NRL Schoolboys Cup final live stream: Schoolboy signing shock - most PBC players on the open market
Memo NRL clubs - Wanting bargain basement buys from a champion team with winning habits? Then watch PBC SHS’s largely unsigned super squad in Wednesday’s national final.
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Memo NRL clubs: Looking for a group of players loyal to the cause, tremendous team players with winning habits?
Then watch carefully PBC SHS’s championships squad when they play Westfield Sports High in Wednesday’s NRL Schoolboys Cup national final.
WATCH LIVE HERE ON WEDNESDAY: MABEL PARK v HILLS SPORTS HIGH
WATCH LIVE HERE ON TUESDAY: KARYN MURPHY CUP FINALS’ SERIES
PBC SHS take on Sydney juggernauts Westfields Sports High, will be exclusively live streamed today on KommunityTV for the www.couriermail.com.au, the Gold Coast Bulletin and News Corp affiliates.
Remarkably only a Super Seven of players from PBC SHS were signed by NRL clubs despite the Reds winning the Langer Trophy and Phil Hall Cup state final this season.
Super sub fullback Ray Puru (Titans), prodigy Sunny Kama (Titans), Queensland schoolboy centre Sam Stephenson (Titans), halfback and captain Zane Harrison (Titans), athletic edge forward Jack Finigan (Titans), fleet-a-foot hooker Will Saunders (Cronulla) and front row warhorse Jett Jackson (Manly) have been snapped up by NRL clubs.
RELATED LINKS
BBOB, RENOUF SHIELD GRAND FINAL REPORTS HERE
STRUDDY’S CUP YEAR 7, 8 and 9 GRAND FINAL REPORTS
The list of unsigned players includes Justin Hodges Medallist for Player of the Year, five-eight Bailey McConnell, quicksilver winger Creedance Donovan, towering prop Brady Turner and inform edge forward Baylen Donald.
Turner, Donald and McConnell all made our LANGER TROPHY TEAM OF THE YEAR
announced last week.
PBC SHS coach Tim Maccan said the recognition of only seven players highlighted how his group was a champion team and how his players were in it for their teammates and school as much as themselves.
“We have a saying, ‘to be 100 per cent Red, you have to be 50 per cent for you and 50 per cent for your mate’,’’ Maccan said.
“They love the history of the Reds and they love creating their own history and breaking as many PBC records as they can.
“In the Phil Hall Cup final we became the first ever PBC team to win a game in Townsville. They ticked that box.
“In the next game (against Westfield Sports High) they are aiming to become the first PBC team to win a national final without an Australian schoolboy representative.
“It shows we are not relying on one or two people who are superstars, they are just a champion team.
“They keep chipping away, doing their job for each other.’’
PBC SHS has won three previous NRL national finals - in 2001 when captain Matt Brown won the Peter Sterling Medal, in 2008 when NRL players Ryan James and Jordan Rankin were Australian schoolboy representatives, and in 2018 when halves Tom Deardon and Toby Sexton steered their school to victory.
The unsigned players were fullback Jake Lateo (Tweed Seagulls), centre Tyson Ploegsma (Tweed Seagulls), Donovan (Northern Rivers Titans u18s), McConnell (Burleigh Bears), Turner (Northern Rivers Titans u18s), prop Jaylen Taewa (Tweed Seagulls), Donald (Tweed Seagulls), Isaac Harrison (Northern Rivers Titans u18s), Cameron Bevan (Northern Rivers Titans u18s), Ethan Schultz (Tweed Seagulls), Jace Williams (Tweed Seagulls), Bailey Simpson (Tweed Seagulls), Barney Litidamu (Tweed Seagulls).