Banjo and lock-turned-flanker Titi Nofoagatota are the school’s other returning players from an undefeated campaign in 2019.
Their number of returning players is a fraction of the firepower fellow contenders The Southport School and Brisbane Boys’ College will call upon throughout the season, but their rivals know better than to write off the 42-time champions before a match has been played.
“Nudgee are probably the team to beat this year,” TSS captain Zane Nonggorr said at the Courier-Mail’s GPS Rugby Season Launch event on Friday.
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“In recent years they’ve had a really good coaching staff and systems in attack and defence.
“They’ve got some of the best players in the country in Harry Vella and Reesjan Pasitoa.”
Ipswich Grammar School’s skipper Jack Webber agreed.
“I’d probably say Nudgee were the team to beat,” he said.
“They’ve got a lot of depth throughout their school, a lot of older players who’ve played for a few years now so that makes them pretty strong.”
Others, including Gregory Terrace skipper Lewis Jorgensen, saw The Southport School as the competition’s biggest scalp in 2019.
“Southport for us would definitely be the team to beat because they’re such a well-balanced side,” Jorgensen said.
“They’ve got a strong forward pack who rumble up the middle really well and they’ve got quick backs.
“They were unlucky last year against Nudgee (losing 34-29 in the final round) but they’re strong every year and they’re definitely the team to beat.”
The Nudgee would have pencilled the date of round one’s clash with The Southport School at Southport the moment the final whistle blew in 2018.
Flanker Mitch Lowrie said the pathway to a premiership would be determined by the result from the match.
“From a Nudgee perspective, our team to beat is TSS in our first game,” he said.
“That will be our biggest of the year and we’ll see how we go from there.”
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Brisbane Boys’ College and Ipswich Grammar School were only mentioned in passing by their rivals but nevertheless will play a key role in deciding the premiership.
Both schools are in possession of top class talent who can turn a match on its head and snatch competition points from anyone.
THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL VS NUDGEE COLLEGE (15-1)
TSS: Dion Samuela, Kaleb Ngamanu, Jojo Fifita, Jesse Gray, Hamish Roberts, Syrus Schmidt, Hudson Meyer, Luc Lyndon, Ngiyaani Waters, Michael van der Schyff, Wilson Blyth, Marlon Jones, Zane Nonggorr (C), George Nield, George Black.
NC: Athen Waia, Daniel Muller, Eyzaiah Ulia, Lastus Auakai, Robert Mapa, Reesjan Pasitoa, Finn Hearn, Titi Nofoagatota, Mitch Lowrie, Jock Thompson, Daniel Lemau, Charlie Hayes, Harry Vella (C), Ronin Nutley, Will Jones
BRISBANE BOYS’ COLLEGE VS ANGLICAN CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL (15-1)
BBC: Taj Annan, Byron Johnson, Jack Howarth, Lukas RIpley, Brad Altman, Mason Gordon, Will Stevens, George Gibson, Sam Kelly-Knowles, Zac Hough, Jacob Blyton (C), Hugo Perceval, Jake Tierney, James Durheim, Andrew Romano.
ACGS: Sam Farrar, Henry Caswell, Larzlo Sword, Larson Dale-Doyle, Jack Richardson, Toby McGovern-Cubby, Henry Wilson, Izi Sword, George Stoddart, Aidan King, Ewan Marr, Hugo Schreuder, Ben Ryan, Max Craig, Tom Zuidam
BRISBANE STATE HIGH SCHOOL VS IPSWICH GRAMMAR SCHOOL (15-1)
BSHS: Damian Vukovic, Sefa Inivale, Sam Sili, Wian Joubert, Ben Nielsen, Moses Jones, Sanni Siliva, Alapati So’oalo, Kai Johnstone, Trey Soli, Tom Duke, Caleb Edwards, Jaiden Christian, Josh Mahina, Linston Tafa-Tuimavave (C)
IGS: Kedan Chan-Tung, Malique Douthat-Sjoberg, Ethan King, Christian Krause, Seamus King-Smith, Sam Walker, Kalani Thomas, Xavier Stowers, Konrad Wallace, Jack Webber (C), Dillon Stone, Jordan Penquitt, Romeo Tanielu, Ben Murphy, Saipele Tamilo
GREGORY TERRACE VS TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL (15-1)
GT: Quinn Siolo, Ben Hearne, Glen Vaihu, Jordyn Bell, David Vaihu, Patrick Elekana, Henry Davis, Aidan Chambers, Louis Jorgensen (C), Marly Bitungane, Xavier Boyle, Charles Condon, Ezekiel Amituanai, Rory Slevin, Noah Stevens
TGS: Dayne Shadlow, Allister Cameron, Will Purcell, Jacob Gross, Kai Rahui, Baxter Franey, Wilson Cochrane, Seaton Siegfried, Dougal Gray (C), George Wunsch, Hamish Muller, Cooper Bridgeman, Tim Fainga’Anuku, Will Jauncey, Dominic Mifsuf
Nudgee College boosts No.1 ranked trio
St Joseph’s Nudgee College now has three athletes ranked No. 1 in Australia. Sprinter Ashley Wong, long jumper Trezman Banjo and javelin exponent Callum Wallace were all on top in their respective age groupings.
Nudgee’s Skerry joins Leeds United FC Academy
St Joseph’s Nudgee College’s Cooper Skerry is having the time of his life as he pursues his football goalkeeping dreams in the United Kingdom. He has been signed to the under 18 Leeds United FC Academy after being part of the Nudgee First XI.